Page 45 of Trussed In Hope
After we finished, I hugged and kissed Tia so much that she had to pull herself away. She was on her way to the airport and wouldn’t let me take her since Callum had already volunteered his services. I kissed her one last time as I helped her into his truck. Then I walked Emberlynn to her car. Because her house–the big house–was on the other side of the grounds, it was best that she drove versus walking. I asked if she needed me to go with her since she seemed so tired. She declined, but I gave her my number so that she could call or text me when she got there.
Instead of going back inside, I got in the car to get that fresh air I needed. Halfway down the road into town, my phone buzzed across the passenger seat of Hardison's SUV. Raya.
I answered with a smile. “Miss me already, mama-to-be?”
Her laugh was warm, but tired. “Hey, Emberlynn. Listen, I know this is out of the blue, but my therapist is in a bit of a bind.”
“What’s going on?”
“Hold on, I'm going to conference call her in.” The line went silent, and then Raya came back. “Lynn? Emberlynn?”
We both responded at the mention of our names.
“Oh, good. Alright Lynn, she wants to know what's going on.”
“One of my therapists quit last night. Just up and left. And of course, today is fully booked with sessions. I’m trying to move things around, but—” she paused, breath shaky, “—I remembered you’ve got some background in counseling, right?”
I chewed my lip. “I’m not licensed here. I don’t want to overstep.”
“You wouldn’t be.” Relief threaded through her voice. “I just need someone to help me run the office, greet clients, take notes, keep everything moving. The paperwork alone is enough to bury me…” she trailed off.
I could almost hear her anxiety taking over, and my heart softened. “Say no more. Tell me where you need me, and I’ll be there.”
“You’re a lifesaver.” Her voice cracked with gratitude. “Come by the clinic. I’ll show you what needs done.”
I glanced at the town just up ahead, then turned my car down the next road toward the little clinic. “On my way.”
As I drove, a strange mix of nerves and excitement fluttered within me. Helping Lynn wasn’t just about paperwork. It was about stepping into her world, intothisworld, the one Hardison was tied to. It was about proving—to her, to myself—that I wasn’t just some woman playing the ranch game until I was burned out.
I could belong here. And maybe today was my first chance to prove it. Not only to Hardison but to myself as well.
I pulled into the small parking lot behind Lynn's office. I clicked the engine off in the busy parking lot. The small building had a cheerful red brick façade, but the second I opened the door, I could tell the day had already started without mercy. Phones rang in rapid succession, papers were stacked high on every counter, and a faint whiff of coffee mixed with disinfectant clung to the air.
Lynn appeared from a side door, already juggling a phone and a clipboard. “You must be Emberlynn!” she called, waving me over like I was a lifeline.
“Yes, hi! I'm ready to rescue you,” I joked, ducking under the flurry of motion.
“Youhaveno idea.” She handed me the clipboard she’d been holding. “Clients are dropping in, forms are missing, and I swear if one more appointment cancels, I might—” She stopped herself mid-rant, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Anyway. I need you to handle intake, greet the clients, make sure the schedules get logged, and?—”
“Got it. I can do that,” I said, taking a deep breath as I scanned the room. I set my bag down and rolled my sleeves up, feeling that familiar buzz of adrenaline when you’re suddenly in charge of keeping everything from falling apart.
The first client arrived—an older woman with an armful of paperwork that looked like it belonged in a library archive. I guided her to the waiting area, handed her a clipboard, and smiled. “Lynn asked me to help today. I’ll make sure your visit goes smoothly.”
As I moved back behind the counter, juggling phone calls and logging appointments, Lynn caught my eye and gave a quick grateful nod. “I honestly don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Keep breathing,” I teased lightly, feeling the tension in the room ease just a fraction. “That’s Step One.”
We fell into a rhythm surprisingly quickly, the chaos less intimidating now that I had my feet under me. Between answering calls, reordering files, and redirecting clients to the right room, I realized I was thriving in the mess. Lynn’s expression every time she glanced up at me—relief, gratitude, a little awe—made me smile.
By mid-morning, I was in full swing, passing notes, calming frayed nerves, and even catching Lynn sneaking a sip of her coffee when she thought no one was looking. The day might have started as a disaster, but together, we were making it work. And somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew Hardison would have been proud.
More than that, I was extremely happy to feel like I was making a difference in a workday. That element had been missing from my previous job.
A little later, Lynn leaned back in her chair, kicking her heels off under the desk with a sigh that made me laugh. “You saved my butt today. I don’t think I’ve run around that much since grad school.”
I smiled, tucking the last file into its slot. “It was fun, actually. A little chaotic, but… it reminded me of why I loved doing this.”
Her eyes lit up, sharp and assessing in the way therapists sometimes look at you when they’re connecting dots. “So why not come on board here? We could use someone like you. And honestly—” she gave me a grin, half-serious, half-pleading—“I’d sleep a lot better knowing you’re around to catch me when the universe dumps a day like this on me again.”
