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And on her memories of Jackson Henley.
****
“So happy Blaze found his mommy,” the veterinarian’s administrative assistant said when Isabel arrived at the front desk, her dog in her arms. “Is he having problems with his injuries?”
“No, but I wanted him checked again because I wasn’t here to get all the instructions for his care.”
When she’d gotten up this morning, she’d found Blaze sound asleep on his bed as if he hadn’t moved the entire night. She’d figured he was tired from his ordeal, but something made her want to have him officially seen. Something perhaps like a guilty conscience over the fact that she hadn’t been there when her dear, sweet pup had needed her.
“Is there any discharge from his wounds?” the assistant asked.
“Well, no...” Isabel flicked her head back to get her hair out of her face. “Listen, I need to see a vet so I can put my mind at ease.” She shifted her arms a bit, growing weary of holding Blaze as if he were a baby.
The assistant gave her a reassuring smile. “I understand. Let me see who is available.” She gestured to the waiting area. “Have a seat and we’ll be right with you.”
“Thanks.” Isabel shuffled to the first available seat and lowered carefully, resting Blaze across her lap. The dog was still pretty groggy and she hoped that was from whatever medication the vet had potentially given him last night. She’d never seen her pooch so wiped out before and it unsettled her.
As did the constant loop of dreams she’d had last night. An odd mix of Jackson from high school and Jackson from last night plagued her and she’d awakened not the least bit refreshed. Grandpa’s suggestion that she owed Jackson some gratitude for what he’d done for Blaze also weighed on her. She hated that her grandfather was right. Manners dictated she go thank her dog’s savior.
Damn, she despised manners right now.
Leaning her head against the wall behind her chair, Isabel drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly, allowing her eyes to close. She’d only been in Maplehaven for like a day and she was already severely unraveled. That wouldn’t do. She couldn’t let one emergency with her dog and one encounter with her former love get the best of her. She had shit to do here. For Grandpa. For herself. For her future as a resort owner. She wouldn’t allow time for a breakdown.
“Isabel?”
She snapped her eyes open and took in the woman standing in front of her. Shoulder-length, dark brown hair fell around a face housing striking golden-brown eyes, but it was the super cute ankle boots with the peeking purple toenails that caught her attention.
“I love your shoes,” she said before letting her gaze travel back up to the woman’s face. “Wait... Violet?”
“Uh-huh.” Violet hiked up the bright yellow sundress she wore so she could kneel in front of Isabel and run a soothing hand over Blaze’s fur. “So nice to see you. When did you get back in town?”
“Yesterday. I’m here to help my grandfather at the cottages for a little while.”
“Right. I heard about Eugene. How’s he doing?”
“Oh, you know my grandfather.” Isabel rolled her eyes. “He can ignore his health with the best of them.” She repositioned Blaze on her lap because her arm was falling asleep. “You look as if life has been treating you well.”
Violet beamed a sunshine-bright smile. “Life has been wonderful.” She wiggled her left hand a bit, a diamond ring catching the overhead lighting. “I got married. To a cellist. Who marries a cellist?”
“Apparently you do.” Isabel laughed. “Being a wife agrees with you then?”
“Totally. Dawson is amazing.” Violet’s eyes closed for a moment, her face covered in pure bliss, and a wave of longing flooded over Isabel. Would she ever have that expression on her own face?
“How’s Jorden?” Isabel remembered Violet’s handsome brother. He was always flirting with the ladies. Maybe she could look him up while she was here.
“He’s married also. To my husband’s sister, actually. They have two kids and are loving married life too.”
“Wow. Lots of happy married people about Maplehaven, huh?” And didn’t that make Isabel feel even more like an outsider?
“There might be something in the water,” Violet joked. “What about you? What have you been up to?”
“Managing a hotel in Pennsylvania,” Isabel said. “I’m planning to open my own resort after I help Grandpa.”
“How wonderful! That sounds exciting.”
“Yeah. I’m looking forward to finally having my own place after years of working under someone else’s rules.”
“I hear you. I love being self-employed. I own a salon in town so if you’re here long enough that you need a haircut, you come see me, okay?”
