Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
Henley
The Hunk and the Hulk
I pushed through the door and rushed to the counter, ignoring all the patrons sitting in the waiting room and several who stood in line. When I reached the window, I interrupted the conversation. “Excuse me. I’m here for Hulk. Sunny called me.”
I usually wasn’t this disrespectful, but Hulk was everything to me. He’d become more than a pet; he was my baby and right now he was somewhere in this building hurt and scared.
The woman behind the counter raised a finger at me and continued speaking to the gentleman standing before her.
“Sorry, I don’t mean to be rude, but I received a call telling me I needed to come here immediately.” Ok, who was I kidding. I was being rude. My fur baby was hurt and I had no idea what happened, just that it involved my pup and the to-die-for man next door.
“I’m sorry,” the brunette behind the counter apologized to the man in front of her before turning to look at me.
She narrowed her eyes as if she was warning me not to say another word or she’d have me tossed out the front door.
“I realize you’re scared and worried about your pet, miss, but please be patient.
Mr. Conway was here before you. Please have a seat and I’ll let Sunny know you’re here. ”
I opened my mouth to protest but stern eyes told me I better not say another word, so I stood patiently until Mr. Conway and his cat took a seat. After what felt like an eternity, the door opened and someone called my name.
“Follow me, Ms. Peterson. I’m sorry if I worried you, but Hulk will be just fine. His injuries are minor.”
Sunny opened the door to a small room. I noticed Maverick sitting in a chair, his hair a mess as if he’d been running his hand through it. His smiling face from this morning was gone when he looked up at me. Instead, I saw remorse and eyes silently pleading with me for forgiveness.
“What happened and where is Hulk?”
“I’m so sorry, Henley,” Maverick said. “Hulk is with the doctor in the other room. He needed some stitches, so Doctor Brock took him to the back. He said Hulk would need light sedation and he’d be back shortly.”
I raised my hand to my mouth, “Oh my God. Sedation? What the hell happened? And how did you know to come here.”
I hadn’t meant to give him attitude, but this dog was the love of my life. My emotional support puppy and I needed answers before I lost my mind.
“I was sitting in my home, on the phone with the contractor reviewing the remodel blueprints. I was so focused on the conversation that I hadn’t heard the dog’s howls until I’d hung up the phone.
I got up to get another cup of coffee and that’s when I heard him.
” Maverick placed his head in his hands.
“It was the worst thing I’d ever heard. Those high-pitched yelps still echo in my head.
” Maverick gave me his eyes. “I found him stuck under the fence, half in your yard and half in mine. I think his collar got stuck. Without thinking, I reached down and pulled him through. There must have been a sharp edge underneath because when I got him free, he was bleeding.”
I covered my mouth. “Oh, my God. He must be scared and in pain.”
“I didn’t know how to reach you, so I rushed him here. I stuck a note on your door so you’d know where we were. I’m so sorry this happened, Henley.”
I knew his apology was sincere. I could see the guilt in his eyes when he looked into mine, and as much as I wanted him to feel that remorse, I couldn’t let him shoulder all the blame.
After all, he’d told me about the hole, but I hadn’t gotten around to fixing all the holes Hulk had dug.
I’d just pushed the dirt back under the fence, and since Hulk hadn’t returned to that spot, I thought I was safe.
“Don’t feel bad, Maverick. It’s my fault. You warned me about the hole he dug and all I did was push the dirt back in place because I didn’t have the tools to fix it properly. I know he uses his doggie door; I assumed my temporary fix was fine.”
Maverick reached out, placing his hand on my knee. The heat from his palm sizzled through my dress slacks, sending a spark through me making my nipples rock hard at his touch.
“I should have offered to get the boards and fix it for you, but I didn’t want you to think I thought you were incapable. It’s nice that you want to shoulder the blame, but I’m the one who tugged without thinking, so I will cover the medical bill.”
I started to speak, but Maverick cut me off.
“No arguing.” He smiled at me, wrecking my insides when his dimples appeared.
He wasn’t just handsome. The kindness in his eyes pulled me in farther, making me question if Bill ever looked at me that way.
There was no blame. No accusations of how “this is just one more reason why we don’t need a dog” viewing me through those green eyes.
That resentment didn’t exist. But Maverick didn’t know me.
He didn’t go out of his way to avoid me like I’d been doing to him, fearing what might happen if I allowed myself to even consider making him a friend while a completely different version of him existed in my journal.
Ugh, if he only knew the things I’d written about him he’d probably storm out of this exam room and chuck a finger on the way.
Just then, the door flew open and in walked Dr. Brock, holding a sedated Hulk wearing a plastic collar around his neck.
Before I could even move, Maverick stood and cradled my puppy in his arms.