Page 9 of Blind Date with a #Doctor (Love Canyon: Blind Date #3)

Aspen

Kendra is ten minutes late for lunch but makes up for it by sliding into the booth with wide, expectant eyes and skipping the small talk entirely.

“Okay,” she says, practically vibrating with excitement. “Tell me everything.”

I lift an eyebrow, sipping my iced tea like I haven’t been waiting all morning for this exact conversation. “Everything?”

“Don’t play coy with me, Hayes. I know you.” She leans in. “You spent the whole week texting Carter, and then last night, you went to dinner in The Dress. The dress that leaves a trail of destruction in its wake.”

I snort. “A trail of destruction?”

Kendra waves a hand. “You know what I mean. And don’t think I didn’t hear about the bowling alley make-out session.”

My stomach drops. “Who told you that?”

She levels me with a look. “Who do you think?”

I groan, dragging a hand down my face. “Nan.”

“Nan,” she confirms, grinning like a damn Cheshire cat. “She called me this morning to say, and I quote, ‘You might want to check in on Aspen. That girl is falling hard, whether she likes it or not.’”

I choke on my tea. “She did not say that.”

“She absolutely did. And she sounded smug as hell. So, care to confirm or deny?”

I hesitate, because Nan isn’t wrong. Last night was different. It wasn’t just fun. It wasn’t just playful competition or Carter looking at me like I was the only person in the room. And I don’t know how to explain that to Kendra.

So instead, I do what I do best—I deflect.

“Alright,” I say, sighing dramatically. “I’ll give you the highlights.”

I recap the entire night. Carter’s reaction to the dress “He barely spoke, Kendra. Just sat there staring like I’d short-circuited his brain.” About dinner, “Have you ever had a date where you just click? Like there’s no effort at all?” And about our competitive bowling game.

Kendra practically howls with laughter when I get to the part about Nan, Sally, and Marie whistling and clapping every time Carter and I so much as breathed near each other.

And when I tell her about the kiss at the end of the night, she just smirks.

“So,” she says, stirring her drink, “you like him.” It’s not a question. It’s a statement. A fact.

I exhale, pressing my fingertips to my temples. “I do.”

“Okay, then what’s the problem?”

I hesitate and Kendra just waits. I hate that she knows me well enough to see exactly what’s happening. Because the truth is, Carter feels different, and that scares me.

Before I can respond, the universe saves me from emotional vulnerability in the form of Nan, who materializes at our table like she was summoned.

“Girls,” she greets, all suspiciously timed enthusiasm.

Kendra immediately looks for an escape route.

Nan smirks. “Before you flee, sweetheart, I have an invitation for you both.”

Kendra freezes mid-sip. “Oh?”

“Book club tonight,” Nan says sweetly. “We’d love for you to join.”

I open my mouth, but Kendra is already shaking her head. “Can’t. Emergency.”

Nan squints at her. “What kind of emergency?”

“The kind that requires me to be not at book club.”

Nan rolls her eyes. “Fine, fine. Aspen, darling, you’ll come, though, won’t you?”

I hesitate and that’s how I get caught.

Nan’s smirk deepens. “Oh, yay, you’re coming.”

Kendra snickers. “You hesitated.”

“I did not.”

“You so did.”

Nan leans in, resting her chin on her hands. “Sweetheart, you’re coming. You need this meeting.”

I narrow my eyes. “I don’t need anything.”

Nan just pats my hand. “Sure, dear.”

And that’s how I end up at book club that night, whether I like it or not.

* * *

The bookstore is already buzzing when I walk in. Nan, Sally, and Marie are waiting. Wine is poured. Chairs are pulled up. And before I can even sit, Nan gives me a look.

“So,” she says, all knowing and smug. “Carter, huh?”

I sigh dramatically, dropping into the chair. “Are we talking about a book? Or is this meeting about my love life first?”

Sally waves a dismissive hand. “Oh, we’ll get to the book later. More importantly—you like him.”

Marie grins. “We knew it. We called it.”

I groan, taking a long sip of wine.

“Fine,” I admit. “I do like him.”

Nan looks positively delighted. “And what’s the problem, dear?”

I shift uncomfortably. “It’s just… different.”

They all exchange knowing glances. “And ‘different’ is bad because…?” Sally prompts.

I stare at my glass, swirling the wine absently. “Because I’ve done this before. Thought I had something good. Thought I could trust someone.”

They all get quiet, because they know. They know about Ryan. About how I trusted him, believed in him, let myself fall. Only for him to turn around and cheat, then act like it was my fault for not being ‘enough’.

I don’t talk about it much, because, honestly? I don’t like remembering how stupid I was. But Nan just reaches across the table and squeezes my hand.

“Sugar,” she says softly, “Carter is not Ryan.”

I exhale. “I know that.”

“Do you?” Sally asks. “Because from where I’m sitting, it sounds like you’re punishing Carter for something he didn’t do.”

My throat tightens. She’s right and I hate it.

“You know he’s different,” Marie says gently. “And you know you feel something for him, but that’s not enough. You have to let yourself have it.”

I stare at them, at the women who know me better than I know myself sometimes. I do want this. I want Carter and I want to see where this leads. Maybe, for the first time in a long time, I’m ready.

I let out a breath. “I hate that you’re right.”

Nan beams. “We often are.”

Sally clinks her wine against mine. “So what are you gonna do about it?”

I hesitate. Then, finally, I smile. “I guess I’m going to stop being scared.”