Page 38 of Healing Fate
“No, Vada will come to work with us. I’ll get one of the storage rooms cleaned out this weekend to give her a safe room to play in when times get busy. For this she can just hang out in the front area with you while I’m with patients. It’s not that big of a deal unless it becomes problematic for you. Or if you’d rather, I could talk to Emma and see if she’d be interested in working a few evening hours. Bravo team is home right now so unless something happens, she may prefer to spend her time with her mate. She’s a gorilla shifter, but she’s fantastic with kids. She watches Shelby and Ben’s triplets during school hours. Shelby’s a teacher.”
She nodded. “I know who they are. I’ve been trying to work up the nerve to reach out to her.”
“You should do that.”
By the time she agreed on my terms of employment, it was sadly time to say goodbye. I knew the boys would forgive me if I bailed on them, but I didn’t want to be the guy who let down his friends at the last second either.
With another kiss, I left her with plans to see her in the morning.
*****
“What has gotten into you?” Baine demanded. “Last week you couldn’t play for shit and today you’re on fire.”
“Went for a run, didn’t you?” Grant asked as I watched the ball sail out of my hands and right through the hoop for a perfect net ball.
“I did actually. Thanks for that. It was rather life changing.”
“Life changing? What kind of bullshit are you spouting off now, Doc?” Baine challenged.
I laughed. “Well, can you fools just shut up and play the game already? I swear you’re bigger gossips than Nonna.”
“Hey now, no one is a bigger gossip than that,” Tarron pointed out making us all laugh. There was no doubt just how much that man loved the crazy old woman who insisted on adopting him, the lone fox shifter at the time, and then take in all of his mate’s sisters claiming them as her own.
My heart wasn’t really in the game. I was rather kicking myself for not taking things to the next level with Lucy while we would have been truly uninterrupted.
I hadn’t told her what I had going on today or how I played basketball with Bravo team every Wednesday then spent the evening geeking out over Dungeons and Dragons. I liked to think she saw me as a rather cool guy. Would that change her impression of me?
I knew I couldn’t let that worry me. She’d find out eventually and would have to come to accept it. I was too invested to just quit now. I would do anything for my mate, but that might be testing my limits.
*****
I was hosting tonight. I had snacks lining the island counter and a big pot of chili waiting for my guests. Susan had apparently enjoyed playing with us and Tarron had told me she was coming again and this time she was bringing a friend.
I always loved introducing new people to the game.
Of course, they were the last to arrive.
“Wow, something smells good in here.”
I shook my head unable to believe my ears.
Tarron and Susan walked in. I saw Susan sniff the air and then shrug.
“I don’t really smell anything.”
“Really?”
I was on my feet and crossing the room before Lucy even came into view.
She came to an abrupt stop when she saw me. “Micah? What are you doing here?”
“It’s his house,” Tarron informed her eyeballing me suspiciously.
“Hey,” I told her wrapping her up in my arms and kissing her to make it absolutely clear that this girl was mine.
“What the hell? Is this why you were practically dancing out of your skin all afternoon?”
I raised my middle finger to him.
