by L. P. Dover
“And I’m happy for you. Just don’t do anything stupid where you have to apologize on national TV.”
I laughed. “Yes, Ma. Anything else?”
“Only that I love you. Good luck this weekend.”
We said our goodbyes, and I rushed into the shower before Hayden could get out. I had to finish what she’d started.
—
The Caramel Café was packed and we were running out of time, but I’d promised Hayden breakfast. She ordered a pumpkin spice latte; that was what she drank every single morning, according to the hostess behind the counter. I had to remember that. Since I had a few minutes before I needed to leave for practice, we sat down at one of the outside tables.
“Do you want to get together tonight?” I asked.
“Of course. My place or yours?”
“Mine. And bring a change of clothes in case the night runs late.”
She giggled, and it was the sweetest sound. “I need to go home and check on Patch before I come over. He’s probably mad that we didn’t pay him any attention last night.”
“Then bring him over with you. I’m sure Bear will keep him company.” As a kid, I’d had animals, but Bear was by far the best dog I’d ever had. And since Evan lived nearby, I’d had him check on Bear while I was away.
Her face brightened. “You don’t mind?”
“Not at all. Bear’s getting around much better now. He can actually walk on his own.”
“That’s amazing. I can’t wait to see him. I’m sure Patch will love to come over, too. Maybe we could take them to the Whitewater Center.”
I’d never been there, but I’d heard it was an amazing place. It was set up for Olympians to practice their kayaking skills. You could raft down the course, plus go through several obstacle courses and hiking trails.
“Sounds like a plan. I’ll be home before you, so just come on over after you get off work.”
She leaned over the table and kissed me. “See you then. Now get to practice before you’re late. I don’t want you fined because of me.”
I grasped her chin and held her in place. “It’d be worth it.”
“Good morning, Hayden,” a voice called out.
Hayden’s eyes went wide and she backed away, her gaze meeting someone behind me. I turned to look, and standing with a scowl on his face was the same fucker who’d kissed her. “Hey, Jeremiah,” she greeted awkwardly. “I was just about to head to the office.”
I got to my feet, knowing I would tower over him. Dressed in his uniform and lab coat, he wanted to look intimidating, but I wasn’t falling for it. He may have been more educated than I was, but that wasn’t going to win him Hayden.
“I don’t think we’ve met,” he said, holding out his hand. “I’m Dr. Jeremiah Patton.”
I grabbed his hand and squeezed. “Derek McLaughlin.” Then I dropped his hand and focused back on Hayden. “I’ll see you tonight.”
She glanced from me to Jeremiah nervously. “Okay. Have fun at practice.”
I wanted to walk with her to the clinic, but when Jeremiah didn’t follow her, it was obvious that he had something to say to me. Once she was out of earshot, all pleasantries were gone.
“What the hell are you doing with her?” he growled.
Smirking, I faced him head-on. “I don’t think that’s any of your business. For future reference, though, it might be in your best interest not to ever kiss her again.”
He stepped forward. “Why? Afraid she might like it?”
The rage overwhelmed me, but I had no choice but to rein it in. The last thing I needed was an assault charge—although that fucking cocksucker was going to regret it if he ever touched her like that again. “Don’t push me,” I hissed low. “You’ll regret it.”
“We’ll see about that.”
Chapter 20
Hayden
I didn’t want to leave Derek alone with Jeremiah, but it looked like I had no choice. I could tell there was tension between them. “Why do you look like that?” Michael asked as I walked through the door. Derek and Jeremiah had separated ways, but their meeting hadn’t been a good one, I could tell by Derek’s murderous glare.
I nodded toward the café. “I think Derek and Jeremiah just had words.”
Michael smiled wide. “I’m assuming everything worked out with you and Mr. Hottie McLaughlin?”
I rolled my eyes. “Yes. He spent the night with me last night.”
He put his arms around me and squeezed. “It’s about time you two worked it out.”
“What did you say to him last night before you left?” I asked.
