Page 58 of 15 Summers Later

She glowered at his bossy tone. Some part of her wanted to remind him this was her animal shelter. She was the executive director and didn’t take orders from him, no matter how wonderful a vet he might be.

The urge subsided. He was only looking out for her. She couldn’t be annoyed at that.

She limped out of the stall and sat on one of the benches in the wide space in the middle of the barn.

“Any insights into why he might not be eating like usual?”

“Looks like he’s got sinusitis. He needs an antibiotic and anti-inflammatory.”

“Oh no. Poor thing!”

“We should probably get him started on them as soon as possible. I can run into the clinic and grab meds for you, then you can start him tonight.”

“Thank you.”

“Enough about Chester. Let’s take a look at your foot.”

“I’m fine. Don’t worry about it.”

“Madi.”

She sighed, recognizing by his tone that he wouldn’t budge. She finally stuck out her sore foot. She had managed to kick off her sneaker but couldn’t bring herself to remove her sock. What if her toe was visibly broken or dislocated? No thank you. She would rather not look.

The very thought left her lightheaded.

Madi could help with veterinary care all day, every day, dealing without blinking at all sorts of animal injuries and illnesses that might completely horrify other people. When it came to human physical issues, especially her own, she wasn’t nearly as sanguine.

She suspected it was a visceral reaction from the long weeks she’d had to spend in the hospital and rehab center after she was shot, undergoing months of retraining in speech, occupational and physical therapy.

Now she hated going to the doctor and avoided it as long as necessary. Whenever she had to have her blood drawn for a routine test, she had to look away or she would feel shaky, lightheaded.

Luke put on clean gloves from the box on the shelf then sank onto his haunches in front of her. Slowly, gently, he gripped her sock and began rolling it down.

His fingers were warm on her skin and she shivered despite the warm air inside the barn.

He glanced up, his features arrested. Madi could feel herself blush and hoped he didn’t notice in the fluorescent lights inside the building.

She was suddenly aware they were alone here. Okay, alone while surrounded by potbellied pigs, a trio of goats, a miniature horse and a Jerusalem donkey. But there were no other people around to notice if she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him toward her...

“Good news,” he said after examining her foot. “It’s not dislocated and I don’t think it’s broken.”

“You don’tthink? Don’t you know?”

“Not without an X-ray,” he admitted. “You have many things here at the Emerald Creek Animal Rescue but as far as I know, an X-ray machine isn’t one of them.”

“Maybe I should go to the urgent care clinic. They do have an X-ray machine, as well as a technician.”

She glanced at her watch. “Oh shoot. They closed an hour ago. I didn’t realize it was so late. Should I go to the ER?”

“You could. But if it were broken, I don’t think you would be able to wiggle your toes. If you were my patient, I would advise waiting a day or two for an X-ray, until the swelling goes down.”

“Good thing I’m not your patient, then.”

He smiled, still crouched in front of her. It would be so easy to lean forward slightly and brush her mouth against his...

“You don’t have to take my advice. If you want, I can drive you to the hospital ER up in Ketchum.”

Already the pain had begun to fade to a much more manageable level. She sighed, feeling stupid and overdramatic. “You don’t have to do that. I’ll be okay. I’m being a big baby.”

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