Chapter 2 Sage
TWO
SAGE
“Are you sure? There’s space here.”
I glance over at my baby sister and the little green bundle in her arms, before nodding. “Yes, Del. I’m sure.”
She frowns, pouting slightly, like it would have any effect on me. She should know better.
I’m the one who taught her that look.
Sighing, I shoulder my duffle and grab the last of my bags. “You guys have a baby to worry about. I’m more than capable of living on my own in town. And Axel probably wants you all to himself again—”
“That’s not—”
“And,” I continue, cutting off my sister’s husband, sparing him a look, “it’s better if I stay in town. I have a job at the clinic, and I’m on call now that Mr. Ashby is thinking of retiring.”
Delilah’s pout intensifies, while Axel nods appreciatively.
Neither have to say it. They want—no, need—alone time, especially with River being so new to them.
Dealing with me and my baggage is not something they signed up for.
Axel would never say it, of course. He’s absolutely smitten with Del and their baby. He wouldn’t do anything to hurt her.
But for his kindness, I’ll take the brunt of her disappointment.
“I’m not going very far, anyway,” I add, starting my escape out to the dinged-up sedan that brought me all the way here. “The house is really cute, and I’m excited to make it...mine.”
I suck in a cooling breath, making my way to the ‘rust-wagon’ as Axel calls it.
He’s been doing small fixes for me, pretending he hasn’t, but I appreciate his concern.
It’s a wonder it made it all the way to Willow Ridge at all.
Throwing the last of my belongings into the backseat, I breathe a sigh of relief.
For the first time in a long time, I’m actually grateful for it.
We say our goodbyes, with Del trying to hold back tears and Axel with his warm bear hug. Little River clamps a tiny hand around my hair as his way of saying goodbye.
I have to remind myself I’m only going twenty minutes down the road. I’m closer to Delilah than ever before and we have a chance now to reconnect without...everything else.
The drive down the winding, forest road gives me a chance to pull myself together and put on a brave face.
The town is quiet; there’s such a charming beauty to it that I can’t imagine people aren’t swarming the streets just for the idyllic nature of it all.
It’s why I picked it for Delilah’s adventure.
Deep down, maybe I knew this place would be perfect for me, too.
I make it to the realtor’s office to sign the rest of the paperwork and pick up the keys. They’re heavy in my hands as I make my way down the main street. I follow the instructions ingrained in my memory towards the little house I secured for myself.
When it comes into view, I slow and pull into the paved driveway.
It’s like I’m in a dream; I grab a few of my bags and almost fall out of the car because of the crumbling driveway, but that’s not enough to dampen my mood.
There are cracks in the wall beside the front door, nothing a little paint can’t hide.
And weeds overtake the front garden. It’s been a while since I got my hands dirty in something that wasn’t animal related.
I slide the key in, and it gives a little click as the lock turns over. Pushing the door open, I breathe in the dusty, mildew scent of my new home.
Mine. A tingle of excitement shoots up my spine, followed by a wave of sadness.
Tears sting my eyes as I shuffle in and lock the door behind me.
Tomorrow, I’ll let Axel add extra locks to the doors, because if I’ve learned anything about him over the last two weeks living in the downstairs apartment of his cabin, it’s that he’s overly protective of his family.
I flick the hallway lights on, and when they don’t flicker or fizzle out, I finally smile. I can already feel the puzzle pieces falling into place. A fresh start and a new beginning.
No Scott and his crappy apartment in the bad part of town, purely because he couldn’t be assed moving closer to the clinic.
No more being used and cheated on. No more crying on the bathroom floor after each failed pregnancy.
No more giving up on myself.
I’ll have the clinic I want after I prove to Mr. Ashby I can take over for him. In a year, I might even be able to get my own house with a larger yard and a better garden for...
I shake my head. I gave up on the white-picket-fence dream after Scott. That life was never meant for me, anyway.
It hurts giving up on that dream, but I’ll be better off for it.
It’s time for my own adventure, and it does not include romance.
The first couple of weeks at the clinic go by like a dream. Mr. Ashby isn’t as agile as he used to be, so he relies on me heavily to do the tasks he can’t. Like lift heavy freaking dogs up onto the table.
I might be a big girl, but damn, I’m not strong.
As the last pooch is sent home, I wipe my brow and close my eyes.
The rush of the last couple of days have been.
..a lot. A distraction. I’ve been pulling nearly ten hour days because of an uptick in surgeries.
Sterling Ranch has needed extra sets of hands, and for the life of me, I seriously don’t understand what the hell is going on here.
Is it the mountain air? Have I entered an alternate dimension?
How the hell is one mountain town busier than the city?
I blow out a long breath until I feel my chest loosen. All my muscles are tight and tense, and it’s not because of the work.
I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. Like this new, perfect little adventure I’ve started will come to an end.
A bad ending, if I had to guess.
At the thought, my stomach gives a warning churn from the anxiety. I’m safe here. I know I am. He won’t come looking for me. He doesn’t care anymore.
He stopped caring a long time ago.
I push off the bench and start wiping everything down with disinfectant, making note of different things that need to be refilled, as well as all the tasks that make the end of the day overwhelming.
That’s one thing I have to give to Mr. Ashby. He runs a tight ship.
With my focus on the task at hand, I almost don’t hear the rattling of the front door. My heart stops in my chest as I listen closely. Someone might be trying to break in. But come on, it’s a vet clinic. We don’t hold anything of value. Unless it’s the small amount of cash Mr. Ashby left behind.
Shit. My hands start to shake, and my palms become clammy. I want to slap myself for how ridiculous I’m being, because I used to basically run the vet clinic back home, and the crime rates there were much, much higher than here.
Maybe it’s a local and there’s an emergency. If it were, they’d ring the bell. Or call. Or do a number of things that really scream: I come from a small town!
Heart in my throat, I leave the surgery room in the back and make my way through one of the treatment rooms used for consultations and stop short in the waiting room.
It’s not a local trying to break in.
It’s Scott.