Wounded Souls

by R J Nolan

  What if the animal hospital had tried to call Logan? She glanced at the lock screen and let out a sigh of relief. There was only one missed call, which had to be the one she had just made. Should she take the phone to Logan now or wait until morning?

  A picture of Drake after his surgery flashed through Dale’s mind. If something were to happen with Drake and the hospital wasn’t able to contact her, Logan would never forgive her. She definitely needed to take the phone to her now.

  Dale drove by Logan’s site, confirming that her SUV was parked adjacent to the motor home. She circled through the RV park, making her way back to the office and the visitor parking spots.

  As she approached the motor home, her nervousness grew. How would Logan react to her showing up? You’re bringing back her phone, not trying to invade her privacy.

  The lights were on inside the RV.

  She pulled Logan’s phone out of her pocket. Gripping it with one hand, she knocked on the door of the RV with the other.

  It took several moments, then the door cracked open and Logan peered out. “Dale?” Dale stepped back out of the way when Logan swung the door open. “What are you doing here?” She sounded more curious than upset.

  Dale’s thought process derailed when she got a look at what Logan was wearing—or rather, not wearing. With Logan standing backlit in the doorway, the white T-shirt clearly displayed her braless breasts, taut nipples puckering the soft cotton. No ogling! But the full breasts so beautifully on display were hard to ignore. Dale forced her gaze up to Logan’s face. “Bringing you your phone.” She held it up. “I put it in my pocket earlier without realizing it.”

  Logan leaned out of the RV and snatched the phone from her hand, then quickly tapped in the unlock code.

  “There weren’t any calls. Except when I tried to call you a little while ago. That’s how I found the phone.”

  Tension leaked from Logan, and she slumped against the door frame. “Thank you for bringing it. I’ve been so…” She waved her hands in the air. “I didn’t even realize it was missing.”

  “Sorry I didn’t realize earlier that I had it.”

  An awkward silence settled between them.

  “Well…I should go.”

  “Thanks again.”

  For a moment, Dale thought she might say something more.

  But she didn’t.

  What did you think, that she was going to invite you in? Making sure to keep the disappointment from her voice, she said, “You’re welcome. Good night.” Dale offered a short wave and walked away.

  “Wait.”

  She had taken only two steps when Logan’s voice stopped her in her tracks. She turned back toward the motor home.

  Logan fidgeted for a moment, then nodded to herself. “Have you eaten breakfast yet?”

  “No. Would you like to go get something?”

  “Um… Well, I was getting ready to make breakfast when you knocked. It’s nothing fancy, just some microwave stuff. You’re welcome to join me. If you want.”

  Dale struggled to hide her surprise. “That would be great. I’m starving.” And suddenly she was.

  Logan smiled and waved her in.

  Dale climbed the two steps into the motor home, careful to keep from brushing against Logan as she passed in the tight space.

  “Have a seat. I’ll be right back.” Logan stepped into a narrow hallway and pulled a trifold door shut, closing off the back from view.

  Dale’s gaze swept the interior. A blanket and pillow rested on a two-person couch that filled the space along one wall. On the opposite wall was the kitchen with a sink and microwave. A huge dog bed filled the space between them. There was no way to move about the motor home without stepping on it. A small pedestal table sat in front of the driver and passenger chairs, which had been turned around to face into the coach. While quite small, with the slider out, it was actually a little larger than she expected. Still, she was having a hard time picturing Logan living here full-time with a huge dog like Drake.

  Not comfortable invading what was clearly Logan’s personal space on the couch, Dale took off her jacket, hung it on the back of the passenger seat, then squeezed behind the pedestal table to sit.

  The sound of several cabinets opening and closing sounded from the rear of the RV.

  Logan reappeared, dressed in a dark T-shirt and jeans—and wearing a bra.

  Dale wasn’t sure if she was relieved or disappointed. She shook her head at herself. Maybe a little of both.

