Matched with the Doctor (Lunchtime Romcoms #1)

8. Ben

Ben

“ W e haven’t had dessert yet,” Colleen protested. “And what about the dishes? It’s my turn to clean up.”

“Patrick and Sean will do the dishes,” Mrs. O’Malley said.

The guys groaned in protest but shut up immediately when she gave them a glare. Mrs. O’Malley had always been the law in this house, and clearly that hadn’t changed even with her kids all fully grown.

“I’ll pack you two up some pie,” Colleen’s mom said, hustling away from the table.

Kennedy leaned towards her sister and whispered loud enough for us to hear, “I think you’re being matched up with our town’s new doctor.”

Mr. O’Malley chuckled at the head of the table, but didn’t speak. He was generally a pretty taciturn guy, although between his wife and five rambunctious kids he never could get a word in.

A few minutes later Mrs. O’Malley returned to the dining room, handing me a large plastic container.

“You two can have your pie at Colleen’s house,” she said. “She always has vanilla ice cream, and that goes perfect with apple pie. Be sure to warm up the pie first.”

Mrs. O’Malley wasn’t even trying to be subtle now.

My eyes flew across the table where Colleen was staring at her mother with her mouth open. Next to her, Kennedy and Erin started laughing like they found this whole situation amusing. Meanwhile, Sean and Patrick stared at the table, clearly trying not to laugh.

“Colleen, close your mouth before you start catching flies,” her mother said.

She grabbed my arm, trying to pull me out of my seat. “Go on now, you two.”

She dragged me to the other side of the table, latched onto Colleen’s arm with her other hand, and pulled us towards the front door. For such a little woman, Mrs. O’Malley was freakishly strong.

“Mom, for goodness sake, quit manhandling us!”

Ignoring her daughter, Mrs. O’Malley nodded at the rack in the hallway where everyone left their belongings. “Get your coats. We’ll see you two next week at dinner.”

Before I knew what had happened, Colleen and I were standing on the front porch, the door closed behind us. I shot Colleen a bemused smile.

“I guess I’m walking you home.”

“I don’t need you to walk me home,” she grumbled. “You know there’s almost no crime in Cedar Creek, and my mother doesn’t have problems with me walking alone any other day.”

I shook my head. “Oh no, I’m walking you home. Your mother scares me.”

We headed down the street, walking side by side.

“Where do you live?” I asked, breaking the silence.

“Shady Grove Lane,” she answered, “about half a mile from here.”

After a few seconds she asked, “What about you?”

“I’m staying in the apartment over the clinic for right now.”

It was tiny and desperately in need of updating, but it was fine for temporary lodging while I figured out my next steps. Once things slowed down at the clinic, I figured I’d start looking for a house. Hopefully one with a big yard for when Colleen and I had kids.

“So what have you been doing since we broke up?” he asked. “I have to say I was surprised when I found out that you still lived here.”

She sent me a long look that I couldn’t interpret.

“I don’t still live here, I live here again,” she explained. “I went to University of Oregon for undergrad, then I got a job in Seattle and lived there for a while. A few years ago I decided I missed living in a small town, so I opened my own business and moved back to Cedar Creek.”

“What is your business?” I asked curiously.

“I build websites for small businesses,” she said. “It gives me a lot of flexibility to make my own schedule, so if I need to help Dad at the garage or take Mom into Portland for an appointment, I can adjust my hours.”

“That’s cool,” I said, realizing how lame it sounded as soon as the words were out of my mouth.

I sucked at small talk, especially when I was so distracted by the beautiful woman walking next to me.

“Maybe you can help me with a webpage for the clinic.”

I wasn’t just being nice, I really needed to get something up with at least our hours and information on insurance options. I had no idea how to do any of that.

“Maybe,” she said with a distinct lack of enthusiasm.

We lapsed back into silence until Colleen slowed down and pointed at a cute little bungalow surrounded by a low wooden fence. “This is me.”

“Nice place.”

“See you later,” she said, not acknowledging my compliment.

I followed her up to the porch and she must not have realized I was right behind her because when she turned to look over her shoulder she jumped and put a hand on her chest like I’d startled her.

“You don’t need to walk me to the door,” she said.

“I believe I was promised pie with vanilla ice cream,” I reminded her.

She stared at me for a few seconds before mumbling something under her breath about killing her mother.

“Come on in.”

She didn’t sound enthused, but I pretended like I didn’t notice.

We walked through a cozy living room, past a small dining room, and into a sunny yellow kitchen. Through the back windows I could see the outline of Mt. Hood, the top half covered with white snow.

“Great view.”

Colleen smiled. “Yeah, was really what sold me on the house. Would you like coffee with your pie?”

At Colleen’s direction I made us each of cup of coffee, using the little k-cup pods, while she plated up the pie, heating it before putting a scoop of ice cream on the top. As we ate our pie we started talking, really talking, for the first time since we’d run into each other again.

Or been set up by her mother, I now suspected.

Before I knew it, more than an hour had passed, and our pie was long gone. I looked at my watch regretfully.

“I guess I should head home,” I said.

I didn’t really want to, but I felt like I’d made some progress with Colleen today so I figured I should quit while I was ahead.

“Thanks for the pie and ice cream.”

“Any time,” she said.

I wondered if she meant that.

Colleen walked me to the door while I psyched myself up to ask her out. I hadn’t been this nervous to ask a woman out since… well, the first time I asked Colleen to go to the fall Homecoming dance when I was seventeen.

When I reached the door I turned to look at her.

“Listen, I was wondering…”

She looked up at me with soft eyes and licked her lips, and that’s when I lost track of what I was going to say. Giving into instinct, I cupped her face in my hands and lowered my lips to hers.