Page 27 of Choosing Happily Ever After

For the next few minutes, Hope scribbled down bits and pieces of information as she tried to process what the doctor was telling her.

Uterine cancer.

Early stages.

Excellent prognosis.

Treatment.

So it wasn’tallbad. Maybe if there was a kind of cancer that youhadto have, this one wasn’t so bad. The idea was laughable, and not because she thought it was even remotely funny.

How could there possibly be agoodkind of cancer?

“I’ve set up an appointment with the specialist in the city for tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

“I think it’s best that you get in to see Doctor Barrett. She’ll be able to talk you through the next steps.”

“The next steps?”

He paused on the other end of the line before speaking again. “I hesitate to speak on this, Hope, because Doctor Barrett really is the best, but…”

“But, what?”

“You’re young and otherwise very healthy and I’m sure she will advise you the same way I would.”

She swallowed hard. Doctor Friesen had been her doctor for her entire life; she trusted him. “What’s that?”

“Typically with cancers of this nature, the protocol is to perform a hysterectomy to give the patient the best possible prognosis.”

Hysterectomy.

“Like I said,” the doctor continued. “I’m sure Doctor Barrett will be able to go over the options with you more specifically, but I just wanted you to hear it from me.”

Hope nodded. “I appreciate that,” she answered honestly.

“And Hope?”

She didn’t answer before the doctor continued.

“I’m really sorry it couldn’t be better news.”

You and me both.

Levi

It was a beautiful day in the mountains. The sun shone through the crispness of a mountain morning, with the promise of being a warm afternoon. It was Levi’s favorite time of the year in Glacier Falls because the snow was gone, but it wasn’t yet so hot that the days got lazy.

It was a perfect morning in late May.

Of course, it didn’t hurt that he’d spent the night in Hope’s bed. No, that didn’t hurt at all.

If he’d had his way, he’d still be in her bed, wrapped around her or on top of her, or under her, or really anything as long as he was with her. Damn, he’d missed that woman more than he’d realized. Being with her was both familiar and brand freaking new and he couldn’t get enough.

Unfortunately for him, Levi hadn’t gotten his way, and they both had work to do, so he’d reluctantly slipped out of her bed and gone back to the Langdon ranch to shower and change as quickly as he could. He planned to stop by the bakery in town to pick up a few of their delicious chocolate chip muffins that Hope used to love. And he had other plans, too.

The night before, neither of them had gotten much sleep. Besides the mind-blowing sex—seriously, whathadhe been missing?—they’d also talked.Reallytalked.

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