He’d tried to end things more than once. But each time Kendra had convinced him to stay, to give her more time, to not walk away so quickly.
He should have trusted his instincts.
Even so, that didn’t change the present.
Hadley was different.
She was smart and kind in a way that felt genuine. She carried herself with confidence, and she seemed to see the good in people even when it wasn’t obvious.
And she was beautiful.
Max let out a quiet breath.
She was also out of his league.
That part was a foregone conclusion. His past constantly haunted him. When most people learned what he’d done, they quickly judged him, and he wore those judgments like a scarlet letter.
He pulled up in front of the clinic and shifted his truck into Park.
That was when he saw him.
Travis Henderson stood to the side of the vet clinic, near the edge of the boarded window. He simply lingered there. But there was nothing casual about the way he held himself.
Max’s shoulders tightened.
Of all the people he could have run into . . .
The Hendersons had already made things difficult for Refuge Cove. They trespassed on the property, set up animal traps in the woods, and constantly showed up trying to intimidate. The last thing they needed was Travis showing up here now.
Max stepped out of the truck and closed the door behind him, his attention fixed on the man.
He paused in front of him. “What are you doing here?”
Travis glanced over, a slow smile forming as if he’d been expecting the question. “Just taking a walk.”
Max didn’t return the smile. “But you’re not walking.”
“Look, I’m just taking a breather. Is that a problem?”
“Depends on what you do next.”
Travis gave a small shrug, but his gaze flicked toward the clinic door before coming back to Max. “Heard about the window. Tough break.”
Max didn’t respond right away. Something about the way Travis casually said the words rubbed him the wrong way.
Max shifted his stance just enough to place himself between Travis and the clinic. “Don’t you have somewhere else to be?”
Travis snorted. “Relax. I’m not here to cause any trouble.”
Max held his gaze, not buying that for a second. Travis brought trouble with him wherever he went. And it wasn’t a coincidence he was here now.
CHAPTER 20
Hadley pushed openthe clinic door and stepped outside with Max. She pulled her coat tighter around her as the cold air met her.
She stopped just short of the steps.
Travis Henderson walked away down the sidewalk, with his hands in his pockets and his posture loose like he didn’t have a care in the world. Her stomach churned at the sight of him.
