Love Heals All (Once Broken Book 2)

by Alison Mello

  “Chicken stir fry.” I wrap my arms around his waist, pressing my cheek to his muscular back while he stirs our dinner.

  I close my eyes and inhale his manly woodsy scent. “You smell just as yummy.”

  He chuckles. “Are you hungry?” He looks over his shoulder to try and see me.

  “I’m starved. I never ate lunch.”

  “Me neither. I had a granola bar, but that was it. When Remy called, I knew I needed to work straight through so I could leave when you needed me.”

  “Thank you so much.”

  He shuts off the pan and turns to me. “Thank you for allowing me to be there for you. We have a lot to talk about, and I promise you we will talk soon, but I want to help you past this first.” He looks up at the sky for a brief second and then back down into my eyes. “I just want to say I’m sorry I pushed you away, and I swear to you I’ll never do it again.”

  I push up on my toes, pressing my lips to his. “You’re forgiven. I love you so much and I’m so glad to have you by my side.”

  “I love you too, Angel.” He kisses my forehead. “Now let me finish dinner so I can feed you.”

  I grab a few plates and cups while he finishes up. I grab us each a glass of water and set it on the table. He brings the plates over and we both sit to eat. “Vaughn, this is really good.” I devour my food. I’m really hungry and I hadn’t realized how much until just now.

  “Thanks, I’m glad you’re enjoying it. I was afraid you were going to fight me on eating.”

  I shake my head. “I’m a stress eater. I’ll eat like crazy until this is all over, so I hope you’ll still love me when I’m fat.”

  He bursts into laughter. “First, I’ll love you no matter what. Second, there’s no way you’re getting fat. I’ve known you for what, ten years now, and never have I seen you put on a pound.”

  I shrug and continue eating. He’s right. I have a crazy metabolism and can eat just about anything and hardly gain a pound. I love it, but my friends hate me for it. When we’re done eating, he offers to clean up, and while he does, I take Brody to the yard. There’s a spot in the far corner where I want to train him to go. I call him over to follow me, and when he does what I want him to, I reward him with a treat. By the time I get him back into the house, Vaughn has everything cleaned up.

  “Why don’t we lay down and watch some TV? That way you can rest. Once you’re asleep, if it’s okay with you, I’ll go into the spare room to do my exercises for the night.”

  “That’s fine.” I change into shorts and a t-shirt while he strips into lounge shorts. We climb into bed together with me lying on his chest, breathing in his scent as he draws small circles on my back. It’s calming, and in no time I’m sleeping once again.

  Chapter 25

  Brooke

  I’ve spent a long day going over things with Dr. Kramer’s attorney. The man is incredibly sweet, and I learned some things from him. He is a friend of the families, and so Dr. Kramer found it easy to trust him with his final wishes. Dr. Kramer has everything laid out and paid for. He has some distant family that do not live close to him. The attorney contacted them to let them know of his passing, and they said they would not be able to fly out for a service. This made me sad. This man literally died with only friends for family.

  His wishes were that he be cremated, and he has an urn he has chosen for his ashes to be stored in. I have requested that we receive a small portion of his ashes to keep at the clinic, along with a photo of him. The urn with the rest of his remains will go to a beautiful Columbarium niche. That way if his family ever wants to visit him, they can.

  The clinic is going to be named The Kramer Clinic for Pets, and his attorney is going to take care of changing the name for me. I want his legacy to live on. The man has served this community for well over thirty years, he deserves this.

  “Thank you so much for taking care of all of this for me.” I give Mr. Fox a tight smile.

  “You’re a sweet girl. I can see why Dr. Kramer cared so deeply for you. I’ll make all the arrangements. He’s also asked that I continue to represent you in any matters related to the clinic. If you have any concerns, please feel free to come to me.”

  “I will. Now the small service will take place next week. We’ve finalized the obituary for you to get into the paper. Is there anything else we need to do?”

  “No, I’ve already taken care of making sure the cremation is all set. Now we just wait for that to be completed and I’ll take care of everything as far as the clinic goes.”

