(A/n) Here's another chapter! XD

Thank you for the reviews, favorites, and alerts! I'm so glad people are enjoying this story.

Warning ahead: There is an adult situation in this chapter, that is why this story is rated T. You were warned.

Making a Choice…

My head felt like it was being beat on like a bongo drum. A groan slipped past my lips as I threw a hand over my forehead. What happened last night? The last thing I remembered was drinking at Karen's party… I think that Muffy helped me home; I remembered she helped to carry me out of Karen's… This didn't feel like my bed though…

I risked opening my eyes and was rewarded with a stabbing pain to my head from the morning sunlight. I rubbed my temples slowly, took a minute to gather my thoughts, and finally opened my eyes again. I looked around and knew instantly that this was not my room at the inn. I slowly sat up and discovered that I was dressed in nothing but a large, white t-shirt, the collar hanging off one shoulder. My blush was instant as I tried to remember where I had gone and who I had been with last night. Oh my God, please don't tell me that I slept with some random guy… Oh my God! Please tell me that I did not just cheat on my handsome doctor!

Needless to say, I was panicking and I hopped out of the bed I was in, looking around frantically for my clothes. I couldn't see them anywhere, I even looked under the bed to see if I might have kicked them under there but all I got was a bad case of nausea. I groaned and plopped down on the floor, tucking my head between my legs. This was not good at all…

"Annie, what are you doing bed?"

I didn't look up but I recognized the deep voice that spoke. I heard the sound of his footsteps as he walked toward me and kneeled down beside me. I felt a warm hand gently massage the back of my neck and a sigh escaped at the familiar touch. "Trent…" I whispered, extreme relief coursing through me at the realization that it was my boyfriend beside me and not some random stranger.

"Sweetheart, you can't be out of bed with the way you're feeling…" His tone was very kind and comforting, one might even say loving. I felt his arm wrap around my waist and he helped me slowly to my feet. "C'mon, let's get you back into bed…" He eased me back into his bed and wrapped the covers around me, taking special care to tuck the sheets in.

Confusion settled in but I did not voice any protest. His hand brushed the loose curls away from my face and he leaned down to kiss my forehead. "Go back to sleep, I'll be in a little while with some light breakfast."

Now I was really confused and I glanced up at Trent, no doubt the confusion quite evident. "Trent… last night… I didn't say anything or do anything weird… did I?"

He stared at me in turn, his dark eyes flicking between mine before a knowing look flickered past. He smiled a little as he shook his head, reaching down to tuck a loose curl behind my ear. "You came to the clinic late last night and you were a little drunk. You passed out pretty quickly. I didn't want to drag you all the way to Doug's…" A light blush touched his cheeks as he pulled away, there was something there in his eyes, a sort of glow I had never seen before. He wasn't telling me everything… What had I done last night?

"I hope you don't mind that I changed your clothes... I promise I was every bit the gentleman." His blush grew even deeper at this as he reached up to scratch the back of his head. "I already sent a message to Claire, she knows you're not feeling well and staying here. She said to take the morning off and that she'll see you later."

"Trent…" I was starting to blush a little myself, a part of me trying to remember exactly what I had done last night. I must have done something incredibly stupid or embarrassing and, bless his heart, Trent wasn't going to bring it up.

"Go back to sleep. I'll bring some breakfast for you in a little bit. Your clothes are in the dresser there when you feel you're well enough to get up. The bathroom is down the hall, I left some fresh towels out for you if you need them. I have to open the clinic in awhile though so if you need me, I'll be in my office." He smiled a little more and leaned down to kiss my cheek. "I'll be back."

I didn't say a word as my handsome doctor straightened and walked out of the room. He was happy for some strange reason, more so than I had ever seen him. As the door closed behind him, my mind began to whirl over the possibilities of what I had said or done last night. We didn't sleep together, I knew him well enough and he wasn't the type of guy to take advantage of a woman like that. So I had to have said something to him, but what? Oh I wish I could remember… Well, the lesson here is plain to see, don't drink or else you'll do things you won't remember doing…

--

Despite the confusion, I had managed to fall back to sleep. The fact that it was Trent's bed made it a little easier on my conscious. He came in about a half an hour later with some dry toast and warm soup to soothe my stomach. He didn't stay long since he had to open the clinic but he promised that he'd be up in a little while to check on me again. He was smiling the entire time he said this and he was gone before I could even get a word in.

