Over the past few weeks she’d become closer to Luke, and her feelings for him were growing stronger the more time they spent together. He’d established his life and career in Snowgum Creek. If she accepted the research position, she’d destroy any chance of a future with Luke.
Chapter 8
Two weeks later, Megan walked up the front path to the clinic. Emily’s car was parked on the drive beside Luke’s Jeep. Luke was heading out of town tonight for a weekend camp with the church youth group, and Emily was his replacement at the clinic and hospital.
Megan entered the reception area. “Hey, Emily.”
Emily smiled. “Megan, I’m so glad to see you.”
She gave Emily a brief hug, happy to see her new friend in Snowgum Creek. “I’m so looking forward to hanging out with you this weekend.”
“Let’s hope the hospital is quiet tomorrow night, otherwise I’ll be sleeping all day Sunday.”
“Have you got time for coffee?”
“Sure do. I’m free for the rest of the day.” She followed Megan to the staff room. “What about you?”
“I have one client in half an hour, then a quiet afternoon until I start my personal training sessions at the gym at five.”
“Business is still slow?”
“Yep.” She collected two mugs and started making their lattes, her back facing the entrance to the room. “Is Luke around?”
“He’s with a patient.” Emily placed Luke’s keys on the counter beside the coffee machine. “I’ve just left my gear in the spare room at his house.”
“Since we have his keys, we could always take Luke’s Jeep for a spin. It doesn’t look like he’s taken it off-road very often.”
“Oh, really?” Luke’s deep voice resonated through the room. “And where exactly are you planning to take my Jeep?”
Emily giggled. “I think you’re sprung.”
She grabbed Luke’s clean coffee mug off the drainer and spun around, catching his gaze. “Somewhere in the mountains. We could head northeast on the old road to Canberra.”
“A good plan, except I need to leave in three hours to drive Kara and a couple of the kids to the camp.” His eyes twinkled. “We could go for a drive together up in the mountains sometime.”
“You don’t trust me with your Jeep?”
“You have a habit of getting bogged.”
Megan pouted. “That wasn’t my fault. Jack told us to go ahead and gave us the wrong directions.”
Emily lifted a manicured brow. “I’d like to hear that story sometime.”
Megan handed a latte to Emily. “It’s not very interesting. We got stuck in the mountains with no phone reception, and had to wait for Jack to return with my father to tow us out of the mud.”
Luke stood beside her and pocketed his keys, his gaze intense. “We found creative ways to fill the time.”
Megan turned away from Luke and Emily, warmth flooding her face as old memories resurfaced. She stared at the coffee machine, continuing to make their lattes. How could he still have the power to make her blush like a teenager?
Emily dragged a chair out from under the table. “So, Luke, what are your plans for the camp?”
“I don’t have all the details of our itinerary, but I do know we’ll be home in time for church on Sunday night.”
“Megan and I will plan to be there.”
“Sounds good.” Her face cooler, Megan passed a coffee mug to Luke. His fingertips skimmed the back of her hand, and a jolt of awareness flowed through her.
His magnetic gaze held her captive. “Thanks for the latte.”
“You’re welcome.” She drew in a steadying breath before picking up her mug and sitting beside him at the table.
He stirred sugar into his coffee. “Now, you girls better not have too much fun without me.”
Emily flicked her streaked blond hair back over her shoulders. “We’ll behave ourselves, and we can catch up with you after church on Sunday night if I’m not too tired.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You’re worried about being tired? You won’t be spending two nights in a cabin supervising a bunch of kids who won’t want to sleep.”
Megan grinned. “And stopping them from sneaking out during the night.”
Emily sipped her coffee. “Now the truth is coming out. Is that what you two used to do at camp?”
She raised her hands. “Don’t look at me. It was usually Luke’s grand plan to sneak out of our rooms.”
“Really?” Emily switched her attention to Luke. “You haven’t told me these stories, and how many years have we known each other?”
He shrugged. “The kids at camp won’t get away with anything because I know all the tricks.”
Megan stirred the froth into her latte. “He’s the one who led me astray with his harebrained ideas.”
“As if Emily will believe you were completely innocent.” He relaxed in his chair, cradling his coffee mug. “Would you like to tell her who got the bright idea to go swimming in a creek at midnight?”
She giggled. “We were at a summer camp and it was a stinking-hot night. Everything went to plan until we spotted a snake. Amy’s scream woke up everyone within a ten-mile radius, including all the leaders.”
Emily shook her head. “I’m glad I was never your youth group leader.”
Luke chuckled. “We weren’t too bad compared to some of the antics I’ve seen as a leader.”
Megan nodded. “We had lots of fun together.”
“I can see that.” Emily’s blue eyes held a speculative gleam. “How long did you two date?”
“Four years and three months,” Luke said.
Megan shot him a surprised look. “You remember the exact dates.”
