Can't Hurry Love

Josh's phone buzzed in his pocket as he waved Mr. Newman out the door. The old man was crotchety as all get out, but Josh was used to him now. Like everything else in Rocky Valley.

He'd been distracted all morning, not great for a doctor, admittedly, but thankfully, there wasn't anything major happening requiring his attention.

Beth was on his mind. He couldn't believe how much he missed being around her. But it wasn't just Beth he'd been thinking about. Since dinner at her place on Monday night, Josh had been really considering his life, his choices. He'd told Beth last weekend that he wasn't sure how long he'd be hanging around Rocky Valley.

But the more he thought about leaving, the more the idea left him cold. And it wasn't just because of her, though she played a big part in that.

He'd thought that being anywhere but Chicago would have helped him get over everything that had happened with Elaine. But now, he wasn't so sure.

He couldn't imagine himself anywhere else. The idea of going back to a city hospital left him cold. Small town life suited him a lot more than he ever would have imagined. He liked the pace of life. Liked that people still looked out for each other. He'd made some good friends. Gotten to know his patients.

And yeah. He'd fallen in love. Real love. Not feelings developed by moving in the same social circles or attending the same types of schools or living in the same worlds. Feelings that came from a connection that happened all on its own. Sexual attraction, sure, but it was more than that.

Last night he'd managed not to burn steak and potatoes, and Beth had brought home some brownies from the bakery. They'd eaten and talked and just gotten to know each other on a level Josh had never experienced. Not even with his wife, which was a pretty good indication of just how doomed that relationship had been.

Beth had told him about her upbringing as the youngest and only girl in a big, raucous family. And he'd told her about his as the only child of two socialites. On paper they couldn't have been more different. Yet Josh had never felt more like his true self as when he was with her.

But for all his happiness, he still hadn't mentioned Elaine or the baby. Still hadn't told her why he'd been afraid to make that leap. Did it even matter anymore though? Part of him thought it didn't..

He'd tell her, of course he would. But now that things were going so well, did he need to bring up something so awful? Every day he felt its hold on him loosen. Every day he felt surer that he could really shake it off and move on. The idea of marrying again, something that even just weeks ago had felt impossible, didn't scare him anymore. And before, planning a future with someone had been so far outside of the realms of possibility that he couldn't have even considered it. But now-now he couldn't imagine a future without Beth in it.

In some ways, he was shocked at how quickly his outlook had changed. And in others, he knew it hadn't been quick at all. It had started that first evening he'd bumped into her at Bella's Diner...

Suddenly feeling nostalgic about that first night and wishing that he hadn't wasted a year being apart from Beth, he pulled out his phone to suggest that they eat there tonight, kind of like a do-over, but saw on the screen that she'd texted first.

Hey. There's an impromptu girls' night tonight. I wouldn't blow you off if it wasn't necessary. This is to prevent a murder! Hope that's ok with you? Don't give yourself food poisoning! I miss you xx.

Well, that sort of ruined his plans. He was disappointed but wouldn't to stop her from seeing her friends. Not that he'd been given a choice. He kind of loved that about her. He quickly typed out a response.

As a doctor, I took an oath to preserve human life, so it's definitely ok. I miss you too. If you stay at mine tonight, I can show you how much. ;)

God, that was cheesy. He didn't care though.

And actually, her being busy tonight gave him a chance to speak to Beck. Josh had been thinking over a lot of things in the last few days, and it was time to make some decisions. If girls' night was tonight, that meant Zoe would be busy, too, leaving Beck free to, hopefully, help Josh out with what he wanted.

He sent another text asking his friend if he was free for a bite after work before calling for his next patient.

As Mrs. Brody came through the door with a squalling baby, Josh's phone buzzed again.

He glanced down to see a response from Beth.

Deal, hot stuff xx.

He doubled-checked to make sure that was from Beth before turning his attention to a little female who seemed a lot less impressed with him than she was.

The drinks were flowing a lot more than Beth had expected, but Beth wasn't complaining. It wasn't often that they all really let their hair down, especially Paige who really seemed to need this.

