Page 39 of The Doctor's Irreplaceable Love

She squeezed his arm and stepped back."Exactly.That's why we agreed to see how things go while I'm still here.Right?"

"Yeah.Sorry.I'm getting ahead of myself, aren't I?"

"You're just trying to figure it out, and that's what we need to do – but I don't think we'll manage that by talking about it.I think we'll just have to give it time and see how it plays out."

He smiled."You're right, as usual.Shall we go, then?"

"Yeah.Are you sure you don't want me to follow you in my car?"

"I'm positive.Unless you want to have it in case you feel the need to escape."

She laughed."No.I don't see that happening—but even if it does, I trust you to bring me home."

~ ~ ~

Shelley felt a little guilty as she took her phone out onto the back deck to call Harper.She peered back in through the kitchen window, and when Trip saw her, he laughed and made a shooing motion with his hand.

He'd said he was fine to get on with making dinner while she called her friend.He'd given her a glass of wine, and she'd decided that she might as well come out here since it was such a beautiful evening.

Just as she was about to call Harper, her phone lit up with an incoming text.It was Ari.

Ari: Where were you this afternoon?I thought you were going to come to the bakery to meet up with us all.

Shelley stared at the screen, wondering if she should admit that she'd completely forgotten about going to the bakery.While she was considering it, Ari sent another message:

Ari: I'd love to think that you and Trip were a no-show because you finally decided to give him a shot.But I reckon you were probably just working, right?

Shelley: We finished early, and I'm at his place now.

Ari: OMG!Does this mean...?

Shelley: Maybe.We're testing things out.

Ari: Awesome!I'll leave you to it.But I want to know all about it when you get the chance.If nothing else, you absolutely have to come out with us all on Wednesday night.And you can expect a full interrogation.

Shelley laughed as she replied.

Shelley: I'd expect nothing less from you, counselor.

Ari sent back a laughing emoji.

Shelley liked her a lot.She was another former lawyer.It struck Shelley that maybe she should have a chat with Ari and ask her about how she'd transitioned from her old career to living here in the valley.She didn't even work now.She helped Candy in the bakery sometimes and, from what Shelley understood, hung out and helped at Libby's barn and rode horses.But her life here was very different from the one she used to live as an attorney in Austin.

Deciding that she'd pull Ari aside on Wednesday night if nothing else, she pulled up Harper's number and hit the call button.

"Hey, Shelley Bells.How's you?"

"I'm good, thanks.This isn't going to be the long conversation I thought we'd have tonight, though."

"No?That's a bummer.Why not?"

Shelley looked over her shoulder at the kitchen door."Because I'm at Trip's place.He invited me over for dinner.In fact, he invited me over for the weekend."

"Yay!That's awesome.You go enjoy yourself.We can catch up next week."

"No, I wanted to talk to you.We need to figure out when you're going to come and visit."

"I know, but you're busy right now."