Page 88 of 15 Summers Later

The shelter was the best place for them. After the border collie healed sufficiently, the two could share a run and Madi would make sure they spent all their outside playtime together and were always walked at the same time.

“Maybe they could stay with Grandma and me while I’m here, only until we find their owners,” Ava suggested, then seemed as surprised by the suggestion as Madi was.

“Really? You would do that?” She almost reminded her sister she didn’t like dogs, but that seemed a ridiculous thing to say as she was facing a woman who was sitting in a recliner, cuddling a corgi.

“I would have to talk to Leona first.”

Madi considered it. “I don’t know. Oscar might not be crazy about having two new canines in his territory, even temporarily. But we can certainly discuss it.”

“We don’t have to decide anything right now,” Luke said with a tired smile that Madi felt to her toes, even if Ava didn’t. “It’s very nice of you to offer.”

After making sure the dogs were all settled for the night, until one of the vet techs would come in around four to check on them, they walked outside. It was late, nearly ten. To her surprise, Ava headed in the opposite direction from the two trucks in the parking lot.

“Where are you going?” Madi called after her, frowning.

Ava turned. “I said I could walk back to Leona’s from here.”

“Don’t be silly. It’s late and you’re exhausted. I’ll give you a ride to Grandma’s.”

Ava looked as if she wanted to argue but finally shrugged and headed for the passenger door.

“In that case,” she said, “why don’t you take me back to the sanctuary so I can get my car? That way, I don’t have to figure out how to pick it up tomorrow and you don’t have to drive out of your way tonight.”

“That works.”

The night had grown cooler, with dark clouds drifting past the moon. They would have rain within the hour, she guessed, which made her even more grateful they had found the dogs before they had to spend another wet, cold night in the mountains.

Luke walked her to the truck. She wasn’t sure whether to find the gesture overprotective or sweet.

“Thanks for your help in there,” he said after reaching the door first and opening it for her. “You were wonderful, as always. I’m really going to miss you around here.”

“You’ll be fine,” she said, ignoring the ache in her chest when she thought about not seeing him all the time. “Tomas and Carly are both great vet techs and Marisa will be, too, when she’s done with her training.”

“They are all excellent. But they’re not you.”

A shiver rippled down her spine at his low, intense voice.

“We’re still going to see each other. You’re at the rescue almost as much as I am.”

“That’s a slight exaggeration,” he murmured, “since you live and breathe the rescue, while I only pop in when I’m needed.”

She had loved working here at the clinic, Madi thought after they said good-night and she drove out of the parking lot. But perhaps with this new awareness she couldn’t seem to shake, some distance would be good for both of them.

“Are you sure the dogs will be okay on their own?” Ava asked, forehead creased with worry.

“Positive. Luke has a great camera system, the same one we have at the rescue. We will both be monitoring the dogs all night. They’ll be fine. They’re safe and warm and have food and water. I’m sure they’ll sleep until the first staff member arrives in the morning.”

Ava didn’t look completely convinced, but she said nothing.

“You’re good at what you do, aren’t you?” she said after a pause.

Madi sent her a sidelong look across the cab of the old truck. “I like to think so. I love it. I mean, there are some sad moments, too. Not every situation has a happy ending. But I can’t imagine doing anything else.”

“Do you ever regret not going all the way and becoming a veterinarian, like Luke?”

Tension crawled through her like a dozen spiders. She and Ava used to argue about this all the time, with her sister pushing her to apply to veterinary schools instead of “settling” for her vet tech training.

Ava didn’t understand how hard school had been for Madi, how the words swam sometimes and her thoughts became jumbled if she spent too much time studying.

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