Page 32 of Last Chance Love

Max appeared from around the corner, a scowl settling in when he found Riley. “Goddammit, I told you not to wander off. Why are you harassing Leon?”

“I wouldn’t call it harassing,” Riley said with a smirk as he turned around. “I’m just talking to him.”

“Between you and Elliot, I don’t know who’s ‘talking’ is the most harassing,” Max told him with a snort, eyes darting over Riley.

I shook my head. “Get your pain in the ass out of here. I already have enough of my own without taking in your abandoned ones.”

“Ugh, I wish I could abandon this one somewhere on the side of the road. It would bring peace back to my life,” he said with a roll of his eyes.

“He both means that and doesn’t,” Riley said.

“How much are you willing to bet on that?” Max asked gruffly. “I’ve already endured two hours of you talking andsinging.”

“He complains,” Riley said, surprising me by looping an arm around Max’s forearm and pulling him back, “but he’d miss me after a day…maybe two or three.”

“Like hell I would,” Max grumbled as he shockingly allowed himself to be touchedanddragged back. “Be the most peace and quiet I’ve got in a long ass time.”

“C’mon, grumpy,” Riley said with a laugh, letting go and twisting away with a merry laugh. “Let’s go break our backs trying to dig up this sunbaked hellscape.”

“Why does he always sound so damn happy about busting his ass?” Max asked with a sigh and then looked at me. “Aren’t you supposed to be doing something? Or are you still being paranoid about the Chipmunk and Badger?”

“Badger?” I asked, arching a brow.

He gestured behind me. “Reno.”

“Yeah, I got that, thank you. Why a badger?”

“You ever seen anything on those things? North American badgers are some of the most aggressive things on this planet. They do not give a fuck and will fight you.”

“I…how do you know that?”

“I’m allowed to know things.”

“You’ve been watching nature documentaries, haven’t you?”

Max scowled even harder, which was the only answer I needed as he turned away. “Pretty sure I saw you were supposed to have afternoons in the clinic. Go hang out with the guy you’re totally not into and see how you can help him.”

“Get out of here,” I grumbled, resisting the urge to push him away. I didn’t know what Riley had done to be allowed to touch Max of all people with impunity, but I knew I was not on that list. Hell, I didn’t even know that list existed, though I suppose the guy had his freedom and probably wanted to get laid once in a while.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m going,” Max said with a wave over his shoulder. “You get going too. Those two aren’t suddenly going to break out in a giant fight.”

It was weird for Max to have much to say about what I should or shouldn’t be doing. Usually, the guy didn’t care what other people did if it wasn’t directly annoying him, a threat to his animals, or something outright dangerous for people or the ranch. As far as Max was concerned, other people’s business was their own and of no interest to him. Was being forced to deal with someone one-on-one, as Mona had done by putting Riley under his care, somehow making him more personable?

Huh, I guess I had to hand it to her. She seemed to have a good measure of what people needed. Though knowing Mona, she hadn’t told him why she suddenly decided he needed to be a mentor when he wasn’t even in the program anymore, let alone being interested in doing it. She was willing to use any tactic to get what she wanted, even if what she wanted was ultimately better for others.

Then again, I glanced over at Reed and Elliot. I supposed I wasn’t a whole lot better. Those two had been in a desperate situation, their backs to the wall, and I had taken advantage. They’d had no choice but to accept the offer to be stuck with one another to see if they could work things out. Reno had known it was his last and only chance to stay in the program, and Elliot, well, I’d taken advantage of his good nature and let him realize that without him agreeing as well, Reno would be screwed.

Had that been Mona’s intention, letting me try my hand at a little ‘positive’ manipulation?

I pushed the thought away, knowing Max was right, and if I took any longer, I would officially be late for my shift at the clinic. It was still strange that Mona had decided I needed to broaden my horizons in what felt like such a late stage of being here at the ranch. After all, it wasn’t like I didn’t have enough to occupy myself, and I hadn’t shown any interest in expanding into medical training.

Not that my curiosity mattered much, Mona wasn’t going to give me information, and I knew it. The best I could do was continue with her new plan and see what came of it.

What satisfied me, though, was walking through the double doors into the clinic. We were inching toward the end of the summer, but it was still blazing hot until almost October, and today was no different. The clinic was a blast of refreshing, if bracing, cold air that washed over me and forced a sigh of pleasure.

A chuckle drew my attention, and I found Dr. Greenway standing behind the desk, peering at me. “Good afternoon, Mr. Hardy. You seem to be enjoying the air conditioning.”

“It’s a nice change from being boiled alive,” I said with a chuckle. “You’re looking as good as ever, Dr. Greenway.”

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