by EMILIE ROSE
Then he left. He had a lot of work ahead of him and a nearly impossible task. But he had never quit just because the odds were against him, and he wasn’t going to start now.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
MADISON PACED HER back porch Saturday morning, tripping over the trio of cats. Her friends had ambushed her with breakfast and support. They’d sat at her table sipping coffee while she’d poured out the whole story, holding nothing back. And they were still here.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Piper asked.
“You don’t owe the Drakes anything,” June added. “Not after the way that hag’s behaved.”
For two days Madison had been trying to work up the courage to make the phone call she needed to make. Her conscience wouldn’t leave her alone until she did. “I keep my promises. It’s only two more weeks.”
“Two more weeks of hell,” June interjected. “I’m sorry now that I encouraged you to sample your brother-in-law’s wares. I never intended for you to get your heart broken.”
That pretty much summed it up. Her heart hurt. She couldn’t sleep. Every moment of every day she missed Adam. Not even her animals filled the void.
“Adam is—” What could she say? That she loved him and ached without him? “He’s a very good person and deserves to be happy. I have no regrets.”
That much was true. Even knowing how it would end, she wouldn’t forfeit those precious hours of getting to know him and falling in love with him.
All week she’d wrestled with her dilemma. She’d promised Danny eight weeks. But keeping her promise meant risking another painful encounter with Adam. How could she look at him, loving him the way she did, and leave him again? She could play it safe and run from her problems, as he’d accused her of doing, or...she could prove him wrong. If she wanted to be able to live with herself, she had to do the latter.
Her decision had nothing to do with Adam’s accusation of cowardice and everything to do with her integrity. Okay, that might not be the whole truth. Adam’s opinion counted. Too much. She wanted him to think well of her even if they couldn’t be together. She wanted him to remember her as someone who always did the right thing even if the right thing was the hardest thing.
June rose. “If you insist on making the call alone, we’ll hang out at my place. Shout if you need us, you hear? We’ve got your back, Madison. No matter what. Even if I have to carry a can of whoopass down to Georgia.”
A surprised laugh burst from Madison, but her eyes stung, too, because they meant it. “Thank you. Thank you both. For understanding and for being here for me.”
“You did the same for me,” Piper said and gave her a hug.
Then they headed across the lawn toward June’s cottage. Madison waited until they were inside, then took a deep breath and pushed the call button before she found another excuse to delay her.
“Hello.”
Her heart stalled. Danny’s deep voice sounded so much like his son’s. Like Adam’s.
“Hello,” he repeated.
“Danny, it’s Madison.”
“Maddie, my girl, I’ve been thinking about you. How are you?” His concern came through loud and clear. But if she wanted to make it through this call without breaking down, she had to steer clear of emotions and stick to business.
“Have you hired a substitute vet for Monday and Tuesday?”
“No.”
“Then I want to come back. I promised you eight weeks and I keep my promises.”
“I know you do, Maddie. And you’re welcome here anytime.”
“But I have conditions.”
His chuckle filled her ear. “I suspected you would. You always wanted to clearly understand the procedure before picking up the instruments. What are your requests?”
“I need a place to stay. A hotel this time. Not Adam’s or your place.”
“Done.”
“And I won’t come by the house. If you want to talk shop, call me.”
“I understand. I don’t like it. But I understand.”
“And one final thing...” This was the biggie. “Don’t tell Adam I’m coming.”
“Now, Maddie—”
“That’s nonnegotiable. Those are my requirements. Take them or leave them.”
“I’ll take ’em. And, Maddie, I don’t like the idea of you on the highway in that old truck. I’ll get you a rental car.”
“You don’t have to—”
“For my peace of mind, I do. Would it be okay if I come in a couple hours each morning and work with you?”
“Danny, I don’t think—”
“I promise I won’t try to change your mind and persuade you to stay.”
Her stomach churned. He did need to ease back into the office. It made sense. “Okay.”
“I’ll text you the arrangements once I’ve made them. And, Maddie, thank you. Thank you for everything you’ve done. I couldn’t have made it through these past six weeks without you. Helen knows that. And so does Adam. We all miss you.”
The words rocked her. She hardened her heart. “Don’t make me regret coming back.”
“I won’t. You have my word.”
* * *
ADAM SETTLED ACROSS the motor home table from his father Tuesday night. The atmosphere wasn’t the same without Madison. He’d enjoyed hearing her talk shop with his dad in a way he’d never enjoyed the same with Andrew. Probably because she focused on the patients rather than her prowess, and the intelligence and excitement in her eyes for her job was a turn-on.
“We missed you last night,” his mother said as she set a plate in front of him. She was still a little stiff. None of them had forgotten her part in this.
He nodded his thanks. “I was searching job advertisements for a position closer to Madison.”
“About that...” His father sounded less than his usual confident self. “Your mother suggested I put out feelers to try to find a buyer for Madison’s practice.”
“Why?”
“Because I still want Madison taking over my practice, and you’ve put a lot of effort into turning Mercy into a top-rated facility. I’d hate to see you walk away from all that hard work before you reap the rewards.”
