“This needs stitches,” she said.
“Shifter healing,” Henry insisted. “Gone by tomorrow.”
“Still needs cleaning,” Ivy said, gently wiping away blood. “What brought you here so early?”
Henry winced at the sting. “Wanted to check those boundary markers before anything else got moved around.”
As she cleaned the wound, Ivy couldn’t help noticing how close they were, feeling his warmth beside her.
“Thank you for helping Marco,” she said, dabbing ointment along the cut. “Ronald told me you pulled him out. You could’ve been hurt worse.”
Henry shrugged, then hissed in pain. “Anyone would’ve done it.”
“Not everyone would risk themselves,” Ivy said, carefully wrapping gauze around his arm. “You’re brave.”
“Used to handling my own injuries,” Henry mumbled. “Part of living alone in the woods.”
Their fingers brushed as she secured the bandage, and that same electric feeling from the café sparked between them. Ivy’s breath caught as she looked up, meeting Henry’s intense gaze.
“You’re good at this,” he said, his voice softer than usual.
“Field biology isn’t always gentle work,” she smiled, still working on the bandage.
She finished wrapping his arm but didn’t let go right away. Her fingers rested lightly on his skin, feeling his steady pulse. The moment stretched between them, their faces drifting closer.
“I need to check the site,” Henry said suddenly, standing up. “Document the damage before things get moved.”
Ivy watched him go, trying not to feel disappointed. Whatever was happening between them clearly made him nervous. His retreating back told her he wasn’t ready to face it yet.
With a sigh, she returned to the accident scene, where Ronald was examining broken pieces of scaffolding. “These joints shouldn’t have broken so easily, “he told her, holding up a bent bracket. “The cuts look deliberate.”
Chapter
Eight
The next morning,Ivy pulled into the construction site, her SUV packed with coffee carriers and pastry boxes. Despite yesterday’s accident, she was determined to start fresh. She’d woken before sunrise to bake her grandmother’s cinnamon scones and grabbed coffee at The Sweet Summit, hoping to cheer up the crew after yesterday’s scary collapse.
“Morning, everyone!” Ivy called, balancing two drink carriers while juggling pastry boxes. “Coffee and fresh scones for everybody!”
The workers looked up, their faces brightening as they wandered over. Ivy handed out the treats, making sure Bobby got an extra scone. “How’s Marco doing?” she asked.
“I called him last night. The surgery went well. They put a pin in his leg,” Bobby said.
“We should set up meals for his family,” Ivy suggested, mentally adding it to her growing to-do list.
As the crew went back to work with their treats, Ivy’s smile slipped a little. Keeping her sunny outlook was getting harderas problems piled up. She quickly fixed her expression. Being optimistic had always come naturally for Ivy, but lately, it was taking more effort.
She grabbed her tablet and started her morning rounds. Yellow caution tape still fluttered around where the scaffolding had collapsed. She studied the exposed supports, frowning slightly. Was someone behind this?
A familiar face appeared at the entrance. Maya Wilson walked toward her, carrying a folder instead of protest signs. She looked curious rather than angry today.
“Dr. Bright,” Maya called out. “Got a minute?”
“Of course.” Ivy smiled.
Maya opened her folder. “I read through those environmental plans you sent. I still have worries, but...” she hesitated, like admitting something difficult, “your wildlife corridor protection is better than I thought.”
Ivy felt pleased that Maya had actually looked at the documents instead of just dismissing them. “Thanks for taking the time. We really designed this place to help conservation, not hurt it.”
