Page 56 of The Doctor's Irreplaceable Love

She stashed the crackers, crostini, and teas into the cupboard.As she stored the last of the tea packets, she spotted the note from Derek lying where she’d left it on the counter.

She had to decide what she was going to tell him.She’d be well within her rights to say that she’d already paid for the whole month, and she wanted to stay.

It didn’t feel right, though.Derek would probably make as much as she paid him for a month in just those few days.She couldn’t blame him for asking.

She looked around the kitchen.In any of the places where she’d stayed in the last few years, she wouldn’t have even hesitated.She’d be moving on anyway, and a few days here or there didn’t make any difference.

Things were different here, though.For one thing, she didn’t know how long Harper wanted to stay.And for another, there was Trip.She’d loved spending so much time with him this week.She checked her watch—she was eager to get back to him.It’d be nice to relax for the next couple of days, knowing that she’d be staying with him until Tuesday when Harper came.

But if she were to stay?How would that go?She’d probably be able to find herself another smaller rental—although she’d have to pay a lot more for it.And there was the minor detail that the receptionist job wasn’t exactly her idea of fun.If she were to stay, she’d have to find something else.And if she were to do that, then how much would she and Trip see of each other?

It was all so complicated, she didn’t want to decide yet—but she needed to.

The sound of her phone ringing brought her back to the moment, and she dug it out of her purse.

“Hey, you,” she answered with a smile.

“Hey, Shelley-Bells.I won’t keep you—I’m hoping that you’re enjoying a lovely weekend with Dr.Dreamy.”

Shelley laughed.“You need to stop calling him that.If you slip up and say it in front of him, I’ll be mortified!”

Harper laughed with her.“Exactly.I know you will, and I can’t wait.And I want to see how he reacts, too.Do you think he’ll be embarrassed or laugh it off—or take it as the compliment it is?”

Shelley considered the question and could only answer, “I honestly don’t know.”

“Hm, are you saying that you don’t know him as well as I think you do?”

“No, it’s more that he’s not just … I don’t know how to say it.There’s no one way to describe him—he’s not easily embarrassed, but he’s not the type to bask in attention and compliments either.”

“He’s more of a multifaceted personality, then?”

“I guess you could say that, yeah.”

“Good, then he might be a good match for you.But this is only supposed to be a quick call to ask if you want me to bring anything.Is there anything that you can’t get your hands on out there on the frontier that I can bring you from back East?”

“No, I’m good.I was just putting away the herbal teas and the fancy cheese and char-cooty meats that Deb sent me home with.I’ve officially been inducted into the elite society of women who impress their city friends without leaving the state.”

“Who is Deb?And does char-cooty mean that you bought some dried and shriveled sad little ham in my honor?”

“Nope.I’m serious.I’ll have to take you into Deb’s store to see for yourself—there’s no way you’ll believe it until you see it.But take my word for it, you won’t find finer char-cooty or even cheese on the Upper West Side—Zabar’s would bow down.”

“You’re right.I’ll have to wait until I see it—and forgive me if I come equipped with my own emergency supplies!”

“You have so little faith in me.”

Harper laughed.“Because when we first met, you thought a mushroom and Swiss burger was the height of fine dining!”

Shelley had to laugh with her.“I admit it, I did.But you’ve educated me well in the… damn, Harper, do you realize it’s been almost forty years since we first met?”

“Of course I do!I raise a glass to you on the anniversary of freshman orientation day every year.”

“Aww.You never told me that—I feel bad now.”

“Don’t you dare go feeling bad.But now that you’ve mentioned it, we should probably do something special this year.Get together and celebrate somehow—what do you think?”

“I think that’s a fabulous idea.”

“Of course it is.It’s one of mine.But I should let you go—I don’t want to encroach on your weekend.Dr.Dreamy is probably going to be mad at me for taking you away from him next week.I should at least let him have you for the weekend.”