Amanda’s eyes focused on mine then, as if the worldfamilyhad brought her back to reality. “I’m fine,” she said quietly. “Thank you, Peyton.”
Before I could stop her or say anything more, Amanda left the room without a second’s pause, hurrying down the hallway and out the front door without stopping at the front desk to entertain another appointment. I stared after her, unsure of what in the hell had just happened. I logged out of the computer and retreated to the front desk where Maggie was hovered over the computer with a wrinkled forehead.
“What was that all about?” she asked, glancing up at me as I approached. “I’ve never seen a patient rush out of here so quickly.”
“It was weird,” I told her, lowering my voice. “She wasn’t even hurt. She came in and acted weird the whole time.”
“Really? Do you know her?”
“Not really,” I said with a shrug. “Korbin and I ran into her the other day after dinner, so he must know her better than I do. I’ll have to ask him about it.”
“Jealous ex?” asked Maggie, and I shrugged.
“He swears there was no one else.”
“Maybe he’s lying.”
“Maybe he’s lying,” I agreed, and even though I wasn’t sure I believed it, Maggie’s words annoyed me nonetheless. “Whatever. Let’s talk about something else.” I sat down next to Maggie to pull out a folder of paperwork to finish up. The lobby was now empty, a lapse in patients that happened very rarely.
“Any fun plans tonight?” she asked, as I leaned over the stack of paperwork to check it over. I glanced up and must have smiled, because Maggie’s eyes lit up. “Something is making you smile,” she said. “What is it?”
“It’s nothing,” I said quickly, pushing the paperwork aside. “Nothing at all.”
Maggie looked at me for a moment, as if trying to decide how full of shit I was. Always the gossip, this woman. It seemed that some things never changed.
“It’s Korbin, isn’t it?” she asked. “Are you seeing Korbin?”
I opened my mouth to deny it, or to tell her how silly she was for even thinking that, but then closed it again. I was a horrible liar, and the whole town of Eagle River knew it. Especially Maggie. I was busted.
“He’s bringing dinner over tonight,” I said. “Mostly to see my mom, you know.”
“To see your mom,” Maggie said slowly. “Riiiight.” She tapped a long, red fingernail against her bottom lip and waggled her eyebrows at me.
“I’m serious, Maggie. She hasn’t been feeling well, and he wants to cheer her up.”
“Her, or you?” teased Maggie, and I flushed, staring down at the desktop so I wouldn’t crack under the pressure. Focusing on a mark in the desk, I shrugged, trying to come off as nonchalant.
“He’s just a friend. That’s all. An old friend I’m catching up with. That’s allowed, isn’t it?”
“No, sis,” she said with a shake of her head. “I’ma friend. He’s a love interest. More specifically, he’s your ex-fiancé.”
The words hit me hard and fast, like a punch in the gut of reality, and I looked away from Maggie before she could spot the devastation on my face. She was right, of course. Korbin was my ex-fiancé, so what in the hell was I doing? Digging up my past? Hoping for more? I didn’t even know.
“He is,” I agreed softly. “So, what am I doing?”
“Oh, sweetie.” Maggie rested a hand on my shoulder and squeezed, looking sympathetic. “Don’t beat yourself up too much. We loved these people for a reason, right? And that love probably never goes away, even if we want it to or think it does.”
“I moved on with my life,” I said adamantly. “I moved to the city and got a job and found friends, and then I come back here for a minute and suddenly he’s in my head again, manipulating me now like he used to be able to do so easily. And even now I can’t tell him no, can’t turn him away.” I sighed and rested my head in my hands. “Am I making a mistake seeing him again? Should I just keep this professional and nothing else?”
“You can do whatever you want,” said Maggie with a shrug. “But which route will make you happiest?”
I fell silent for a moment, pondering this. Being around Korbin made me happy; it still did, even after all these years. But moving on had made me happy too, and I felt like I was just falling back into a trap I knew I’d eventually have to free myself from again. Had Korbin changed at all? Not really. He seemed to be the same self-assured, cocky, kind and caring man he had always been, and while that was great, it was also difficult at the same time. If he hadn’t changed, his mind hadn’t changed. And dinner at the restaurant last night should have told me everything I needed to know about his feelings towards our situation. He didn’t regret breaking up with me, he said so himself, so in what word did I think things would be different this time around?
“I don’t know,” I told her honestly, because that was the truth. I didn’t know. I felt like I might never know. “But do you know what I do know?” I continued with a small smile. “I know that I’m starving, and if Korbin will feed me, then he’s welcome at any time.”
Maggie laughed at this, gathering up her jacket from behind the desk to put it on. The clinic was closed now, and many employees had already gone home. “I couldn’t have said it better myself,” she said. “Always keep the bringer of food around.”
Feeling a tiny bit better about the situation, I put my own jacket on and gathered up my purse and keys, following Maggie out of the clinic and waiting as she locked the door behind us.
