Chapter Two
Kip
We pull up to Melvin’s, and she blinks several times. Her eyes move from the sign to my face and back again.
“You’re joking,” she says.
“No, darling. Sorry to break it to you, but I don’t joke.”
“Shocking,” she says. Sarcasm is practically dripping from her pretty, pouty lips.
“You coming or not?” I ask, jumping from the cab.
She groans and opens her door. “This is really the only option?”
“Sorry, Cinderella, should have stayed in the big city if you’d wanted more options.” I’m tapping my foot on the ground waiting for her. She sure likes to take her sweet time.
“But he’s a veterinarian.” She gestures to the sign.
‘Close enough,” I say, grabbing her arm.
She huffs and lets me lead her inside.
We dodge cat carriers and step over a sleeping basset hound to get to the desk.
“Martha, we’ve got an emergency,” I say, pointing at Ginger who’s still holding my now bloody t-shirt to her head.
“Oh.” Martha hops up from her seat and rushes to the back without another word.
“Does this happen often?” Ginger asks.
I shrug.
Melvin rushes out from the back and takes one look at Ginger and motions us to follow him.
Once we’re back in the examining room, he pats the table for her to sit down.
She just blinks at it a few times. It’s just a cold, metal table.
“This is for dogs,” she says.
“And cats and rabbits and the occasional guinea pig. Hell, I’ve even had an actual pig on it too,” he says. “What’s your point?”
She shakes her head and sits down.
“Sorry, I know it’s cold. Most of my patients have fur.”
“Do you see people often?”
“I’ve delivered a few babies here in town when Paul’s been away.”
Her jaw drops. “Do you know how to deliver babies?”
“Well, I know how to deliver calves and foals. Close enough, right?”
“I don’t think it is,” She’s looking around like she’s entered some sort of parallel universe.
“I’ve watched a lot of YouTube videos,” he winks. Her jaw nearly hits the floor, and I’m enjoying this a little too much.
Once she’s on the examination table, I take my place in the corner of the room, arms crossed over my chest.
“I can see your face is banged up.” Melvin’s examining her cut. “Anything else hurt?”
“My wrist,” she says, holding it out. Damnit, she didn’t tell me about that.
He’s feeling her hand and wrist, and she winces.
“We can do some x-rays to rule out a break, but I’m going to need to stitch you up first.”
“Have you done this before?” Her eyes are wide.
“A million times,” he says, happily.
“On humans?”
“A handful of times,” he says as he gathers his supplies onto a tray.
She bites her lower lip and looks down.
“My stitches are beautiful though. Just last week I stitched up Henrietta. Really good work, if I can brag. She looks great.”
“Henrietta is a...”
“Horse,” I smirk.
Ginger’s eyes flash up to mine. There’s just a hint of panic.
“She’s a gorgeous mare,” Melvin says as he starts to disinfect her cut.
She’s holding still, but her face flinches a few times.
Everything is quiet, and I’m just studying her face.
It looks so familiar. There’s no way I know her though.
Melvin seems to read my thoughts. He clears his throat and says, “I have a feeling I know you from somewhere. Have we met?”
Her body goes stiff, and she swallows hard before answering. “No, I can’t imagine we have. It’s my first time in town.”
Melvin’s not quite satisfied with this answer, and neither am I.
“I just have one of those faces,” she adds quickly.
She doesn’t. She absolutely doesn’t have one of those faces. She has one of the most perfect faces I’ve ever seen - not the sort of face you run into every day. Huge doe eyes, strong arched brows, heavy lashed eyelids. Her face is heart shaped with high cheekbones and perfect, pouty pink lips.
She catches me staring, and she shifts uncomfortably. Melvin has his back to her, switching around his supplies.
She’s hiding something. She’s hiding something big. It’s written all over her face.
“This is going to hurt a bit,” Melvin says as he gets to work.
To her credit, she did little more than wince as he worked. When he finished, Melvin calls me over, “Take a look. This may be my best work yet. Henrietta’s wasn’t even this good.”
I step closer to examine her head, and I can hear her breathing increase. My leg brushes up against hers as I step closer, and an almost inaudible gasp escapes her lips, just loud enough for me to hear.
Melvin’s tech takes her away for some x-rays. When she returns, Melvin says, “I didn’t even get your name.”
“I go by Ginger.” Our eyes lock for a brief second, and then she looks away.
“Ginger, isn’t that something? Suits you perfectly,” he says, shaking his head.
No shit. I’m scowling at her.
Melvin looks at the x-rays and clucks his tongue.
“What?” she says.
“Well shit, you’ve got a hairline fracture.”
She looks like she might burst into tears. God, no, I don’t do well when women cry around me. She takes a deep breath and blinks them back.