  “Microwave French toast okay?”

  “Sure.” Normally, Dale would have offered to help, but with the close quarters, she decided it was best just to stay out of the way.

  As Logan went about preparing their breakfast only a few feet away, Dale couldn’t help watching her. Now that she was without her customary baggy lab coat, it was hard to resist enjoying the view of her lush curves beneath the form-fitting T-shirt and jeans. Her gaze dropped to the denim hugging Logan’s well-rounded ass. No ogling, she repeated what was becoming a mantra. Trying to distract herself, she continued her perusal of her surroundings.

  A framed photograph hanging near the driver’s seat caught her attention.

  She leaned over to get a closer look. Mesmerized, she stared at the photo of Logan and Drake as a puppy. The crystal-clear, blue sky and ocean waves in the background provided a beautiful backdrop to the photo. But that wasn’t what drew Dale to the image. The candid shot had caught Logan with her head thrown back, her face alight with laughter as she held off a rambunctious Drake. While Logan wasn’t a classic beauty, in the photo she was stunning, showing a life and fire inside her that Dale had never seen. She glanced over at Logan. It was hard to believe she was the woman in the picture. Most days, Logan seemed to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders. Dale looked back at the photograph. What had happened to that carefree woman?

  Logan approached with a paper plate brimming with French toast strips.

  Dale smiled up at her and tipped her chin toward the photograph. “That’s a great picture of you and Drake.”

  Logan’s gaze darted toward the photo. The plate dropped from her suddenly nerveless fingers and landed on the table, scattering French toast strips across its surface. She took a sharp breath as pain flashed across her face. Spinning around, she put her back to Dale.

  What the heck? Then it hit her. You idiot. Dale cursed the tight quarters as she slipped from behind the table. Her toe caught Drake’s bed, and she stumbled into Logan’s back. Damn it. She grabbed onto Logan’s shoulders to keep them both upright. “I’m sorry.”

  Of course drawing her attention to a picture of a much younger Drake would hit Logan hard—especially now. Tension radiated from the muscles under her hands.

  Dale quickly withdrew them. “I’m sorry. I should have realized…” Unable to help herself, she gently touched Logan’s back, then stepped back as far as she could in the small space—which wasn’t far. “He’s going to be all right.”

  Logan took a deep breath, straightening her shoulders, and turned to face Dale. “I know. That’s not it. It’s just that picture is…” She slapped her hand over her mouth as if to stop the words from escaping. She glanced at the photo again, then quickly looked away, shaking her head roughly. “Forget it. It’s nothing.” The pain in her eyes gave lie to her words.

  The picture is what? Dale longed to ask, but the haunted look in Logan’s eyes kept the words at bay. She glanced back and forth between Logan and the photo. What was she missing here?

  Logan reached over and tugged back the privacy curtain that covered the windshield so that it hid the photograph. When she looked at Dale, her face had assumed the neutral mask she wore at work. “Have a seat. I’ll get the rest of breakfast.”

  While a million questions raced through Dale’s mind, she knew Logan well enough by now to know that when she was like thi
s, there were no answers to be had. She resumed her seat behind the pedestal table and piled the French toast strips back onto the plate.

  Logan set out paper plates, forks, syrup, and two glasses of orange juice. “Hope this is okay?”

  “It’s great. Thanks.” Dale hid her surprise when Logan slipped into the driver’s seat next to her, which put her so close, their shoulders brushed. She thought after what had just happened that Logan would retreat to the couch to gain some distance.

  They shared a quiet breakfast, the tension slowly dissipating.

  Dale leaned back and patted her full belly. “Thanks. That hit the spot.”

  “Good.” Logan struggled for a moment to fit through the narrow space between the table and the chair so that she could stand. She glanced in Dale’s direction and flushed.

  Dale caught her arm before she could turn away. “Thank you for inviting me in for breakfast. You didn’t have to do that.”