He stood. “I’m good at math, and my next patient is due any minute. I should be finished for the day within the next hour.”
“No problem,” Emily said. “We’re meeting Rachel at your place around three-thirty.”
“Okay, I’ll see you there.” He strolled out of the room, his step light.
Megan drank her coffee, distracted by Luke’s comment. He had proposed four years and three months to the day after they’d started dating. His references to their previous relationship had stirred up feelings that had lain dormant for a long time. It was going to feel like a long weekend without him around.
* * *
Luke yawned and shuffled into the dining room at the campsite for breakfast. One night down, and he was already fatigued. How was he going to survive another night with very little sleep? This was worse than being on call. Hopefully their long Saturday-afternoon hike after lunch would help all the kids sleep well tonight.
Kara joined him at the end of the queue for breakfast. “You look shattered.”
“It was a very long night.”
“Tell me about it. The girls wouldn’t shut up until after three.”
“Why do we do this to ourselves?”
She chuckled. “Because someone did it for us.”
He nodded, his thoughts returning to Megan. She’d plagued his mind last night, memories from their youth flooding back as he had lain awake on the hard bunk-bed mattress. She hadn’t said much about the camp or his youth group activities, and he struggled to get a gauge on her faith.
He was pleased Megan and Emily had hit it off. They had a lot in common, and Emily would be a helpful person for Megan to talk to about faith matters.
The kids had congregated at the tables, wide-awake and looking as if they’d all had a brilliant night’s sleep. He collected a plate of bacon, hash browns and scrambled eggs, and followed Kara to the one empty table in the corner.
Luke’s mother had hoped he’d marry either Kara or Emily. He’d been friends with Kara since they were kids, and she was more like
a sister than a friend. He’d become best friends with Emily at med school, meeting her at a Christian group on campus right after Megan had left him. Emily looked like a model, but there was never going to be anything romantic happening between them.
A certain brunette had once again pushed herself to the forefront of his mind. Despite his growing attraction to Megan, he was reluctant to invest more time in a relationship that could potentially go nowhere. She was still secretive and evasive. He had a strong sense she wasn’t telling him the full story about her plans for next year.
Kara poured him a cup of coffee. “You look like you need this.”
“Thanks.” Somehow he’d managed to set up his life so he had no time to rest. He savored this break away, a chance to reflect and focus on the important things in life.
Kara tasted her coffee, wrinkling her nose. “Ugh, this instant coffee is really bad.”
“Did you bring coffee?”
She shook her head. “I packed in a mad rush yesterday.”
“Me, too. Emily arrived at my place yesterday, and I was trying to pack while she and Megan were visiting with Rachel.” His sister sat at a table on the other side of the room, surrounded by a group of teen girls.
Kara tilted her head to the side, her gaze thoughtful. “I noticed you’ve been spending a fair bit of time with Megan.”
He nodded. No doubt Kara had heard the gossip that had circulated around town after he’d had dinner with Megan at the Chinese restaurant a few months ago.
“You need to be careful with Megan.”
“I know.”
She frowned. “I’m serious, Luke. She seems more settled now but do people really change?”
He narrowed his eyes. “That’s a bit harsh.”
“Is it?” Her voice softened. “I was there eight years ago, and I know how badly she hurt you. It’s great that she’s back in church, but I don’t know if she’s prepared to stay in Snowgum Creek.”
Kara’s words echoed Jack’s thoughts. But what if Megan had matured and was prepared to settle down? Was he willing to take a risk, and deal with the fallout if she did leave town? Could he restructure his life to have more flexibility?
Lord, please give me wisdom regarding Megan, and help me to discern Your will for my life.
* * *
Megan typed up her notes for her last client at the clinic. Her Saturday morning had been busy, starting with a few personal training sessions at the gym before a full schedule of appointments at the clinic. She had lunch plans with Emily before they drove out to the farm midafternoon. Kate had bailed on their lunch date, only remembering this morning that Jack had made other plans.
She switched off her computer and packed up her desk. What was Luke doing now at the camp? The old routine was a talk or group Bible study in the morning before some kind of exhausting afternoon activity designed to tire out all the kids.
Megan had fond memories of hiking with Luke, trying to outdo him by reaching the end of the trail first. They’d always competed against each other, which had only intensified when they started dating. She’d enjoyed the challenge of battling wits with him, knowing he treated her as an equal and gave her only a few concessions.
She grabbed her purse and made her way to the staff room. The coffee machine awaited her, and she brewed a strong latte before sitting at the table. She opened her ebook reader and flicked over to her Bible file. The list of books in the Old and New Testaments displayed on the screen.
She chewed on her lower lip. Which book in the Bible should she start reading first? It had been ages since she’d felt the urge to open her Bible.
Emily walked into the staff room. “That coffee smells good.”
“Yep. Are you finished for the morning?”
“Nearly.” She picked up a mug and switched on the coffee machine. “I have a cancellation now, and about twenty minutes until my next patient arrives.”
