Page 2 of Austin's Answer
I held my dad’s pale, thin hand in mine. Anger warred with fear. Fear that he might die, or never recover from his stroke, and anger that my brother, Vince, didn’t tell me when it had happened.
But tears would accomplish nothing right now, so I let my anger take over. I kept my face calm, not letting Dad see the fire growing inside me. I gave him a gentle hug and kissed his forehead. “You get some rest, Dad. I’ll be back later.”
His droopy eyes fought to stay open, and he mumbled, but the stroke had stolen his words. I nodded to the nurse, and she took my place at his bedside. At least Vince was seeing to Dad’s care. He’d hired nurses to help around the clock so Dad could convalesce at home.
I was away at school, finishing up exams and getting my veterinary license when Dad had his stroke. He’d never been a big communicator, so I didn’t notice anything strange about not hearing from him. I figured he was giving me the space to study. It wasn’t until I arrived back home to start my new job that I discovered what had happened.
I didn’t stop to knock on the office door. Vince looked annoyed when I barged in, but I still considered it Dad’s office, and Dad never shut the door.
“Explain,” I said, taking in both the familiar and the changes in the room. The new computer on the desk. The smell of the leather chair Dad had finally bought a year ago to replace his own father’s wooden desk chair.
Vince’s dark eyes, a mirror of my own, flashed. “You have no right to barge in here making demands.”
“You had no right to hide this from me.” I crossed my arms, standing my ground.
“Dad wouldn’t have wanted you to leave school.” Vince turned back to his computer screen. He ran his hand over his military-short brown hair. “Besides, it’s not like you could have done anything.”
“What about sitting with him at the hospital? Or helping run the ranch?” I sat in the chair across from him. “You didn’t have to do it all alone.”
“I have everything handled.”
“This is a large operation. Dad had you to help him. Let me do my part.”
“I said I have everything handled.” Vince’s tone was firm. “You came home to work at the vet clinic. Stick to fixing puppies and kittens.”
I bristled. “I’m a large animal vet. I can handle ranch work.”
“Well, I don’t need you here.” He shut down his computer and grabbed his hat. “Now, if you don’t mind, I have some real work to do.”
He ushered me from the office, locking the door behind him, and headed for the barn. I followed.
“Vince, we’re not done talking.”
“Yes, we are.” His voice left no room for argument. I knew I’d get nothing else from him right now, so I glared at his back and let him disappear into the barn.
Ever since he returned from the army, he’d been a different man. He was always serious, but after coming home, there was a darkness to him. A shadow that hung over everything he did. And I couldn’t ask Mason, his former best friend, for help, because the two weren’t on speaking terms anymore.
Besides, I wanted nothing to do with Shifter Ranch. I didn’t need a reminder of how foolish I’d been at seventeen. Believing I was in love with Mason’s brother Austin and believing he loved me back. The last time I saw him was a memory still burned in my brain. His flippant words of goodbye, as if I meant nothing to him. And me begging him to stay.
It was a mistake I’d never make again.
“Well, look who’s here. If it isn’t the princess herself.”
My shoulders stiffened, and I turned slowly to face Ray, one of our ranch hands. I never understood why Dad kept him around. Sure, he was good on a horse, but he had a cruel streak.
“Ray. I didn’t know you still worked here.”
He puffed out his chest and smirked. “I’m the foreman now. Vince promoted me when the old man got sick. He needed help, and you were off playing around.”
“I’d hardly call vet school playing around.” I gritted my teeth. “And I’m here now.”
“The men have everything under control, princess.” His patronizing tone made me want to smack him, but I resisted. Barely. “Stick to your little vet clinic.”
I narrowed my gaze. Ever since I turned down his advances on my eighteenth birthday, he did anything he could to make me feel small. I never would have dated him, but the way he asked the very day I became legal, as if he’d been waiting, made my skin crawl.
The ringing of my phone prevented me from replying. I glanced down and saw Doc Johnson’s name on the screen. I turned away from Ray to answer.
“Hi, Doc. What can I do for you?”
