TIME TO LOVE

Chapter 1

I pulled into the parking lot of the clinic, the second person to arrive. Geri, the office manager, would already be here well into her day. She was obsessed with it, and while she could be a little abrasive in her demeanor, we were all thankful for her help.

I had finished my schooling and was two years into my professional career. My first job was a temporary position at a small regional hospital, but I had longed for a spot in a clinic. About two months ago, Sarah had called and said their practice had expanded and the doctor was looking for a second nurse practitioner. She asked if I was interested, and when I said yes, she promptly offered me the job. So here I was.

I went in to my office and prepared for the day. Sarah and the other staff trickled in over the next hour, and soon the patients were arriving. I was getting ready to meet with my fourth patient of the day when the name on the chart caught my attention. Ben Barker. I felt my heart flutter again. I hadn't thought about the big guy in years, but the image of him came immediately. He was nearly a foot taller than my 5'2" and nearly 200 pounds heavier than my 110 pounds. I smiled at the contrast. I was a blonde, he was a brunette. I had blue eyes, he had brown. Everything about him was big, everything about me was small. He was in his mid thirties, I was in my mid twenties. He was married, I was single. Yes, a remarkable contrast. And yet, I'd felt enamored with him.

I told myself again it was just his warm nature that was attractive to me, and then I opened the door. My jaw dropped. Sitting there was not the big man I expected. I mean, he was still big, but not like before. I was tongue tied. "Um, hi, uh, Ben." I almost blushed, but fought it down.

A sincere smile spread across his face, lighting up his brown eyes. "Emily! I didn't know you'd returned."

"Yeah, I, um, they had an opening here and I took the job. I've been back about two months."

"Well, it's great to see you! Looks like you made it through school then."

Safe ground. School. I willed my heartbeat to slow down. "I did. It was hard, but I'm glad I finished it. I'm enjoying my career."

"I'm glad you finished it, too." His smile was infectious.

I sat next to him and glanced through his chart. His weight was down to 225. Amazing. "Ben, you look great! You've lost nearly a hundred pounds since I last saw you. How are you feeling?"