Page 34 of Falling for the Veterinarian

“Okay, I understand.” I try to put on a brave face.

Zach reaches out and grabs my hand. “I will do everything in my power to help her.” I can feel the power behind his words and trust him completely. He rushes off to the back. I pace back and forth for a bit, but the office isn’t conducive to that. I group text Lisa and Trixie what happened and request the rest of the day off. Not even a minute later, I receive a text from Aunt Michelle asking what happened and if Maggie is ok. The rumor mill in Moonridge really is strong.

* * *

“Sarah, wake up.” Zach shakes my arm.

“OMG, I can’t believe I fell asleep. How’s Mags?” I interrogate him and sit bolt upright from the sofa. He sits next to me and puts his feet up on the footstool.

“She’s fine and has been in recovery for a while. I let you get some sleep while the anesthesia was still wearing off.” He continues, “She just had a broken right leg. No internal bleeding of any kind. Your aunt has already been updated. I had a barrage of text messages. Seems the Moonridge gossip is alive and thriving.”

“Can I see her?”

“In a little bit, I don’t want her to get up yet. Listen, Sarah. I need to apologize.”

I attempt to stand, but he places a gentle hand on my arm. “I know I confused you and hurt you. I didn’t mean to do that. I owe you an explanation.”

I take a deep breath and then nod in agreement, bracing myself for the official letdown.

“I told you Susie died six years ago.” He pauses to clear his throat. “Every year around the anniversary of her death, I send her parents a bouquet of lilies, which are her favorite flowers. The phone call I took that night was from Susie’s mother; she was thanking me for the flowers. I suddenly felt extremely guilty for moving on and enjoying time with you.”

“Oh.” I have no other words. I stare at my hands for a moment before meeting his eyes again.

He sits forward and rubs his forehead before speaking again. “Losing your spouse is different than a divorce. I still love Susie. I always will. She was my first love. And I was just a shell of a man for the last six years.” He pauses and then looks soulfully into my eyes. “Until I met you.”

My heart thunders in my ears. I smooth my hair and wait for him to continue.

“When Maggie was hit this afternoon, it broke me. I just kept thinking what if you had been hit by that car? Did I miss my chance? You make me feel warm and whole again. I know we haven’t known each other very long, but my life is lonely without you.”

“I know what you mean,” I confess softly.

“You are the love of my new life, Sarah. And I don’t want to waste any more time.”

“So, what are you saying?” My heart pounds in my ears.

He pauses while looking deeply into my eyes. “I’m saying I want to be with you and no one else.”

“I want to be with you too.” He gives me a deep, hungry kiss. My heart threatens to explode from desire. I fit perfectly in his muscular arms as the warmth envelopes me. I am safe and at home. Just as the kiss deepens into a feverish fit of yearning, he breaks away before anything else can happen.

“Let’s go see Maggie.” He rises to pull me up from the sofa and leads me to the post-operative area.

Maggie is awake in her crate. “I had to put some pins in the fracture to hold the bone in the correct position. She’ll need to wear the cast for about six weeks.”

I look at her right leg; it has a red cast on it. “My poor baby. Just the broken leg?”

“Well, it’s fixed now.” He laughs, and I scowl. “Amazingly, yeah.”

“Can she walk on it?” I look at him for an answer.

“Yes, I’ll let her out and see how she does.”

He carefully lifts her out of the cage and helps her stand. Maggie is a little off-balance. She wags her tail and almost tips over. Zach gently repositions her and she carefully takes a step forward and then another. Relief overwhelms me. I almost lost my best friend.

Misty-eyed, I gaze at Zach and utter a heartfelt, “Thank you.”

Twenty-Six

Sarah

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