  I nod silently. “Can I ask you a question?” I bite my lip, wondering if I should get personal with him.

  “Of course.” He steepled his fingers in front of his mouth and waits for me to ask.

  “Is it crazy that I feel weird running this clinic without him? I mean, I’ve been working side by side with him for the last eight years and now it’s mine, and it feels…” Words fail me. “I don’t know. It doesn’t feel right.” A tear escapes me, but I quickly dash it away.

  “I think what you’re feeling is completely normal, but I think you’re also struggling with fear, maybe fear of making a mistake, or feeling like you failed him in some way.” Another tear streaks my face because he’s right, and all I can manage is a nod.

  I close my eyes, wipe away my tears, and stand from my seat. “Thank you so much for your time. I look forward to hearing from you.”

  “You’re most welcome. Please contact me if you need help with anything at all.”

  “Will do.” I turn and leave, walking straight out to my car. I start it up and crank up the AC to cool off the car before I leave. I need to clear my head. I’m about to take on a thriving clinic by myself and I’m not sure I can do it. “Damn. Why did you have to leave me so soon?” A tear runs down my cheek. I need to get my crap together. I’m driving, and the last thing I need is an accident. I drive aimlessly for what feels like forever when I find myself on the same street as the clinic.

  I pull in with the excuse I need to check on the animals. Unlocking the door, I step inside and lock it again behind me. I go straight to the back where I have three pets still here, a dog and two cats. I take the dog out of his kennel first and bring him to the back for a quick walk. He was quite ill, but looks much better today. When we’re done, I put him up on the table to give him a quick look over. “You, my friend, are ready to go home.” He barks and licks me, thanking me for the good news, I’m sure. “Okay, back in your kennel while I call your mama to come get you.” After I’ve made the call, I check on the two cats. One of them is recovering from emergency surgery but is no longer a threat, and the other could have gone home yesterday, but according to the chart, the owner couldn’t get here to pick him up before we closed.

  It dawns on me that I’m going to need to send out a newsletter to our email list, letting them know what’s happening and when we’ll be open again. I head to the back office, the office that will now be mine, and I take a seat behind his desk, where I let out a sob. It feels strange being behind his desk. I feel like I’m betraying him in some way, taking what’s his. I pick up the phone to call the owners of the three pets. I reach one, and he’s on his way. The other two I’ve left messages for, giving them my personal cell number and ask them to call me to make arrangements for their animals.

  I glance over at the clock and note that Vaughn will be getting out of work soon and he’s coming to my place again tonight. I gave him a key and told him to make himself at home if he beats me there. I want to get out this brief e-newsletter and then I’ll leave to meet up with him. I open the email service and begin typing a quick notice to everyone. It informs them that the service details will be in the paper and the clinic will open again in two weeks under the name of The Kramer Clinic for Pets to honor Dr. Kramer. I apologize for any inconvenience closing the clinic has caused, and I send the email out. I shut down the computer and walk to the front to wait for Mr. Patterson to pick up his dog, taking a seat at Courtney’s desk. I notice she�
�s cleared the calendar and left me the notes she told me about. The place is quiet now that it’s empty. I’m really going to miss this man.

  I jump at the knock on the door. I run over to open it, letting Mr. Patterson in. “I’m so sorry, Dr. Bennett. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  I shake my head. “No need to apologize. I’m jumpy with everything that’s happening.”

  “It’s understandable. I’m sorry for your loss.”

  “Thank you. Sparky is all set. If you’ll follow me.” I walk him to the back where Sparky is sitting in a kennel. When he sees his owner, he perks up with excitement.

  I open the kennel and Sparky goes right to Mr. Patterson, who’s waiting with a leash. “Thank you again. I know you’re closed. Do you need me to write a check, or pay for the services with a credit card?”

  “You know what, is it okay if we bill you? The computers are all shut down and I’m not good with the billing side of things. That’s Courtney’s department.”

  “Not a problem. I’ll be in touch for his check up in a few months.”