He cleared his throat and let me go. “Only that if he hurts you, I’ll hunt him down. I may not be as big as he is, but I know how to use a gun.”
“You’re too much, you know that?”
His gaze caught something over my shoulder. “Uh-oh, incoming. Patton looks pissed.”
Amanda turned the corner and winked at me. “Someone’s glowing this morning.” She said it just as Jeremiah stormed through the door; it seemed to anger him more. Great. His heated gaze landed straight on mine.
“We need to talk,” he demanded.
Sighing, I followed him to his office. I never should’ve let him kiss me. What the hell was I thinking? He shut the door and leaned against it, his jaw tense. “You’re making a huge mistake, Hayden. He’s only going to hurt you again.”
“You’re wrong,” I told him. “What happened before with him was a mistake…just like our kiss. It never should’ve happened. Whatever happened between you and me will never happen again.”
He shook his head incredulously. “So you’re going to choose a football player who fucks any girl he sees over someone who’ll treat you well and be loyal?”
“I’m sorry, Jeremiah. We have to keep our relationship strictly professional. I was hoping you’d understand.”
He ran his hands through his hair. “I don’t want to see you get hurt again. You’re an amazing woman, Hayden. You deserve so much more.”
“And you’re a great guy. I’m just not the right girl for you.”
Releasing a heavy sigh, he stepped away from the door. “I’m sorry you think that.” Knowing there was nothing left to say, I opened the door and walked out. Jessica saw me leave but pretended not to notice by turning around quickly. Great! Now the whole office was going to think something was going on between me and Jeremiah. Jessica was a great nurse, but she had a big mouth, and she loved to gossip.
“Jessica?”
She cleared her throat and faced me. “Yes, Dr. Hunter?”
“Can you get me Mrs. Jenkins’s number, please?”
She nodded quickly. “Of course.”
While I waited, I checked on Lady in the kennel. She was doing so much better and even had the strength to get up and move around. The poor thing was ready to go home. Reaching into her cage, I scratched the backs of her ears. “You’re going home today, girl. I know you miss your momma.”
“Did you tell loverboy you’re unavailable?” Michael asked.
Sighing, I glanced at him over my shoulder. “Pretty much, but he wasn’t happy about it. I knew I should’ve kept my distance.”
Michael shrugged. “He’ll get over it.” Then he handed me a piece of paper with a phone number on it. “I heard you ask Jessica for it, so I thought I’d give it to you myself.”
“Thanks,” I said, taking it. “I have to tell Mrs. Jenkins that Lady is ready to be picked up.”
He looked down at Lady. “She’s doing well. I’m glad you were able to remove the tumor.”
“Me, too. I know how much Mrs. Jenkins loves her.”
“Dr. Briggs?” Amanda called out over the intercom.
Michael looked up at the speaker. “Yes?”
“Your first appointment is here.”
“Thanks, Amanda. Be up there in a sec.”
We walked inside and I grabbed his arm. “Oh, I almost forgot. Do you want to go to the football game this Saturday? It’s the
Cougars’ last pre-season game. I figured it could be our final rendezvous before you leave.”
His eyes lit up. “Hell, yeah. We better have good seats.”
I winked. “The best. Now, get to your patient. I’ll see you at lunch.”
While he hurried off to see his patient, I went to my office and called Mrs. Jenkins. My cell phone beeped with an incoming text, and when I looked down at it, my heart stopped.
Derek: I love you.
Just those simple words made everything all right.
—
“I think I’m too stuffed to go back to work,” Michael said, groaning.
I chuckled. “So am I, but we have to. This is your last week, so I want to spend as much time with you as possible.”
He snorted. “I doubt that. I have a strange feeling that my moving couldn’t have come at a better time. You’ll be spending every waking hour with that hottie of yours.”
Smiling, I held on to his arm as we strolled the last two blocks back to the clinic. “Maybe when you move back home, you can call Mitchell. I’m sure he’d love to see you again.”
