“I'm not sure what you saw, but it wasn't what you think,” I said slowly. This was not how I wanted the town to find out. Anyone but my high school bully breaking the news would have been preferable.
“I saw you two at the diner. Acting all cozy and friendly.” She gave me a dirty look. “He's taken. Even you should be better than that.”
“The diner?” I frowned until I remembered that we had gone out to dinner the other night. She hadn't seen us in the break room. “Oh. That was for work.”
“Riiiight. 'Work.'” She made the hand motions for quotation marks. “Don't mess with him, Hannah. He's the town hero and you aren't welcome here anymore. The Ladies don't like it when you meddle.”
I stared at her for a moment. “I'm not welcome?”
“Nobody wants you back in town, except maybe your parents. We're just fine without you waving your fancy degree around and acting like you're better than us,” she told me. “We all know you're just here to get back on your feet. Don't go sticking your nose where it doesn't belong. And it doesn't belong anywhere near Dr. Matthews. You ruin his relationship with Katie, and you'll wish you hadn't.”
I stood there in shock for a moment. Abigail was still the queen bee around town and very involved in the Ladies' Bridge Club. If she felt this way, then it was a good bet that most of the other people in town felt the same way. It hurt more than I expected. I'd never been loved by the town, but I'd never been hated either.
A knock on the exam room door took me from my shock and I managed to move out of the way to let Dr. Matthews walk in.
“Good morning, Abigail,” he said before realizing I was there. He stopped and stared at me. “Hannah.”
He looked so handsome. He had shaved and his dark hair was smoothed back rather than his usual messy. He wore dark blue scrubs that brought out the color of his eyes. The way he looked at me made my stomach do flip flops. I remembered his taste and the way his skin felt pressed against mine.
“Dr. Matthews,” I stammered, very aware that Abigail was watching our every move. The last thing I wanted was for her to think there was anything going on. “I was just leaving. All Abigail's vitals look good.”
“Good.” His eyes met mine and my stomach did the flip-flop thing again.
“Excuse me.” I darted out of the exam room as fast as I could. I didn't mean to, but I brushed up against him in the process and the touch sent shivers of want straight through me again. I needed to get a hold of myself.
I closed the door behind me, hearing Dr. Matthews start talking to Abigail through the wooden door.
“Dr. Matthews, it's so good to see you. How are you and Katie doing?” Abigail asked sweetly. “I hear you'll have a ring for her soon.”
“Katie and I aren't a couple,” he said gently.
“If you say so, Dr. Matthews. You two have been so discreet and proper. There's not many in town that would take their time and really make sure things are going to work the way you two have.”
Dr. Matthews sighed. “We aren't a couple,” he repeated and I could hear it in his voice that he was tired of saying it and not having anyone listen. “Now, let me see how the rash is doing.”
I stepped away from the door. I had work to do and I didn't need to eavesdrop on Abigail's appointment. I could already hear from the gentle hum of voices in the waiting area that we were filling up with patients. It sounded like it was going to be another busy day.
I didn't get a chance to say anything to Dr. Matthews all morning. We kept running into one another in our work duties, and we talked about patients and vitals and medications, but there was always either a patient or Donna around listening.
I suddenly understood why those cheesy romance novels my mom liked to read were always talking about “meaningful glances.” It was exactly what Jacob and I did all day. Our eyes tried to have a conversation that our words couldn't.
“Let me walk you out, Mrs. Johnson,” I said to my last patient before lunch. It looked like we might actually have a break.
“You are too sweet,” the elderly woman said, patting my hand as she stood up. “I wasn't sure how well you'd do back in Riversville, but you sure brought some professionalism with you.”
“Um, thank you?” I wasn't quite sure what she meant by that, but since Mrs. Johnson was the preacher's mother and one of the main organizers of the Bridge Club games, I was glad she wasn't talking to me like Abigail had earlier.
“It's refreshing to see young people take the time to have manners,” Mrs. Johnson explained. “You need to find a good man and have some babies. I heard that Dan Marston is single. He and his wife just divorced last year. He's a nice man. Unfortunately, I think he's the only single man in town at the moment.”
“Really?”
“Well, there's Samuel. But he's a bit older than you.” Mrs. Johnson thought for a moment. “Who else is there? Dr. Matthews is marrying Katie, Jameson Richards is taking out Jane Andres, Jim Sands is a drunk and you don't want him, and Paul Dunes is gay. I'm afraid the selection is rather poor at the moment.”
I sighed.
“Don't worry, though,” Mrs. Johnson continued. “I'm sure you'll find someone. You're still young enough to have at least one baby. I wouldn't worry. At the next bridge game, we'll think of someone for you. You deserve to have some happiness.”
“That's very kind of you.” I cringed inwardly at the idea of my love life being the topic of conversation at the next ladies bridge game. The games were invite only and where most of the town gossip and decisions were made. It was like a mafia meeting, if mafiosos were small-town women with too much time on their hands.