A moment alone with Hadley? No way would he say no to that.
Max stepped inside the clinic with Hadley.
The place felt too quiet. He expected to see clients and to hear dogs barking and for the phone to be ringing.
Instead, Susie sat idle behind the front desk and smiled at them.
Hadley told her to go ahead and take her break.
When she disappeared down the hallway, Max turned his gaze back to Hadley. “Looks like it’s been a slow day.”
“That’s one way to put it.” Hadley set her purse down and crossed her arms. “No one showed up.”
He narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean?”
She explained the canceled appointments.
Max’s expression tightened. “I don’t like the sound of that.”
“Me either.”
He studied Hadley, apprehension gripping him. She looked composed, but beneath her calm exterior, he could see the toll this was taking on her. “I’m sorry. That’s a lot to deal with all at once.”
She raised her chin, but the weariness remained in her gaze. “I’ll figure it out.”
He knew she would. But this had to be frustrating.
“Any updates on Lyndee?” She stared up at him.
He told her about the cabin, the blood, and Thunder following the scent before losing it.
When he finished, Hadley shook her head. “At least it was some progress.”
“Something is better than nothing.” A pause stretched before Max cleared his throat. “So how did you and Kendra end up eating lunch together?”
“Kendra invited me this morning at the kennel. She said it would be fun to get to know each other.”
He swallowed hard before saying, “That was nice.”
And it was.
Still, something about the invitation felt off. He tried to dismiss the thought as quickly as it came. There was nothing strange about two women eating together. Kendra had always been friendly, especially when she was getting to know someone.
Maybe that was all it was.
Maybe the unease had nothing to do with her.
Maybe it was him.
He’d dated Kendra, and that alone made things awkward. And if he were honest with himself, he was interested in Hadley. That complicated things more than he wanted to admit.
Even so, as he stood there in the clinic, the bad feeling lingered in the back of his mind.
CHAPTER 18
As Hadley stoodwith Max inside the clinic, her phone buzzed in her purse.
She pulled it out and saw Naomi had texted her.
