Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 133849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 535(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 535(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
“Happens more often than you would think,” Heather murmured. “There are whole towns of trios. Or so I’ve heard. Anyway, I wanted to check on you. I don’t suppose you want some company. I know it’s late, but…”
“I would love some.” She didn’t want to be alone. It didn’t matter that there was a decent explanation for why the door had been open. She was still anxious. She still felt like someone was watching her.
“Cool, because something is going on in the room next to mine and while I have decided that it’s consensual, I don’t need to hear it.” Heather made herself comfortable.
Nic went and locked the door. It was nice to have some company.
* * * *
Grim glanced down at the clock and was happy he hadn’t done what he’d wanted to and tied up Nic and brought her along. Maybe not tied her up but made her stay close. It was three in the morning, and he was exhausted. And covered in stuff she would not find sexy. Nope. Maybe he needed to keep some parts of his job hidden from her. To maintain a certain mystique. Let her think he sat around giving puppies vaccinations rather than spending most of his time with his hand in some part of a cow it shouldn’t have to go in. Doctors wore delicate gloves that covered their hands. Vets ended up with a full-on sleeve to protect them because they were almost always more than elbow deep.
“She seems stable,” Josh said, yawning behind his hand.
“Yes, she does.” Gail Settleman wore jeans and a sweater, her hair piled high on her head. “She looks like she’s been seen by a proper vet who knows what he’s doing and not some weird psycho who wants to pray over her.” That bit was said toward her father. She turned back to Josh and Grim. “Not that I don’t believe the Lord can work miracles. But I think he also expects us to be sensible enough to use the tools we’ve been given.”
It had taken him some time to piece together the fact that he wasn’t entirely welcome here. Which was odd. When he and Josh had finally made it out to the ranch, Gail had been waiting with her father, Tom, hanging around in the background, watching him like a hawk. One of their hands had been there waiting to help out along with Gail, but Tom hung back. Usually he was a hands-on kind of guy and they seemed to get along.
“She does seem better,” Tom allowed.
“Is there something wrong?” Josh crossed his arms over his chest, frowning Tom’s way. “You know you can always find another vet if you don’t like how he works.”
Grim closed the big leather medical bag his par…Jack and Sam and Abby had given him during his last year in school. It was expensive and well crafted. Made to last. He would be hauling this thing around when he was eighty. Of course if Josh did too much of the protective big-brother routine, he might not have a job at all. “It’s fine. It’s late and we’re all tired.”
Gail paled, ignoring him completely and making her plea to Josh. “No. I adore Grim. He’s the best. Don’t mind my father. There’s not another large animal vet for miles. We’re so grateful to have Grim.” She finally turned his way, a pleading look in her eyes. “We wouldn’t know what to do without you.”
“And I’m grateful to have the work.” He still wasn’t sure what was going on.
There was a subtext he was missing. Maybe it was because he was so damn tired.
Maybe it was because now that he’d gotten through the crisis, all he cared about was Nicole. If it wasn’t so late, he would stop back by her room and make her pack up for the night. But he suspected he would definitely be the asshole if he woke her up and made her drive twenty minutes to get to their place, and then she would have to get up early to work her shift and he would have to drive her twenty minutes back.
She should move in and they could find her a job with the company. Then he didn’t have to worry about her being in that rattrap motel. If he could get her a good enough job, he might not have to worry about her leaving Willow Fork at all.
And he’d proven his point because he’d meant to try to figure out why Tom seemed so distant with him.
Josh’s eyes narrowed, proving he was still working on the problem. “Tom, you been listening to rumors? I thought you left that church of Ezekiel’s.”
Damn it. He should have known. His stepfather was busy at work trying to undermine him in any way he could.