Mother, Please! - By Brenda Novak & Jill Shalvis & Alison Kent Page 0,60
current owner, who was willing to work with her on terms. He just wanted to retire to Florida. She’d figured she could speak to a few of her fellow veterinarian friends about a possible partnership so she wouldn’t have to do this alone, because suddenly, or maybe not so suddenly, alone didn’t seem nearly as freeing as it once had.
At least here she’d be far away from her past, far from Rose and…and her extremely welcome help in the office, not to mention her kindness, and the way she had of making Melissa feel…loved.
Even when she thought she didn’t want it.
Her throat burned but she blinked quickly. She hadn’t cried in years and years, and yet in recent days she’d turned into such a wimp. Well, she was over that, over letting it all get to her.
Here, she wouldn’t have to deal with Jason and the way he had of making her feel as if she was the only woman on the planet. He made her feel special, smart…sexy; he made her brain happy and made her body hum in anticipation.
Yep, boy was she glad that was over.
Damn it. A shaky sigh escape her, while all around her trucks and cars zoomed by, honking and jockeying for superior position on the road. Pedestrians walked past her, jostling her a little in their hurry to get to wherever they were going.
No one in Martis Hills was ever in a hurry.
She got back into her car. Twice she tried to talk herself out of it, but it all just made sense. She pulled out her cell phone and called Dr. Myers in Phoenix, who was thrilled to hear from her.
“I hear you’re doing wonderfully in Martis Hills,” he said.
“Better now, thank you. Dr. Myers, I no longer want to lease the clinic. I want to buy it.”
“Ah.” He sounded pleased. “You’re ready for roots.”
“Yes,” she whispered, liking the sound of that. Roots.
THE WAY HOME TOOK six hours instead of four, thanks to a jackknifed big rig just outside of Bakersfield. And a stop for a Big Mac.
She loved comfort food.
By the time she pulled back into Martis Hills, the sun had set. There was no traffic in town, no rude pedestrians ruling the streets. Her clinic looked dark and locked, just as she’d left it.
Heading past it, for the outskirts of town where Jason lived, she pulled into his driveway and walked up the porch where she’d only a few nights ago seduced him into taking her to his bed.
The power of that moment had been incredible, and her heart ached. She wanted more of that.
But he wasn’t home. His truck was gone, his house dark.
Deflated, she drove by Rose’s. Stopped. Got out of her car.
Melissa watched Rose open her front door and stand on the porch, to see who’d driven up. She then let out a gasp of surprise, and ran down the steps to meet her.
She came to a stop just before Melissa, clearly fighting the urge to toss her arms around her.
Melissa had done that to the two of them. She’d pushed Rose away. She’d pushed everyone away, just pushed and pushed until they didn’t know what to do with her or how to treat her.
No more. She wanted this, she wanted these people in her life. So she smiled, and the knot in her chest loosened. “I went to Los Angeles to see a vet clinic that’s up for sale. I figured I belonged there.”
Rose clasped her fingers together, her smile fading. “I see. And did you? Belong there?”
“Once upon a time, I did, very much.”
“And now?”
“Now I belong where my heart leads me. And…and it’s led me here. I was drawn here, drawn by being born here…by the fact I knew you’d come back here. I didn’t understand the need then, but I think I do now. Being here, allowing people in, you for example… I think that’s what I was looking for without even knowing it.”
Rose’s eyes filled. “So…you’ve forgiven then?”
At the hitch in Rose’s breath, her own throat went even tighter. She reached out for her mother’s hands. “My past made me, it molded me. My past is a part of who I am. But I’ve forgiven, if you’ll forgive me for taking so long to listen to your story.”
“Oh, honey.” She threw her arms around Melissa’s neck. “There’s nothing to forgive.” Her eyes wet, she cupped her daughter’s face. “From right this very minute we’re starting over.”