Maybe alittlehurt. He would’ve liked to have taken her hand, and felt its warmth.
What is going on with me today?he thought despairingly.
“I’m Dr. Chloe Fenwick – uh, just Chloe,” she said, with the slightest hint of a very fetching blush dusting her cheeks. “I’m sorry, I would shake your hand, but I’ve just been touching a dog’s mouth… uh…” The blush rose higher. “I’ve just got to go wash my hands. Be right back! And I still want an explanation!”
She hurried out of the room before he could respond, with the sound of running water and irritated muttering coming from the next room a moment later. She had been wearing gloves, so he doubted it was that essential that she wash her hands, but he guessed that maybe it was protocol.
Or maybe she was just feeling a bit intimidated, being approached by a large man in a building that was supposed to be closed to the public. Not that she seemed like she couldn’t handle herself, but he could understand why it might be a bit worrying. He moved back a little and removed his jacket,slinging it over his shoulder and leaning against a doorframe in an attempt to look at least a little bit less imposing.
Okay. Think rationally. How are you going to explain this whole situation?
Badly,his pegasus sneered.
Chloe came back out before he could retort, her face still pink, though now it looked like she’d splashed some water on it and made a half-hearted attempt to dry it off. Tiny droplets of water sparkled from the wisps of hair that had come loose from her ponytail, and the overall effect was enchanting. The annoyance that she was clearly radiating just somehow made it even more mesmerizing.
Her eyes widened as she saw him leaning on the doorframe. Maybe she didn’t appreciate him getting himself all over her new clinic. He straightened awkwardly.
“I’m sorry about the confusion,” Ethan said. “It wasn’t my intention to get in the way of your work.”
“Then why did you do that?” she asked, sounding agitated. “With Bella, I mean?”
“Well,” Ethan said, while he tried to think of something that was a balance between the truth and what would please Chloe to hear, just in case Curtis needed more time to figure out why this house in particular was so special to him. Really, who knew with ghosts? “It seemed like the right thing to do?”
“I guess I can’t argue with that,” Chloe said, softening ever so slightly… before her jaw hardened again. “But that still doesn’t explain why you were here in the first place. The clinicisclosed, and unless you have a hamster in your pocket, I don’t see you with an animal in dire need of veterinary care.”
Oh, crap.
“I’m here for a… a research project,” he blurted out, before he could stop himself.
His pegasus shook its head in disgust.“I’m a lost tourist and I was looking for help” was right there, you know.
Ethan barely managed to refrain from tearing his hair out.Then why didn’t you suggest that at any point in the past five minutes?!
Chloe raised an eyebrow. “Veterinary research? Not sure this is the right place for it. It’s just a one-person show here, nothing fancy.”
“No, I’m doing research about the town,” Ethan said, trying not to sound flustered. He was winging it, which normally he’d be fine with, but in this instance he felt completely out of his depth. But it wasn’t a lie – hedidneed to find out why Curtis had wanted to be brought here.
“Oh, really?” Chloe looked intrigued, despite her obvious doubts about him. “What kind of research?”
“Oh, nothing that interesting,” Ethan said breezily. “Just about… stuff.” At Chloe’s confused expression, he quickly added, “Historical stuff. About the town, the old buildings, that kind of thing.”
He nodded in what he hoped was a convincing fashion, warming to the story as he spoke. “One of my clients had some family history in this area that he wanted to look into. He couldn’t make it up here himself, so I thought I’d take a mini-break up in the mountains to check it out. I came here because I’d heard that this was one of the older houses in town, but obviously it’s a business now. So I really should get out of your hair and let you get back to work.”
He attempted a smile, which hopefully didn’t lookentirelylike a grimace. “Best of luck with your business.”
Ethan hesitated, knowing that he should leave right now before he made even more of a fool of himself, but couldn’t quite bring himself to do so – every time he tried to turn away, he instead kept finding himself rooted to the spot, staring at Chloe’sgorgeous hazel eyes, and the way the late afternoon light was caught in them, turning them to a fiery amber.
What was it about her that was somagnetic?Sure, she was smart, and kind to animals, and beautiful, but it almost felt like it would physically hurt him if he left now.
“The previous owners were here for a long time,” she said thoughtfully, apparently not having been completely discouraged by his rambling explanation. “They’ve just retired, but they seemed pretty chatty – they might know more about the building’s history, if you wanted to ask them? But… they’re on a retirement trip just now, a cruise. So I don’t know how to contact them. I could call them when they get back, if you like?”
“I don’t think that would be necessary,” Ethan said quickly. Curtis definitely looked like he was from before a time anyone currently living would remember, and he really doubted that a couple of old vets would know why Curtis was so drawn to this particular house – and the last thing he needed was to get stuck in the clutches of a couple of elderly retirees, trapping him in their home and feeding him cookies while reminiscing about the good old days.
No, he’d be better off going around town and seeing if anything else set Curtis off. Maybe they could wander around late at night when all the town’s residents were tucked up safely in bed. He doubted that a place like Girdwood Springs would have any nightlife to speak of.
“I wonder,” Chloe said thoughtfully, tapping her chin. “I saw an old bookstore just down the street the other day. I didn’t get to go inside, but their sign said that they sell a lot of antique books. Maybe they would have some knowledge about the local history?”
~A bookstore?~Curtis asked excitedly, seemingly appearing out of nowhere and scaring Ethan half to death.~I remember the bookstore! Orabookstore, anyway.~He lookedbeseechingly at Ethan.~I would very much like to go there. Please.~