More approval. He soaked it in, but in the end, it didn’t matter. “Madison is as possessive of her clientele as you are of yours—for different reasons. They’ve become her family. If I have to make a lateral or backward move to be with her, it’ll be worth it.”
Looking resigned, his father nodded. “Just as well. I’ve had no luck with my search. Her practice doesn’t make enough money to tempt anyone I contacted.”
“I appreciate the effort, but there are several good hospitals within an hour’s drive of Quincey. I’m optimistic. How did the substitute vet service work out?”
His father took a sudden interest in his chicken pot pie. Adam’s neck prickled a warning. “Dad.”
“I didn’t call them.”
Adam lowered his fork. His father had never shut down for a full week—not even to spend time with his sons. Usually Adam’s mother had taken the boys on vacations and their father joined them on the weekends.
“You kept the office closed?”
“No. Madison came. I went each morning to help.”
A bolt of energy shot through Adam. “Then why isn’t she here for dinner?”
His father shot a lowered-brow gaze at Adam’s mother. “She refuses to come to the house.”
No surprise there. “Why didn’t you tell me she was in town?”
Danny sighed. “Madison made me promise not to. It was a condition of her returning.”
A stab of pain hit Adam square in the heart. Madison had been in town for two days. And she’d chosen not to see or speak to him. It made him wonder if he was wasting hi
s time searching for a job in North Carolina. Could she have forgotten what they shared so easily?
Adam swung his gaze to his mother. “Did you know about this?”
“No.” The shock on her face was too genuine to be faked. “I knew your father went into the office, but nothing else.”
“Where did she stay if not here?”
“A hotel. And I rented a car for her. I didn’t want her on the road in Andrew’s old truck. And I sent a mechanic to the rental agency to repair the truck. I’m looking out for our girl until you can take over. I want her back in the family, son—just as much as you do. And I’ll do whatever it takes.”
But his father wanted her here. He refused to accept that wasn’t going to happen. Getting Madison back meant giving instead of taking—something at which his family wasn’t adept.
* * *
HELEN QUICKENED HER steps, trying to outpace her worries.
It had been an uncomfortable week. Both men were still angry with her. Adam was cranky and kept his visits short. Danny kept his nose buried in a book or his computer rather than talk to her.
He was never going to find anyone to buy Madison’s practice. Nobody wanted to work for vegetables and auto maintenance like Madison did. Who wanted a practice that could easily be managed in three days and leave you twiddling thumbs the remainder of the week?
Danny needed to find someone who wanted and could afford to semiretire. Someone who had other hobbies and liked having time on his hands to pursue them. They needed to find someone whose wife wouldn’t mind having him underfoot more days than not. She missed a step and caught herself before taking a pratfall on the asphalt.
Her heart pounded and her chest tightened as an idea sprouted. Was the answer right under her nose? Was Danny the veterinarian they needed to find?
No. That would mean moving away from Adam and the house that held all of her happy memories of her boys. She couldn’t do that, couldn’t leave the notches in the doorjambs marking their growth, the handprints the boys had left in the concrete when they’d poured the patio and countless other precious mementos.
The yammer of female voices broke into her concentration. She looked up and spotted the women she always tried to avoid. How sad was it that she couldn’t even go out for a walk without encountering unpleasant people. And then clarity struck.
The world and her neighborhood had changed. But she’d remained frozen in the past. This wasn’t the family-oriented place it had been when her boys were small and she’d been friends with their playmates’ parents. The area had been overrun by the very types of career-driven, catty women she detested.
Quincey, on the other hand, was like this place had been in its glory days. Neighbors dropped by to say hello. They exchanged food and friendship. Everyone they’d met at Madison’s had been so kind. Nosy? Of course they were, but only because they cared about Madison. Not one of her and Danny’s neighbors had even stopped by or called to ask if she or he needed anything. Their friends had downsized after becoming empty nesters, and they’d lost touch.
But if she and Danny moved to Quincey, she’d have to sell the house and leave her memories behind. No, they were embedded in her heart and her head. They’d move with her.
Could she do it? Could she leave everything familiar and dear and start fresh somewhere else? Yes, she could. Would Danny agree? Doing so would give him and Adam their heart’s desire. Madison. In Norcross. Heading up Drake Veterinary Hospital. But Danny wouldn’t be working with her. That might be a sticking point. She’d have to persuade him. And maybe if she had more of Danny’s time, she could save their marriage.
Eager to run her idea by him, she kicked her walk into high gear and passed by the women without wasting her breath on a greeting they wouldn’t appreciate anyway. Adam’s car was gone when she reached home. Perspiring and out of breath, she barged into the RV. The den was empty as was the bedroom. She found Danny in the shower. She jerked open the glass door, snatched the towel off the rail and threw it at him.
“What in the hell, Helen?”
She wouldn’t let his harsh tone put her off. “I figured out a way to give everyone exactly what they need. Madison. Adam. You. Me. I have a plan.”
