Shadow Lake Vampire Society - Wendi Wilson Page 0,7
new place where no one knows your history might do you some good.”
“And helping kids who’ve been abused, neglected, or abandoned might help me put my own pain and trauma into perspective?”
“Hey, you said it. Not me.” Coco replied, glancing at me from the corner of her eye. “Anyway, I think the combination of anonymity, helping kids, and new surroundings could help you take that first step into healing. Like, really healing, Piper.”
She kept her eyes on the road as she drove, and I studied her profile in silence for a few moments.
“When did you get so wise?” I asked, cocking my head to the side.
“Duh. Always have been. Nice of you to finally notice.”
I barked out a laugh, and she chuckled with me. I was going to miss her. My breath hitched as the thought ran through my mind.
“Hey, can you take me to Dr. Whitley’s office instead of home?”
“Of course,” Coco replied, flicking on the turn signal before veering into the left lane. “Does this mean…”
“I think I’m going to do it,” I said, answering the question she left hanging between us.
“Okay,” she said with a note of everlasting support.
“Okay,” I repeated as she pulled into Dr. Whitley’s driveway.
“Want me to wait for you?”
“Naw,” I said. “I’m going to have my mom meet me here so we can go over everything together.”
“Text me when you get home,” she ordered as I climbed from the car.
“Yes ma’am,” I agreed, flashing her a smile.
“Bubbly Piper,” she muttered, smiling back before she backed out of the drive.
I watched her car disappear down the road before pulling up my texting app on my phone. My finger hovered over her name, then faltered. My eyes flew up to Dr. Whitley’s modest, one-story home. The red bricks and white trim made it appear welcoming, and the presence of her black SUV in the driveway told me she was home.
But I had no idea whether or not she was seeing a patient in her office off the back of the house. I should have called first. I didn’t have an appointment, and it was rude—not to mention, unprofessional—to just show up unannounced like this.
The creak of the screen door startled me, and I jerked my gaze to the front porch. Dr. Whitley stepped out, her usually smooth brow crinkled with concern.
“Piper? Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I’m sorry,” I started, taking a few shuffling steps toward her. “I had Coco drop me off here because I wanted to talk to you, but I wasn’t thinking. I should’ve made an appointment.”
“It’s fine,” she assured me, waving me forward before tucking a chunk of wispy blonde hair behind her ear. Even though she was older than my mom, Dr. Whitely was a fox. “Come on in. I don’t have anything scheduled for this afternoon, so I’m all yours.”
I heaved a sigh of relief, then picked my way up the steps to stand beside her on the porch. “Thank you,” I said.
“Of course,” she replied, waving off my thanks. “Are you thirsty? Hungry? I have brownies.”
The scent of fresh-baked chocolate tickled my nose as I stepped into her house, making my stomach rumble with anticipation. Dr. Whitley laughed as I slapped a hand to my belly in an attempt to stop the embarrassing noises.
“I guess that’s a yes to brownies,” she said, moving out of the entryway and into a small kitchen on the left.
“Do you mind if I call my mom? I want her to meet me here.”
“Are you sure everything is okay?” she asked as she nodded and motioned toward my phone.
“Better than okay. I think,” I said as I pulled up Mom’s number and tapped the screen.
Mom assured me she’d be there in ten minutes, and when I ended the call, Dr. Whitley had a small plate with two brownies and a tall glass of milk waiting for me on the kitchen table. I thanked her as I slid into a rickety chair and dropped my backpack to the floor beside me.
“I’ve never been in here before,” I commented as I picked up a warm treat and took a big bite.
“Well, I usually only see my patients in the office,” she replied with a smile, hooking a thumb over her shoulder toward the window.
The small, detached office matched the house in material and design and was accessible from the driveway. There was no need to go into her house, and I was sure she preferred to keep her professional and private lives separate.