I didn't fall back to sleep after I had finished my breakfast and decided it was best that I get up. I went to get my clothes from Trent's dresser and then tip toed my way to the bathroom. There were a couple of towels waiting on the toilet seat as well as an extra toothbrush. My heart skipped a beat at the thoughtfulness and I couldn't help but smile. He really was such a sweetheart…

Twenty minutes later, I was freshly showered and dressed, my breath minty fresh and my headache brought down to a manageable level thanks to some aspirin. I had left my hair loose and the curls were bouncing with every step. My hair had gotten longer since last winter and it now ended past my shoulders. I was wondering off hand if I should get it cut as I made my way downstairs to the clinic.

Elli was behind her counter as usual and she glanced my way as I walked to Trent's office. A slender brow was arched but she didn't say anything, instead she smiled and raised a hand in greeting. I blushed deeply in reply and muttered a hello, glancing down at my sandaled feet. I wonder what Elli could possibly be thinking of seeing me coming from Trent's room… Oh Goddess, this was such a mess…

I stopped at the door to Trent's office but he was no where to be found. I glanced over at the patients' room and heard his deep voice. I walked over to the room and peeked in. Trent was kneeling in front of May, the granddaughter of Barley, the owner of Yodel Ranch. May was a sweet little girl with dark hair kept in pigtails. She was sitting on one of the beds in the room and trying to sniff back a few tears. Her grandfather was standing off to one side with a worried look on his wrinkled face, his bald head shining under the lights. He had his hands clasped in front of him as he watched Trent clean a gash on the little girl's knee.

After the gash was cleaned up and disinfectant applied, Trent placed a very colorful and flowery bandage over the wound. "There, does that feel better?" He asked, flashing a particularly charming smile to the little girl.

May sniffled and rubbed her eyes. She peeked down at her knee, blinked once and then glanced up at the doctor. "Y-yes…" She sniffed before a smile spread across her face. "It feels much better now."

"Good." Trent laughed a little before he placed his hands on his knees and straightened. "I have something else that will make you feel better." He moved over to the nightstand that was beside the bed and pulled out the drawer. He pulled out a few lollipops and turned to the little girl, holding them out to her. "Pick your favorite color May."

Her injured knee was instantly forgotten as a bright smile lit her sweet little face. "Can I really have one?" She whispered as her eyes grew wide. She glanced up at Trent, who stood there with a kind smile on his handsome face. May hesitated for just a bit, glancing over at her grandfather to make sure it was all right, before she picked the red lollipop. Her tears were instantly gone as she pulled off the plastic wrap and stuck the cherry flavored lollipop in her mouth.

Barley let out a gentle sigh in relief as he turned to Trent and gave a nod. "Thank you so much Dr. Trent. I was so worried about her…" He trailed off as he glanced down at his granddaughter. May had taken Trent's offered hand and hopped down from the bed, the lollipop sticking out from her little pursed lips.

Barley laughed a little as May walked very slowly and very carefully toward her grandfather, holding on to Trent's hand with all the trust in the world. She pulled the lollipop from her mouth and smiled up at the doctor. "Thank you Dr. Trent." She said before the lollipop was placed back into her mouth and she moved to take her grandfather's hand.

"You're very welcome May." Trent smiled as he slipped his hands into the pockets of his white coat. "You take extra care around those cows all right?"

May nodded, the look of a promise written all over her little face. Barley bowed his head in thanks as he held onto his granddaughter's hand. "Thank you again Dr. Trent." He smiled, glancing up at Trent. "You know, you'll make a wonderful father someday." He said and with that he turned and shuffled his way out of the patients' room.

The old man paused when he saw me standing there and a bright smile lit his face. "Well good morning Annie, I hope you're feeling well?"

I gave a small smile in reply and nodded. "Oh, yes I am. Thank you."

Barley had a knowing look on his face as he studied me for a moment. He nodded, as if he were satisfied with something, and gestured back toward the patients' room. "That is a good man there, you make sure to take good care of him for us."

I was a bit surprised by that comment and could only nod in reply. May was smiling up at me as she thrust her leg out, the flowery bandage clearly seen beneath the hem of her little skirt. "Look Annie! Dr. Trent made my boo boo all better, he even gave me a lollipop! Isn't that great?"

"That is really great May…" I smiled down at the little girl while an unfamiliar warmth filled my heart. "That is such a pretty bandage."

May giggled in reply and said a very cheerful goodbye as she and her grandfather went to speak with Elli. I stood in the hallway, watching the tiny family when I felt a hand curl over mine. I glanced up at Trent in surprise, he was smiling down at me and he didn't say a word as he pulled me toward his office. Once inside, he gently closed the door and then turned to face me, his dark eyes studying me with a look that I couldn't identify.