“You’re not making sense.”
“Are you going to dry off and listen or just stand there?”
“Hold your horses.” Scowling, he toweled dry.
Helen could barely contain herself. She had been the one to make a mess of everything, and if this worked it would set her world right again. “Where’s Adam?”
“He’s flying up to see Madison.”
“Perfect. Get dressed. I’ll tell you what I’ve come up with on the way.”
“On the way to where?”
“Madison’s.”
“Tonight?”
“Yes.”
“Are you crazy?”
She stopped and took a deep breath. Was she? “No. Danny, for the first time in a very long time I’m seeing clearly. I’ve wronged Madison. You have no idea how badly. I owe her an apology—a big one. I’m going to pray the whole way that she accepts it and forgives me.”
He studied her for so long she thought he’d refuse, then he padded into the bedroom, picked up the Corvette keys and tossed them to her. “Pack us a bag and load her up. If I’m going to ride all night I’m going to need more legroom than your sedan offers.”
She frowned as he pulled on his clothes. “Are you up to driving seven hours?”
“No. But you are.”
“You’re going to let me drive your Corvette?” He barely let her sit in it.
“It’s about time I let you see how well she handles. But don’t go getting attached. You won’t be taking any joyrides without me.”
* * *
MADISON PULLED HER truck into the lean-to and automatically scanned the cages in the dark. No guests. Good. She was too exhausted from the long drive to deal with newcomers.
Ol’ Blue had started with nary a hiccup when she’d picked it up at the rental car place, and for that she was thankful.
She grabbed her bag from the passenger seat, threw open her door and made her way to the house with her gaze on the ground, watching for unexpected guests in the grass. A squeak on her back porch brought her eyes up. A shadow rose from the chair.
Her heart stalled, and all of Adam’s cautions about strangers came rushing forward. She backed toward the truck.
“Madison, it’s me.”
Adam. Her heart did a crazy leap at the sound of his voice. “What are you doing here?”
“We need to talk.”
“It’s one in the morning, Adam.”
Frustration crossed his face. “Give me five minutes.”
They stood awkwardly on the porch. She ought to send him away. But she couldn’t. She wanted to brush the worry from his brow and take him to bed. Most of all, she wanted to just hold him. But that would only add new lacerations to her already bleeding heart.
“You could’ve waited inside.”
“I’m not entering your house uninvited even if you did leave the door unlocked again.”
She bristled at the chastisement. “Quincey’s safe. I told you that.”
“For my sake, would you please exercise a little caution?”
For his sake? Did that mean he still cared? And did it matter if he did? The same problems still kept them apart.
She pushed open the door and gestured for him to precede her. “Why are you here, Adam?”
“There’s an opening at one of the hospitals in Raleigh. I’m hoping to talk to the hiring supervisor tomorrow and see if I can get an interview for the position.”
Confused, she scanned his face. “Why leave Mercy? For more money?”
He crossed the kitchen and stopped in front of her, then he lift
ed his hand and stroked her cheek. Her insides swooped like a barn swallow. She couldn’t stop herself from leaning into his touch and greedily gobbling it up. The look in his eyes stole her breath.
“For you. I tried to let you go. But I can’t.”
His words weakened her resolve to do the right thing. “One person sacrificing his or her happiness for the other doesn’t work, Adam.”
“I won’t be sacrificing. I loved the challenge of turning Mercy around. I can find that challenge elsewhere. Madison, I’m in love with you. I want to marry you.”
Her knees nearly buckled. She was so tempted to say yes, to forget the cost if she did. “You can’t. You don’t know the whole story.”
“Then tell me.”
Her mouth dried and her pulse pounded her eardrums. “The night of the wreck, my last words to Andrew were that I wished I’d never married him and never gotten pregnant. If he had survived I would have divorced him.”
“As you should have after what he’d done. He betrayed you, Madison. My family, myself included, seems to have spent a lot of time hurting you.
“Now let me tell you my story. At first I was blinded by deceit. Then I became intrigued with a woman who cried with a stranger over the loss of an old dog. I was fascinated by one who’d risk getting struck by lightning to shower her love on a bunch of rejects nobody else wanted. I learned to respect her when she repeatedly ignored a firestorm of negativity to help a man to whom she owed nothing. But I fell in love with a woman who bottled up all the pain she’d been dealt just to keep from hurting others. You’re a very special lady, Madison Monroe, and I don’t want to contemplate a life without you.”
He was saying all the right words—words that filled her heart so full of hope it almost burst. Then denial kicked in. So she squashed the hope. “You can’t turn your back on your family. The day will come when you’ll resent me for coming between you.”
“This is not about my family. This is about you and me. You never have to see my mother again if you don’t want to. I won’t expose you to her venom.”
He didn’t know what he was saying. She shook her head. “The first rule of veterinary medicine is that a cornered or hurt animal often strikes out at anyone close by—even someone trying to help them. Your mother was hurt and striking out. I was the closest target. I don’t have to like it, but I do understand her behavior.”