Mitchell Pennington had been his boyfriend many years before, and they’d seen each other off and on since. Michael shrugged as if he didn’t have a care in the world. “Mitchell’s probably moved on by now. I’m not going to hold my breath on that one.”
I nudged him in the side. “You never know.”
When we got back to the office, Amanda and Wilford were at the front desk, their faces glum. Margerie was the only one who turned to look at us, and even she looked distressed. “What’s going on?” I asked.
Amanda lowered her head and sniffled while Wilford slid out from behind the desk to face me. “I have some bad news, Hayden.”
My stomach dropped and I clenched my fists. If there was ever something a person didn’t want to hear, it was that. “What happened?”
Frowning, he peered up at Michael and then settled his saddened gaze upon me. “While you were out to lunch, something went wrong with Lady. Amanda was checking on all the animals and saw her shaking violently. By the time I got to her, it was too late.”
I held my breath and stood there, not comprehending what he was telling me. How the hell could that be true? I’d just checked on her that morning, and she was fine. “I don’t understand,” I snapped defensively. “She was doing great this morning.”
“I don’t know,” he murmured sadly. “Lady wasn’t exactly a young pup to begin with. Operating on an animal her age was a risk.”
My eyes burned, but I had to hold it together. “Mrs. Jenkins is going to be coming here this afternoon thinking Lady is alive and well. What the hell am I going to say to her?”
He placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “Mrs. Jenkins is a good friend of mine. She’ll just have to understand that the surgery was a risk and that complications happen. I can tell her if you want.”
Lady was more than a dog to Mrs. Jenkins. I shook my head, dreading the moment when Mrs. Jenkins walked through the door. “Lady was my patient, so I’ll handle it. Where is she?”
Amanda nodded toward the back. “I wrapped her up in a blanket and put her in a box. I didn’t want to leave her in the kennel.”
“Thanks, Amanda.” I started toward my office, my throat tightening with each step. I’d never lost a patient like that. Lady was an old dog, but I’d been confident I could save her. The thought of having to tell Mrs. Jenkins made my heart ache. I wished I could go ahead and get it over with, but I had to wait until she showed up.
For the next couple of hours, I got through my appointments without breaking down. Once I had a free moment, I retreated to my office and pulled out my phone. I wanted to call Derek to get his moral support, but I didn’t have time. The moment I’d been dreading had finally arrived.
A soft knock sounded at the door and Amanda stuck her in. “Dr. Hunter?”
Taking a deep breath, I blew it out and looked at her. “She’s here, isn’t she?”
Amanda nodded. “Do you want me to seat her in an exam room?”
I shook my head. “Bring her in here, please. I’m sure she’ll want to take Lady home and bury her.”
“All right, I’ll bring her back.”
As much as it killed me, I put on a strong face and waited for Mrs. Jenkins to walk through the door. When she did, she had the biggest smile on her face. However, it didn’t last long when she saw me.
“Hi, Mrs. Jenkins.” I pointed to the seat across from me. “Do you mind sitting down for me?” She did as I said while Amanda shut the door and stayed in the room.
Brows furrowed, Mrs. Jenkins glanced back and forth at us. “Is there something wrong?” she questioned.
Releasing a heavy sigh, I nodded. “After I talked to you this morning, Lady took a turn for the worse. When I—”
She held up her hand, stopping me. “Where is she? I don’t want the details, I just want to know where she is.”
I swallowed hard. “She didn’t make it, Mrs. Jenkins. My nurse had gone to check on her and found her shaking violently. Shortly after that, there was nothing we could do.”
Tears fell down her cheeks, but she wasn’t sad—she was angry. “And where were you during all of this, huh?”
“I wasn’t in the clinic, Mrs. Jenkins. And even if I had been, there’s nothing that could’ve been done.”
“Then why did you lie and say she was doing well?” she shouted, jumping to her feet.
I got up slowly and held out my hands. “I didn’t lie to you. When I checked on Lady this morning, she was up and moving around. She gave no indication that she was in distress.”