I felt myself blushing terribly beneath those dark eyes and I looked down at my feet, clasping my hands behind my back. "Trent, about last night…" I ducked my head even further and couldn't help but wonder if my face was beat red. It sure felt like it. "I don't know what I said or did but I wanted to say I was sorry. I know it must have been so embarrassing-."

I was cut off when his hands cupped the sides of my face and lifted my chin so that I could see him. His lips had claimed mine, his tongue plunging to search and taste. I shivered at the unexpected kiss and my knees nearly buckled. His lips caressed against mine as he pulled me closer against him and I could… oh my, I could feel the tension. White hot desire licked at me and the warmth spread from the pit of my stomach and right to the very ends of my nerves.

My arms shot around his neck and I tilted my head, taking in his intimate kiss with reckless abandon. A few aching heartbeats passed and then Trent broke the kiss, I could feel his head pounding and knew that he was affected as much as I was.

His dark eyes were hazy with desire as he studied my face. "Don't worry about last night…" He whispered and leaned down to press another warm kiss against my lips. "Annie, can you come by tonight? After the clinic is closed?" I was much too dazed to do anything else but nod, my heart was still fluttering from his intoxicating kiss. He smiled a little and kissed me once more before he pulled away. "Great… Don't push yourself too hard today and make sure you drink plenty of water, the heat is going to get pretty bad this afternoon."

"All right…" I whispered, my heart was jumping a mile a minute as Trent brushed a few curls from my face. He took me by the hand and went to open the door. He leaned down and kissed me one last time. "I'll see you tonight sweetheart."

My heart jumped up into my throat at that last comment. I whispered goodbye and turned to leave the clinic. He had called me sweetheart… he never called me sweetheart before… What had I done last night?

--

"Annie!!"

The squeal that had erupted the moment I walked through the library door made me jump back in fright. Mary practically jumped around her desk and ran over to me, grabbing my hands and pulling me into a tight hug.

"M-Mary?"

Mary pulled away, her dark eyes alight with excitement. "I'm so happy you're here!" She gushed as she pulled me further into the library. She kept on pulling me straight to her desk, where she turned around and clasped her hands in front of her. "You would not believe…" Her eyes grew wide behind her large glasses and a deep blush filled her cheeks. A giggle escaped and she threw her hands over face to hide her blush. "Oh I'm just so happy!"

"Mary," I began, being wary of the excitement that coursed through my friend. I had not seen her this excited since she had asked Jack to the Starry Night Festival. "Take a deep breath and tell me what is going on."

Mary took in a deep breath, her chest rising and falling while her eyes continued to sparkle. She didn't say a word, instead she turned to her desk and pulled out one of the drawers. She reached in for something and turned around to face me, her smile absolutely brilliant. In her hand she held a single feather, the shade of it was a beautiful sapphire and I stared at it for the longest time. I couldn't believe what I was seeing at first but there it was, an honest-to-Goddess Blue Feather.

"Is that-?"

"Yes!" Mary cried as she held the Blue Feather against her heart. "Jack came to town this morning, he came right to my house. He said that he wanted to talk to me and if I could come with him somewhere more private." She sighed happily as she stared at the feather, her face filled with love. "He took me to Mother's Hill, he told me that he couldn't stop thinking about me. Every time he went back to Forget-Me-Not Valley, his heart would grow heavy and he couldn't wait to come back just to see me." She looked at me then and her eyes were sparkling with tears. "He said he couldn't stand the thought of being away from me any longer and he proposed right there!"

"Oh Mary!" I squealed and threw my arms around her. "I'm so happy for you!" We hugged and laughed while our very girly screams filled the library. It took a moment for us to calm down and Mary pulled away as she held her Blue Feather with all the care in the world.

"When is the wedding?" I asked, my smile bright and my heart filled with happiness for my friend.

"Well, Jack and I decided that next month would be fine." Mary blushed and her dark eyes studied me. "I wanted to ask if you would like to be my bride's maid."

"Me?" I blinked in surprise, I wasn't expecting her to ask me that.

"Yes," She smiled and nodded. "If it weren't for you and Lumina, I would have never gotten up the courage to ask Jack to Starry Night. It would only be right that you be a part of the wedding."

A small smile played on my lips as I gazed at my friend and nodded. "I would be honored Mary, thank you."

Mary smiled and giggled, she looked as excited as any bride-to-be should be. "Oh this is going to be so much fun! We'll go shopping for our dresses next week, Lumina is going to take us to the city. Do you think you can come with us? You'll need to get fitted for your dress."