  Logan’s blush deepened, and she ducked her head. “You’re welcome.” She set about clearing the table while carefully avoiding looking at Dale.

  Again resisting the urge to help, Dale remained seated.

  It took Logan only a few minutes to clean up. Once done, she plopped down on the couch. She fiddled with the blanket, then tugged the pillow into her lap and wrapped her arms around it.

  Dale racked her brain for something to talk about besides Drake or work as the silence grew uncomfortable. “Well, I guess I should get going.” She sighed when Logan didn’t protest. It was clear their time together was at an end.

  “Thanks again for bringing my phone.”

  Dale slid out from behind the pedestal table and snagged her jacket from the back of the chair. “Sorry I took it to start with.”

  Logan waved off the apology.

  Shrugging into her jacket, Dale nodded. She opened the door and stepped down onto the first exterior step of the motor home. She turned back toward Logan. “Have a good day. Or rather, night, in our case.”

  Smiling, Logan popped off the couch and moved to stand in the entryway.

  With Logan standing above her and less than half a foot separating them, Dale found herself with an up-close view of Logan’s full breasts. Her normally quiescent libido sprang to life. She quickly stepped backward and lost her footing.

  Logan grabbed her arm before she could tumble down the second step.

  Serves you right. Dale clutched the handrail on the outside of the motor home and steadied herself.

  “You okay?” Logan asked. “Is it your leg?”

  “No. I’m fine.” I was just busy getting an eyeful. Dale ducked her head to keep Logan from seeing her heated face.

  Logan laid her hand on Dale’s shoulder. “Thanks again for everything you did today.”

  Dale barely resisted the urge to press her face against Logan’s hand. She settled for placing her hand over Logan’s. “I’m glad I could help. If you need anything, please call me.” She forced herself to remove her hand from Logan’s.

  “I will.”

  At one time, Dale would have figured it was just an empty promise, but now she actually believed her. “I’ll see you tomorrow at work. Come early. I’m bringing coffee and goodies.”

  Logan shook her head. “You’ve already done more than enough.”

  “I know this great place that makes incredible muffins. They have to be tried to be believed.”

  “Dale,” Logan said, her exasperation clear.

  Dale bit back a grin and gave her back the same. “Logan.”

  Logan mock-scowled. “See you then.”

  Dale waved and walked away, aware that Logan remained standing in the doorway, watching. She waved again as she reached the end of the row and turned toward the visitor parking.

  Although things had not gone as well as Dale had hoped, having Logan invite her into her home felt like a big step in their slowly developing friendship. Now, if she would just get over her unwanted attraction to Logan, things would be good.

  CHAPTER 20

  Dale almost choked on the sip of coffee she had just taken. She set her cup on the conference room table. “He did what?” Logan burst out laughing, and Dale caught her first glimpse of the carefree woman she had seen in the photo yesterday. Beautiful.

  “He has always been a ladies’ man,” Logan said. “It wasn’t his fault… You stick a big pair of breasts in his face, and he can’t help himself.”

  Dale could relate to that. Grinning, she allowed her gaze to drop to Logan’s chest as she flashed back to Logan’s breasts only inches from her face last night. She gave herself a mental slap to the back of the head and repeated her new mantra. No ogling. “So how did the poor tech react when Drake shoved his huge muzzle between her breasts?”

  “Thankfully, after she managed to pry him out of her cleavage, she laughed.”

  “He’s really doing well, huh?”

  “He’s doing great. Dr. Bader is thrilled with how quickly he’s recovering.” Logan popped a bite of her muffin into her mouth and hummed. “These are incredible.” She looked more relaxed than Dale had seen her in weeks.

  “Told you.” Dale bit into a cranberry-orange muffin with white icing drizzled over it. The smell and the rich combination of flavors inundated her senses. She washed it down with a sip of her coffee. “So will you be able to bring Drake home soon?”

