Page 131 of Unlikely to Stay
Chapter 28
“I’m headed home, Patty.I’ve got some more packing to do.”
“Do you need some more boxes?”his receptionist asked.“I’ve been saving them.”
Brant shook his head.“Nope.I think I’m all set.I just have a few more things and I still have those boxes you gave me last week.”
Patty looked at him, sadness in her eyes.“I can’t believe you’re leaving tomorrow.”
“Me, either, Patty.”
Brant had been trying to talk to Freckles ever since she had heard him talking to Mary on the phone.He didn’t know why she wouldn’t at leasttalkto him.He knew she was upset.He just wished she would give him one more chance to explain.But even if he did, he didn’t know what to say to make it right.
Once Brant realized she wasn’t going to talk to him no matter what he did, Brant called the people who owned the clinic and told them he had accepted a job in the city.Mary had wanted him at the hospital as soon as possible for orientation, so it had all happened in the blink of an eye.He was even going to miss Breckin and Griff’s baby shower.Not that he planned on going after everything that happened between CC and him, but he still felt bad.He had left his gift with Patty.
“I sure am going to miss you.”
“I’ll miss you, too.I don’t think anyone will beat how good of a receptionist you are.”
Patty blushed at his words.“Oh, please.You’ll be working at that big, fancy hospital.All their receptionists probably have degrees and everything.”
“But I bet they won’t know inside information about all the patients like you do,” he said, pulling her in for a hug.“They for sure won’t know about someone having a donkey braying ringtone.”
“Well, that’s because you’ll be in the big city.No one knows everybody there.”
Brant’s heart clenched at the thought.When he first arrived at Parker, he started counting the days until he could get back to the city and the anonymity it provided.Now, he realized how much he was going to miss all the old people and their quirks.But there was nothing keeping him in Parker anymore.No matter how much he might miss his patients, he couldn’t stay in Parker knowing Freckles didn’t want to have anything to do with him.
“She still hasn’t answered any of your texts or phone calls?”Patty asked gently.
Brant shook his head.“No.I’ve even tried going by the shop but she tells me to leave her alone.I don’t know what else to do.”
“Not much you can do, I guess,” Patty replied.“I just hate it for you both.She’s practically wasting away.I see her on those treadmills of hers in that gym that’s not even open yet.She’s probably lost ten pounds already.”
Brant knew what Patty was talking about.He’d seen how much weight Freckles had lost, too.Seen the dark circles under her eyes that indicated she was getting as little sleep as he was.
“I better go,” Brant said, pulling Patty in for another hug.“Don’t you go loving the next doctor or nurse who comes after me better than you do me,” he said.
“That would never happen.You’re one of a kind, Brant Billings.”
Brant placed his keys to the clinic on Patty’s desk before walking out the backdoor.He never thought he would say it, but he sure was going to miss this place.
Brant got in his Honda and pulled around the building.Driving down Main, he saw Freckles through the window of her shop placing shampoo bottles on one of her shelves.Without thinking, he pulled into a parking spot in front and got out of his car.
The bell above her door jingled.She turned toward him, her face blanching when she saw who it was walking through her door.He hated the pain he saw in her eyes.
“Hi, Brant,” she said softly.
“Hey, Freckles.No more Snaps?”
“You’re not mine anymore,” she said softly.Her words were like a knife to his heart.
“Just say the word, Freckles.”
Her sapphire words filled with tears.“And what word is that, Brant?”
“Stay.Just tell me to stay and I will.I’ll stay.With you.”
She angrily wiped away the tears rolling down her face.“If you really wanted to stay you wouldn’t have applied for jobs in the city without telling me.You made your choice.And I don’t blame you.You need to be with your mom.”