Page 76 of Hello Doctor

“Thanks for picking the dress,” I said, taking it to the bathroom to change. When I came out, Maya clapped her hands together happily.

“You look like a disco ball,” she said.

I laughed. “Exactly what I was going for.” I went to the closet, digging through my boxes for a pair of sandals, then slipped them on my feet. Good thing I remembered to shave my toes last night. “What do you think?” I asked her, doing a spin.

She gave me two thumbs-up.

“Awesome, let me get you settled with some dinner before your dad gets home.” We went to the kitchen, and I started making her a sandwich. “Are you getting excited for school to start next week?”

She nodded. “Penny said she would give me one of her lip balms when school starts. It’s flavored like Dr. Pepper.”

“They still make those?” I asked.

She nodded. “Will you help me pick out an outfit?”

“I’ll do you one better,” I said with a smile. “I’ll take you back-to-school shopping for a special new outfit. Maybe we can even find Graham a matching bowtie.”

She grinned, looking down at Graham, where he sat at her feet. “You’d be a fancy dog.”

I chuckled, loving how sweet she was with him. I finished making her sandwich, then put it on a plate with some baby carrots and ranch. “Bon appetit.”

She picked up the sandwich and was taking her first big bite when the door opened, and Fletcher came inside.

He looked a little ruffled, his button-down shirt slightly wrinkled. “Hey, Maya. Liv, I need to talk to you.”

I shook my head. “It’ll have to wait. I’m off the clock and already running late.”

“To where?” he asked, eyeing my disco ball dress.

“I’m off the clock,” I repeated. I went and gave Maya a hug, then scratched Graham behind the ears, and walked past Fletcher to the front door, getting my purse from the hook and putting it over my shoulder.

Behind me, Fletcher said something to Maya and then followed me outside. “Liv, wait!”

I kept walking toward my truck, frustrated with him after the last several days. We’d barely spoken this week, andnowhe wanted to talk? Couldn’t he see I needed to forget him? At least for the weekend?

I put my hand on the truck door handle, wanting to drive away and leave him in the dust.

Instead, he stopped me, covering my hand with his own.

It was like an electric shock, having his rough hand on mine. Feeling the heat emanating from his body. Smelling his cologne that wouldn’t scrub itself from my mind.

“What?” I demanded, not looking at him. I hated how my body reacted to him without my permission.

“What are you doing? Can’t you stay here and talk this out with me?”

I glared up at him. “No, I can’t, because I need to get over you, Fletcher. I need to go to the bar and drink too many shots. I need to dance with a guy who puts his hands too low on my ass. I need to sleep with someone and not have him tell me he loves me but can’t be with me. I need tomove onso I can open my heart to someone who actually wants to be with me.”

His jaw tensed. “But what if I don’t want you to move on?”

I shook my head at him, angry tears forming in my lashes. “I’d say it’s too damn late.”

“Liv, let’s talk. I—”

I yanked my door open, getting in and driving away as he stood in the driveway, watching me.

Just a minute down the road, my phone chimed with a text. I pressed the button for it to play over the speakers.

Fletcher: Come back.

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