Page 65 of Saddles and Snowstorms
“Can we get out of here?” I murmured, my lips nearly brushing his ear.
He looked at me, concern flashing in his eyes. “Youalright?”
“Yeah,” I nodded, meaning it. “Just... want to be alone with you.”
Understanding dawned on his face. He nodded, finishing his beer in one long swallow. We waited until Dakota finished his song and the applause died down before making our move. I tossed some bills on the table to cover our drinks and stood up.
“Heading out already?” Dolly asked, appearing beside us with that all-knowing look in her eyes.
“Got an early morning,” I explained, not quite meeting her gaze.
She just sighed, a smile on her face. “Go on you two. I’ll let the others know.” She placed a hand on my shoulder as I went to leave, holding me back for just a moment. Leaning close, she whispered, “That boy loves you, Brooks. Don’t you dare let him slip away.”
My heart pounded wildly as she patted my shoulder and let me go. I couldn’t help but stare for a moment, a fleeting hope in my belly that she might be right.
Maybe it was time to have a serious talk with Rowan at last.
Chapter 23
Rowan
Brooks was terribly quiet on our way back to the clinic. He walked beside me, his gaze on the sidewalk with his hands stuffed into his pockets. Something about him was off, a sort of nervous energy that I’d seen in some of the animals I’d treated. He was anxious and worried, I could sense it. Had the unexpected party at the diner really thrown him off that much?
I wanted to ask him what was wrong, but I figured it would be best discussed behind closed doors. The clinic was only a block away. Another minute or two wouldn’t hurt us.
However, as we rounded the corner, I saw another vehicle sitting out front of the vet clinic, one I hadn’t seen in months. It was a high-end black pickup, once sparkling clean but now coated in a fine layer of dust thanks to the country roads in Sagebrush. On the door of the truck was a logo I knew all too well. It read “Austin Animal Hospital” in big white letters, the silhouettes of several pets behind them. It was my old boss’s truck, and he was standing beside it, leaning against the passenger door as he typed on his phone.
What the hell was he doing in Sagebrush?
I froze, my blood turning to ice in my veins. Dr. Blake Harmon had been my mentor, my boss, and ultimately the reason I’d left Austin. Seeing him here, on my turf, sent a wave of panic through me.
“You know him?” Brooks asked quietly, noticing my sudden change in demeanor.
“Yeah,” I breathed. “That’s my old boss from Austin.”
Brooks stiffened beside me, his body going rigid. I could practically feel the walls going up around him. Whatever openness had been developing between us was rapidly disappearing.
“I should go,” he mumbled, taking a step back.
I reached out and caught his wrist without thinking. “No, stay. Please.” The desperation in my voice surprised even me. “I... I might need the moral support. I have no idea why he’s here.”
Something flickered across Brooks’s face—uncertainty, maybe even protectiveness. He glanced at Harmon, then back at me, and gave a short nod.
“Dr. Walsh!” Harmon called out, finally spotting me. He pushed off from his truck and strode toward us, all confidence and expensive cologne. His salt-and-pepper hair was perfectly styled, his smile practiced and empty. He looked exactly the same as he had in Austin, right down to the designer jeans and custom boots that he liked to wear around the office.
“Blake,” I said flatly, not bothering with his title. “What brings you to Sagebrush?”
“Can’t a man check in on an old colleague?” He extended his hand, which I reluctantly shook. His gaze drifted to Brooks, assessing him with a quick once-over. “And who might this be?”
I felt a surge of protectiveness. “This is Brooks Callahan. He’s a local rancher.”
Brooks didn’t offer his hand, just nodded curtly, his expression unreadable beneath the brim of his hat. The tension radiating off him was palpable.
“Pleasure,” Blake said without meaning it. “Mind if we talk inside, Rowan? Professional matters.”
I hesitated, not wanting to be alone with him but also not wanting to air whatever this was in public. “Sure. Brooks was just helping me with something.”
Blake’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “I won’t take much of your time.”
