“Okay.”
“We’ll leave at seven on Saturday,” he added.
“Awesome.”
“Great.”
I gestured toward the door. “Can I go?”
He nodded curtly, gesturing to the door without even glancing up from his papers.
I didn’t run into Jay the rest of the day. We only spoke during exams, and even then, it was strictly professional and entirely about the patient. He didn’t treat me poorly, and the anxiety that his ego would get in the way slowly faded. But that wasn’t all I was anxious about.
Tyler.
As the day wore on and the end of my shift approached, I knew it was now or never if I was going to talk to him. When the clock struck five, I mustered my courage and approached him just as he was gathering his things to leave.
“Hey, Ty. Can we talk?” I asked.
He glanced up at me, a hint of surprise in his eyes. “I’d love to, Hope, but I’m heading to work.”
“Work?” My brow furrowed.
“Yeah, I work at the nursing home down the street occasionally, and I’m covering a shift tonight. Can it wait?”
I hadn’t realized he had two jobs, and that made me feel horrible for not paying more attention. I bit my lip, feeling my resolve weaken. “Do you have a break?”
Tyler checked his watch. “I’ll have a break aroundseven tonight. Why don’t you come by the nursing home then?”
This private conversation was turning out to be a lot harder to arrange than I expected. And I hated feeling like things were unresolved. “Okay. Text me the address?”
His face lit up with an excited smile, sending a wave of guilt through me.
“Yeah, I will. I’ll see you tonight.”
CHAPTER 35
Around six-fifty I put the address Tyler had given me into my phone and drove to the nursing home where he worked.
The moment I got out of the car, I noticed the tangible chill in the air. Fall was approaching, and I was already dreading the colder weather. Up in the mountains, it was a few degrees colder than the San Diego seventy I was used to.
I hadn’t brought a jacket, so I hurried up the front walk of the nursing home, eager to get inside where it would be warmer. It was a cute place with an exterior made of warm brown stucco and red brick.
As I stepped inside, welcomed by the warmth from the heaters, I approached the check-in desk.
“Hi, I’m here to see Tyler Caldwell,” I said to the receptionist.
Before the woman could even respond, Tyler came around the corner, his face lighting up with a smile at the sight of me.
“Hey, Hope,” he greeted warmly. “Thanks for coming.”
“Hi, Ty,” I replied, returning his smile, though it was a bit strained.
“Let’s go outside. It’s nice out,” he suggested. I wanted to disagree, but I bit my tongue and nodded, following after him.
We walked through the nursing home past tables of older ladies and men playing board games and cards, while some watched a show on a flat-screen in the main area.
I reluctantly stepped back out into the cold, and Tyler led me down a little paved walk that went through a small garden area. It was nicely kept, with trimmed hedges and flower boxes. We strolled along the path in silence until we found a bench, and Tyler gestured for me to sit.
