page59 (1/2)
“You’ve been a doctor, Jess, which I’ means you’re hella s an inn”
I felt a little bubble of exciteht After all, Bailey loved her work here at the inn And I did love the inn Maybe this hat I was looking for “Okay” I grinned “Okay, I’ll do it”
“Yay!” Bailey bounced on the bed “Right Your vacation ends in a few days, so we’ll start then”
“Brilliant Thank you”
“What are friends for?”
“I’ve got so much to do I need to quit my job for a start”
Bailey frowned “What if they don’t give you a reference for quitting without notice?”
“They probably won’t give me a reference” I knew I should be worried about that, considering there was a chance I ht need to return to medicine, but I was suddenly terrified of the prospect of returning to Wilton If I went back to work out my teeks’ notice, I knew there was a chance I’d convince ain that my life there was all I deserved I’d chicken out and I wouldn’t come back to Hartwell
“Maybe you should go back for a feeeks I’ll hold your job here”
I shook o back”
My friend suddenly took on this fierce expression “Is soo back there?”
Yes But not for the possible reasons she was conjuring in her head So I gave her a little truth “If I go back, I know I ht not do it Quit, I mean There’s a possibility I’d stay”
Bailey relaxed “I get it I know I’ve been all blasé and excited about you staying, but I realize what a huge decision this is It’s only natural that there is a part of you questioning if this is a crazy o back, either”
“Thanks I feel terrible letting the there”
“Sometimes you have to be a little selfish in life”
Guilt swirled in ht”
“What the hell do youback, you quit your job, and you want h the phone at me a few hours later
I’d already called the hiring nation He hadn’t been too pleased, but I tried to easemyself that there were two doctors at the prison who could step up while they found a new prileeful about it
Still, it didn’t leave ood I’d never acted irresponsibly in my entire adult life
“What the hell do you mean?” Fatima repeated at my silence
I clearedin Hartwell”
“What the hell for?”
“I like it here I like the people The lifestyle is very different froton I’ve made fast friends here There’s this crazy lovable inn owner; and Emery the sweet, shy bookstore owner; and this really hot, sexy, nice—so goddamn nice—bar owner And there’s Old Archie, and Iris and Ira, and To character, and I want to meet Cat and Joey and Dahlia and—”
“Jesus, wo? Has three weeks to me been three years to you?”
I laughed, but it ca to miss, Fatima”
“My God, you are serious, aren’t you?”
“Before I got here, you were trying to tellto tell ht I can’t do anything about it back in Wil s here in Hartwell”
She was quiet a ot a job at the inn you’re staying at, you say?”
“Yes”
“Think et discounts?”
I smiled and my mood lifted “Probably”
“Then I’ll pack up your apartet vacation tireat about this place that has won you over”
“That sounds great”
“Quitting your job and uy—yeah, I heard that part—you’re a crazy woman The craziest How come I never kne crazy you are? You are a riot A frickin’ riot”
I let her babble on, laughing to myself the whole time
I’d surprised her
But more than that, I’d surprised me
And it felt good
“Uh-oh,” Bailey said as soon as I came downstairs to the kitchen
It wasto be working there I should get to know the workings of the place
A curvy wo at me This was Mona, the chef, and we’d met briefly a few times over the course of the last feeeks Mona was hard toa head scarf with a large knot in the top She wore oversized black-fraht red lipstick, and when she wasn’t in her chef’s whites, she wore overalls She was like a 1940s war propaganda poster for female industrial workers o;You’ve been a doctor, Jess, which I’ means you’re hella s an inn”