A moment later, as I walked to my car, my phone chimed.
Blake
I had no doubt.
Going to the Anchor to celebrate tonight with some others from work. You should come after your shift.
Maybe.
Okay. Well, if you can’t make it, I’ll see you tomorrow at work.
I wasn’t going to push for him to go. I didn’t want to come off as desperate—because I wasn’t—and I didn’t want him to feel like he had to do anything he didn’t want to. But there was a part of me that couldn’t help buthopehe might decide to show up.
I’d been thinking about Blake more than I probably should. All weekend, in fact. Because Friday night, when he was leaving my house, I could’ve sworn he actually thought about kissing me. And I had no intention of stopping him if he did.
Then, he stepped back and said he should go, and I was left wondering all damn weekend what would have happened—couldhave happened—if he’d gone through with it. And I found myself feelingslightlydisappointed that he hadn’t.
That afternoon, I met my mom for a celebratory lunch, and she said we would celebrate with my brother and Morgan on Sunday during dinner. She let me choose what we were going to have—I picked a seafood boil.
I headed to The Rusty Anchor that night and met up with Marie and some others from work, celebrating with them. A few of them brought me small gifts as a gesture of congratulations. Even the doctors showed up—all but the one I washopingwould come.
Blake’s shift ended at seven. By the time nine o’clock rolled around, I knew he wasn’t coming. I shouldn’t have felt disappointed—again—but I was, and I wasn’t entirely sure what to make of feeling that way for the second time in three days.
I’d just gotten another drink at the bar when the bell above the door rang, and I glanced over my shoulder. I turned away, but my gaze snapped back, doing a double take.
It was Blake.
He came.
I turned and smiled as he approached. “You made it,” I said, trying to keep my voice casual.
“Yeah, sorry I’m late. I got held up with a patient, so I didn’t get out right at seven, then I had to run home to check on and feed Maverick.”
“Ah,” I nodded. “Well, you didn’t have to come back out after going home, but I’m glad you did. Are you gonna have a drink, or…?”
“Yeah, I’ll stay for one.”
I watched him signal the bartender and ask for a beer before turning to look at me again. “How are you feeling knowing you passed and you’re all done?”
“Relieved,” I replied with a chuckle.
“I remember the feeling.” He thanked the bartender when he gave him his drink and handed him cash to pay for it, telling him to keep the change. “So, what now?”
I took in a breath and let it out slowly. “I’ll stay on as an RNuntil I receive my official license, which takes about six to eight weeks. Once I have that, I’ll move into my NP role, but with a preceptor that Dr. Tomblin is going to assign me.”
He nodded. “Are you thinking about doing your ENP?”
“Yeah. They want me to have it—it was part of the stipulation for them making the position for me. I have to sign up for the certification by the end of my first year.”
“Ah, so you’re not technicallydone, per se, since you’ll have to take that exam,” he teased.
I playfully rolled my eyes. “No, I suppose not, but as far as school itself, I’mdone.”
“Fair enough,” he said with a smile before sipping his drink.
Blake and I spent the next hour talking when we weren’t getting roped into conversations from the others. Marie was grinning and giving me a conspiratorial look while Blake was having a hushed conversation with Dr. Wileman at the bar.
I gave her a look back that told her to mind her business, but she just laughed and waggled her brows. “I’m just saying–”
