"I love you, too. Let's rest and tomorrow will be better."
"Promise?"
"Yes, honey. I do."
***
"Doing okay back here?" I asked Dax as I checked on her in the treatment room of my office where half a dozen kittens climbed all over her while she sat on the floor.
"Tiny bits of nicked flesh." She showed me the kitten scratches all over her forearms. "So all is well."
I laughed as one of the kittens scuttled over to the Dutch door and stood on her hind legs in attempt to reach me. I bent over it and scooped her up. "Hello, little nugget."
"They're very social," Dax said, stroking the kittens that climbed all over her. "Are they all adopted?"
"Every single one. They've all been medically cleared and treated so they'll be going home tomorrow." I nuzzled the kitten and in turn, she bit my chin. "Well then."
Dax smiled while she watched me. Her expression remained drawn despite the better day we'd had. We still hadn't talked about everything that transpired, but we'd get there.
"I have a visit in the community with a grumpy horse in a bit. Want to come?" I asked, setting the wild kitten back on the floor.
Joanna snuck in through the side entrance and tossed herself on the floor beside Dax. Two of the kittens attacked her right away when she pulled out a feathery toy.
"Yeah." Dax plopped the kittens on Joanna's back then peeled herself away from them. She brushed some fur from her shirt then headed over to me. I held the door closed, forcing her to stand nose to nose for a second while I smiled. Her lips curved into a half-smile and I kissed her quickly.
"Ready?"
She nodded and we headed out to my truck.
In June, the weather was a beautiful mix of greens and sunlight. Flowers and trees in full bloom made the land roll for miles in luscious waves of color. The air, a mix of cool and warm, depending on the shade or sun, brought a calming sense of comfort to the short ride. Dax leaned her elbow on the window frame as she stared out the windshield.
"You feeling okay?" I asked and she glanced at me.
"Spending the day with you helps." She rested her head on her hand and continued to gaze at the road ahead. "Knowing you're not breaking up with me helps, too."
"Not over something like this, Dax. It didn't happen on purpose…"
"I can't believe I let my mother upset me so much that I would…" She stammered, before finding her voice again. "Lash out at you."
"What'd she say to you in the garage?"
"She wanted to know if I wanted certain things from the house and was listing them off. I told her to stop, but she wouldn't listen. I don't give a fuck about any of it. Burn it down. What do I care?" She lifted her shoulders in a shrug. "When she mentioned the blood stains on the floor boards, I lost it."
"I'm sorry, baby. I am." I reached my hand over to her and she took it. "It was cruel and insensitive of her."
"She doesn't get it. And when she downplayed my relationship with you as being 'back to women' or whatever, it made me feel like I didn't deserve you." She ran her fingers through her hair and I watched as her anxiety returned. "To be happy."
"Do you believe those things, Dax?" I glanced at her as the truck rumbled down the dirt road toward the farm where we headed.
"Sometimes." She glanced at me. "Not when we're together. If we're apart, it'll get me or if something stupid happens like my mother's comments."
"When you were little, did she always treat you like this?" I brushed my thumb over her knuckles while I held her hand.
"No, she was fine. It started around the time my parents got divorced." She shrugged, and I noted her slouch in the seat grew deeper over time. "I think she took it out on me. Criticized me because she couldn't get to my dad. Or because I wanted to live with him and it pissed her off. I didn't want to leave school and stuff."
"It's understandable for a teenager." I gave her hand a squeeze, then tugged her toward me once the road evened out. She obliged and I wrapped my arm around her shoulders. "I wish it was easier for you. Or that I could've known you back then to be your friend."
"At any rate, I'm glad you're here now. Can't change the past." She tucked herself against me and I noted the way she relaxed.
"That's true. We might not be here today if we hadn't."
"I wouldn't risk changing the now." She smiled when she said it, leaning her chin on my shoulder. "You're extra pretty while you're working."
I laughed softly, glancing to her then back to the road. "Why do you say that?"
"Confidence and smarts off the scales. It's sexy. You're earning your nickname."