“Would you like me to make your coffee?”
She shook her head. “I’m good. I need to practice my barista skills, and I don’t want to interrupt your reading.”
“It’s okay. I can’t decide which book of the Bible to read.”
Emily lifted a brow. “What are you looking for?”
“I don’t know.” She leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling. “I feel lost, with no idea of which direction to head.”
“You could read one of the wisdom books.”
“I was thinking about Ecclesiastes, and how there are different seasons in life.”
“Not a bad place to start.” Emily pulled up a chair at the table opposite her. “We could always read it together.”
“Yeah, I’d like that.” She admired Emily’s strong faith and commitment to her beliefs. Megan still believed and had faith, but it was a diluted version compared to when she was younger. Emily challenged her to reconnect with God in a meaningful way.
Emily smiled. “Have you told Luke about the research job?”
She shook her head. “I nearly told him a few times, but it just wasn’t the right moment.”
“Have you made a decision about it?”
“Not yet.” She sighed. “It’s the opportunity of a lifetime as far as my career is concerned. But I’ve also invested time in setting up my business here. If the hospitals are prepared to renew the contract, I’m not sure if they’ll find it easy to recruit someone who is willing to work part-time hours.”
Emily nodded. “That’s a good point.”
“A three-day-a-week job in two different towns isn’t going to attract that many applicants when they can earn better money in the city.”
“True, but there’s no guarantee they’ll renew your contract.”
“I know. My manager at the ski resort is keeping my job open for next year. Now the situation with Jason is sorted, I have no reason to not return to my old job.” She frowned. “Unless I stay in Snowgum Creek or take the research job.”
“What about Luke? How does he factor into your decision making?”
“That’s the problem.” She twisted a loose lock of hair around her finger. “He has set up his life here in Snowgum Creek, and I can’t expect him to pack up and follow me somewhere else.”
“And he’s building his new house.”
“So I’ve heard, but I haven’t seen it.”
“Really?” Emily drew her brows together. “He gave me a tour the last time I visited Snowgum Creek.”
“That’s not surprising, since you’re one of his best friends.”
Emily leaned forward, cradling her chin in her hands. “You need to tell him about the job offer. I’ll keep my mouth shut, but I can tell there’s something more than friends going on between the two of you.”
“Is it that obvious?”
“Yes. Luke’s a great guy and he deserves to know the full story. Then together you can negotiate a way forward.”
“What you’re saying makes sense, but I don’t want to upset the apple cart for no good reason.”
“In what way?”
“If I don’t say anything, and turn down the research job, then it saves him a lot of unnecessary angst.”
“But you’re not being honest.” Emily frowned. “Wouldn’t you like to know about this if you were in his position?”
“Maybe, but it’s a deal breaker as far as a relationship is concerned.”
“It doesn’t have to be.”
“I’d be gone for two years, with a full schedule and no time for a long-distance relationship. I can’t expect him to put his life on hold. Plus the job could open doors for research opportunities overseas.”
Emily nodded. “Is that the life you want?”
“That’s the thing. I don’t know what I want, and I’ve never really thought about chasing an overseas sports s
cience career.”
“It’s a big decision, and I’ll be praying for you.”
“Thanks.” She needed all the prayers she could get. Which option should she pick?
Lord, I know I don’t pray very often, but I really need some guidance now. I can’t deny I have feelings for Luke, and I don’t know which career opportunity is the right one to pursue.
Chapter 9
Luke walked along the corridor in the main ward of Snowgum Creek Hospital, scrolling through the messages on his phone. He smiled. Megan was already in the cafeteria, waiting to meet him for lunch.
He rubbed a weary hand over his tired eyes. He’d slept for only seven hours last night after coming home from the youth camp late yesterday afternoon, and he needed an early night tonight. He’d stayed up late talking with Emily and Rachel, and was paying for it today.
He entered the small cafeteria. Megan sat by herself at a table for two in the corner. Sunlight streamed through the window next to her, bringing out the auburn highlights in her hair.
She looked up and smiled, her blue eyes gleaming. “I’m glad you could make it.”
“Me, too.” He sat opposite her, his awareness of her intensifying as his knee skimmed hers under the table. The line between friends and something more was blurring, and he’d given up the struggle to keep her out of his thoughts.
“Do you have time to eat?”
He nodded. “I’m not due back at the clinic for at least an hour.”
“Wow, you’re actually taking a lunch break.”
“Over the weekend I decided I needed to create more balance in my life.”
“I can understand why. Your schedule is crazy.”
“I’m hoping to change that soon. Have you eaten?”
She shook her head. “I think I’ll have a salad. The menu here isn’t particularly appetizing.”
“Caesar salad and a latte?”
“Yes, please.”
He stood. “I’ll be back in a minute.” He made his way to the counter, placing their order with a young girl at the cash register before returning to Megan.
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