"I'll ask Claire. I'm sure she won't mind." I said with a smile before the librarian began to go on and on about the coming wedding.

Well, that was unexpected, not like I was complaining mind you. I was going to be part of Mary's wedding! How cool was that? This was going to be a great summer after all.

--

"All right Annie, I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Night Claire!"

I waved goodbye to the pretty blonde farmer as I finished the last day's work. The sun had set and the evening was warm despite the breeze that blew down from Mother's Hill. Mason ran over to me and plopped his skinny rump down on the ground, waiting for me to give him attention. I smiled down at my baby and leaned over to scratch him on his long neck. His eyes closed as he arched his neck just so, trying to get me to scratch at the right spot. I scratched him for a few moments before he finally had enough and got up on all fours. He had noticed that Callie had run past and with a large booming bark, Mason was off to chase his friend, leaving me behind.

I smiled as I watched him run off into the shadows before I turned and left the farm. My heart was beginning to hammer against my chest as I made my way through the quiet town toward the clinic. Only a few people were out, all of them heading to Doug's for a drink, and Harris, the local police officer, was doing his last patrol of the small town. He smiled at me as I walked past and tipped his hat in greeting. I waved to him in turn before I rounded the corner on the main road. I kept on walking past Mary's house, past Ellen's house and Mayor Thomas' house, and finally past the general store.

I stopped in front of the clinic and took a deep breath before I walked up the small brick pathway and knocked on the door. A few moments went by and then I heard familiar footsteps walking toward the door. It opened a second later and Trent stood there, still dressed in his white coat and looking as handsome as ever.

"Hi…" I breathed as I stood there, trying my best not to feel nervous.

"Hey…" He smiled before he stepped aside. "C'mon in."

I stepped across the threshold, glancing around to find that Elli was nowhere in sight. I glanced back at Trent and he saw the question in my eyes. He closed the door, the lock clicking softly into place and signaling that it was just the two of us here. My blush was instant and I said nothing as he took me by the hand and led me up the stairs to the second floor. He pulled me toward his room and waited for me to go in first before he went in after me.

The sound of his bedroom door closing made my heart flutter against my breast and I turned around to face him. He had taken off his white coat and hung it on a peg by the door. Underneath, he wore a simple white shirt and tie, the sleeves pulled up to the forearms. He stood there for a moment as he slipped his hands into the pockets of his dark, grey slacks and watched me. Tense silence hung between us and I looked away, finding the sight of his bookshelves to be very interesting.

"Annie."

His voice was a husky whisper that was filled with a need that I couldn't even begin to describe. It shook me to the core just hearing it and I looked at him, already wondering if my heart would just stop beating altogether.

Trent reached up to run a hand through his dark hair, a gesture that always made me yearn for his touch. A heartbeat passed and he walked toward me, his steps breaking the tense silence. He stopped in front of me and reached out to gently run his fingertips across my cheek. "Last night, you told me something, something incredible…" He leaned in close, his lips trailing along my neck and his warm breath making me shiver with delight. "I need to know if you meant it."

"Trent…" I whispered but was cut off the moment I felt his tongue flick ever so gently over my earlobe. I trembled at the sweet sensation that followed and a soft whimper escaped my throat.

"Annie, do you love me?" His deep voice rumbled in my ear, erasing all traces of thought from my mind.

My legs began to quiver as I felt his hands lightly caress my neck before they moved ever so gently to trace my collar bone. I swallowed at the sudden tightness in my throat and my voice was hoarse with desire. "Yes…" I breathed. "I love you…"

I heard his swift intake of breath and he kissed my neck sweetly, his tongue tasting my skin. "Annie…" His voice caressed me as much as his hands did and he pulled me close against him. I could feel the tension, could feel the ache in him and I knew just how deeply my words affected him.

He pulled away to study my face, his dark eyes flicking between mine and then down to my parted lips. "I love you… more than I ever thought possible."

"Trent-."

"I want to show you." He smiled a little and kissed my lips. "Let me show you how much I love you…"

I took in a shuddering breath, knowing that I should pull away, knowing that I should stop this before it went too far, but it was too late. The moment he said those words I was gone and the last of my defenses crumbled away to nothing. I reached out to cup his face and pulled him close, my lips taking his in such a passionate kiss that it rippled through the both of us like an electrical current.

A deep groan escaped Trent's throat and his hands gripped my hips as he turned me around. His bed was just a few feet away and already our clothes were coming apart from searching hands and a desperate need…

I made my choice this night and he made his and there were no words that could ever describe the beauty of such a choice. No words at all…