Erin Kern - Along Came Trouble

How could an unconscious person hear anything? It seemed silly to sit there and have a one-sided conversation with someone. But he would do handstands from the ceiling if it would help his sister recover faster.

“You really believe that?” he asked her.

She turned in her chair so she was facing him. “Of course. There have been studies done on it.”

Rebecca and her studies. She was so damn analytical.

“What were you talking to her about?”

She waved a hand in his direction. “You’re the one who was standing there listening. Why don’t you tell me?”

His only response was a half smile.

She lifted her eyes to the ceiling in a dramatic eye roll. “I was just retelling stories about high school. And asking her about this guy she’s supposedly engaged to.”

“Supposedly?” he repeated. “You don’t think she’s really engaged?” That was something he’d been questioning himself.

“I don’t doubt the engagement. I doubt the maturity of the relationship.”

Maybe he was too much of a caveman, but RJ always had a hard time understanding Rebecca’s lingo. She always sounded like she was quoting a textbook—which she probably was.

He pushed away from the door and walked to the foot of Courtney’s bed. “Yeah, that would be like her, to jump into something without thinking. And you knew they were dating, didn’t you. I mean, you live with her.” He looked his sister over and thought how young and vulnerable she looked. Her auburn locks, which a few weeks ago had been jet black, were matted down. Half her head was wrapped in a white bandage. Her left arm was in a sling, and there were angry cuts and stitches all over her face.

“Yeah, I knew about the relationship. But she’s also been spending a lot of nights away though. I just never thought anything of it, because she has a habit of disappearing like that.”

“Or maybe she’s been sneaking him into her bedroom without you noticing.”

She shot him a droll look. “To a second-story bedroom?”

He lifted one shoulder. “It can be done.” He knew from experience. It was damn hard, but he’d done it. Funny how she’d seemed to have forgotten. Or maybe she hadn’t, if the look on her face was anything to go by. Or the stiffness of her body, as though his words had triggered an unwanted memory.

Unwanted? Who are you kidding?

Oh, yes, that trip to the second floor had well been worth it. Even though it had happened six years ago, he remembered it with stunning clarity. It had been the summer she’d turned nineteen. A twenty-three-year-old had no business messing around with someone fresh out of high school. But he’d done it anyway.

That was the year everything had changed between them.

Elisa wasn’t prepared for this, even though she knew it had to be done. No way would she survive as a vet. How did those people put animals to sleep on a regular basis? She only had one animal to deal with, and she was a freakin’ basket case.

Unable to stand the waiting, she gathered Brinkley in her arms twenty minutes early and barely managed to get the front door open. The dog whimpered when she adjusted him in her arms.

It felt all kinds of wrong for the day to be so sunny and pleasant. The weather was a direct contradiction to her mood, and she didn’t like it. The sunshine grated on her nerves. She wanted dark skies. She wanted howling winds and violent claps of thunder so the environment could match the turmoil inside of her.

The cracked sidewalk almost had her landing on her face when her sneaker got caught in the uneven pavement. Damn tree roots. If she had superhuman strength, she’d rip the thing up and put it through someone’s front window.

Her car was still in the driveway from where she’d left it yesterday.

So was Brody’s.

The sight of him leaning against his truck, as though she should have been expecting him, almost broke up the black clouds swirling around her. Almost.

Had she asked him to come by and forgotten about it? No, she would have remembered—because she would have made an effort not to be home.

She stopped in front of him, barely being able to hold on to Brinkley because he was so damn heavy.

“What are you doing here?” she asked point blank because she was not in the mood for bullshit.

“I told you’d I’d help you with this,” he said in that wonderfully deep voice of his, which she still wasn’t dreaming about.

“Thanks, but I’ve got it,” she replied, and stepped around him to her car.

“Elisa, wait.”

Like hell. She kept moving around his truck until she reached her car. Somehow he beat her there and was able to open the back door for her. It was a good thing, because she hadn’t thought about how she was going to do it while holding a dog.

“Thanks,” she muttered while gently sliding Brinkley into the backseat. She’d just opened the driver’s-side door, hoping Brody would get the hint and leave, when he stopped her.

His hands were warm and sure on her shoulders when he turned her to face him. “I know I’m the last person you want to see. But you’re barely hanging on right now. And if you can honestly tell me you can handle this by yourself, I’ll leave.”

The familiar sting of tears puddled beneath her eyes. Only by a miracle was she able to hold them back, because she would not cry in front of him. The last thing she needed was Brody knowing how deeply in love with him she still was. And he’d still come here after she’d asked him to leave the other day. Why was he making it so hard for her to stay away from him?

Why couldn’t he walk away without looking back like most men did?

“I told you, I don’t need your help.” She said the words without looking at him.

Oh, why are you lying to yourself? You know you can’t do this without him .

“Right,” he said in a tight voice. “Give me your car keys. I’m driving.”

Because it was pointless to argue, and also because a tiny part of her mentally sagged with relief at his presence, she handed the keys over and walked around to the passenger side. As soon as she was in the car, Brody backed out of the driveway and headed toward the vet’s office.

They didn’t speak, mostly because Elisa wasn’t in the mood to shoot the breeze. It seemed Brody wasn’t in the mood either if the hard set of his jaw was anything to go by. Maybe he wasn’t as happy to be around her as she was with him. Fine. Whatever. They’d get this done and go their separate ways. Her work at the restaurant was finished, and Kelly was back in town. There was really no need to see him again.

The sooner she got away from him, she sooner she could start the healing process. As soon as she got to Mongolia, she’d put her house on the market and never have to see him again.

They pulled into the vet’s office ten excruciating minutes later. Brody offered to carry Brinkley, which Elisa didn’t protest. Her arms felt like rubber from carting him around. And also, the look on Brody’s face wasn’t so thunderous when he made the offer. The way his eyes briefly touched on hers almost reminded her of when they’d first met. And how she’d been blindsided by him.

The technicians inside were overly nice, probably because they knew what Elisa was about to go through. Although she appreciated the effort, she wished they wouldn’t bother on her account. Their friendly smiles and sympathetic looks didn’t soothe her. The only thing that would ease her suffering was knowing that Brinkley was no longer in pain—and getting away from Brody.

Under normal circumstances, the intoxicating scent of his manly shampoo would have had her toes curling. Now it just made her feel even more on edge.

The young technician in a blue uniform led the two of them to a back room with all sorts of equipment and a metal table. The sight wasn’t reassuring. In fact, it only made her feel worse. It was so impersonal, like they trucked animals through here all day long, ending their lives.