Chapter Four
A Meeting of Two Vets
Back in Chicago, every morning before work, Melissa would take a long walk around her neighborhood, enjoying the peace and quiet of her surroundings before the neighbors awoke. Over the years, that habit hadn’t changed much.
As she walked, she gazed around. The streets were mostly empty but for a few parked vehicles. A lone squirrel scampered across the road ten feet ahead of her, disappearing into a nearby alley. It wouldn’t be long before the first townspeople appeared, mostly to open their shops.
Overhead, the sun was still climbing high in the sky, casting a golden glow over the town.
A gentle breeze brushed her cheek, causing her hair to flutter about her head.
In the distance, beyond the buildings in her line of sight, Melissa could just make out a mountainous expanse of trees.
Paradise Woods. She hadn’t gone near the area yet; the man she’d asked about it at the salon had cautioned her against it.
It's not safe these days, he’d said, shaking his head. Been hearing about animals dying left, right, and center. Somethin’ ain’t right.
She walked a couple of blocks in silence before she heard the sound of a car engine.
She paused to let the vehicle roll past, then crossed the street.
Rubicon Valley lay just ahead. The hand-painted sign on the door read: OPEN, and for the second time in two days, Melissa found herself contemplating walking in for a drink.
She hadn’t entered the bar yet, but if it was anything like the typical town bar, there’d be a pool table, some poker players, and an old jukebox.
A smile pulled at the corners of her mouth at the thought. She and Cal went to a bar just like that once. The beer was too warm for his liking, but they danced to at least three Hozier singles before he decided it was time to leave.
She wiped the grin off her face, biting her lip as she continued walking. That had been a long time ago. She and Cal wouldn’t be dancing to Jackie and Wilson or It Will Come Back anytime soon. The relationship they’d shared no longer existed.
He probably hates my guts now, she thought. And I can’t even blame him for it. If someone abandoned me at my own wedding, I’d never forgive them.
There is no vacancy, he’d told her. Not for you. The way he’d looked at her had shaken her to the core, like he couldn’t believe she’d had the audacity to show up in the same town as him. She’d never seen him so upset. Certainly not with her. Just what had he gone through in her ten-year absence?
Melissa breathed a sigh. Getting the thought of him out of her mind seemed impossible after she’d laid eyes on him yesterday.
She still missed him, even though the sensible part of her knew she shouldn’t.
She’d taken off for a reason. He was a shifter, something she couldn’t quite understand, something that could be dangerous.
For her safety and sanity, she’d needed to put space between them. Had that changed?
No. He was still the same person, wasn’t he?
If anything, he’d done her a favor by turning her away yesterday. She’d left him for a reason. If she threw that all away and ran back to him, then the past ten years would have been for nothing.
Melissa paused in her tracks and gazed up. It was getting brighter. Cars rolled past, pausing for a red light. In the distance, she spotted a lone woman rounding the corner.
Time to head back home.
***
By the time she emerged from her house an hour later, the town had come alive.
Pedestrians smiled in her direction as they headed down the sidewalk, and a dog barked at a van down the street.
Shielding her face from the sun’s glare, Melissa crossed the street to Dale’s and knocked on the door, feeling a mix of nervousness and anticipation.
When there was no response, she knocked again, then considered ringing the doorbell. Before she could, however, the door was pulled open a crack. Dale poked his head out, frowning until his gaze landed on her.
“Good morning, Mr. McClinton!” she chirped.
“Just call me Dale.” The corner of his mouth turned upward. “It’s 7:50. You’re ten minutes early.”
She shrugged. “I like to keep ahead of things.”
He opened the door wider, stepping aside to admit her. He was dressed in a gray robe over blue-striped pajama bottoms. Melissa noticed a small stain on the front of his t-shirt. He must’ve been making coffee when she showed up.
She stepped into the house, half expecting an interior that felt as old as its owner, with a stale smell coming from the furniture, but the house looked fairly modern. Pictures hung on the walls, and the couches in the living room looked like they’d been recently purchased. Had he just moved in?
“Lovely place,” she commented. “Where’s the animal? I’m guessing it’s a dog.”
“You’re right about that.” He put his fingers to his mouth and whistled. “C’mere, Leto!”
Right on cue, there was a loud bark, and a large dog bounded into view. Melissa stumbled backward with a cry. The dog was almost as large as she was, with short golden fur and perky ears. It stopped before her, black eyes gazing curiously up at her.
“There’s no need to be afraid,” Dale said with a chuckle. “Leto isn’t going to harm you. She’s a good dog—obedient, loyal.”
Leto barked again as if in agreement. Tentatively, Melissa put out a hand and stroked her fur. Leto’s tail wagged appreciatively.
“Your tasks will be walking, feeding, bathing her, and keeping her company. She can be a handful, but I’m sure you’ve dealt with much more.” Dale smiled again. “You can start work tomorrow morning. In the meantime, why don’t I bring you some coffee? We can get to know each other better.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Her gaze immediately drifted to the jagged scar on his face, and she found herself wondering whether to ask about it.
Better not to lead with that, she told herself. You just met him.
He gestured for her to take a seat, then disappeared from the living room.
Leto stared at her for a moment before following her owner.
Alone, Melissa sat down on a nearby couch and looked around.
The living room was rather cozy, brown curtains fluttering gently in the breeze from an open window.
Her attention was instantly drawn to the photos on the walls.