  The smile dropped from Logan’s face, and she sighed. “He could be discharged tomorrow, but…” She fiddled with the edge of her coffee cup.

  “What’s the problem?” Dale reached across the table and laid her hand on Logan’s arm.

  Rubbing her chest right above her breast, Logan looked away, then met Dale’s gaze. “I’m worried about how he is going to do getting in and out of the motor home with a huge abdominal incision.”

  Dale nodded. The two exterior steps into Logan’s RV were surprisingly steep. And there was an additional step inside. “Maybe a ramp would help?”

  “Yeah, I thought of that, but it would be a pretty steep incline. When I was at the hospital this morning and they got him up, his rear legs were kind of weak. Plus, I’m not sure Bernice will be able to handle him if he needs help.”

  “Who’s Bernice?”

  “She’s the on-site manager of the RV park. She looks out for Drake; she lets him out before she goes to bed and again in the morning. But she’s this little bitty thing. Drake outweighs her by at least forty or fifty pounds. Her grandson, Danny, helps out too, but he’s only ten.”

  Dale found it hard to believe that Logan accepted anyone’s help, but apparently, she made an exception when it came to Drake. “Well, if there’s anything I can do to help, just let me know.”

  Logan blew out a breath. “Thanks. I’ll figure something out.”

  As Dale passed by the nurses’ station, she looked for Logan. She had not seen her as she made her rounds. It had been a busy night so far with a constant flow of patients with minor ailments that made it feel more like working in a primary-care clinic than an ER. Logan and her situation with Drake had never been far from her thoughts. As much as she would have liked to take in the big dog while he recovered, her apartment complex didn’t allow pets. Even if it did, there was the whole issue of her leeriness of big dogs. Not that she would ever admit that to Logan. Why couldn’t she have had a nice, average dog—like a Chihuahua? At least Dale had some limited, if not entirely pleasant, childhood experience with that breed.

  She sighed. There had to be something she could do. Drake needed someplace on one level with easy access outside as well as someone capable of looking after him if he had any problems. What other options were there? It wasn’t as if Logan had any friends she could ask to care for Drake. Dale stopped in her tracks as inspiration struck. Why hadn’t she thought of this before? Logan didn’t have any friend in the area to ask—but she did. She knew exactly who lov
ed big dogs and had the perfect setup for Drake. She fished in her pocket for her phone as she headed outside to make her call.

  Dale leaned against the wall, just outside the ambulance bay doors, and waited for her friend to pick up.

  “This better be good,” Casey snarled into the phone.

  “Good morning to you too.”

  “What the hell is so earth-shattering that you had to call at o-dark-thirty?”

  “It’s not the middle of the night. It’s almost six a.m.”

  “It’s not even light out yet! That makes it officially still night.” Despite her years in the military, Casey was not a morning person.

  “Sorry. I really need your help.”

  Rustling filtered through the line, and Casey grumbled. “Okay. Okay. I’m up. What do you need?”

  “I need you to dogsit for a friend. He just had surgery.”

  Silence greeted the request.

  “Casey?”

  “Yeah. I’m still here. I’m just trying to figure out what guy you know well enough that he turns to you to watch his dog while he recovers from surgery.”

  Huh? She laughed when she realized the problem. “The dog is the one who had surgery. My friend is a woman.”

  “And that’s supposed to be better?” Casey asked. “You want me to take care of a sick dog that belongs to some woman I don’t even know?”

  Dale frowned. When she put it like that, it didn’t sound very reasonable. But damn it, Drake needed help. “Let me explain. Remember the doctor I told you about? The one who found out about my leg?” She went on to give the details of Logan’s and Drake’s situation.

  “So you really care about Logan, huh?”

  “She’s becoming a good friend.” Who you wish could be more. She shoved away the unwelcome thought. “And Drake really needs a safe place to recover.”

  “All right.” Casey’s sigh reached her ears. “You know I’m a sucker for big dogs. I still miss Zeus. I’ll do it.”