Chapter Fifteen
Isla
My shift ends at one today. Hal and Clio are already in, taking over from Summer and Stefan, and the nurses have also arrived, so it’s time to head home.
I take off my tunic and head out to fetch Max. He’s been so good, doing his jigsaw and talking to the people who’ve brought their animals to the clinic, but he’s all packed up and more than ready to head out.
I feel a little guilty about refusing to let him go with Cullen this morning as they both seem to enjoy the arrangement, but deep down I know it’s for the best. I probably need to distance myself a bit from him.
Poor Max has been through a lot and it’s not over yet, with the divorce and a possible move on the cards.
It’s been spattering with rain for a while, so I make Max put on his jacket and pull up his hood, while I pop up an umbrella. Taking his hand, I walk out into the Quad.
Cullen’s there, waiting, also with an umbrella. I should have sent him a message that I was working longer so we could walk home alone, but I forgot. My heart leaps at the sight of him, though, and the peculiar mix of emotions makes me tearful again.
“Hey, sweetheart.” He frowns with concern. “How are you doing? You look tired.”
“Yeah, it’s been a busy morning.” My hand tightens on Max, and for once he doesn’t run up to Cullen, but stays by my side.
Cullen hesitates and slides his hands into the pockets of his shorts. “Do you want to walk home on your own? I can stay and do a bit more work.”
I bite my bottom lip. It would sound rude to say yes. And besides, I do want to be with him. I want his arms around me. His lips on mine. I just know that I shouldn’t, and that makes it so hard.
“No, of course.” I force a smile. “Don’t mind me.” He falls in beside me, and we start walking down the long drive. “How are you doing?” I ask. “Getting through the day?”
“Yeah. I’m okay. Better than I thought I’d be.”
Relief spreads through me. “I’m so glad. I was worried about you.”
His eyes meet mine, and the warmth in them makes me feel as if everything is going to be okay.
We walk quietly for a bit, the rain pattering on our umbrellas and Max’s hood.
The dark clouds are parting, and the sun is peeping through, even though it’s still raining.
As we crest the hill and head down, we all exclaim at the sight of a rainbow arcing over Sunrise Bay, its colors vivid against the gray sky behind it.
My throat tightens. When Jack and I were young and our beloved family dog died, my parents said she had ‘crossed the rainbow bridge,’ and she would be there on the other side waiting for us. Jack’s crossed the bridge himself, now. Will I meet him again one day?
“Perfect,” Cullen says.
I look at him, not sure what he means, but he’s looking at the farmhouse below us and to our right. He glances at me, then pulls his hand out of his pocket to reveal a bunch of keys. He jangles them at Max. “Do you want to look around where PAWS is going to be?”
His face lights up. “Oh, yes please!”
I frown, wishing he’d asked me first, as it’s yet another thing that will make Max reluctant to go if we have to stay in Auckland, but it’s too late to say anything, as Cullen goes up to the gate and unlocks the padlock, then opens it to let us in.
“It’s old,” Max says, disappointed, as we walk up the long drive to the house.
“Nobody’s lived in it for a while,” Cullen replies. “But we’re going to mend it and paint it, and it’ll look like new when it’s done. It’ll have a sign out here,” he stops and gestures, “and we will probably make this side into a small car park.”
We? The pronoun puzzles me. But maybe he just means everyone in general.
He goes up to the front door and unlocks it, and we go inside.
We walk slowly around, with Cullen pointing things out to Max, showing him how the new center is going to be laid out. Max asks what a therapy center is, and Cullen explains about animal-assisted therapy, while Ghost sniffs around, exploring all the corners.
I trail behind them, fighting against misery and despair.
It would have been nice to watch the place grow and become the vision we’ve all discussed.
There definitely seems to be a need for centers like this, with so many people increasingly suffering from mental health issues in this difficult world, and I have no doubt it will be hugely successful. I just wish I could see it happen.
Cullen opens the back door to the garden, and Max takes Ghost outside to explore.
I walk into the room that we discussed could be an office, and look out of the window, watching my son play with the dog.
Behind him, Sunrise Bay and the Pacific Ocean lay spread out like a painting, taking my breath away.
“It wouldn’t be a bad view to work with every day, would it?”
I turn as Cullen comes into the room behind me and force my lips into a smile. “No. I can think of worse surroundings.”
He stands beside me and looks out for a moment. Then he slides his hands into his pockets and turns to face the room. “So… where would you like your desk to be?”