Her hands started to shake, and I was afraid the old woman was going to attack me, but Wilford rushed into my office. He put his arm around her and she instantly calmed. “Myra, these things happen. You can’t blame Lady’s death on Dr. Hunter. I’m so sorry for your loss, but we did everything we could do.”
She broke down and fell into his arms. “I just want her back. Can I take her home?”
“Of course,” he murmured. Amanda hurried out and came back with the closed box. Wilford escorted Mrs. Jenkins out and Amanda followed. I had never felt so horrible in my life. Would I have been able to help Lady if I’d been there? I’ll never know.
A few minutes passed before Wilford entered my office again. “I am so sorry about that. She’s gone now.”
I ran my hands over my face. “I was afraid she was going to attack me.”
He snorted. “She probably was. Lady was her life.”
“I know. It’s what makes this harder to stomach.”
He patted me on the shoulder. “You don’t have any more appointments today, do you?”
I looked down at my schedule and shook my head. “No, I’m done.”
“Why don’t you take the rest of the afternoon off to breathe? We all need a break every now and again.”
“You don’t mind?” I asked sadly.
“Not at all. Just promise me this won’t wear you down.”
“I promise,” I lied. I felt like a failure, letting Lady and Mrs. Jenkins down.
I left the office as fast as I could and rushed home to change clothes and grab Patch. I was ready to see Derek. When I pulled up at his house, he was outside with Bear, playing fetch. He saw me pull in and started toward me, then stopped when he saw my face. Patch was fighting for me to let him go, so I put him on the ground to play with Bear.
“Baby, are you okay?” Derek asked, reaching for me.
I shook my head and fell into his arms, loving the way they wrapped tightly around me. “I wasn’t until now. You wouldn’t believe the shitty day I had.”
Chapter 21
Hayden
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me about the party,” Michael squealed excitedly.
“It was supposed to be a surprise,” I said, laughing.
The week had flown by and Saturday had come, only it was a bittersweet day. Wilford had arranged for a going-away party
at the clinic, and it was my job to get Michael there. He’d shown up right on time, dressed in a Cougars jersey and jeans; he was excited about the game. Now that the party was over, Michael had followed me to my house so we could drop off my car.
“Are you sure your boy toy doesn’t mind you riding with me to the game?”
I got into his car and we started on our way. “Nope. He knows I want to spend all the time I can with you before you go. Besides, I’ll be riding back home with him.”
“Will I get to meet some of the players?” he asked.
I winked. “Maybe. You’ll just have to find out.” Derek was planning to introduce Michael to everyone, but I wanted it to be a surprise. We got to the stadium, and Derek met us at the gate to let us in. He opened my car door and lifted me in his arms.
“I’ve missed you,” he said, holding me tight.
“You just saw me this morning.”
He kissed me hard and set me down. “That was hours ago.”
Michael rolled his eyes and laughed. “You two are ridiculous.”
Derek extended his hand and Michael took it. “Hey, man. You all packed up and ready to move?” Derek asked.
“Pretty much. You gonna kick ass today?”
Putting his arm around me, Derek led us to the stadium door. “I sure as hell hope so. It’s just a pre-season game, but they’re all the same to me.”
He led us inside and down the hall toward the locker room, where the guys could be heard, shouting and laughing. Michael’s eyes went wide. “Don’t tell me that’s where they’re all at.”
Grinning from ear to ear, I nodded. “Derek’s going to take you to meet them while I wait with Kate. I don’t particularly want to see a bunch of hairy-assed men.”
“Who you calling hairy?” Chris called out, wearing only a cup around his groin. He blocked the doorway to the locker room and posed.
Derek guffawed. “Dude, get the fuck out of the way. Nobody wants to see that shit.”
Chris scoffed and pretended to be offended. “I was just letting her know I’m not hairy.” He ran his hands down his chest. “Look at this body. It’s smoother than a baby’s ass.”