“Oh, there are people who care,” Fiona said quietly. “The people who threw the brick, for one. They care very much, and I don’t want to see anything worse happen. If these people are willing to do what they do to the dogs, what would they do to you? Or to Jack? Oh, Holly.”
Holly never could stand the sound of someone being disappointed in her. She relented, but only a little. “I’ll be quieter from now on, okay? I won’t go in with both guns blazing, looking to take no prisoners. Okay? Is that enough of a compromise?”
“For me? Sure.” Fiona nodded. “But I can’t speak for them, and they’re the ones threatening you. Please be careful. Think of yourself. Your mom. Jack. He’s already lost important people in his life, and at such a young age.”
Holly’s chest tightened, her head feeling as though it was full of buzzing bees. When the phone rang in the front office, she was glad for the chance to step away. “I’ll get it. Can you finish with the water?” she called over her shoulder before hurrying to the desk and answering the phone.
“Holly, it’s Mason.”
How did he know his was the one voice she needed to hear at that very moment? The pressure in her head eased, along with the tightness in her chest. She could breathe again. He was like a balm. “Hi. How’s it going over there?”
He paused. “You sound upset.”
“Oh, it’s nothing. Thank you, though. I just got in from running around with the dogs.” He was dealing with enough of her problems. She didn’t need him to worry that she might go looking for trouble.
“Oh, I see. Here? Things are good. I saw Mrs. Larson earlier, and a pair of twins with pink eye. Naturally, they blamed it on each other, no matter how often I reminded them how easy it is to spread that condition.”
“The Vernon twins.” Holly giggled. “Right? They’re rambunctious.”
“I could think of a few other words.” He chuckled. “But let’s settle on that one. Have you managed a chance to call about replacing the window?”
“Not yet. It’s on my list of things to do; believe me.” She eyed the plywood. “I’m grateful for its presence, but it does sort of mar the view.”
“Just a little. Feel free to reach out when you do get an estimate—or, you know, if you need anything.”
The back of her neck tingled, and she rubbed a hand over it, biting back a smile. “Will do. Thanks so much.”
Fiona cleared her throat loudly as Holly hung up the phone. “Nothing but the physician across the street, huh? If you say so.”
Holly flopped into the rolling chair behind the desk, throwing her hands in the air. “I can’t win.”
Chapter 12
Mason groaned as he stretched out on the couch in his apartment. “What a day.” He was looking forward to the weekend and he’d only been working as a physician for one day.
He’d been fortunate to find this living space, and he knew it. The second floor of a rambling old Victorian house not five minutes’ walk from Holly’s or to the office. His office, if only for the time being. The apartment had come furnished, and the kindly woman who owned it assured him the previous tenant had been clean and tidy. No need to worry about bedbugs. Which, naturally, had inspired him to search for bedbugs the moment he was free to do so.
It was nice, coming home after a long day when his home was so charming. The original hardwood floors were polished to a warm glow, along with the carved woodwork around the doorways, the floor, and ceiling. There was even a stained-glass window over the claw-foot tub. The aroma of chocolate chip cookies floated toward him from the downstairs kitchen where he imagined Mrs. Carter was baking.
Was it wrong to hope for a few cookies? Maybe if he described the day he’d had, she might take pity on him and feel generous.
Not that it was a bad day, not by any stretch. In fact, he’d genuinely enjoyed himself. It had been a long time since he’d been in a position to treat sick people beyond the members of his team. And he’d always been a people person. He genuinely enjoyed getting to know others.
If only it hadn’t seemed like everyone and their mother had come out to take a first look at the new physician. He’d hardly had time to sit down all day with the reception area magically filling anew every time he stepped out from one of the exam rooms.
He was just being negative. Fatigue was the culprit. Not to mention lingering concern over the note-wrapped brick from the night before. The next nearest clinic was many miles away, which made it inconvenient for people without reliable transportation.