  “We’ll be here.” He shakes my hand and takes Sparky home. I check my cell one more time, and since I’ve heard nothing, I make a quick call to Courtney, asking her if she can come back if I need her to meet up with the other two owners and inform her that she needs to bill Mr. Patterson. Being the sweet girl that she is, she’s agreed to deal with it for me so I can go home and rest. She’s also aware of all of the arrangements and has offered to call Raeanne to fill her in. I know she hasn’t worked here long, but I’m sure she’d like to know.

  I shut the lights, lock the doors, and head straight home. When I get there, Vaughn is already there and in the yard, letting Brody run around. My yard is fenced in, so it’s easy to let him run free. I lean on the frame of the slider watching them, they are amazing together. He whistles to him from the corner I want to train him to go and he runs over. He leans over to talk to him, and if I know Vaughn, he’s encouraging him to be a good boy and do his business. Brody is too excited, though. He runs off after the ball and brings it back to Vaughn. I can’t help but laugh. Vaughn picks up the ball and holds it. He tells him to sit and then tries again. Brody obeys and does his business in the corner, and once he’s done, Vaughn rewards him by throwing the ball. Brody sees me in the door, ditches the ball, and comes running at me, barking, from the other side of the door. “Hey, boy.” I squat down on the back patio. “I saw you make your potty like a good boy. Who’s my good boy?”

  “Did you see him run from me at first?” Vaughn’s voice is full of laughter.

  “Yeah, it made me laugh. He never disobeys you.”

  “Maybe he knew you needed to laugh today. He seems to know things.”

  “Maybe.” I pet him on the head. “Dinner smells good. What are you making?”

  “Baked ziti.” He pins me to the door, slips his hand into my hair at the nape of my neck and presses a kiss to my lips. “Are you ready for a quiet night for two?”

  “More than ready.”

  He licks across my lips. I open to him and our tongues collide. I love the taste of this man. He pulls away, leaving me with my panties wet and wanting more. I whimper. “Later, Angel. Dinner is ready.” I’ve never wanted to eat dinner so quickly in my life.

  I’ve missed my man, and I want to show him how much. He even has plates and cups ready to go. He feeds Brody, washes his hands, and pulls dinner from the oven. He serves up dinner and we each take a seat at the table. “Thank you. This smells delicious. I’m starving.”

  “You’re welcome.” He looks down for a second and then back at me. “I enjoy cooking you meals. I’ve really missed you.” He takes a bite of his meal.

  “Vaughn, I like you being here with me. I want us to move forward, now that you’re getting help.” I take a bite. “Mmmm, this is so good.” I wipe my mouth. “Especially if you’re going to continue to cook for me like this.”

  He laughs. “Listen, I’ve made some great progress with my doctor, and in a short period of time. He’s told me he’s proud of me but he also says one of the things I need to do is communicate with my friends and family better. He says I need to stop hiding things I’m feeling and that are happening to me because it’s making it worse.” I nod in silent understanding. I don’t want to stop the flow he has going. “I’ve spoken to my mom and told her some of the things I was going through. I also told her about you and how much I love you.” My brows shoot up in shock. “She’s thrilled.” A huge grin spreads across his face.

  “I’m glad you spoke to her. I hope it helped.”

  “It did, but I haven’t spoken to the most important person about it yet. You. I know I’ve said it before, but I need to say it again. I’m so sorry I kept all of this from you. The nightmares are brutal, and after the incident at the bowling alley, they got worse. It went from bombs and killings to me losing you forever, and that really messed me up.” He looks down again, taking a deep breath. “Listen, this is a heavy topic that I was planning to have tonight, and then I was going to wait because I know you’re grieving a loss.” He exhales a deep breath.

  “Hey, it’s fine. I want to be here for you, and to be honest, it helps take my mind off of it for a while. I went to the clinic before coming home, and it was incredibly hard to be there, but we need to move forward.”

