Page 98 of 15 Summers Later

“For the record,” Luke said, aiming a pointed look around the crowd, “I tried to express that and was emphatically overruled.”

“You’re a fixture at the Emerald Creek Veterinary Clinic.” Luke’s semiretired partner, Ray Gonzalez, spoke up. Ray had worked with Luke’s father and now handled mostly cattle and horses.

“I remember when you started, more than a decade ago,” Ray said, his voice gruff. “You were, what? Sixteen? You were still going through physical and occupational therapy, with plenty of health challenges, but you came into the clinic anyway and applied for a job, willing to do anything. Clean up cages. Comfort scared animals. Scrub the floors of the waiting room. Whatever we needed. You were always such a trouper. We’re going to miss you, my dear.”

He hugged her and Madi felt her throat tighten with tears. Ray had always been kind to her, from that first day she had come looking for a job. He had been the one to push her into becoming a veterinary technician, promising her a job when she graduated.

Through the years, he, like Luke, had been both a mentor and a friend.

“We wanted to show how much we love you,” Evelyn Huff, the office manager, said with a warm smile.

“Thank you,” Madi said. “And I love you all in return. Seriously, though. This really wasn’t necessary. It’s not a big deal. I’m not going far.”

“But you won’t be here every day,” Luke said gruffly. “This is our way of letting you know how much you’ll be missed.”

“Thank you,” she said. To her dismay, she could feel tears threaten and quickly blinked them back.

Change was hard but it was also an inevitable part of life. She was leaving a job and people she loved, yes. But she was moving toward something else, a dream she had nurtured most of her life.

For the next hour, she chatted with her coworkers while they enjoyed cake and small chicken-salad croissant sandwiches from the Mountain View Café & Bakery, run by good friends of hers.

“Are you ready for this next stage in your life?” Ray asked her quietly as the farewell party was winding down and people began to head out.

“I think so,” she answered. “Ready or not, right?”

His kindly face wrinkled into a smile. “You’ve worked so hard to make this happen.”

She frowned at that. Shehadworked hard, fundraising and writing grant proposals, but it had really been a fortuitous series of events that had led her to this point. First had been Eugene Pruitt leaving his farm and land to the ECAR Foundation. Second had been that generous anonymous donation that would cover the bulk of their operating expenses for the next few years.

She had very little to do with either one of those things.

Luke had been more instrumental than she had in convincing Eugene to leave his property to the animal rescue foundation, and she still had no idea who had given the generous donation.

When there were only a few employees left in the breakroom, Madi made her last goodbye and picked up her box of belongings.

“Here. Let me carry that for you.”

Oh. She thought Luke had left already, as he had disappeared some time ago. He must have been in his office.

Any other time, she might have given her usual independent answer—that it was a small box and she was perfectly capable of carrying it by herself. But she saw no reason to spoil the lovely goodbye party with unnecessary churlishness.

“Thank you,” she said.

Together, they walked out to the parking lot, where the sun was beginning to set above the mountains in streaks of amber and lavender. The glorious sight gave her pause, grateful all over again that she lived in such a beautiful spot.

“I’ve hardly had time to talk to you the last few weeks, since you’ve been so busy. How are things?”

He had kissed her a few weeks ago, a kiss she hadn’t been able to get out of her head.

Now that she officially no longer worked for him, would he feel more free to kiss her again? She wasn’t sure whether she wanted him to or not.

“Really good. Busier than ever at the rescue. We’ve added four more volunteers—and that’s not including Ava, who has been coming in every single day.”

“Really?” He looked surprised. “How’s that going?”

“Better than I expected,” she admitted. “She’s still not comfortable with some of the bigger dogs, but she tries really hard. One might even think she is trying to make amends for something.”

“For what?”

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