"Oh? No more Pig Girl?"
"Sexy Cowgirl is a better fit."
I nearly cracked up at that. "Come on. Sali just says that to get my goat. Her wife could be a model."
"She could be. So could you."
"Hardly, Dax!" I poked her shoulder. "You know who really could though? You."
"Me?" She scowled, screwing up her face. "Fuck that."
I snickered at her reaction. "In those sexy Tomboy boxer briefs or boyshorts." I swooned and she swatted my thigh before snaking her hand around it. Her smile remained but her demeanor softened.
"I really am sorry about leaving you like that…"
"I know, honey. We're still new and learning to manage stressors like that. I don't mind you walking off if you need time to cool off, but please don't leave leave. Tell me to fuck off, but at least tell me you're okay. That sound reasonable?" I asked, leaning my head against hers.
"It does. I promise to not do that again. Don't you do it either."
"I won't. I'm not a storm off-er. I'm a hold it in until I have a meltdown of tears-er."
She chuckled softly. "Good to know."
We pulled up to the farm and drove the long way up the dirt road to the house. Different crops of something, I couldn't tell what from the distance, filled the fields and land around us. Silos reached toward the sky and the rundown nature of them told me how long this farm must've been in operation.
"We used to go on hayrides here as a kid. I wonder if it's the same family," reflected Dax.
"I'm not sure. These folks are young with kids so maybe family."
"Yeah."
I grabbed my bag from the bed of the truck after parking the car, and led Dax up the dirt drive toward the barn. At least six people bobbed about in the fields while working their various tasks. In the pasture beyond the barn, several horses grazed in the paddocks. Sheep roamed another, and a few small, fat pigs shared the area with them.
"Legit farm. I think you'll like this horse we're about to see," I said, and met the owner in the paddock to the far left of the busier area.
"Doctor Hart," the jean-clad woman in a worn out straw hat said. She couldn't have been much younger than Dax and me. "Good to see you."
"You, too, Milena." I shook her hand then gestured to Dax. "This is my girlfriend, Dax."
"Oh." Milena chirped, her eyes bright as she extended her hand to Dax. "Good to meet you as well."
"You, too." Dax shook her hand then tucked both of her hands in her back pockets.
"Dax likes horses so I figured it would be a good visit. Where's our patient?" I asked, shifting the weight of my bag.
"This guy needs a visit." Milena led us toward a paddock on the farthest part of the pasture. In the white fenced enclosure, a beautiful Clydesdale stood center with another woman perched in the saddle on his back. His proud, strong posture, rich brown coat, and fluffed feathers spoke of a well-cared-for horse. The woman riding him led him in slow, uneasy circles, and the horse appeared annoyed at best.
"Wow," I said, on the tails of a stolen breath. "He's beautiful."
Dax wasted not a second before she approached the fence, her eyes only for the horse. His rider abandoned her perch, giving the horse a gentle pat as she made her way toward Milena.
"This is my sister, Jacey," she said, then gestured to us. "Doctor Hart and Dax."
"Hi." Jacey gre
eted us with a smile as she pointed toward the barn. "I'm going to head back, Millie."
"Okay." Milena nodded and we watched Jacey head off.
"Nice to meet you," I called after her and she waved.
Dax ignored us and stepped up on the bottom plank of the fence. She reached her hand over to beckon the horse.
"He's the most majestic creature we've rescued. He's about ten." Milena stepped up beside Dax and she watched as the horse regarded Dax with caution at first. "He was a good worker who fell into the hands of a neglectful owner. He's smart, focused, broken."
"Tell me about his grumpy," I asked while observing the horse's behavior. "What's his name?"
"Raweno."
"What's it mean?" asked Dax, glancing to Milena.
"Great Ruler or Great Voice. He's very vocal." Milena smiled at Dax as she made sounds at the horse that slowly came over to her. "He's shy."
"I see this. How long have you had him?"
"About six months."
"Any aggression?" I asked, watching her stroke his nose.
"No. Just unhappy it seems sometimes." Milena pressed her forehead to Raweno's when he lowered his head down to her.
