finished, and just in time because after several weeks of near inactivity, she was beat. Before Amber had a chance to speak to her, Gloria rescued her.
“Bubba said whenever you’re ready, we’ll head back home. And in the nick of time, too.”
Maggie looked around her. “What’d I miss?”
“Dr. LeBlanc just got here,” she said. “And it looks like Amber and him are an item.”
“Oh man, I thought he was involved with Kelly Casson,” Maggie said.
“Yeah, well, leave it to Amber,” Gloria said, frowning. “Let’s get out of here.”
When they dropped Maggie off at Bayou Cottage, all she could think of was Kelly. She’d already decided that Kelly was going to be her business partner of sorts, and seeing that she was safe and happy would be important. How was a philandering Ted LeBlanc going to fit into that picture?
Standing in the parking lot, Amber wasn’t sure exactly why Ted had shown up, either.
“What’d you have in mind by coming by the preserve today?”
“I just wanted to see you,” he said. “Is that okay?”
“See me as an employee?” she asked.
“That and as a friend. I’d like to be more than a friend.”
“Frankly, I’m uncomfortable with it. You’re my boss, Dr. LeBlanc, and I want to keep it that way.”
“Yes, but while you’re in school, I’m supposed to monitor your other related activities. You’ll get credit for being out there today, but I had to see it with my own eyes.”
“I never heard of that rule,” she said, frowning. “And anyway, I’ve been volunteering here for years. I can get Dr. Breaux to vouch for me if need be.”
“I’d like to do that for you.”
“Dr. LeBlanc, this is weird. I don’t need you to monitor my other activities. But I need the job. I hope you’re not having second thoughts about letting me intern at your clinic.”
He was doing it again, overstepping his boundaries, acting out of control, and he knew it. What was wrong with him?
“Amber, you’re right. I don’t need to monitor your other activities, and it was inappropriate of me to show up here at the preserve. I’ll be on my way.”
She nodded, but didn’t turn her back on him. Hesitating, he was watching her. The sun was starting its descent, and it would soon be dusk. She just wanted him to leave.
“Is there anything wrong, sir?”
His shoulders slumped when she said it, a final insult, being called sir.
“No, nothing wrong. Goodbye, Amber. See you Monday.”
She waited for him to get into his truck before she opened her car door. But when he pulled out onto the road, she quickly got in and locked the doors. Everything about the encounter felt wrong, but there was nothing she could do about it because he hadn’t really done anything.
Once she was home, she quickly wrote down everything he’d said before she forgot, just in case.
Driving down the highway toward the clinic, Ted slammed his palm on the steering wheel. “Damn it!” He’d done it again.
Slowing down at the entrance to his driveway, he didn’t turn in, heading toward town. Hopefully, Kelly was free. He had to stop playing games and get serious before he did something really stupid.
Kelly was free to see him, but she was just getting ready to leave for the rescue to see if Maggie’s dog, Brulee, liked the dogs that needed fostering. She had her back to the driveway and was locking the door when Ted’s truck pulled in.
She was stunned. They had talked to each other daily since the last time he’d come over. What was going on? He’d never seemed needy before this.
“Hey, I guess I got here in the nick of time,” he said.
“I’m just walking across the street,” she replied, pointing to the rescue. “Maggie and Justin are coming by to look at dogs to foster.”
“Can I go with you?”
“You want to come to the rescue? Why?”
“Because I want to be with you, and I don’t want to wait here,” he said, holding out his hand. “Come on, it’ll be a new adventure. You can show me around.”
“It’s not mine, remember? But I might have something exciting to share with you if you’re really interested.”
“I’m interested,” he said.
“Well, let’s go get this over with, and then I’ll tell you.”
They crossed the street hand in hand just as Justin slowed down in front of the community center building.
“Wait a minute. Is that Ted and Kelly?” Maggie hissed, pointing to the couple.
“I think so.”
“He was just at the preserve with Amber this afternoon. I saw