“Finding one another at a weird time or through unlikely circumstances doesn’t make your feelings any less true or real. If it signifies anything, it’s that you’ll have a better chance of making it through the hard stuff,” Loren says, and I get another one of those warm, fuzzy feelings just from listening.
“And what if being with me requires him to give up one of his dreams?” I ask quietly. “How can I trust that he won’t resent me for it later?”
“I guess there’s no way to know that for sure, but I imagine a guy like Rowan wouldn’t question God’s will,” she says with a shrug. “Then again, if he’s anything like my husband, he wouldn’t have any cause to resent you so long as you kept him happy and fulfilled and …busy.”
I bite my lip when she emphasizes the last part. “I like the way you think, Mrs. B,” I tell her and work up the courage to reach out and squeeze her arm. “Thank you, Lo.”
She grins and returns the squeeze. “Anytime, Ms. Claire Bear.”
“Oh, and don’t forget,” she calls out once I gather the rest of my things and turn to go. “On Wednesdays, we wear pink!”
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
rowan
“Good morning,”Tenley says when we reach the back door of the clinic at the same time. “Someone’s a little later than usual today.”
I struggle to keep a straight face. “You sure you’re not just early for once?”
“Since I know for a fact that I spent the past twenty minutes hooked up to a breast pump, just like I have every morning for the past six months, yes, I’m sure,” she replies dryly.
“Oh, right,” I say and gesture for her to go first.
“Don’t you wanna give me an explanation before we walk inside? You know, in case you-know-who might be listening?”
I chuckle at her. “Why? I’m sure we’ll both hear about my whereabouts from Mackenzie before I even know what’s going on.”
“Well, if you won’t tell me, then perhaps Claire’s charts will,” Tenley purses her lips. “That was a joke, by the way. I’d never …”
I let out another soft laugh. “I know you were only kidding, Ten. But for the record, you won’t find any evidence of our relationship status in her charts.”
Her brow lifts. “You have a relationship status?”
“Not officially,” I admit. “But Iwaslate because I stoppedby the flower shop for a delivery your husband will no doubt hear of before the end of the day.”
“Really?” she asks, a hint of excitement in her voice. “You know what? I think we need to talk.” She glances around before she pulls me into her office and locks the door behind her.
“What’s on your mind?” I ask hesitantly.
“So this is going to sound super corny, but I feel like you need to hear it.” She pauses to sit on the edge of her desk and crosses her legs beneath herself. “When I first moved back to Camellia, I had no intention of staying here forever. But then I became Ethan’s guardian and started falling for JD, and I realized pretty quickly that this is where God was calling me to be.”
I furrow my brow. “Are you trying to use my crush on Claire to convince me to buy out Dr. Simms?”
“Maybe,” she admits. “But more importantly, I want you to ask yourself where the Holy Spirit is leading you.”
My expression softens. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but I understand discernment. And I can’t imagine God would want me to waste my time gaining all that specialized knowledge to work as a regular OB-GYN. No offense, but I was certain of His plan for me before, and I feel like I’ve been pretty obedient since then.”
“And you don’t think He could be calling you in a different direction now?” she asks, pausing before she adds, “You know He doesn’t care about the same worldly constraints we do, right?”
I huff out a laugh. “Well, yeah, but … I’m doing this to help people.”
“Oh, so I’m not?” she replies with a taunting smile.
“You know that’s not what I mean, Tenley.”
“I once told myself I couldn’t leave my patients behind in Texas because they needed me. Turns out, plenty of women have benefitted from my help in Camellia, and there were a few peopleIneeded here, as well.”
“Come on, I can’t leave?—”
