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“Hey girl,” Grace whispered. “You’re such a good girl.” She reached out with trembling fingers as she stroked Dolly’s head, trying to offer what little comfort she could. Dolly whimpered, the whites of her eyes showing, her body vibrating with pain and fear.
The gunshot wound was on Dolly’s right shoulder. Blood welled, staining her fur a vivid crimson.
Grace blew out a breath, pushing down the fear and despair. The sense of powerlessness that had pervaded her life for so long receded.
I’m a veterinarian, trained to heal.
This is my skill-set, my area of expertise.
She could do this. She ran her hands over Dolly’s body, feeling for additional wounds or fractures. The dog flinched and yelped as, with gentle fingers, she probed the area around the shoulder wound. The bleeding was steady. She had to act fast to prevent Dolly from going into shock.
“It’s okay, girl.” Grace yanked off her wool hat and pressed it firmly against the wound, securing it in place with her scarf to slow the bleeding. If the brachial artery was damaged, Dolly would require surgery to repair the vessel. “I’ve got you. You’re going to be alright.”
“Grace!” Caleb.
“Caleb! Here!” She cradled Dolly’s head in her lap. “Don’t worry, girl, we’re going to get you out of here. Everything’s going to be fine.”
Dolly’s breathing was shallow, her eyes glazed with pain, but Grace was sure she understood what she said.
Branches snapped and then Caleb was in the clearing with her, his gun raised. His chest rose and fell in ragged breaths. Sweat gleamed on his brow. He swung his gun in a wide arc, searching for hostiles. Only when he saw they were alone did he lower his gun and allow his gaze to fall on Dolly in her lap.
His eyes widened. “Fuck. You okay?”
“I’m fine?—”
“Dolly. Is she?—”
Grace gave a curt shake of her head. “Hurry. Help me get her up now. We need to get her to Brad. She’s losing blood. We don’t have much time.”
34
The journey to Brad’s veterinary clinic passed in a disjointed blur. Outside the car window, the world rushed by Grace in a wash of green trees and hazy scenery as Caleb floored the accelerator of his brother’s SUV, pushing the vehicle to its limits in a desperate race against time.
She cradled Dolly in her lap, trying not to think about the blood soaking through her clothes, the dog’s labored breathing, or the feverish heat that radiated from her small, furry body. With each passing mile, Grace smoothed soothing circles over Dolly’s soft ears, repeating a silent prayer for a miracle.
Grace’s insides were a mess of barbed wire that cut her deep with every breath. She had brought this misery and suffering into Caleb’s life when all he had done was care for her and keep her safe. It was time for it to stop. All of it.
He brought the SUV to an abrupt halt outside the clinic entrance, tires screeching against the asphalt as he threw the vehicle into park, heedless of who he was blocking. In an instant, he was at Grace’s side, helping her from the car with the broken bundle of Dolly in her arms.
As soon as they were inside, Brad confirmed Grace’s worst fears, his face grim as he examined the extent of Dolly’s injuries. She insisted on scrubbing up alongside him, determined to do whatever she could to help and repair this traumatic fracture in Caleb’s life.
Two hours passed. The steady beep of the monitors dominated the operating room as Brad worked with expert hands. After, Grace felt empty, as if someone had drained all the life and energy from her.
On leaden feet, she made her way out to Caleb in the waiting room. His handsome head hung low, but he met her gaze, his eyes locking onto hers with fierce intensity at the sound of her footsteps.“Grace.”
God. This man. A wave of emotion swamped her, and she swallowed, searching for composure.
“How’s Dolly?”
“We won’t know for sure for the first twenty-four hours.” Grace kept her voice steady despite the fluttery feelings in her chest. “She’s been through a lot, but...” A hiccupy breath escaped her. “But I’m hopeful.”
A small flicker of hope, but it was all she could offer in the face of so much uncertainty.
His shoulders sagged, the tension draining from his body as he pulled a hand over his face, composing himself. “Thank God.”
Grace’s jeans were stiff with Dolly’s dried blood, but she didn’t hesitate, pulling Caleb into her arms with a fierce, desperate intensity. Her fingers tangled in the soft hair at his nape, memorizing every tiny detail. The solid warmth of his chest against her body, the heat of his arm at the small of her back, the gentle brush of his breath against her neck.
She soaked it all in, locking it away in a secret place deep inside her. No one could take this moment, this feeling, from her. Whatever happened now, he was hers, now and always.
