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Well, she’d been very curious about Joe since he’d walked into her OR. Maybe she could find out more about him as she explored the lodge and the opportunities it presented.
A dog barked up ahead and Lia smiled. She’d never had a pet, but she’d always wanted one. In moments, a German Shepherd bounded around a curve in the trail. His lolling tongue and bounding gait projected joy.
The dog raced to Joe and circled him, barking happily. Joe set down the suitcase and rubbed down the dog. “Hey Jetson. Good to see you too, boy.”
Then the dog turned his attention to Lia. She’d never petted such a big dog before, but the animal wasn’t the least bit scary. When she rubbed her good hand over his head and body as she’d seen Joe do, he wriggled and licked her hand.
“Julia!”
Tansy’s voice had her looking up to see a golf cart puttering toward them. Tansy jumped out before it stopped making the muscular man driving roll his eyes.
Tansy jogged the few feet separating them and pulled her in for a hug. “I’m so glad to see you. I’ve missed you. Was the flight okay? Are you tired? How are you doing?”
Lia laughed at the barrage of questions. Tansy’s mind was quick as the wind, but until you got to know her, she was quiet. Lia was glad she’d somehow breached the barrier.
“I’m good, Tansy. I’m happy to be here. Thanks for having me.” Lia had to swallow the lump that appeared in her throat and closed her eyes against the rush of tears.
She was welcome. She was wanted. Maybe she wasn’t alone after all. And maybe she could find a way to be whole without a working hand.
Chapter 6
What The Doctor Ordered
Joe watched Lia struggle with her emotions as his sister wrapped her friend in her special magic. Tansy was a hard-core introvert, but once you were in her circle, she was all in. Lia had obviously made the inner circle.
Joe walked to the cart and put their bags in the back. Sam hopped out and joined him in watching the women hug. Sam grunted. “I’m guessing by the intensity of that hug that Tansy doesn’t know the whole story about why her friend took a break from her job. Looks like there’s a story there.”
Joe nodded and kept his voice low. “You remember the clusterfuck back in Atlanta a couple of months ago? Lia was the surgeon who had her hand shot.”
Sam’s eyes widened. “Hell. That sucks for her. And it proves once again that it is a very small world.”
It sure was.
“I saw you signal for the cart on the camera. Didn’t want to text in case she saw you?”
Joe grinned. “Got it in one. This way, it’s a coincidence. The other way, she thinks people see her as weak. She’s about worn down to nothing.”
Lia and Tansy broke apart and both of them wiped away tears, laughing.
Sam walked over. “Hi. I’m Sam. Welcome to Midnight Lake. We’re happy you’re here.” And then he pulled her in for a hug. Sam might look like the warrior he could be, but he was also a hugger. Something they’d all learned from spending time in the Rivera foster home.
Joe couldn’t imagine his life without Sam and Nico Rivera by his side and at his back. It didn’t look like Lia had anyone other than Tansy. And it didn’t appear she’d told Tansy about the entire incident as Tansy was frowning at Lia’s injured hand. Joe wanted to make sure she always had someone in her corner.
Sam gestured to the cart. “Your chariot awaits, ladies.”
Lia flushed and shook her head. “I can walk.”
Tansy laughed and broke what could have been an awkward moment for her friend. “We both could, but these guys will stress out if we don’t take the cart. We’re only a few minutes away and this will let us start catching up.”
Joe lifted the bag off Lia’s shoulder and tossed it in the back with the other bags. She finally nodded and climbed in.
He and Sam let the cart move on a bit before they started walking behind, with Jetson bouncing between the two groups. Sam looked him over with concern. “You’re looking almost as worn out as she is. Another bad one?”
He never could hide anything from Sam. As a former FBI agent, his friend understood the job better than most. He also understood the limits of what Joe could and couldn’t say. “Another kid caught up in shit way above his ability to handle. Instead of having fun at university, he’s facing manslaughter charges. He’d accidentally shot a woman before I got on the scene. It only took seconds to talk him into allowing medics in, but it was too damn late.”
Sam grunted. He’d chased down pricks who’d stolen children so he knew what it was like when shit went sideways. They walked for a few minutes in silence. “You got a thing for Julia, Chevy?”
Joe laughed even as he acknowledged the truth that he did have a thing for her. “Are we back in high school?”