Dax reached a hand to him, and he stepped closer to her. I let the two of them greet the horse, keeping a step back to observe his behavior. He wasn't agitated or angry, guarded yes, but rightfully so.
Milena continued to stroke the horse, but it was Dax who engaged with him right away. As soon as he appeared comfortable with her, she climbed the fence, and helped herself to his pasture. The horse watched her, his ears twitching with curiosity as she started walking backward. Milena gave him a pat, and eventually, he turned in Dax's direction.
I joined Milena at the fence, and watched the two inside. Dax's concentration made me smile, and any ounce of fatigue or sadness she carried faded away. Raweno followed her when she walked away from him toward the far end, keeping his distance but still moving. Dax began walking in circles around the enclosure, and like he'd been trained, he followed along with her.
"He's very focused," I said to Milena. "Not too worried about Dax."
"I see this." Her brow furrowed as she looked on.
Minutes passed and Dax and Raweno almost danced in rhythm with each other. After awhile, he allowed her to approach. Dax stood dwarfed by his size as she reached up to stroke his face and neck. To my surprise, she took the liberty to relief him from his saddle. Milena didn't protest when Dax set it on the fence, grunting at the girth of it.
The horse followed her, his face over her shoulder.
"He doesn't like this." Dax turned back to the horse, grabbed the reins, then used the fence to climb up and hop on his back. I didn't expect her to do that, so it clenched my stomach with fear.
"How'd you know?" Milena perked up, climbing one plank higher on the fence.
"How we walked. He's used to being bareback." Dax flittered her feet and the horse trotted in the direction she urged him in.
"Well then." Milena smiled, then looked to me. "Am I paying you or your girlfriend?"
I laughed at that. "Looks like she's earned her keep. Does he look happier to you?" I nodded toward the horse as we watched the two of them. Dax appeared so small on his back that I almost expected him to sprout wings and fly off like a mythical creature.
"He does. I didn't even consider the saddle…"
"I wouldn't either. Not as quickly. Where did you rescue him from?"
"A reservation awhile east from here." She lifted a brow. "It makes sense. They were selling off the lot of their belongings and animals out of desperation."
"They must've used him as a working horse, then neglected the saddle or something," I said, watching Dax with Raweno. "You should try riding him like that then retraining. I think we should call in the behavioral specialist, just in case. Raweno is a big boy and we want to make sure we're teaching him good habits."
"I will. He's a little shy with the other horses, but seems to handle the other animals."
"His environment must've been restrictive in some way."
"It's possible." She nodded, smiling then Dax urged the horse over to us. "Thank you to both of you for checking him out."
"I'd still like to do a brief physical exam just in case," I said, then climbed the fence to perch myself on top in order to reach the horse better.
"Have at it." Milena smiled as she stroked Raweno's nose.
Dax gazed down at me, a smile curving her lips, as she appeared to take pride in her connection to the beautiful horse.
The three of us spent time bonding with a happier Raweno, who passed his physical just fine. Milena allowed me to contact the behavior specialist just in case and she promised to visit on Friday.
Dax and I returned to the truck, and she climbed in with better spirits than the last time.
"So you've come to work with me," I said, turning over the engine. "When do I get to go with you?"
"You really want to watch me sit in cars and serve warrants?" She cocked a brow at me and I laughed.
"Yes. It sounds interesting."
"Well, sometimes they run. That gets fun," she said, smirking with it.
"I'm here for it." I grinned and shoved her shoulder. "So, out to dinner?"
"You buying?" Again, that cocky eyebrow.
"Yes." I leaned over and kissed her, catching her lips with mine. Her hand fell to my cheek and she smiled through it. "What are you in the mood for? Dive bar chic or something more palatable?"
"How about the Chinese place by the lake?"
"I'm in. Tomorrow night, come to my place and I'll cook for you. My last patient is at four." I stroked her thigh as I drove us toward the main road.
"I'd like that. Stay at the farm tonight?" she asked, closing her eyes as she relaxed some.
