Chapter 10 Elise #2
“Then you should make the case that this isn’t elective,” he said calmly. “We’re preventing future pain, potential loss of the eye, and we’re giving institute students a chance to observe a procedure they don’t usually see here.”
“Pretty sure you’ll have a class of one.”
He leaned closer. “Then you can be teacher’s pet.”
She took a sharp breath, a little overwhelmed by the impact of him. By his style and certainty, his warmth and compassion, and oh, those green eyes that ought to be illegal.
“You’re not sure about this?” he asked, misreading what was probably an expression of complete and pathetic crush-ness.
“No, I am. I was just thinking…” About kissing you. “About how, uh, grateful I am for the help. I don’t know how to thank you.”
“You don’t have to.” His eyes softened. “I get to do what I love. You get experience. Shambles gets a shot at a merry little Christmas.”
“Everybody wins,” she said.
“Plus,” he added, “I promised a certain veterinarian-in-training that I’d help her with the Live Nativity. What is a Nativity scene without a sheep?”
“Exactly. Then I should try to get in to see Dr. Choi right now.” She started to wheel back, but he turned and put a light hand on her arm.
“Would it be okay if I come with you?” he asked. “I can explain my training and credentials and put Dr. Choi in touch with someone from my school, too. I don’t want to overstep, but…”
“Not overstepping at all,” she assured him. “Thank you. I’d love the backup.”
They gave Shambles a little love and a treat, then headed across campus together, laughing and talking the whole way like…well, not like friends.
Maybe that’s what she was to him, but Elise couldn’t deny that every minute she was with the guy, she wanted…more.
“Okay, I’m in love.”
At Wade’s admission, Elise’s fingers gripped the thin metal roller and clicked the brakes—the wheelchair equivalent of stopping dead in her tracks. “Excuse me?”
“With this school,” he said on a quick laugh, reaching down to put his hand on her shoulder as they left Dr. Choi’s office and back into the sunshine.
“I mean, we waited, what? Five minutes to get in to see an important member of the faculty. He listened to every word, read the report, went online and checked me out, and—wham—surgery is the day after tomorrow, assuming Shambles’ owner agrees. ”
“And I do a paper on the treatment of ocular squamous cell carcinoma for next semester’s class on large-animal disease.” Elise grinned. “Now I don’t have to think of a topic or do research. Win.” She high-fived him.
“And Shambles will heal before the Live Nativity. I just never saw such efficiency.”
“Well, Dr. Choi was blown away with your credentials, Wade. Third in your class? And you told me you won the American College of Veterinary Surgeons fellowship in surgical oncology. Dude.”
He chuckled. “They were diggin’ in the bottom of the barrel.”
“Stop it.” She looked up, laughing and releasing her brake. “After graduating from Auburn’s vet school and the oncology residence there, I can’t imagine little old Great Basin is very impressive.”
“Well, I’m impressed with this school, this state.” He made a sweeping gesture toward the towering mountain range at the edge of the valley. “I sure didn’t expect to feel this way.”
“What did you expect? What made you come to Utah?”
“Truth? It was a favor to my mom.”
“How so?”
“When my uncle finished his year of giving away mega-millions, I spent Thanksgiving with him at my parents’ house,” he explained. “He confessed that he’d met someone and they’d taken a shine to each other without her having any idea he’d won the lottery.”
Elise smiled, knowing MJ’s story with Matt through Nicole. “It’s very romantic.”
“Well, my mom, who is his younger sister, just wasn’t so sure how romantic.
No one knew anything about MJ. As far as timing, I’d just finished my residency and needed to clear my head before I start the whole process of deciding where I want to work.
It made sense to do that out here and also make sure Uncle Graham, er, Matt, wasn’t, you know… ”
“Getting taken by a hustler like MJ,” she finished when he didn’t have a diplomatic way of saying that.
He laughed at the obvious sarcasm. “Pretty much. I’ve never been to Utah.
I’ve been to California, flown over the Rockies, and went to a Veterinary Cancer Society regional conference in Billings, Montana, once.
I thought I knew…the West.” He slid a look at the mountains again, then back to her.
“I had no idea that everything out here is insanely appealing. Now my uncle’s looking at houses and I’m thinking… ”
She swallowed, her whole body frozen.
“I could see joining him out here.”
Her jaw dropped. “You’re kidding.”
He shrugged. “Not really. Open skies. Actual seasons. And not a lot of veterinary oncology, though I did find a few practices in Salt Lake City. There’s a need.”
There was a need, all right. In her heart.
“That’s…wild.” It was the best she could do. Because if he stayed…she’d fall in love, dream of a life with him, and get wrecked when it didn’t work out.
“Wild, but possible,” he said. “What do you think of that?”
She drew back. “Me? I…I…yeah. Utah’s amazing. The mountains and all the outdoor stuff, great people, very vibrant and growing, and…we have cute sheep.”
He chuckled. “And vet students.”
“Come for the sheep, stay for the students,” she cracked, but when he didn’t laugh, she glanced up and caught him looking hard at her, no smile on his face. “That was a joke,” she explained when he didn’t say anything. “I don’t expect you to stay…for me.”
“Well, that’s the thing about expectations. Sometimes they’re not high enough.”
She gave in to a slow smile that matched his. “Challenge accepted. Next you’ll be suggesting we go skiing.”
“Don’t underestimate yourself, Elise,” he said, giving her shoulder a pat. “Now, how about we take Shambles out of her pen for some air, check on the other animals in your Nativity, and then have lunch together. I’m here for the day. Unless you’re busy.”
“I’m all yours,” she said, biting back a laugh because, honestly, she’d never meant anything as much as those words.