Swapping a Broken Heart for a New Start novel Chapter 565

When Camila Davis heard those words, her eyes grew a little misty.

How did she ever get so lucky, to have someone like Dr. Williams put so much faith in her?

She’d let him down once before. This time, she wasn’t going to disappoint him again—she owed it to both him and herself.

Her voice was steady, honest, and full of resolve as she said, “Dr. Williams, if I really get the chance, I want to take it. I want to join the institute, work side by side with you. I want to see just how far I can push myself.”

Her answer didn’t let the elder Dr. Williams down. On the other end of the line, she could practically hear the huge grin in his voice, so bright and excited it made her smile too.

“That’s wonderful, Camila! You saying yes is the best thing I could’ve hoped for. I’ll be waiting for you here in Boston!”

Camila grinned, the stress she’d been carrying suddenly lightened. But there was still the matter of timing. “But, Dr. Williams, is this all going to move really fast? I’ve got a lot on my plate here, and I’ll need to hand things over before I leave. A couple of days just isn’t enough.”

She worried about how she’d manage to wrap everything up.

Dr. Williams understood right away and chuckled, reassuring her, “No rush, Camila. You’ve got some time. I wanted to give you a heads-up as early as possible. Honestly, the final list of people isn’t even settled yet. You’ve got at least a month or two to get ready. Just make sure everything’s in order before you come.”

Relief washed over Camila. “Oh, good. I’m glad I’ll have enough time to prepare.”

Now she could head to Boston with a clear mind.

After a few more minutes of hashing out details, they finally hung up.

As soon as Camila set her phone aside, the front door swung open and Sarah Brown came in, arms full of groceries and a takeout bag of pizza. She spotted Camila’s beaming face and couldn’t help but ask, “What’s got you grinning like you just won the lottery?”

Camila laughed, unable to hide her happiness. “Something really great just happened. Dr. Williams just called…”

She quickly filled Sarah in on the news.

Dennis didn’t sound surprised at all. He let out a low chuckle, answering honestly, “Pretty much.”

Camila felt her heart leap, her nerves suddenly unraveling. She’d guessed it was him, but hearing it confirmed sent her heart racing.

Dennis waited a second, then teased, “What’s wrong? Thinking of backing out? Too late—the list’s already gone up.”

Camila laughed, shaking her head even though he couldn’t see. She was grateful—ecstatic, even—but she couldn’t help but worry. “Did you have to give anything up for this? I appreciate what you did, but I don’t want you putting yourself on the line for me.”

Dennis sounded genuinely pleased at her concern. “Trust me, Camila. There’s no catch. The Institute’s new team was planned ages ago, but it’s only just coming together. I just happened to hear about it a little sooner than most, reached out to a few old friends, and put in a good word for you. That’s all. The real reason you got in is because you’re qualified.”

Camila still sounded unconvinced. “Really? That’s it?”

Dennis’s voice was warm and sincere. “Really. You don’t believe me?”