My eyes met his with confusion. “But you don’t need to stay with me.”
Noah shook his head. “Ivy said it’s just a half mile or so from here. She’s calling the vet to give them a heads-up we’re en route, then calling the doc to make sure Addie doesn’t need to come in. She doesn’t think so—Addie wasn’t knocked out and doesn’t have a mark on her. But I’ll let her do that while I ride with you. Then I’ll come back and check in with her.”
“Hold on a second,” I said. “Can you hang with Chief for a minute?”
“Sure,” Noah said, smoothing a hand down Chief’s head.
I stood, moving to Ivy and Addie. I didn’t focus on Ivy right now. I couldn’t. I looked at Addie. “You okay, peanut?”
Addie’s lower lip trembled. “Chief.”
I glanced quickly at Ivy. “Can I take her for a second to see Chief?”
Addie’s arms came out before Ivy even nodded. Ivy’s face was a mess of tears, but I couldn’t think about it. Instead, I let myself feel the comfort of Addie’s solid weight as she curled into me.
Addie’s arms went around my neck, and she whispered in my ear. “Jakey.” Her breath broke. “I’m sorry I ran into the street.”
I looked at her face, which matched her mother’s for the devastation I found there. “Peanut, you’re right. We don’t run into the street. But we also all make mistakes. And I’m betting Chief is going to be just fine. I’m going to take him to the doc to get checked out. You know what would make him feel better though?”
“What?” she whispered.
“If he could see you.”
She nodded and I moved next to Noah, bending down so she could put her small hand on Chief’s side. His eyes found hers, and his tail thumped out a faster beat.
“Thank you, Chief,” she whispered. I loosened my grip so she could kneel down and press a kiss to his head.
Damn. My own eyes were fighting back tears.
Ivy appeared by our side as she bent down to Chief and whispered in his ear before pressing a kiss to his head before she stood up.
Working quickly, I passed Addie back to Ivy so that Noah and I could get Chief in the truck before I completely broke down. Within ten minutes, we were at the vet’s and they were taking him back for X-rays as Noah jogged back to Ivy and Addie.
And my thoughts spiraled.
I paced a lap around the waiting room for at least the millionth time. Dean McCallister, a friend of Max’s and Sully’s from school, was a vet here and had taken Chief back as soon as we arrived, telling me to wait out here.
My heart couldn’t seem to slow down and find a normal rhythm. The past hour seemed to be on some kind of horror repeat in my brain. I needed to stop seeing Addie running into the street, my dog racing to rescue her somehow, and the vehicle clipping Chief’s hip as he crumpled to the road and Addie to the curb.
It was the stuff of my nightmares.
And let’s not forget Ivy hugging Noah.
Fuck.
I moved to the window, letting my gaze lose focus as I looked outside. I didn’t see the snowflakes that had begun to fall as the sun went down. Instead, I focused on the old Bronco pulling into the parking lot.
Drew.
I watched him park, hop down from his vehicle, and stride into the clinic, clearly looking for me.
“Hey,” I called from my spot at the window.
The tension on his face lessened. “Hey,” he said, moving to me. “How’s Chief?”
“X-rays,” I said, nodding to the doors that led to the back. “How’d you know?”
“Bookstore called,” he said. “She thought you could use company.”