Good girl.
I can put a cast on that for you,” he says.
“Really?”
“Sure, I do it all the time,” he says with a big smile.
“To humans?”
“I think we both know the answer to that.”
She shakes her head in disbelief.
“You don’t need the bone set or anything, so the cast is just keeping it still and protecting while it heals.”
“Okay.” She holds out her wrist so he can go to work.
“What brought you to our little town?” he asks.
“Oh, just needed to get away,” she says, sweetly.
“Well, you picked the right time of year.”
“I sure did. It’s gorgeous.”
“Where are you from?”
“Oh, here and there.”
Bullshit.
She’s a stone wall, and he’s not getting through. I wonder if she’ll let me tear it down.
“How much do I owe you?” she asks when he finishes. She looks worried waiting for his response.
He strokes his chin. I see him taking note of her worry. “$50.”
She blows out a relieved sigh then shocks the hell out of me by hopping off the table and wrapping her arms around Melvin. She gives him a quick peck on the cheek.
Something stirs inside me watching this little scene. I do not like it one bit.
“Thank you,” she purrs.
Melvin’s beaming like an idiot. He walks us out to the waiting room, and she pulls cash out of her purse. ‘Thank you again for everything.”
“Welcome to town,” he says. “Will you be sticking around a while?”
“A month or two,” she replies.
A month or two? Interesting.
“Well, see you around, Ginger.”
“You too. Nice meeting you, Melvin and you too, Martha.”
They both smile and wave.
Melvin calls after us just as I’m opening the door. “Don’t leave her alone for a few hours in case she has a concussion, and Paul needs to see her as soon as possible.”
“10-4,” I say as I make my way out the door.
I look at my watch. Well, so much for getting anything done today.
She’s standing on the sidewalk looking at me helplessly with those big doe eyes.
“Come on,” I grumble, pointing to the truck.
“You don’t have to...”
“Yes, I do,” I bark.
She climbs into the truck after me, and we make our way into town.
I’m tapping my thumb on the steering wheel as I drive and stealing glances at her.
What’s her story? I am curious; but, at the same time, I don’t want to get wrapped up in whatever trouble she’s entangled in, because mark my words, she’s entangled in something bad.
I pull in front of Head and Tail and switch off the car.
“What are we doing?” she asks.
“Eating,” I say.
“Oh, I don’t want to bother you.”
“You’re not bothering me,” I snap. I’m not sure why I half-yelled that, and she’s visibly cowering now. I take a deep breath. “You look pale and hungry. You need to eat.”
She sits up straighter. “I can just go to my rental and be out of the way.”
“You need to eat,” I say. I’m trying to control my breathing. Why is she being so fucking difficult? I don’t need her passing out and bashing her head on the ground and breaking her other arm right now.
She doesn’t budge.
“Get out the truck, Ginger. We’re eating. Now.”
“Whatever you say, Grumpy,” she says, getting out of the truck.
Her dress slides up her leg as she scoots out of the truck.
My entire body is at attention now. Goddamn it.
The last thing I need is to get hard in the middle of town in the middle of the fucking day with poor lost Cinderella over here.
As soon as I walk in the door, everyone - and I mean every single fucking eyeball - turns and stares. I’ve never come into the front door of Head and Tail - ever. I’ve never eaten in the dining room or sat at the bar.
“Table in the back,” I say to Sadie before she can ask me what the hell I’m doing and who the hell is this.
She nods, and we follow her back. I don’t make eye contact with anyone, but it’s fucking hard because there’s what feels like 900 eyeballs on me right now.
Ginger is glancing around nervously.
Sadie puts us right in the back out of the way. It’s going to be about fifteen and a half seconds before everyone in town knows I’m sitting here with a strange woman. Fuck me.
“There’s steam coming out of your ears,” Ginger says.
“What?”
“Like a cartoon character, you’re so grumpy that there’s steam coming out of your ears,” she says.
I give an exaggerated eye roll.
Sadie comes back with waters and menus - well, one menu for Ginger. I don’t need one.
When she walks away, Ginger gives me a sideways look.
“Have they banned you from eating here?” she asks. “Too grumpy for this establishment.”
I scoff.
“Do you know what’s good here?”
“Everything,” I say.
“Well, that narrows it down,” she mumbles. I look at my watch again. No way in hell I’m getting it done. Not that it matters. I mean, it does matter. It matters a lot, but if I’m being honest, I probably wasn’t getting it done anyway.
Sadie comes back.
“Can I get the burger please?” Ginger says.
“Make it two,” I say.
Sadie nods, collects the menu, and walks away.
“So what’s the story, Ginger?” I ask.
“There’s no story.” She’s looking down at her hands.
“Bullshit.”