The entire world didn’t revolve around Mason. Wasn’t that what Stepmother Number Two used to tell him all the time?
Why were those memories so close to the surface of his thoughts? They’d been floating in and out of his consciousness all day. Images, sounds, faces he’d done his best to put behind him. Was there only so much a person could repress before it all started oozing out?
What a pleasant thought. He needed fresh air, something to eat. Whenever his thoughts took this turn, Mason knew he had to take care of himself. There hadn’t been much time for it all day; that was for sure.
“Going out?” Mrs. Carter asked from the wraparound porch when she saw him jogging down the stairs attached to the rear of the house. His own private entrance, yet another positive.
“Just for a walk and maybe a bite,” he explained with a smile.
She shook her head, clicking her tongue in mock sympathy as she swept. “A handsome young man like you? You ought to be taking some girl out for dinner. Isn’t that what young people do nowadays?”
“I’ve heard rumors to that effect, yes. But I’m new in town, after all. I don’t know anyone.”
Danger, danger. The word may as well have been written out in red neon, flashing in front of his face as Mrs. Carter’s eyes lit up. “Oh, that’s not such a problem! My niece lives one town over, only a few minutes by car. I’ll give you her phone number and tell her to expect to hear from you.”
Never had he so deeply related to what a deer must feel when it was caught in headlights. “That’s very nice of you, but I’m not sure…” Too late. She was already inside the house, most likely searching for the number.
Mason really wasn’t interested in dinner with any woman but Holly. He’d only just met her, but she was already filling his thoughts. He’d have to find a gentle way to let his landlady down. There wasn’t a lot of time to spend away from monitoring Holly’s safety or tracking dogfighters anyhow.
“Princess, come. Good girl.”
Holly’s voice had roughly the effect of a treat on Pavlov’s dog. The only thing missing was the saliva dripping from Mason’s jowls. He looked around, trying to find where her voice had come from.
There she was, crossing the street with a terrier on a leash. The poor dog wanted nothing more than to sniff everything in sight, to the point where Holly had a difficult time keeping her moving a single direction. By the time Mason reached the waist-high wrought iron fence between them, little Princess had wrapped the leash around Holly’s legs.
“Princess, no!” Holly stumbled, crying out in surprise and dismay.
Mason vaulted over the fence and reached out to catch her before she tumbled to the sidewalk. “Gotcha!” He laughed, holding her in both arms. “That was a close one, huh?”
It took a second for her to understand what had happened—and that it was Mason who’d caught her. He could tell by the way her mouth fell open when their eyes met.
It took a second for him to understand what was happening too. All he knew was, if he spent the rest of his life with this woman in his arms, he’d consider his years well-lived.
* * *
He really was a knight in shining armor. One white horse, and he could stencil the title on the saddle as he raised his sword and yelled, “Tally ho.”
“What? I mean, where?” Holly barely knew where to begin as she stared up into Mason’s warm emerald eyes.
He smiled, which only made her heart pound faster. “I just happened to be stand
ing on the front lawn when you had your little spill. Right place, right time.”
She was still in his arms, held close to his impressive body. Why in the world was she thinking about that now? She’d just made a fool of herself in front of this man, and she was practically drooling over his…everything.
He blinked hard, shaking his head a little. Like a man returning to his senses. “Let’s get you on your feet.”
Never had something so necessary made her heart sink like a stone. “I feel like such an oaf!” she fretted as he put her to rights.
“It’s not your fault. I’m just glad I was here to spare you a nasty bruise, or worse.” He thrust his hands into his pockets as though afraid to touch her again. Was she overthinking things?
“I might’ve ended up in your waiting room, Doc.” She smiled, unwinding the leash around her legs. “Princess, you’re a real piece of work sometimes.”
Mason chuckled at the little dog’s antics. “She’s eager. Enthusiastic.”
