Page 34 of Doctor Wolf's Human Nurse

“It’s never a good time,” her mother said. “You just moved out to that godforsaken town and left us. You know how your father is. He’s never been the same since Kyle died. He dotes on you. Now that you’re gone, he mopes around all the time. I’m afraid that this is slowly killing him.”

Abby sighed and tried to not let her impatience show in her voice. “Mom, I just moved here, got a new job, and I’m starting to settle in. I need some time to adjust to everything.”

“You don’t understand how much we miss you.”

“I do, Mom, and I miss you, too. I’ll visit you as soon as I possibly can. I promise.”

“I guess,” her mother said petulantly. “I love you.”

“Love you, too, Mom,” Abby said.

Brent had been in the lounge when she took the call. “Parents, huh?”

Abby nodded. She looked at him for a minute, trying to decide whether to try to draw him out.

“They weren’t the same after my brother died. Kyle was fifteen when he overdosed on fentanyl. The drugs and the dealer stole him away from them and me.”

Brent looked at her and cocked his head as though he was analyzing her words. “I’m really sorry for your loss. I can’t imagine how much that hurts. You know, though,” he said slowly, “it wasn’t the dealer’s fault that your brother died. Kyle would have found a way to get the drugs, one way or the other. All addicts do.”

Abby clenched her jaws. “I think that all drug dealers should be charged with murder and attempted murder and get the death penalty.” Her eyes narrowed. “Of course, street justice, like what my brother’s dealer got, works just as well.”

Brent paled a bit and he left the room.

Watching him go, Abby thought,He sure does act suspicious. I’ve never met another person, especially in healthcare, who would be so willing to defend a drug pusher.

She rubbed her temples with her fingers.Of course, everyone sees life through different lenses, so I can’t accuse him of anything just because he has a different point of view than mine.

The afternoon went by just as quickly as the morning. Everyone else had left. Abby grabbed her purse and jacket and stopped by Sawyer’s office to tell him goodnight. Her heart went out to him when she saw him sitting at his desk, his shoulders slumped, and his face buried in his hands.

She walked in, sat in the chair in front of his desk, and asked quietly, “Sawyer, what’s wrong?”

He looked up at her. She could see the exhaustion and stress etched on his face. Abby reached out to hold his hand. Electricity ran through her as he clasped her hand.

“I’m just stressed. Things were a lot simpler when I worked for Doctors Without Borders, because, really, all I had to do was practice medicine. There was some paperwork and all that, but my main job was being a doctor. Somehow, I had this bright idea that coming back home and starting my own practice would be a good idea. Instead, I managed to land right in the middle of a hornet’s nest.”

“The town is lucky to have you. You caught the missing drug situation here when the old doctor didn’t. You and the witches are going to be able to find a way to cure the virus that’s affectingthe shifters.” She rubbed his hand with her thumb, and he looked up at her and gave her a weak smile.

“I tell you what. I’ll buy the pizza and beer. You can come over and we’ll watch some Indiana Jones movies.”

“I’m a huge Harrison Ford fan. You have yourself a deal. What time?”

She grinned at him, her heart leaping in her chest at the thought that they could hang out and she could be close to him.

“Give me an hour.”

“Deal. I’ll bring the beer if you’re buying dinner.”

He was on her doorstep exactly an hour later. They ate pizza, both of them carefully avoiding any conversation about the missing drugs or the virus.

They snuggled together on the couch after she put in herIndiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost ArkDVD.

“I have to say, I must agree with him about the snakes,” Sawyer said. “I encountered many different species of serpents during my travels, some extremely venomous and others not so much. None of them were on the top of my favorites list.”

“I like snakes. They’re just misunderstood. Like other animals, they just want to be left alone. A lot of snakes won’t bother humans unless provoked.”

Sawyer laughed. “Except anacondas. They are aggressive and will hunt a person down so they can swallow the person alive.”

Abby shivered. “That does not sound like a fun way to meet your demise.”

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