Stephanie dropped another round of cocktails on the table in front of them, and Paige was reaching for one before Beth had even handed over the money for the drinks.

"I don't know what I'll do if the library closes." Paige twirled her straw in her drink.

"You can teach your classes anywhere," Brooke reassured her, but Paige was already shaking her head.

"It's not just my classes I'm worried about," she said dully. "It's the library itself. It means a lot to so many people in Rocky Valley. Not to mention the building itself. It's been here almost as long as Rocky Valley has existed. To think of it just " "Hang on," Brooke interrupted. "You're right. It has been here almost as long as the town." "So?" Paige frowned.

"So, you can't just develop historical buildings," Tara blurted excitedly.

They all turned to look at her in surprise, and she colored slightly under their scrutiny.

"I-ah-I had some experience in that stuff before I moved to Rocky Valley."

She didn't expand so Beth figured she didn't want to. But she wondered why Tara was waitressing if her experience was in historical buildings. Or at least knowing the rules around them. "What exactly has Mason said about it?" Brooke asked after a bit.

"Nothing past telling me to get used to the idea. Pointing out that I'll never be able to raise enough money to stop him and Damon."

"We'll see about that," Brooke said ominously. "Damon Wakefield deserves to be taken down a peg or two. No offence, Jenna," she tagged on.

Jenna shrugged. "None taken," she grinned. "If you can take Asher down while you're at it, so much the better."

"You'll help me then?" Paige asked.

"Of course we'll help you," Zoe said, reaching over and squeezing Paige's hand. "As soon as the festival is over, we'll make a plan to save the library from Mason Decker's gorgeous clutches." "Gorgeous?" Paige scoffed. "But evil," Zoe added quickly.

"You really think he's gorgeous?"

Zoe looked at Paige as if she'd grown an extra head. "Honey, I think my husband is the most beautiful man who's ever walked the planet," she said. "But I still have eyes. Girl, you know that man is crazy gorgeous."

"He knows it," Paige argued. "I don't like conceited men." Beth noticed that she hadn't denied it though. Not that she could. There was no denying that Mason Decker was movie-star-good-looking.

But while Zoe claimed Beck was the most beautiful man on the planet, secretly, Beth had to disagree.

"Let's do shots!" Jenna suddenly exclaimed. "Beth, come help me." Without listening to anyone's objections, she dragged Beth through the unusually busy bar.

With the matchmaking festival still on, Joe's Bar & Grill was doing a roaring trade, and Beth could see that there were definitely some couples forming.

But it seemed to be the place for singles too, since there were lots of people milling around in small groups, chit-chatting and just hanging out. Beth recognised some of them but not all.

As she and Jenna waited for the attention of Joe, Jenna turned and wiggled her eyebrows. "So, Dr. Larson. We haven't even gotten to the good stuff yet." She grinned.

Beth laughed at Jenna's expression.

"Well, we—"

"Excuse me. Sorry for interrupting, but I couldn't help overhearing. Are you talking about Josh Larson?"

Beth turned to see a stunning redhead looking politely between her and Jenna. She was wearing a dress that looked as if it cost more than Beth's entire wardrobe. Thin as a rail, she towered over Beth. Even Jenna didn't match her for height. "Uh-yeah, we are," Jenna answered with a quick look at Beth.

"Oh good." The redhead laughed. "I thought I was never going to track him down. Do you know where I could find him? The doctor's surgery was closed by the time I found this place," she said a little disparagingly.

"Um..." Jenna hesitated and looked to Beth again. For some reason she couldn't put her finger on, a stone of dread had popped into her stomach. "He has an apartment down the street," she said now, saving Jenna from any awkwardness. "I'm sorry to be forward but-how do you know Josh?"

The woman looked Beth over from her simple pink shirt to her well-worn cowboy boots before smiling in a way that said she was beyond unimpressed with what she saw.

"Did you work in Chicago together?" she tried again in the face of the woman's icy silence.

"No, I'm not a doctor." She laughed like the idea was ludicrous. "I'm his wife."