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“You know what I mean. You observe more in five minutes than some people do in a lifetime.”
I grabbed the remote off the counter and started my playlist. ‘Overjoyed’ by Matchbox Twenty began playing softly in the background.
Barrett sighed.
“You said once that she is both fragile and strong. That sums it up, I believe.”
He followed me into the kitchen where I pulled two mugs from the cupboard and filled the kettle.
“Is that all?” I turned and faced him.
With less than a foot of space between us, I had to tip my face up to meet his gaze dead on. With his chin dipped down towards me, and his luminous eyes steady on mine, he reached out and wrapped an errant curl around his finger, tugging lightly on my scalp.
My mouth fell open on a small gasp and I snapped it shut, covering my reaction to his hold on me. His eyes darkened as he studied my face.
I swallowed.
Hard.
This little game of mine was going too far. I pulled my mind back to the question at hand.
“Tell me, Viking. Tell me what you see in my sister?”
My voice was huskier than it should have been, but he respected my avoidance of what danced between us.
He sighed and released my hair only to wrap his palm around my nape.
“I see pain, Willa. I see pain. She’s struggling.”
The fear hit me low in my belly and I pressed my hand against my stomach as if to stop the bleed. His hand tightened on my nape.
“She’ll be okay, Willa. She has lots of good people around her, and life is not all roses, not for anyone. There are no exceptions.”
I nodded my head and he fortunately-unfortunately released me from his hold as well as his gaze. I returned my attention to making hot chocolate.
“Barrett? Tell me about why you became a veterinarian?”
“I think I told you before but doing anything else never occurred to me. Asking me why I became a veterinarian is like asking me why I’m quiet, or when I decided to be a man, or what made me want to grow so tall. It’s just me. Nothing else ever entered my mind as an option. I rescued and rehabilitated dozens of animals from the time I was seven years old. By ten I was regularly bringing them home. It’s just who I am.”
“You did tell me before. I just like to hear it. I think it’s amazing that your job is so much a part of you.”
“Yours isn’t?”
“Mmm.” I thought about it as I stirred our drinks, the scent of chocolatey goodness comforting in its warmth. “I like graphic design, a lot, but it’s a means to an end. It’s my art that thrills me more than anything. My long-term goal is to divide my time between the animal shelter and my art.”
“You would give up your business?”
I nodded. “That’s the plan. Eventually. We plan to build it up first, and then Junie and I are hoping to sell for a tidy profit and move on to other ventures.”
“Yours being art and animal welfare.”
“Yes.” I nodded firmly. “That’s my dream.”
“What else do you dream about?”
I lifted startled eyes to his serious face, wondering if he knew I dreamed about him.
“It’s okay to dream,” I stated slowly, “it’s not okay to confuse reality with wishes. I don’t have too many other dreams that are also goals.”
