Page 38 of The Doctor's Irreplaceable Love

She chuckled."Do I need to bring pajamas?"

He laughed with her."No, you can borrow mine if you think you need them."

"Okay.I'll come."

"And stay the weekend?"

"Do you think that's a good idea?"

"I do.The way I see it, we both want to explore this.But neither of us knows if it's worth changing our lives for."She inhaled sharply, and he shrugged."Like I said, I've been an asshole this week because I was trying to tiptoe around the edges.I reached the conclusion that we'll both be better off if we just wade right on in and tell the truth."

"I have to say, that's how I usually operate."

"Yeah, me too.So, I'll spell it out.The only way we're going to find out if this is something that we want you to stay in town for is by giving it a shot.Do you want to?"

"Yeah, I do."

He reached across the counter and gave her hand a squeeze."Good.I do too."He looked up when the front door opened."How about after I'm done with Mr.Peters, I'll follow you home so that you can leave your car there and pack a bag for the weekend?Does that work for you?"

"Yeah, it does."

Chapter Eight

When they got to Shelley's place, Trip stood in the living room while she ran upstairs to pack a bag.He stepped forward when he spotted a photograph of her and a friend sitting on the mantelpiece.

He picked it up to examine it more closely, tracing his finger over the frame.Both women were all dressed up.Shelley looked like a million dollars.She and her friend were both laughing.She looked happy—happier than he’d ever seen her.He set the photograph back down, wondering where it had been taken, where she'd been living at the time, and what the occasion was.

"All ready," she called as she came back down the stairs.

"That was fast.Do you have everything you need?"

"I do.And you shouldn't be surprised that it didn't take me long.I'm efficient.You should know that by now."

"You're right.I should, shouldn't I?"He glanced back at the photograph."Is that your friend Harper?"

"It is, and I'm glad you asked.I said I'd talk to her tonight.I'll shoot her a text and let her know I won't be home."

"Call her if you like," said Trip."I don't need to hog every single minute of your time."

He really didn't want to do that to her.He remembered how he used to feel when Katrina gave him a hard time for giving his attention to anything or anyone other than her.

Shelley smiled."Maybe I'll give her a quick call then.She wants to come and visit before..."She let the words trail off, but Trip knew what she meant.

"You mean before you leave town?"

"Yeah."She came to him and rested her hand on his arm."I ...I don't know what to say, Trip.I don't want to put pressure on either of us."

"Neither do I.It's easier for me.I'm not going anywhere.My home and my work are here.They have been for years.I don't want to put pressure on you because it feels one-sided."

She leaned her head to the side.

"I don't need to give anything up for you to stay.I'll still have my life.I'll still have my practice.I'll still have my friends around me.You're the one who'd have to sacrifice your plans.I know you've made friends here, but I also know that working at the clinic isn’t exactly your dream job."

"You're right," she agreed."Then again, it's not as though I have any set plans anywhere else.I don't have some wonderful career opportunity waiting elsewhere either."

He studied her face as she thought it over."I've kept moving on for the last few years because I enjoyed having my freedom back.Feeling independent after all those years being locked into my career and my marriage."

"I know.That's why I don't want to ask too much of you.I feel like asking you to stay would be asking you to give up that freedom and your independence.And that's not what I'm asking," he said, running his hand over his face."We don't even know how things will work out between us."