The same question Top asked. The question I couldn't answer then and still can't answer now.
"Hell if I know," I admit.
"Well." Maggie picks up the coffee pot. "Figure it out. And when you do, make sure the answer includes her—not just the idea of her."
She walks away, leaving me alone with cold coffee and the growing realization that I need to start over—from the beginning, with the right questions this time.
I sit in that booth for another hour, nursing cold coffee and rehearsing what I need to say to Jake. Watching the stragglers finish their meals, watching Maggie work the room with the ease of someone who's been doing this for decades. She refills mugs without being asked, knows everyone's order before they say it, hands out advice with the coffee refills.
This is her place. Not because she inherited it or because it was convenient. Because she built it. Because she chose it.
Just like Callie chose Pine Valley. Chose her practice. Chose to stay when Tyler asked her to leave.
My phone is in my hand before I realize I'm pulling it out.
The re-enlistment forms are sitting in my email. Now I have until Thursday, eight a.m., thanks to Top calling in a favor. Sign and ship out. Don't sign and go home to Texas.
Either way, I leave Pine Valley.
Either way, I leave her.
Unless.
I scroll through my contacts until I find Jake's number. He answers on the third ring.
"Dean? What's up?"
"I need to ask you something." I lean back in the booth, staring at the ceiling tiles. "Iron Creek. The expansion. The new contracts."
"Yeah?" He sounds cautious. "You change your mind about coming home?"
"Maybe. I don't know yet." I scrub a hand over my face. "I need to know if there's room for two people to build something. Not just me slotting into what you've got. Actually building."
Silence on the other end.
"Jake?"
"You're serious," he says finally. "About the vet."
"Her name's Callie. And yeah. I'm serious."
"What happened? You sound like you already screwed this up."
"I kind of presented it as a done deal. Told her about Texas and the opportunity and how perfect it would be. Didn't really ask what she wanted."
Jake makes a sound that might be a laugh or a groan. "Dean."
"I know."
"Serious enough to redesign half our expansion plans?"
"If that's what it takes."
More silence. Then Jake laughs—surprised and genuine. "You really are gone for her."
"Completely."
"All right." I hear paper rustling, keyboard clicking. "Tell me what she needs. What kind of practice, what resources, what setup. And I'll tell you if we can make it work."