“Incorrigible,” Holly added with a growl, though she didn’t mean it. Not entirely anyway. “I’m trying to train her to walk on the leash without killing herself or the person walking her. It’s one of the things I work on before trying to place dogs in their forever homes.”
“The patience this must take blows my mind,” he said, shaking his head. “Though I guess it’s a little easier when you love what you do. And she’s a real cutie.”
“She is. I’m sure it’s a survival mechanism. How can anyone stay mad at such a sweetheart?” She crouched next to Princess, scratching her under the chin. “This one also happens to be stubborn, so training her to obey has been a challenge.”
“Stubborn. Hmmm. I wonder if that’s particular to the breed or if your stubbornness has rubbed off on her.”
“Ha, ha.” She rolled her eyes as she stood to face him. “For your information, terriers are normally stubborn. Determined. And for such small dogs, they’re tough.”
His gaze traveled over her face, and she wished she could read his thoughts. “Maybe you’re the one picking up her traits, then.”
“Why did you call me stubborn? I don’t know if I should be insulted or what.”
“Don’t be insulted, please. I was only doing a poor imitation of teasing.” He grimaced, rocking back and forth from the balls of his feet to the heels. “Sorry. I’m out of practice.”
“With what?” she asked before good sense sealed her mouth closed.
Was he blushing? “Talking with women, I guess.”
“You’re pulling my leg.”
“Not even a tug,” he vowed, making a cross over his chest with one forefinger. Either he was being overly modest or he was essentially a unicorn. A creature existing only in legend. How in the world did a man with a face and a physique like his, with his charm and intelligence and sweetness, not have a fan club full of groupies following him wherever he went?
“Well, if it makes you feel any better, I’m just as out of practice as you. I mean, with men. Not women. Oh, sheesh.” She could feel the flush spreading across her cheeks and wished there was a pill to combat the complete loss of brain function she seemed to suffer whenever he was around.
“I knew what you meant.” He rocked back and forth again, blowing a long breath through pursed lips. “So. Uh. I was thinking about getting something to eat. I really should go grocery shopping, but I haven’t gotten around to it yet.”
“Do you cook?”
“Me?” He touched a hand to his chest, brows lifting. “You haven’t lived until you’ve had my lasagna. And don’t get me started on my roast chicken.”
The impulse to challenge him to prove himself was almost too strong to resist, but this time Holly managed to keep from embarrassing herself further. If he wanted to invite her in for a home-cooked meal, he would.
Even then, she’d probably be foolish to accept. Why was the notion of having her heart broken, or at least seriously bruised, so appealing? Why would she set herself up to hurt when this was over and he went on his way?
“Anyway,” he continued, “have you had dinner? Or maybe I could walk with you and you could point out a good place for me to stop in.”
Too tempting. Way too tempting. At least she had an excuse. “I’m sorry; I can’t. I mean, you can walk with me, of course, but I have plans tonight.”
Did his face fall? A little, maybe, but the real difference was in the energy between them. He seemed to close off, like he’d just remembered this was supposed to be a professional relationship. “Of course. I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just good to know your plans so I can do my job.”
She could’ve crawled into a hole. He was there to provide protection not take her on dates. “Right. Sure. I promised my mom I’d visit her tonight.”
“At the retirement community, right?”
“Yeah, and cooking you dinner, well, I just wanted you to know I appreciate all you’re doing. Your presence in town is so important to me. Crucial. I’m not trying to make things difficult, far from it.”
“I understand. Maybe we could—”
Anything he was about to say was cut off by the sudden appearance of Mrs. Carter, who hurried down the brick walkway with a slip of paper in hand. “Mr. Andrews, I found my niece’s phone number. I really ought to organize my drawers. Bridget and you will get on famously; I’m sure.”
Holly took a step back from the two of them, glancing from Mason to Mrs. Carter as her stomach hit the ground. She’d known him for such a short time, and the positively sick feeling she had at the thought of him dating someone else made her want to run. “I’m sorry. I’m already late for my visit. I have to get Princess back to the office.”