  He nods. “I love you and I wanted to spend a romantic evening with you, but I didn’t feel I could do that until we talked.” He pauses. “And I have a lot I need to say.” I encourage him to keep going and so he does. He tells me about his treatment with the doctor and he even shares some of the things he’s witnessed while overseas that have contributed to his PTSD. I’m so proud of him. I can see this isn’t easy for him, but with a little support, he manages to get through it. We talk about the nightly exercises he’s been doing, and he’s excited when I offer to do them with him.

  After about an hour of talking, we both feel so much better about our relationship. We’ve even talked about living together once his lease is up at the end of fall. We’ve discovered we’re both goal-oriented people, and with some goals in place, we’re likely to do well. I’ve even shared some of my fears over managing the clinic myself, which is what led to me agreeing to do the exercises with him. It sounds like it will be just as good for me to do them and it will help us grow as a couple.

  He stands from the table and pulls me into his arms. “I’ll never be able to thank you enough for not giving up on me. You truly are my angel.” He kisses me on the forehead.

  “You’ve thanked me plenty. Now let’s clean up so I can show you how much I’ve missed you.” I wink at him and he throws his head back in laughter. It takes us all of ten minutes to get things straightened out in the kitchen. As soon as we’re done, he takes my hand and leads me to the bedroom, closing the dog out.

  He whimpers, begging to join us, but Vaughn shouts to him, “Go lay down, Brody.” We hear him plop down outside the door. It makes me laugh.

  “He’s going to hear us,” I joke.

  “Tonight, Angel, the whole fucking town will hear us.” His lips crash into mine. It’s a heated passionate kiss, he’s showing me how much he loves me. He tugs at my shirt, peeling it over my head. The second it’s off, his lips are back on mine. The kiss is needy, his hands glide up my back and go straight to my bra. He fumbles with the clasp and pushes the straps off my shoulders, causing it to drop. Pulling my hair to the side so it’s just shy of painful he nips and kisses his way up my jaw to my ear a his free hand massages my hardened nipple. I grind my hips against the bulge in his pants, but he pins me to the door, stopping me. He licks up the vein in my neck, sending shivers rampant through my body. “I haven’t come since we last made love. You need to stop that,” he whispers into my ear. I bite my lip at the thought of him saving all his pleasure for me.

  Tugging at his t-shirt, I remove it and toss it across my room. I want to feel his bare chest on mine. He presses me to the door, grabs me by my ass, and lifts me. I wrap
my legs around his waist and he carries me off to bed. He gently places me down with my ass hanging off the edge. He makes quick work of the button on my pants and peels them down along with my thong. He drops them to the floor. “Lie in the middle of the bed, Angel.” I do as he asks while he strips. Just looking at my man makes my panties wet. I’m one lucky woman. He climbs on top of me but goes straight for my breast, sucking my nipple into his mouth while his fingers slip through my folds. I arch my back, pleasure shooting through my body. He buries two fingers inside me, fucking me with them while he licks across my chest to pay equal attention to my other breast.

  “Babe,” I pant. “I’m going to—” My words fail me. I’m about to explode, because just like him, I haven’t come since the last time we made love. He pulls his fingers from deep inside of me and rubs my juices across each of my nipples before sucking them into his mouth. He moans at the taste of me and then sucks on his fingers next. He finally kisses down my body to my pussy, wasting no time, he goes right for my clit, licking it hard and fast. He has his arms over my legs, holding me still while he parts my folds. He’s switching between fucking me with his tongue and sucking on my clit, and the feeling is amazing. He sucks my clit into his mouth one more time, scraping his teeth gently over it, and sending me into the most intense orgasm of my life. My entire body is a quivering mess as he laps at my juices, ensuring he doesn’t miss one drop. When he’s finally satisfied his hunger, he jumps off of me and goes for his jeans, pulling out his wallet and fishing for a condom. “I’m glad you’re thinking, because I don’t have any brain function. Although I’m on the pill and probably would have said fuck it.”

  He laughs rolling a condom over his shaft. I never drop the ‘F’ word, so to say he knows I mean business. “That’s good to know, because I only have one. That means either forego round two until we go to the store, or we say fuck it.” I giggle as he climbs up my body like he’s a predator and I’m his prey.