Chapter Fifteen
Wade returned tothe vet clinic with Mary, kicking himself along the way.
Hadn’t he vowed to keep his distance, and not get emotionally attached?Hadn’t he decided she was the wrong woman for him, with too much baggage, and he was too broken to make good choices about relationships, anyway?
Less than twenty-four hours after coming to this conclusion, he’d jumped at the chance to help her with her sick dog.When she’d asked if he wanted to know her secrets, he’d said yes, please.Clearly, he had some kind of mental block where she was concerned.He wasn’t able to maintain his boundaries.
In his defense, he couldn’t have turned his back on her during an emergency.She’d been teary-eyed and frantic.He also couldn’t refuse her offer to share personal details.He’d been curious about her past from the moment he’d met her.Now he was in a real bind, because her story changed his perspective.She wasn’t enabling his mother’s addiction.She didn’t even drink alcohol.She wasn’t a criminal.She was a woman on the run from a violent ex.The thought of her being abused by some dirtbag made Wade’s blood boil.As an officer of the law, it was his duty to protect and serve.
He wanted Mary to be his woman.He wanted to protect her above all others.
Wade sat next to her, stewing in anger and hopelessness.The inability to fix her problems, or his own, weighed heavily on him.He wanted to pound her ex into a bloody pulp.He wanted to hunt him down and kill him.
After an indeterminable length of time, Dr.Munroe called them back to the exam room.“Daisy’s doing well,” she said.“Her vital signs are good, and everything looks perfect on the X-rays.No issues with any of her organs.The lab tests are normal, as well.She doesn’t have any poison in her system.”
Mary appeared relieved by the news.
“This may be an isolated incident that we never discover the cause of.Or it could be an early sign of epilepsy.”
“Epilepsy?”
“About one percent of dogs are epileptic and need daily medication to control seizures.If you notice another episode, we can get her started on meds.Until then, just keep an eye on her.Limit her activity for a few days.”
The vet handed Mary a pamphlet about epilepsy and contact information for a local nonemergency clinic for a follow-up visit.Wade paid the bill with his debit card, and another staff member brought out Daisy.The damned dog looked happy as can be.She wagged her tail and stretched out her front paws in a playful pose.
Mary sank to her knees and hugged the dog tight.Wade walked away from the tearful reunion, impatient to get on the road.He climbed behind the wheel and opened the hatchback.Mary followed with Daisy a moment later.The dog jumped into the back easily.She seemed fully recovered from the episode.
Mary settled into the passenger seat.“I’ll pay you back as soon as we get home.”
“You don’t have to.”
“Yes, I do.”
Wade didn’t argue.“How old are you, really?”
“What difference does it make?”
“I need to know how long it’s been since you left your husband, so I can assess the threat, and plan accordingly.”
“No.”
“No?How am I supposed to protect you if I’m kept in the dark?”
“I don’t want your protection.”
“Then why did you tell me about him?”
“I thought I owed you the truth.”
“You said you were thirty-five.Is that the truth?”
She glanced away, pensive.
“Look, I don’t give a damn about your age, and I won’t even ask what your real name is, but the timeline is important.You live on a remote ranch with my mother.Whether you want my protection or not, you’re going to get it, and I have to know if it’s been ten years or six months since you left that asshole.”
“I’m twenty-seven,” she said finally.“I left when I was twenty-five, and again when I was twenty-six.”
“You went back?”
