Page 46 of Trussed In Hope
I froze for a beat, then let out a slow breath. “I’d love to. Really. But my license is in Ohio.”
Lynn’s face fell. “Ah. The joys of bureaucracy.”
“Exactly,” I said, nodding. “Florida’s one of the strictest states for transfer. It’s not as simple as sending paperwork. I’d have to apply, meet their requirements, and that can take… anywhere from six to nine months.”
She groaned dramatically and dropped her head onto the desk. “Six to nine months? That’s cruel and unusual punishment. Don’t they know excellent help is impossible to find?”
I laughed, reaching out to tap the back of her hand. “Welcome to the world of mental health. We spend half our time helping people cope with systems we can’t fix, and the other half trying to jump through the same hoops ourselves.”
Lynn peeked up at me with a mock glare. “So you’re telling me I’m stuck with you as a temp fairy godmother instead of a full-time lifesaver?”
“Pretty much,” I teased. “But hey—when the paperwork finally clears, you’ll be the first to know.”
She sat up, grinning again. “Good. I’ll hold you to that. And next time, coffee’s on me.”
What had I just done? I smiled to myself, knowing exactly what I'd agreed to. Then my joy faltered when I thought about the fact that I hadn't spoken to Hardison about it.
Sure, we'd agreed to be together, but nothing more than that. I knew once I left, he'd have to make this place his own.
I drove back to the ranch, tossing all the different thoughts I was having back and forth, trying to decide before talking to him about it. When I got inside, Hardison was in the kitchen cooking, and I was so lost in thought that I didn't think about greeting him properly. I walked past him to the bedroom and put my things away.
“Hey, is everything okay?” Hardison peeked his head into the room.
“Can we talk?” I asked, blurting it out before considering his question.
“Come into the kitchen when you’re finished?”
I nodded, and he exited. I showered, put on a pale pink chemise, and slid my feet into my matching fluffy slippers. Entering the kitchen, Hardison did a double take and didn't stop staring.
“What?” I asked.
“You're so beautiful.” I pressed his hands onto the counter and leaned forward. “Are you trying to distract me from talking?”
I giggled. “No, I'm not. This conversation is important.”
He patted the counter, and I walked around. He lifted me onto it and caught my lips as he stole a kiss. He wrapped his arms around my waist, and I did the same to his neck.
“Talk to me, Queen.”
“Before I do, how is the goat?” I asked.
“Good. Andy–the owner of Silver Creek–found a vet nearby who specialized in ranch animals. He came straight down in the morning, which is why I was up so early. The goat will be fine and he left antibiotics. I had him look around, and he agreed that all the animals looked healthy. He set up a wellness visit for next week to tour the ranch and take a deeper look. He’s a good guy. Veteran.”
“Very nice. How’d Elijah take it?”
“Much better than I expected. He put a rush on the eclectic fence, and he talked to a contractor about some other upgrades. He’s taking this farming thing more seriously than I thought he would. He tagged along to learn stuff while the vet and I were talking.”
“See…” I nudged him. “I love how y’all work well together. I think you need that. You both do.” I kissed him again, loving how much he cared about the animals here.
“I love you, too.” He hugged me tight. “Now… what did you want to discuss?”
“How do you feel about me moving into town?” I asked.
“In town…” he moved his head back a bit. “Explain.”
“Remember Raya said that her therapist needed more people?”
“I do.”
