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“I was a doctor. Well, almost a doctor. I could have saved him.”
“Honey.” Now Everly was on the floor. Gently, she took Tess’s hands in her own, pulling them from the model planes.
“I could have saved him.” The words were barely a whisper. And then Tess crumpled, falling into Layla’s embrace, a sob tearing from her throat.
“It’s not your fault,” Layla murmured, rocking Tess back and forth. “I promise, it’s not your fault.” Everly wrapped her arms around the two women.
Alanna wasnota touchy-feely person, not even close, but the hell with it. There were always exceptions to every rule.
“Damn right it wasn’t your fault,” she insisted. Setting down her wine glass, she walked over to the pile of women and slid to her knees. She added her arms to the fray as if she, Layla, and Everly could somehow cradle Tess’s soul and keep it from falling into the abyss.
Alanna didn’t know how long the women stayed like that or exactly when another pair of slim arms slid around her as Willow joined the group. All she knew was that her heart wept for Tess and that love was far more powerful and far more dangerous than she’d ever imagined.
Ch. 37 Sully
Sullychewedtheinsideof his cheek as he stared at the document on his laptop labeledProject Magical Date.The page was pathetically empty. Cam and Hue had given him a flurry of ideas, but how to put them all together?
Sully leaned back. His new microsuede couch cradled his body like a cloud. The tiny nick on the couch’s back leg wasn’t even noticeable, but that little flaw had cut hundreds off the price at the outlet store.
Gazing up from the laptop, Sully realized how much the Ugly Duckling had transformed in just the past few days. The tragic floral couch now sat on the curb outside sporting a sign that readFree to Good Home, Okay Home, or Even Bad Home. He’d packed up the piles of debris from taking down walls, pulling up old flooring, and demoing the ancient cabinets in the kitchen and sent it all to the local landfill. Best of all, he’d replaced the horrific shag carpet throughout the home with pale, ash wood laminate.
Creating a half wall between the living room and kitchen had done wonders for the home, opening up the main floor. Sully took a moment to appreciate the new, pre-built cabinets he and Hue had installed yesterday and the white quartz countertops that absolutely transformed the space.
The Ugly Duckling was starting to feel a little more swan-like.
What would Alanna think?The thought of her standing inside his home made Sully’s blood rush to his downstairs brain.
Yep, back toProject Magical Date.
Oddly enough, the best suggestions for the date had come from Hue. The grouchy landlord had lived in Yucca Hills his entire life and knew the town like the back of his freckled hand—every charming shop, the best hidden niches, and the perfect place in the park where the sun sprinkled through the leaves.
But Sully knew he had to do more than play tour guide to Alanna. He had to find a way to get her to connect with the town. To show her that she could make new memories here. Memories with him.
An idea lit inside his mind.
It was bold.
Romantic as shit.
And it’d take a hell of a lot of work before Friday.
Sully grinned as he dove into the document, his fingers flying across the keyboard as new ideas poured from his mind. Yes. Yes. Yes!
Thwack
The soft noise yanked his attention away from the computer. Sheba sat on the third platform of the cat condo as if she had transported down from the U.S.S. Enterprise. Sully hadn’t even heard her enter the living room. He watched, transfixed, as the large, fluffy cat smacked a mouse toy dangling from the platform. The toy swung and hit the underside of the platform above.Thwack.
As the toy swung back, Sheba snatched it with her front two paws, rolling onto her side as she clamped her teeth around her prize. One white foot jutted into the air, while her poofy tail flicked in excitement.
Sully smiled. Over the past few days, he’d discovered that Sheba possessed the spirit of an Amazonian warrior. She would leap and twist in the air in her quest to utterly destroy her favorite feather toy. She raced after the fuzzy yellow balls Sully tossed throughout the house and swatted at nearly anything sitting on a countertop or table.
She wasn’t hiding as much either. He’d been catching Sheba lounging on the edge of his bed or on the cat window seat he’d installed. Sure, she would always slink away when he entered the room, but at least she wasn’t spending 24/7 under the bed anymore. And, she was using the litter box consistently.
Progress was progress.
Now, Sully watched the cat’s feet come up as she rolled onto her back, still clutching the toy. He chuckled. Sheba froze. Slowly, her head rotated and her blue eyes locked on to him. He studied the daub of orange that ran down her nose.
“Sorry, sorry.” Sully held up his hands. “Pretend I’m not here.”
