Page 140 of Love, Lies, and Whiskey

“Wait until you see me when I’m a Dark Knight wearing my cut. Right, Doc?”

“Heck yeah.” He high-fived him.

Juliette covered her face and said, “What have I gotten myself into?”

Doc put his arms around their shoulders as they headed for a table and said, “Don’t overthink it, darlin’. There’s no getting out now.”

Chapter Thirty-Six

JULIETTE AWOKE EARLY Monday morning to Seeley’s harsh whispers.

“Jesus. No fucking way. Bring her here.” He was sitting on the edge of the bed talking on the phone, his body rigid.

She glanced at the clock, scooching closer to him. It wasn’t quite five. She put her hand on his back, rubbing gently. He looked at her, his face a mask of distress as he mouthed, Sorry.

She sat up, whispering, “It’s okay,” and kissed his shoulder.

“Yeah,” he said into the phone. “I’ll meet her at the clinic. Thanks, man.”

As he ended the call, she said, “Did something happen?”

“Some asshole’s dogs attacked his horse, and he dumped the horse in a field.” He pushed to his feet, pacing angrily as he navigated on his phone. “I’ve got to call the service and see who’s filling in for Hannah while she’s away.”

Juliette climbed out of bed. “I’ve got a few hours before Lucas has to be at the hospital for his treatment. I’ll help you.”

“They said the horse is a fucking mess, darlin’,” he said sharply. “You don’t need to see that. You should get some sleep.”

“Excuse me?” She knew he was tired. They all were. They’d had a wonderful, low-key weekend, but they hadn’t slept well in weeks. It probably didn’t help that they still couldn’t keep their hands off each other, and they’d stayed up late last night making love. Although in a broader, more important sense, being intimate helped them both tremendously. They worked hard and worried twenty-four-seven. They were each other’s sounding boards and comfort zones, and sometimes, like now, as she reminded herself to use a kinder tone, they had to work harder to find that balance. But when they came together, everything else ceased to exist, and there was only the two of them and the love they shared.

“I’m a vet, Seeley. There’s nothing I haven’t seen.”

“I didn’t mean it like that. I just…fuck. I’m sorry.” He scrubbed a hand down his face, looking at her apologetically. “I’m tired and edgy, and I was trying to protect you. But you’re right. You don’t need that kind of protecting.”

“It’s hard to turn off those protective instincts, isn’t it?”

“Harder than you know. Sorry, darlin’.” He pulled her into a hug. “I kept you up late last night, and I figured you’d want to rest.”

“And give up a chance to live out my teenage dream of working with you to save horses?” She smiled up at him. “No way, Whiskey.”

“No wonder I love you.” He kissed her, then smacked her butt. “Now, get your pretty little ass in gear. We’ve got to go. I’ll text Tiny, and we can leave a note for Lucas.”

They quickly dressed, and she pulled her hair up in a ponytail as they headed downstairs. They found Lucas standing at the kitchen island eating, with all three dogs sitting at his feet. He hadn’t eaten much dinner last night.

“You’re up early,” she said, eyeing his plate. “Are those pizza rolls?”

“Yeah. I was hungry.” He held up his plate. “Want one?”

Seeley snagged one and popped it into his mouth. “Ugh.”

“More for me.” Lucas grinned. “Mom, do you want one?”

“No. Thanks,” Juliette said, and turned on the coffee maker. “I’m glad you found something you could eat.”

“They taste weird, but I woke up starving. Why are you guys up so early?”

“We’ve got a rescue coming in,” Seeley said.

“Can I help?” Lucas asked with wide-eyed hope.