Page 53 of Wrecked
Now, her daddy hadn't used those exact words, but it didn't take a genius to figure out. I thought of the kind of life she'd had growing up, and I made a silent promise that our kids wouldn't know that kind of life. Yeah, I was getting ahead of myself, but I hadn't lied to Mr. Michaels. I didn't want a future without Kenzie in it, and I was going to do everything I could to make that happen.
Out in the distance, I saw something hobble into the road. I blinked a couple of times, thinking my tired mind must be playing tricks on me. It wasn't. I swerved and brought my truck to an abrupt halt. After jumping out, I checked for traffic in both directions before I hurried to where the ball of fur had collapsed.
I narrowed my eyes and scanned the immediate area; there was nothing but dry land for miles. Carefully, I dropped to my haunches, "Where did ya come from, little buddy?" The dog lifted its head and let out a little moan before making a feeble attempt to lick me.
There was no way I could leave the animal there. I rushed back to the truck and gripped my jacket from the backseat before hurrying back to the dog. With caution, I stroked its head, "I'm gonna help you, okay? No biting."
A little whimper sounded from the ball of fur when I threw my jacket over it and gathered it into my arms. After I gently placed it on the passenger side floor, searched for something to drink for the poor animal. All I found was a bunch of candy bar wrappers and empty soda cans.
I had been in such a hurry to get back on the road that I hadn't even thought about food or drink; the growl in my stomach reminding me of that. I climbed behind the wheel and eased back onto the road. After a quick call to Chase, I tried Kenzie's number again. No luck.
As my impatience reached its height, I stomped my foot down on the gas, and the rest of my two-hour drive was done in one-and-a-half. I couldn't remember ever feeling that happy as I drove past theWelcome to WillowCreek sign.
I threw my truck into park in front of the clinic and rushed around to the passenger side. I yanked open the door, and as the ball of fur lifted its head, its lids parted to reveal the most striking blue eyes. The color reminded me of Kenzie's favorite butterfly, the Holly blue.
Gathering the animal in my arms, I rushed inside. Chase was already waiting for us, and I followed him to the exam room. The sterile smell of disinfectant hit my nose the moment I entered. I placed the dog on the stainless steel table but kept a comforting hand on it while Chase snapped on disposable latex gloves.
"So you found this little guy or girl in the middle of the road?"
My gaze dropped to the dog, "Yeah, I don't know if someone just left it or what, but it was limping before it slumped to the ground."
Chase bent so he was eye-level with the animal, he pinched the skin between the shoulders together and made a humming sound. Placing his fingers behind its jaw, he pressed a couple of times before moving to its abdomen.
It felt like the examination took forever and as desperately as I wanted to find Kenzie, I needed to know that the dog was okay.
"Okay," Chase began while he pulled the gloves off and threw them in a bin under the table. "She is definitely dehydrated and malnourished. It's a good thing you found her when you did. I'll need to take an x-ray of her leg, but I don't think it's broken." He scratched her behind the ear. "I'll get her started on an IV, and we'll go from there."
I nodded while dragging my palm over the back of my neck. "What's going to happen to her when she's all healed up?"
Chase shrugged, "She'll end up in the den." The den was where they kept all the animals that needed forever homes.
For some reason that didn't sit well with me. "Can I keep her?"
"I see no reason why not."
Sucking in a breath and blowing it out through my nose, I answered, "Great." I pulled my phone out of my pocket to check the time then to Chase I asked, "Can I fill in all the paperwork tomorrow? I really need to go. Kenzie is…somewhere in town, and I need to find her."
His lips lifted into a smile and a "Sure, man," followed. I gave the dog a quick scratch and promised to check on her in the morning. After a smack against Chase's shoulder, I made a dash for my truck.
By my calculations, Kenzie could've been at one of three places: The Guesthouse, the Diner, or my cabin. I decided to skip ahead to the last one. Normally when I drove to my cabin, I enjoyed a nice slow drive to better appreciate the scenery. Not this time though. I came barreling down the road with a cloud of dust licking at my heels.
I noticed the back of Kenzie's Mazda peeking out next to the cabin, and I almost stopped short. Even though I had a fairly good idea that she was headed to Willow Creek, I still had to blink a couple of times to be sure that I wasn't dreaming.
As I drew closer, my lips stretched into a wide smile. There was no doubt that the views surrounding my cabin were magnificent but none of it compared to the sight of Kenzie sitting on her car's hood; legs stretched out, and her head tilted to the sky.
Chapter 31
I heard the rumble of Brett's truck long before I actually saw him.It had taken superhuman strength to stay seated and not jump off and sprint toward him. Most of the drive down to Willow Creek had been done with tears rolling down my cheeks. My parents might have had their faults—like everyone else—but I still loved them. The way I left things with them wasn't ideal, and I hoped that there would come a time real soon where they understood why I did what I did.
It took me almost my entire adult life to realize it was okay to do something just for me. My dreams were important too. Although right at that second the only dream I was certain of was barreling toward me, leaving a dust cloud in his wake.
The truck rolled to a stop and Brett, and I made eye contact through his windshield. Again, I had to force myself to stay put when all I wanted to do was launch myself at him. His door swung open, the hinges moaning out a squeak, and then he emerged looking dangerously sexy. Hair mussed from probably dragging his fingers through it a few times too many. Even though his tiredness was reflected in them, his eyes glistened with expectation.
I nibbled on my lip as he approached me, the muscles beneath his jeans bulging with every step and the flannel stretching over his chest just begged to be ripped off. His gaze slid over my body with unmasked appreciation giving me tingles all over. He came to a stop in front of the car and placed his hands over my ankles. Those lips of his curved into a sinful half-smile before he yanked me to him.
The laughter that erupted from me couldn't be helped one bit. Brett slid his fingers into my hair, with his hand cradling my head he pulled my face to his. With our noses almost touching, he murmured, "You're awfully far from home." The warmth of his breath breezed over my lips.
My fingers curled around his twitching biceps, "Am I?" I tilted my chin in the direction of the cabin. "I thought that was home."