"I will. Can I make a suggestion?" I asked and she nodded. "I think you should turn the guest room into an actual bedroom for yourself. Keep the two others if you like them, but the guest room is sort of ready to go."
"That was originally my plan, but it didn't work out."
"I'll help. Your room is adorable and I love it, though I need a bigger bed to ravage you in." I grinned when she looked at me and laughed.
"Good reason."
It took us less than ten minutes to get to my favorite Asian restaurant, and on a weeknight, there was hardly anyone seated. We tucked ourselves into a booth that overlooked the glass-like view of the lake and the server took our drink orders.
"You've made today really good," said Dax, her attention focused on the window. "Really good."
"That's part of a supportive relationship, honey. You've made many of my days really good." I reached across the table and took both of her hands, which drew her gaze back to me. "I mean it."
"Are you still upset with me?" She squeezed my hands.
"No. I'm a firm believer that people's words matter. I trust in your promise. We're still learning how to be us while being us."
"Yeah. One day I'll get pissed at you and we'll be here again making promises to do better," she said, taking a deep breath after. "And keeping them."
"Most importantly, yes." I brushed my thumbs over her knuckles. "I made an appointment at Jordan's salon for Saturday. Come with me?"
"Of course." She slouched in her seat after releasing my hands then stretched her legs under the table so that her feet tangled with mine. "I'm so tired."
"It's been a rough few days." I nodded my agreement.
"Agreed."
"So let's have dinner, go home, and snuggle until we can't keep our eyes open." I grinned at her while crunching on a crispy noodle the server placed between us.
"Mission accepted."
Chapter Sixteen
Dax and I spent the rest of the week in varied stages of attachment and sleep. The brief injury to our new relationship wore us out, and when she accepted the call for a warrant on Thursday, our separation anxiety soared. As adults, we parted ways, though as promised, she texted me sporadically during her b
reaks until her return on Friday.
We arrived in Seattle, Dax driving her souped-up SUV because my old truck would never make it, midday on Saturday, and headed for The Mermaid Salon before noon; the most colorful place in Seattle, in my opinion.
Neon lights greeted us along with the nautical layout of the exterior and interior of the salon. Murals of sexy mermaids welcomed us with their voluptuous clam shells and voluminous locks. I expected the salon to be crazy on a Saturday and, even though every chair held a patron, the rest of the salon was generally tame. A little girl, probably around ten, with fiery red hair sat at the reception desk, poking at her phone when we walked in.
"Do you work here?" asked Dax, leaning her elbows on the top of the desk to gaze down at her.
"A girl's gotta get paid." The girl shrugged, then let out a giggle. "I get five dollars an hour to sit here and tell people to wait. So there you go." She pointed at the empty sofas.
A laugh escaped me and I lifted both brows. "Sounds like a cushy job."
"It is," she said, still giggling.
A woman rushed over, her strawberry-blonde hair styled perfectly to match her pretty complexion, and stopped beside the desk. "Finnley. No one's paying you to be curt."
"Who's Kurt?" The girl's brow furrowed.
Dax laughed, sorely entertained by the kid.
"Not—oh forget it." The woman huffed, then turned her attention to us. "I'm sorry. She's my daughter. I'm Vee. Are you here for Jordan?" Vee's gaze flickered toward Dax who glanced away almost immediately. An awkward pause followed and, in typical fashion, I pulled the conversation back to center.
"I am," I said, extending my hand to her. A black apron hung from her hips with a comb and different types of scissors tucked in the pockets. "I'm Willa Hart and this is my girlfriend, Dax."
"Good to meet you. Come on back." Vee's warm smile added to the soothing atmosphere of the place. In my previous life, I spent hours here getting cuts and colors, my nails done, or a massage. Since moving back to Sequim, I hadn't been here in almost a year.
Jordan appeared beside a woman who sported a full length mane of rainbow iridescent hues, her eyes as bright as her smile.
"Willa!" She rushed me, kissing my cheek though keeping her purple hands away from me. "Good to see you. Hi, Dax."
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