Page 6 of Tension with the Mountain Man
"Dr. Jacobson?" Bronwyn appears in my office doorway with two cups of coffee. "Thought you might need this."
"Bless you." I accept the cup gratefully. Bronwyn's been here longer than me, and she's become something of a lifeline in navigating Silver Ridge's unique medical challenges.
"So," she says, settling into the chair across from my desk with a knowing look. "Tucker Reeves."
I nearly choke on my coffee. "What about him?"
"He's been asking about you."
My heart does something ridiculous. "Asking what?"
"Nothing inappropriate," Bronwyn says quickly. "Just casual questions. How long you've been here, whether you like Silver Ridge, if you're planning to stay." She pauses, studying my face. "He's different from the usual loggers who come through here."
"Different how?"
"Quieter. More thoughtful. And he actually follows medical advice instead of arguing about it." She grins. "Plus, he's easy on the eyes."
I feel heat creep up my neck. "I hadn't noticed."
"Right." Bronwyn's expression turns more serious. "Sally, can I ask you something? Are you happy here?"
The question catches me off guard. "What do you mean?"
"You work constantly. You never socialize, never date, never seem to do anything just for fun. You're brilliant at your job, but you seem..." She searches for the right words. "Lonely."
Lonely.I've been so focused on proving myself, on being the perfect doctor, that I've forgotten how to be a person.
"Actually," I hear myself saying, "there is something I should tell you. Vancouver General offered me a position in their ER."
Bronwyn's eyebrows shoot up. "That's huge! Congratulations!"
"I haven't accepted yet."
"Why not? That's exactly the kind of opportunity you've been working toward, isn't it?"
"I thought so. But now..." I trail off, not sure how to finish that sentence.
"Now?"
"Now I'm not sure what I want anymore." I take a sip of coffee, buying time. "When I came here, I thought it would be temporary. A stepping stone to something bigger. But SilverRidge has grown on me. The work is challenging in different ways, and the community..."
"And Tucker Reeves?"
I give her a sharp look. "What about him?"
"Come on, Sally. I saw the way you looked at him during his follow-up visit. And the way he looked at you." She leans forward. "When's the last time you were interested in someone?"
"I don't have time for relationships."
"That's not what I asked."
She's right. The truth is, I haven't been truly interested in a man since... well, maybe ever. I've dated, had relationships, but nothing that made me feel the way Tucker did with just a simple conversation over lunch.
My phone buzzes with a text message. Tucker's name on the screen makes my pulse quicken.
Coffee this afternoon? If you have time.
"Is that him?" Bronwyn asks, noting my expression.
