Page 86 of Love Me Boldly

That didn’t stop me from looking for or realizing I was grinning when I found an open coaching position.

I hit apply before I could second-guess myself.

Who knows what could happen?

I could always say no if it amounted to anything.

* * *

There wasnota lot to do in Deer Creek, especially when trying to avoid spending too much time in town. I spent the morning hiking around Crystal Mountain and then went to Boone for groceries. In addition, I was now the proud owner of some pretty lame board games and card games, and even though it wasn’t exactly in my teacher budget, I upgraded the television in the rental and bought a larger TV. Theirs was so tiny I felt like my dad, wearing reader glasses while trying to watch it from the living room.

I told myself I’d take it home with me, I could use a new one anyway, or I could take it into my classroom. For what? Who knows. But six weeks without a lot to do but watch TV would drive me crazy if I had to keep watching it on something you could only see clearly from four feet away.

It was setup.

The pizza was ordered.

The fridge and pantry were stocked with drinks and snacks.

The only thing I had left to do was to figure out what to say to get Holly to give me a chance to rejoin her life, and let’s face it. I’d never been great at that.

If I could figure out a way to stop sweating through my shirts and dry my clammy palms from nerves, that’d be nice, too.

If only this was happening in Denver. I’d be comfortable in my own home. I’d be more confident.

A laugh burst from me. That was a lie.

It was Holly. I’d always be nervous.

That she hadn’t backed out at the last minute was a small miracle.

My phone rang, and I dove for it. “Maybe I spoke too soon,” I muttered and flipped it over. I expected to see Holly’s name, and instead, a grin broke out.

I answered it. “Hey, Eli. You still alive?”

I’d called him when I was going to be in town for the camp, but he’d told me he was working three twelve-hour shifts and didn’t see how he’d be able to get away.

“Barely,” he groaned. “Crashed last night and was barely able to get out of bed today.”

He was in his residency at Boone Community Hospital. The guy could have gone anywhere after finishing med school at Chapel Hill, but his first choice was to stay in North Carolina. Seemed the boy originally from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, didn’t want to go home and wanted to stay far away from brutal winters that could last up to eight months out of the year.

“Sucks, man.”

School days were long, and I often worked on grading papers for an hour or two at night, and that was after hockey practice, but even then, I was getting to spend hours playing the sport I loved. Eli was investing every second of his day into saving lives and healing diseases and cancer.

“Listen, yeah…I’ve been debating this, and I can’t say too much. I’m not even sure if I should tell you?—”

“Spit it out, Eli.”

“I saw Holly.” My breath left in a heavy whoosh, and I fell onto the stool at the kitchen bar. “The hospital?”

I chuckled. I hadn’t told him I’d also seen her. Had considered it, but I was waiting until he was off his shifts to give him the news that I was closer than he thought I was.

“Blew me away to see her. You okay? I mean, I know it’s been years, but…”

“I actually saw her myself.”

“No shit. Really?”

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