Chapter 19 Autumn
AUTUMN
Dr. Claire was already waiting when we arrived at the clinic, her blonde hair pulled into a neat ponytail, her scrubs crisp. Her gaze focused on Lulu, who was being carried in Dom’s arms.
“Claire!” Dom greeted her. “Or should I say Dr. Lucas?”
“Please.” She waved him off, already ushering us into an exam room.
“Thanks for coming back after hours,” Dom said as he set Lulu down gently on the exam table.
“Not a problem,” Claire said, already pulling on gloves. “It’s only day two, but I’m already getting the hang of this after-hours gig.”
Dom had known Claire for years, apparently. He said she was good, the sister-in-law of a close friend.
And within seconds of watching her work, I saw it too.
She was soothing and gentle yet efficient, exactly someone I’d want caring for my dog. She spoke in a reassuring voice as she ran practiced hands along Lulu’s belly.
“Has she gotten into anything unusual? Any new food or treats?” Claire asked, feeling along Lulu’s abdomen with steady fingers.
“No. I gave her the usual kibble earlier today,” I said.
Claire nodded, checking Lulu’s mouth next. “Any vomiting? Diarrhea?”
I shook my head.
Claire gently lifted Lulu’s lip, checking her gums. “Nice and pink. No signs of dehydration. That’s a good sign.”
She reached for a thermometer, speaking in that dog-talking way. “Just a quick temp check, sweetheart.”
Lulu barely reacted, only twitching her ears in mild protest.
Claire read the number, her brow furrowing slightly. “A little warm, but nothing alarming.”
“So what could it be?” My mind was already sprinting toward the worst-case scenario, perhaps a slow-acting toxin or a delayed reaction to something dangerous.
Claire gave Lulu’s belly another light press. “Her stomach’s tight,” she said. “I’ll run some tests to be sure, but more than likely, it’s just something she ate. Let’s wait and see if she brings it up.” She gave Lulu a final pat.
Suddenly, Lulu twitched, then gagged.
Claire moved fast, grabbing a disposable pad and shifting Lulu into a better position.
The mutt gave a little wiggle, then threw up.
A wet, unpleasant mess hit the pad, a couple of seed pods rolling out among the bile.
I let out a shaky breath, my knees nearly buckling from relief.
Claire clicked her tongue and ran a comforting hand over Lulu’s back. “Aha! Good girl, Lulu. Good girl for getting that up. But not so much for swallowing them in the first place.”
Lulu let out a low, sheepish huff, her tail giving a weak wag.
My heart was still hammering, but the weight of panic lifted all at once. It had nothing to do with that stranger. Nothing sinister, nothing calculated. Just a dog being a dog.
Claire tossed the contaminated pad and washed her hands. “I’ll give her something to ease any lingering irritation, but she should be back to normal soon, if she isn’t already.”
Lulu, perking up, proved her right with another tail wag, this time stronger and happier.
Dom exhaled beside me, running a hand through his hair. “Jesus,” he muttered. “You nearly gave me a heart attack, Lu.”
Claire grinned, scratching behind Lulu’s ears. “Well, I’d say lesson learned. But let’s be honest, she’d probably do it again.”
“Thanks, Claire,” Dom said. “You’re good at this.”
Claire’s mouth twitched. “That’s kind of the goal.”
Lulu let out a whimper, shifting slightly on the exam table, but Claire just smiled, rubbing a gentle hand over her back. “You’ll be fine, girl.”
Then she looked at Dom and me. “Give me a few minutes.”
Dom followed her toward the front desk, already pulling out his wallet.
Claire rolled her eyes. “Your money’s no good here.”
“Claire—”
“You’re family, Dom. Consider it a freebie.”
Something about the way she said it made my heart squeeze. It wasn’t just that Dom was a good guy. Everyone knew it, not just me.
Dom exhaled through his nose, clearly not thrilled about the handout, but he didn’t argue.
And twenty minutes later, Lulu trotted out of the clinic as if she hadn’t just scared the hell out of us.
Crisis averted.
For her, at least.
For me?
Not so much.
The ride back to the motel was quiet, and I let it stay that way. Lulu gave me the perfect excuse to keep my eyes on the window and pretend my silence was about her.
Dom reached over. “You okay, girl?”
Lulu lifted her snout to his hand, her tail brushing his elbow as it wagged.
For a while, I let myself watch him—how easily he’d carried her, and how instinctively he’d taken charge of her care.
But my mind wasn’t on Lulu anymore. It kept drifting to the pizzeria, to that sketch the deputy had handed out. And to the cold fact that if the wrong person recognized me, everything would fall apart.
The truck rolled to a stop outside my room.
“How’s my Otter?” Dom finally turned his attention from Lulu to me, his voice gentle. “You’ve been quiet.”
I forced a smile. “Just thinking.”
His eyes flicked over me, assessing. He didn’t quite believe me. I could see it, but he didn’t push.
“All right. Get some rest.”
His phone rang. It was Claire.
I climbed out, unhooked Lulu’s leash, and forced my legs to carry me toward my door.
Dom followed, half listening to Claire, half focused on me. Even now, he was still looking out for me.
“Hey, I’ve got to go,” he told her, then hung up.
I laid Lulu down on the bed, stroking her fur. “You okay, buddy?”
She let out a little sigh and closed her eyes. Already fine.
I wished I could say the same.
Without thinking, I turned and hugged Dom. I shouldn’t have. I knew that.
But I couldn’t help it.
His arms came around me instantly, his palm sliding into my hair. “Hey, she’s okay,” he murmured, his lips brushing the top of my head.
“Yeah.” My voice wobbled.
“A tip. Don’t give her that leftover pizza.” He set the box on the table.
I chuckled. “Definitely not.” And perhaps for the last time, I said, “Thank you, Dom.”
He wouldn’t understand. Not if I let it show. Not if he knew what I was about to do.
I exhaled, slow and shaky. “I’m gonna go to sleep now. I’m really tired.”
“Of course,” he said as I curled up next to Lulu. “Your headache?”
“Nah, just tired,” I murmured.
He left a kiss behind, dragged his hand once along my back, and stood. “I need to go back to Claire’s for a bit. You okay here on your own?”
I nodded. “Yeah, don’t worry.”
The door clicked shut behind him.
I didn’t move. I didn’t even look out the window for one last glimpse of him.
Because if I did, I might start thinking about staying.
And that?
That wasn’t an option.
I sat up, my breath catching, and the sob I’d been choking down broke free. I clamped a hand over my mouth, but it didn’t stop the next one. Or the next.
It came in waves, shaking my shoulders and making my whole body tremble. It was silent at first, but then it became louder, uglier. Like a deep, hollow ache spilling out of me, one that had nowhere to go.
I squeezed my eyes shut, pressing my forehead against my knees.
Keep it together. Just breathe.
But I couldn’t.
I wasn’t ready.
An emptiness spread through me, stretching until it hurt to hold it in. This wasn’t just leaving.
It was leaving him. The only man who made the world feel a little less harsh, a little less impossible. The only man I knew I would never find again.
He had carried me, cared for me, lifted me up, and read me like no one else ever had.
And somehow, in such a short span of time, he had understood me without me ever having to explain.
There was no one like Dom, not even close, and it wasn’t just wishful thinking or naivety. He was singular in a world overflowing with people, and walking away from him felt like stepping off solid ground into nothing.
I let myself break, just for a moment.
Then I swiped at my face, sniffed hard, and sat up straighter.
No more distractions.
No more second-guessing.
It was time to pack. And damn, almost everything I owned now was from him.