Tia bit her lip, no doubt wondering just how much to share. “Eleven months, and transitioning back into the seeing world is difficult enough. And Mackenzie did nearly all of it on her own.”
“She’s stubborn.” Hunter smiled.
Tia did not. “She’s scared.”
She was that too, but few people took the time to see past the tough exterior to the vulnerable woman beneath. Tia had, and that meant she could be an ally. And right then, he needed an ally.
“She’s both,” Hunter said, and Tia nodded.
“Which is why I’m going to ask you to stop helping her.”
Scratch that. They were not on the same side. “She asked for my help, nothing will stop me from doing that.”
He’d blown it the first time around, being so wrapped up in his own problems and plans that he hadn’t noticed the signs that she was in trouble. He wasn’t about to make that mistake again.
“I’m not saying don’t support her, but there’s a difference between helping and handicapping.” She held up a hand when Hunter went to argue. “Transitioning into the seeing world is rough. Things that were as simple as routine become huge obstacles to overcome. It’s not just adapting, it’s reinventing your life, and Mackenzie’s had a harder time than most. She’s hit a wall and can’t seem to get over it.”
“She’s gotten over worse and she’ll get over this too. She just needs time,” he said, knowing it was the truth. “Nothing will get in her way once she decides to go after something.”
“If you’re not careful,youwill,” she explained quietly. “It will be well intentioned, but if you give her an out, she’ll take it.”
A fact Hunter knew firsthand. It was how he’d lost her the first time around.
He’d known something serious was going on with Mackenzie leading up to his wedding, but when pressed, she’d only clam up tighter, and he’d let her. Had he taken the time to find out what was really going on, let her know she was a priority, things may have gone differently.
For both of them.
“What are you suggesting?”
“That you encourage her to entertain new experiences but stand back and let her fail.”
“Mackenzie isn’t big on change.”
“I know,” Tia said. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a client so afraid to fail.”
“Not around me.” He laughed. “Hell, the woman is too busy pretending to have it all together to worry about failing.”
“And when you’re gone, how will she be then?”
If the sweat forming on his forehead wasn’t an indicator of his increasing anxiety over what was to come when his time was up, then Puddles’s yapping was.
In Mackenzie’s experience, failing had dire consequences. And it was left up to her to push through the aftermath. But pushing forwardwas a part of her core makeup. However, taking care of others, was ingrained in Hunter’s DNA. Which was going to make for one hell of a fun few weeks.
“Muttley was a hard dog to place because he has needs that go beyond a normal guide dog. If something doesn’t change, Mackenzie might lose him. And that would crush her,” Tia said.
Crushed was an understatement. Losing Muttley would be another loss in a list of many.
“I had no idea.” He cupped the bill of his ball cap in his palm and resituated it. “This changes things.” Becausethiswas no longer just about the music or the two of them. If she was as distracted by him as he was by her, she might accidentally sacrifice her own needs and goals.
Even worse, Mackenzie was stubborn enough to lose it all rather than ask for help.
“I’ll let her do things on her own, but I refuse to allow her to feel alone, and that means finding a way to get her excited about the change.”
Tia gave him a genuine smile. “Maybe I had you pegged all wrong.”
“What did you think?”
“That you were some narcissistic tater-dick who believes he knows what’s best for everyone and everything, and is under the delusion that the world runs on his schedule.” She shrugged. “Pretty much that you were a typical guy.”
