She inhaled swiftly.
“My dad died last month.”
My brows rose. “Oh, I’m sorry to hear about that.”
“After all that I did,” she said softly. “He didn’t leave anything to me.”
The doors behind us opened and I heard voices.
Holly heard them, too.
She looked up, and her entire demeanor changed.
Her body was welcoming and open, a soft almost-smile on her face.
That all wiped away in a single instant when Denver and Boone walked into the reception area where I’d totally forgotten what I was doing in the scheduling program pulled up on Gena’s computer.
Denver came to a stop on the other side of the counter while Boone came all the way around and bumped me with a hip. “Let me sit there for a minute, I need to write some notes for Holly and Young for in the morning.”
I moved, partially blocking Holly with my body when she started to all but vibrate.
“Holly, have you met…” Boone started, but stopped short when Denver said, “Holly? Don’t you mean Georgina?”
Holly inhaled swiftly. “I don’t go by that name anymore.”
Denver stiffened. “You too good to go by the name your daddy gave you now?”
Holly inhaled so swiftly that I was surprised that there was any oxygen left in the room.
“Yeah, I guess so, since he all but said ‘screw you’ after everything that I’ve done for him.” She tapped me on the shoulder. “Let me put him with his mama, Nettie. He won’t ever acclimate if you don’t let her try.”
She had a point.
I gave Froto over to her and walked with her out of the room.
When we got to the kennel where the Pomeranian mom was panting away happily with her puppies, I said, “Was it Denver?”
Holly nodded once.
“Your dad left the ranch that you almost killed yourself to save to him? And not you?” I asked.
She nodded once again, a tear sliding down her cheek when she did.
“It kills me,” she whispered. “Working here with Boone. I know that they’re related. I know that I’ll see that asshole all the time if I’m here. He kicked me out of the only home that I’ve ever known, Nettie. I won’t ever, ever be happy here. But it’s the only place that works with my schedule.” She paused. “He wouldn’t even let me keep my horse.”
With that parting comment, she placed Froto in with his mama and left.
I waited until I knew she was truly gone before I headed back inside the office area to find Boone and Denver talking quietly.
“…condemned. Had to get her out of there somehow.”
I sidled up to the counter and leaned my arms against it as I looked at Denver. “Are we talking about Holly?”
Denver sneered. “Do you mean Georgina?”
“Holly,” I corrected him, eyes serious. “Respect her wishes to be called Holly, Denver.”
Denver’s jaw worked.
