Page 5 of Tumbleweed Temptation
Someone had put a lot of effort into fixing the place up, to be honest. The ceiling was vaulted and a great big window looked out over the street, and the living and kitchen area were open, giving the place an illusion of size. The couch and chair, end tables and coffee table, all seemed to match, and suited him. He walked into the bedroom, which was small but had enough room for a queen-sized bed, a dresser and an armoire. A TV sat on top of the armoire. Man, he wished they’d just given him shitty hand-me-downs so he could keep being mad.
Well, he’d still be mad.
He tossed his duffel in the middle of the bed and walked back into the living room and around the kitchen island to open the refrigerator to find it well-stocked, same with the pantry. Well. That was nice.
He headed down to the car to get the rest of his luggage—two suitcases and two boxes, two trips.
He would unpack later, but first he wanted to check out the office, see if it was as well-thought-out as the apartment. He had given a list of supplies he expected to need. He walked past reception into an open area, with newish scale and blood pressure station, and a privacy screen. Beyond them were four doors. Exam rooms? He checked to see, yes, two exam rooms, a bathroom and an office for himself. How many patients did the town expect for them to have?
Yeah, they’d done a pretty good job, and he had to wonder where the town had gotten the money to pay both his tuition and to fix this place up.
Maybe someone felt guilty for the way they’d talked about his mother after she’d died. Maybe they were trying to make it up to him. Too late, though.
He would fulfill his obligation, but then he was out of here, as fast as he could go.
The knock on his door startled him, and he crossed the room to open the door, just slightly.
Sofia Aguilar and Poppy Woodward stood there, both grinning and bouncing on their toes.
He barely registered the fact before Poppy flung herself at him for a fierce hug, and stepped into the office.
“So? Have you been upstairs yet? How did you like it? We did pretty good with a tiny budget, didn’t we?”
“Y’all did that?”
“We volunteered. The town council just wanted to just shove the furniture up here and let you take care of it, but we wanted to make it nice. But of course, you can do whatever you want to with it.”
Same old Poppy, talking as fast as her brain worked.
“Thanks, I appreciate it.”
Sofia side-hugged him before walking to the waiting room and dropping into one of the upholstered chairs. “Sorry, we should have given you more time, but as soon as your Jeep drove into town, the phones lit up, and Poppy wouldn’t be contained.”
“Nah, that’s okay.” He’d hoped to have a little more time to process, but maybe he could get information from the girls instead of turning questions over in his mind.
Or having to ask the town council.
“We’re having a party for you on Sunday at The Wheel House. A welcome-home party so you can see everyone,” Poppy said, her hands clasped in front of her, her eyes bright.
“Poppy.” He shook his head. She of all people should know his feelings about coming back to this place.
“No, I know, but everyone’s really glad you’re home. It will be fun, I promise.”
He doubted that. Instead he turned the topic to things he wanted to know. He motioned to the desk.
“Who’s my receptionist?”
The girls exchanged a look, which didn’t bode well.
“We haven’t heard,” Sofia said. “I think they wanted you to hire someone on your own.”
He grunted. How would he know who to hire? And would anyone around here even have any medical experience? Or even receptionist experience?
Poppy edged around the desk to poke her head into the two exam rooms and the bathroom, and his empty office.
“Aren’t you supposed to have books on all these shelves?”
“Yeah, I shipped my books to myself, instead of trying to fit them in the Jeep.”