Mason’s face fell. “Holly, wait, please.”
“I’m sorry I can’t show you around. Another time maybe?” She let Princess lead her away, too grateful for the excuse to hurry off.
So he’d already started looking around for dates. How nice for him. And how inexplicably depressing for her. It was probably for the best with him trying to keep his cover as the town physician. How easy would it be to figure out she was the subject of his visit if they were tied at the hip so quickly?
The logical part of her brain was trying to soothe her while her heart held back tears. Mr. Awesome Green-eyes wasn’t for her…he was just there to protect her. Besides, she had a little boy to think of too. His heart didn’t need to get broken either.
Chapter 13
It took no more than a weekend for things to become more complicated. That was a record, even for Holly. With him undercover, it wasn’t like they could be all cozy, and they hadn’t spoken since Mrs. Carter gave him her niece’s phone number. She thought imagining Mason out on a date with someone else was bad enough, but she was wrong.
“Oh no!” She wrapped her arms around Denise on Monday morning, a woman who’d only picked up a dog from the shelter two weeks prior. They’d crossed paths in front of the office as Holly stepped out to pick up coffee. “Not Fergie! What happened?”
“I don’t know.” The poor woman could barely speak over the force of her sobs. “She was there when I got home from work last night. I put her out like I always do. The yard’s fenced in and the gate is locked, so I never think much of it. She stretches her legs and does what needs doing, then she comes in for her supper. I knew we were supposed to be careful with our dogs since they’ve been going missing, but she was locked in our backyard!”
“And she never came in?”
Denise shook her head before blotting at her nose. “No. She wasn’t there. The back gate was still closed and locked. I guess someone jumped the fence and grabbed her. It never occurred to me that anyone would do that. She’s so friendly and loves people. I joked with my husband that she’d never make a very good guard dog since she rarely barks.”
“I’m sure this has to be hard on the kids too,” Holly said, tears in her eyes. It was never easy to watch another person suffering, but when that suffering included a dog Holly had
come to love over the months they’d spent together, the pain was tenfold.
“They’re inconsolable. I don’t think either of them slept a wink last night.”
“Have you been around the neighborhood? What am I saying? Of course you have.” There were no correct things to say in a situation like this, when she wanted to be helpful but didn’t know how.
Denise nodded. “Jim went around all night, and he did a few loops this morning before going to work. The kids were too upset to even go to school. They’re with my mom. I was about to start putting up these fliers.” She held her messenger bag open, revealing a sheaf of paper.
“Let me help you. It’s the least I can do.” Holly paused a moment, considering what Mason might think, and then sent a text to Fiona and him to explain the change in plans before accepting a stack of paper from Denise. He was there to protect her, and as long as she was in town, she’d be fine. Besides, it was broad daylight on a weekday. She’d be safe passing out simple flyers. “I’ll take Main Street for three blocks in both directions, and I’ll ask the business owners to place a flier in their store windows.”
“Thank you so much,” Denise whispered, her voice choked with emotion. “We all love her. You did such a beautiful job with her.”
“We’ll do everything we can to find her. I promise.” Holly hugged her again before turning to her task. It was too much, thinking about the dog she’d so lovingly rehabilitated and the memory of the family coming in to pick Fergie up and take her home, the kids’ shining eyes and happy laughter as their new best friend licked their faces.
With their heartbroken, sad smiles in mind, Holly marched down the street, intending to start at one end and work her way up. Only her reluctance to crease the fliers kept her from clenching her hands into fists. There was no doubt in her mind how Fergie had gone missing.
These guys were getting more and more brazen in their tactics. Not even bothering to wait until overnight when the household was asleep. They took that precious animal from its home in broad daylight, while the woman of the house probably puttered around the kitchen, getting the family dinner started.
The Ranger's Destiny (Army Ranger Romance Book 6) Page 5