Dale stood in one of them, grinning as he held up a large fish.
In another was a much younger version of him—at least, from what she could tell—dressed in military garb and shaking hands with someone else. Melissa lowered her gaze, hanging just below the photo were medals.
So he is ex-military, she thought. I was right.
She continued looking around the living room, taking in the details.
It was better furnished than hers. And from the look of things, Dale was a man who took proper care of himself.
She suspected working for him would be a breeze.
At least he was one of the few she’d interacted with in Sylva who hadn’t left her with a gnawing in the pit of her stomach.
Ever since she left Green Sanctuary yesterday, she found herself wondering whether moving to this small town had been such a great idea.
She still had friends in Colorado, not to mention family in Maine.
And now that she knew where her ex-fiancé was, she could easily make sure she was anywhere but here.
With her skills, she’d have no difficulty getting a job anywhere.
Heck, she could move to some other town in Downing. Everland and Minos were less than five miles away. She could sell her house, move, and look for a job vacancy. Or, better still, she could try opening her own clinic.
So why the hell was she still in Sylva?
You know why, said a voice in her head.
Melissa ignored it.
I’ll figure everything out soon, she told herself with a sigh, turning her gaze toward the kitchen.
A white door near a corner of the room instantly caught her eye. It blended so perfectly with the wall, she might have missed it if she hadn’t been staring right at it. The door was slightly open, and through the crack she thought she could make out something gleaming.
Before she knew it, she was on her feet, her pulse racing as her curiosity grew.
Whatever was in that room seemed more interesting than what was in the living room.
It briefly occurred to her that it was probably rude to wander around without permission, even if Dale had already welcomed her into his home.
She ignored the thought, nearing the door. Maybe if she just—
“Hope you don’t mind your coffee black.” Dale’s voice reached her before she could get to the door. She turned just in time to see him appear from the kitchen with a couple of steaming mugs. He handed one to her, pausing to shut the door before going to take a seat on a couch by the window.
Feeling his gaze on her, Melissa sat down as well. She lifted her coffee to her lips. It was a little too hot for her liking, but otherwise not bad.
“Thanks,” she said. Hoping he didn’t already consider her rude for attempting to snoop around, she gestured to the photos on the walls. “So...you were in the military?”
He nodded. “Ten years. Barely made it out with all my limbs intact. It wasn’t too bad, but I’m glad that part of my life’s over with.”
“I guess that makes us both vets.”
It was her attempt at humor, but Dale didn’t even crack a smile. He took a long sip from his mug, and in the silence, Melissa tried to hide her awkwardness. Leto appeared by her side, eyeing her for a few seconds before stepping over to her owner.
“What about now?” she said. “What do you do?”
“I’m a collector,” was his reply.
“That sounds interesting. What do you collect? Artifacts?”
“Trophies.”
She glanced at the medals on the wall, frowning in puzzlement. Before she could ask anything further, he went on.
“I moved here a couple of months ago. Looks like I’m not the only one who thought to come here. How long have you been a vet?”
Melissa shrugged. “Just a little over three years. I’m good at looking after animals.” Had she mentioned that already? “I went back to college almost a decade ago; figured I’d change occupations.”
He nodded slowly. “Sometimes a change of occupation’s just what we need. Or a change of scenery. Is that why you moved to Sylva?”
She pondered it for a few seconds. “Yeah, pretty much. Plus, I needed a change of pace. It’s so much quieter and more peaceful here than back in Chicago. Figured I’d start a new life, one with a lot less stress.”
And somehow I managed to end up in the same town as the man I never thought I’d see again.
She raised her mug to her lips again, and Dale’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“You’re engaged?”
Melissa realized he was staring at the ring on her finger. Heat flooded her cheeks, and she lowered the mug. “Not exactly.”
“What, it’s a fake engagement ring?”
“No, it’s very real.” She had no idea what the ruby cost, but it was definitely worth a lot more than her car. “I’m just not engaged...anymore.”
“What happened?” He leaned forward, curiosity flickering across his face. “And no, I’m not interested in you. I’m just curious.”
“I can tell.” She flashed him a warm smile. “Well...I used to be engaged. But then it ended. I ended it. I just never got to return the ring. I’ve had it with me ever since.”
“Why’d you end it?”
“He wasn’t who I thought he was.”
That was an oversimplification of the truth, but how was she to explain to this man that she’d taken off from her own wedding because she’d been unable to stomach the fact that the man she loved with all her heart wasn’t even human?
In ten years, she hadn’t told a soul why she’d really left.
Who would believe a tale about a man turning into a bear?
Besides, she’d been more concerned about putting as much distance between herself and Cal.
“That’s rough,” said Dale. “I never was engaged or married. Spending a decade in the military will do that to you. Keeps you on your toes, knowing you’re one dumb mistake away from dying.
I’d hate to make anyone a widow. These days, Leto’s my only companion.
I found her years ago. Or I guess you could say we found each other. ”
This time, he did smile, rubbing the dog’s head.
The dog wagged her tail in response, rubbing up against his leg.
Looking at them, Melissa felt a slight twinge.
In the years since she’d left Cal, she’d been pretty much on her own.
Now, looking at Dale and Leto, she couldn’t help wondering why she hadn’t gotten a pet.
“I like you already, Melissa,” the man said. “I’m sure you’ll be a great fit for this job.”