Page 30 of Midlife Animal Rescuer Bear

“You never came back. Not once in ten years.” He sat up slowly. “You didn’t take my calls, didn’t answer my texts. You didn’t bother to reach out. I might as well have been dead to you. And I’m supposed to understand that you did it because you were scared?”

The tears were streaming down her face now. She opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out. He had a point. But so did she. How could he not see how it must’ve felt for her to find out that the man she loved wasn’t even human? He’d upended her world in a single evening. Running away had been the sanest thing she could think of.

“This isn’t working,” he said. She thought she heard a quaver in his voice. “This can never work.”

His words hit her like a barrage of bullets, piercing through her heart. They shouldn’t hurt so much, Melissa knew—only days ago, after all, she’d decided nothing could possibly happen between her and Cal. So why did she feel this way?

It didn’t matter. Cal was right: This could never work. Their relationship had been doomed to fail from the day he revealed his true nature to her. There was no coming back from that.

“I understand,” she said softly.

The tears were falling faster now. Without waiting for whatever else he had to say, she bent to pick her clothes, pulling them on as quickly as possible. A gleam on her finger caught her eye as she adjusted the hem of her blouse. A ruby.

She stared at the engagement ring for a few seconds, the lump in her throat too painful now to utter a word. Then, with trembling fingers, she pulled it off, tossed it at Cal, and left the bedroom before the first sob wracked her body.

Chapter Thirteen

Heads and Tails

Melissa, you idiot. What the heck were you thinking?

She marched across the street, narrowly avoiding being missed by a pickup truck rounding the corner. The guy behind the wheel yelled a couple of obscenities, but she ignored him, staring straight ahead as she headed down the sidewalk. Some pedestrians frowned at her as she passed them, concern on their faces.

All she cared about was getting home. Ten minutes ago, she’d considered simply taking a walk across Green Sanctuary to clear her head. But after what had just happened with Cal, she needed more than a walk. She needed distance.

This isn’t working. Cal’s words floated through her mind. This can never work.

She swiped at her cheek, wiping off the tear that rolled down her face. Those words had stung even harder than she’d imagined they should. But it wasn’t like Cal was wrong, was he? He had a real point. She’d been the idiot, believing there was even the slightest chance that she could get back with the man she loved. It wasn’t that simple. Especially when one partner could turn into an animal and the other had fled from their wedding a decade ago.

Not for the first time, she glanced down at her hand. A bright line encircled her ring finger where the engagement ring had been just minutes ago.

Well, that’s over now, she thought with a scoff. We both made sure of that.

She gave a sniff, the details of their lovemaking replaying themselves in her memory. Kissing him hadn’t been her brightest of ideas, she had to admit. Sure, the sex had been great, but it had only complicated matters.

Melissa walked by a diner, and caught a glimpse of a waitress moving about with a food-laden tray. With a frown, she tore her gaze away. Rubicon Valley was just a couple of blocks away. Now, more than ever, she could use some whiskey in her system, although she suspected if she went into the bar, she’d be stumbling home close to midnight with what was left of her liver.

Heading home seemed like her only sensible option right now.

What now? The question made its way to the front of her mind. She couldn’t possibly continue working at the sanctuary, not with Cal around. To be honest, she wasn’t even sure she could bear to look him in the face again.

Melissa shook her head. That’s what happens when you get too close to someone like Cal. It ruins everything.

Putting distance between herself and him was the smartest move she’d ever made. And the way things were looking, she might have to do it again. At the very least, she could move to one of the other towns in Downing. Midas seemed like a nice enough place.

It didn’t take her more than a few extra minutes to reach her street. Melissa headed down the sidewalk to her house. She started down her driveway, reaching into her bag for her keys. Just before she opened her front door, she glanced over her shoulder at the house across the street.

“Huh?” she muttered.

Dale’s front door was slightly ajar. He and Leto were nowhere in sight. At first, Melissa figured they must be indoors. But hadn’t Dale pretty much slammed his door shut in her face this morning?

Curiosity tugged sharply at her gut. Her concerns about Cal already half forgotten, she turned and crossed the street, heading straight for the front door. Dale had seemed a little off this morning. Were he and Leto alright?

She knocked once. No answer.

What are the odds that they’re inside? She couldn’t help but wonder. Or conscious.

Swallowing, she pushed the door the rest of the way open, peering into the house for a moment before stepping inside. Most of the lights were off, and she had to squint a little as she moved through the house into the living room. Still no sign of Dale or his dog.