Chapter Twenty-Four
L ee’s head itched with the eerie feeling that someone was watching her. She opened one eye.
A gray muzzle and two soulful eyes peered at her over the edge of the bed. Kenai sat with her chin propped on the mattress.
She leaned over and petted the dog. “You’re a sweetie.” Rolling onto her back, she felt the mattress next to her. A slight warmth remained, which meant Maverick had been up for a while.
Light filtered into the bedroom. Still daylight. Hard to tell the exact time. She turned and glanced at the bedside clock. 1:50 p.m. Wow, she’d slept that long?
Taking jerks down a peg must have knocked the stuffing out of her.
No, amazing sex with a rugged Alaskan had worn her out. She’d gladly do it again. Lee stretched with a satisfied groan. The soreness in her hips reminded her of each skin-to-skin moment with Maverick.
Was this real? She checked in with her innermost self, making sure this wasn’t some kind of rebound after her divorce. A reaction. Too soon?
There wasn’t a standard amount of time from the end of one relationship and the beginning of another. Like, ding , three months later, good to go. Or six months, or a year. Truth be told, her relationship with Preston was over several years ago.
Her OB fellowship attending had another saying. Life is what happens when you’re making plans.
Lee had wanted to run away from her life in Georgia. To reorganize her life. To learn to trust herself again. To reset her financial situation and confidently stand on her own two feet, independent and secure in her choices. She had made plans, but in the middle of all of those plans, her life had just… happened.
Yukon Valley with all the challenges of this frontier hospital had happened.
Maverick had happened.
A low whuff and the thunks of a tail against hardwood floor drew her attention.
A group of five sled dogs that stole her heart also happened. None of these events were in the locums job description.
She held her hand out to Kenai for another doggy lick.
Lee stretched one more time, tensing from her toes all the way up to her head. She rolled over and hugged the pillow. She was so satisfied. So happy.
So torn.
She could see a future with Maverick. She trusted him to support her. She wanted to support him. It was true that she was falling in love with him.
Lee also needed to make a good decision for her own future, which involved her financial security. Her future. She had always assumed she’d go back to northeast Georgia after she financially sorted out her life.
Hadn’t planned on actually liking it here.
Actually liking someone here.
Then getting a better offer that would take pressure off her financial situation.
A better offer. She buried her face in the pillow.
Better for her heart or better for her life?
*
She could hear Maverick’s low voice in the great room as he talked on the phone. She pulled her clothes on and quietly opened the bedroom door.
With his back to her, he wandered across the great room near the windows, gesturing with one hand. His untucked flannel shirt covered dark utility pants.
Before she could hear what he was saying, her phone that had been tossed on the bedside table rang. She dove for it, not wanting to disturb him or a snoring Kenai.
“Hello?”
“Dr. Tipton?” A woman’s warm voice reached her.
“Yes.”
“Hi, this is Kayla from TempHealth, hoping to touch base with you on my text and email regarding that Utah assignment. Did you get a chance to look things over?”
The pertinent parts, like how much she would make there. She glanced toward the door as a knot formed in her stomach. “I, um, need to give it a little more thought. Isn’t that a mean thing to do to the folks here? Removing me from this assignment?”
“It’s not ideal, but it happens on occasion.”
“Couldn’t I pick up the new job after finishing up here?”
“No, they’re interviewing multiple candidates and will make a decision in the next week.”
“Week?” Sweat cooled on her forehead. Her grip on the phone became slippery.
“This is one of the most lucrative contracts I’ve seen in my ten years of family medicine locums recruiting. Never say never, but I don’t believe you’ll see another offer close to this anytime soon.”
Lee stalled by asking questions. “I’d still be doing the full scope family medicine and obstetrics I’m practicing now?”
“Yes. Including low-volume ER work.”
“In a warmer climate closer to amenities like shopping?” Stupid question. Until she had a financial buffer, Lee was done shopping for anything other than groceries and necessary items.
“Yes. Much warmer than where you are.”
“And they want to pay me double the amount?”
“Exactly.”
Her body shook. How could she make this decision?
How could she not?
“More money? Are you sure?”
“Twice as much.”
Damn it. She knew what the balance was in her bank account. She knew her debt load. She knew what double her current income meant.
She also knew… other things that weren’t financial.
“When do you need my answer?”
“By next Monday at the very latest. Sooner is better.”
“All right, you’ll have it by then.” With shaking hands, she ended the call.
And looked toward the doorway.
Where a tall, handsome, unhappy Alaskan guy stood.
“How much did you hear?” she asked.
“Enough.”