My bottom lip trembles. “Are you trying to make me cry?”
His eyebrows rise in surprise. “Oh… no, of course not. Sweetheart…” He moves closer and takes my hands in his. “I’m sorry. It’s my very clumsy way of teasing you.”
“Teasing me?” That’s the last thing I need right now.
He lifts my hands and kisses my fingers. “I’ve got something to tell you. I saw Noah and Archer today. Noah had the papers about the donation from We Three Kings from Brock, and he wanted Archer to sign them. So the money’s all done. The sale’s going through. PAWS is really going to happen.”
“That’s fantastic,” I whisper. “I’m pleased for you.”
“For us,” he corrects, and smiles. “Stefan told Archer that you’re hardworking, sensible, and practical, and that you’d be a bonus to any team.
And Archer said he’d been thinking about you too…
And he wants to offer you a job, helping to set up PAWS.
You’d be there from the beginning, so you could pretty much make it whatever you wanted, but we were thinking of it like a Practice Manager.
You’d coordinate the animals’ medical care, routine treatments, and monitoring.
You’d help oversee their daily wellbeing, and ensure they’re emotionally supported as well as physically healthy.
You could help train volunteers and new staff, if you wanted.
And you’d work closely with the Ark to assess which animals are suitable for therapy.
The wage would be ninety thousand per year. What do you think?”
I stare at him. “What?”
His brows draw together. “If you don’t like the sound of that, I’m sure you can come up with something else you’d rather do, and…”
“Cullen, wait. It sounds…”—my heart swells and lifts—“amazing,” I finish with feeling. “I… I don’t know what to say.”
“Yes might be a start.” His lips curve up.
Then he tucks a strand of hair behind my ear.
“Of course, you’d have been my first choice.
But I need you to know that it was Archer’s idea, in league with Stefan.
I’m not asking you because of our relationship.
We honestly think you’d be a valuable member of the team. ”
I can barely think straight. They’re basically offering me a managerial job that would also be hands-on with the animals. Ninety thousand a year! I’m sure it’s commensurate for a practice manager job, but it’s almost double what I was making.
Max and I would be able to stay in Sunrise Bay. The realization is like a wave washing over me. Ohhh…
But there’s one thing still puzzling me. “You keep saying ‘we’. What do you mean?”
He cups my face. “I’m staying.”
My mouth opens, but no words come out.
“I want to stay,” he says. “I love the Ark, and Sunrise Bay. I want to help set up PAWS, and watch it grow into the vision that we all have. And…” He hesitates, his gaze scanning my face.
His eyes are full of warmth. “I want to be with you,” he says softly.
“I know it’s early days, and I don’t want to come on too heavy.
We can take as long as we want to date and get to know one another.
And I know you’re worried about Max. But I’m crazy about you. ”
I blink hurriedly, but it’s pointless. My chin trembles, tears spill over my lashes, and then I burst into tears.
“Aw…” He puts his arms around me, and I bury my face in his T-shirt.
“I’m sorry,” I squeak.
“It’s okay.” He rubs my back. “Not a problem at all.”
I sniff and snuffle. “I think it’s just a culmination of everything, with it being Jack’s anniversary, and I was worried about how you’d feel, too. I thought it might be the final straw for you.”
He’s going to stay? Oh my God…
He kisses the top of my head. “It’s strange.
I was so worried about today, too. I thought the memories of Jake and what happened were going to hit me like a sledgehammer.
But I haven’t felt like that at all. The memories have been good ones.
I’ve been thinking about the fun times we had, and how well we got on.
I was focused on the negative memories, but there are so many positive ones, too. ”
I turn my head and rest my cheek on his shoulder. “I know what you mean. I’ve been thinking like that too. It’s still sad that he’s gone… but I’m learning to focus on the good memories.”
“They say time heals, but I didn’t believe it until now. Time and the Ark.”
“Where hearts and minds are healed, one paw at a time?”
He chuckles. “Archer loved that. It’s definitely going to be our tagline. And it was all your idea.” He kisses my forehead. “It shows you’re fundamental to the creation of the center.”
“Oh, Cullen…”
He tucks a finger under my chin and lifts it so he can look into my eyes. “You are. I wouldn’t be staying if it wasn’t for you.” He kisses my lips, just once. “I’ve fallen in love with you too.”
“Please stop or I’m going to bawl all morning.”