Congratulations! We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted as a member of Nurses on the Frontline. You will be joining a team of dedicated individuals who are driven to provide quality healthcare to those in need across the globe. …
Frontline even gave her a choice—two off-the-beaten-path clinics in places so remote that she’d definitely have to trek through rough terrain to get to them. They were so far removed from the hustle-and-bustle of her everyday life; it would almost be like starting over on a whole new planet with all new people.
Precisely what she’d wanted when she applied.
This was the part where she was supposed to be excited.
She knew what came next, and that was a good thing.
But she wasn’t excited because she realized as soon as she got her acceptance that she’d been crossing her fingers that they would tell her no.
She hadn’t even realized it, but that’s how it went. She didn’t want to be so far away from Mach. Which was silly, because they hadn’t even talked about what came next and Mach wasn’t the kind of guy who wanted a permanent, or even semi-permanent, woman in his life. He’d made that clear right up front, and she had tried her best to remember that, so her heart didn’t get too entangled with promises he didn’t make.
"Let’s do something fun today?" Irina clapped her hands together with a huge smile plastered on her face. "And not the kind of fun that requires Mach and a motorcycle,” she clarified. "I am thinking I make a few calls and we visit my favorite salon over on Beverly Drive and we get the works."
"I could be down with that," Courtney said with a smile, giving Irina a high five.
"I haven’t had a spa day… well, ever," Darla mused, already planning what she wanted done. Everyone always talked about how wonderful they were, and what better way to spend the day since there wouldn’t be helicopters, illegal motorcycles on a pier, making out on the beach, or ding-dong-ditching Tucker McKay.
"You’ll love it," Irina announced. "Nails, hair, the works."
"Like haircolor?" Darla asked, and a spark of an idea hit her. Maybe it was because of the time she’d spent with Mach, or maybe it was justtime, but this kind of change seemed like a good thing.
"Yep," Irina responded as she dialed the salon. "I change mine all the time."
"Quick! Don’t think," Darla blurted out to Courtney. "Dark or light?"
"Dark," Courtney answered without missing a beat.
"Pink or purple?" Darla asked.
"For sure purple," Courtney said, seeming to realize there was some decision-making taking place here. "What are we picking out here? Nail color or—"
"Hair color." A huge smile spread over Darla’s face. She’d never had the courage to try fun colors in her hair before, but the excitement bubbling insider her made the change too tempting to pass up.
Courtney took a hesitant step back, her eyes narrowing. "Are you sure you want to do this so close toLately, Later?"
"I’ll have time to fix it if it’s a no go," Darla reassured her, going for nonchalant.
"How?" Courtney asked. "No way you can do that before tomorrow."
"Uh,Lately, Lateris days away," Darla pointed out. Their adventure wasn’t over yet.
Courtney shook her head in clear disbelief. "Mach forgot to tell you, didn’t he?"
Darla suppressed a wince because that didn’t sound hopeful.
"Tell me what, exactly?" she asked, because he hadn’t mentioned anything aboutLately, Later.Then again, they’d been busy with her tongue down his pants, so… there was that.
"Once more the plan has changed," Courtney announced. "They bumped us up to tomorrow after a cancellation. It’s a good thing. Better viewership and a longer time slot. He was, uh, supposed to mention it."
"Tomorrow?" A pit of worry settled in Darla’s stomach. In that case, tomorrow marked the start of her reentry into reality, back to being herself, and back to... well, Denver.
"The plan changed. I guess that’s what plans do. They develop with time, and we are now evolving with this plan,” Courtney said like this was a good thing. "You’ve got the national news spot. Then tomorrowLately, Later. Everyone is about to be so sick of you two they are definitely going to leave you alone."
"I hate changing plans." Darla pulled her bottom lip under her teeth.
"That’s what plans do, though, isn’t it?" Irina asked.
