Chapter 30

A thousand deaths

 

“Are you ready?” I asked for the twentieth time.

“Hold your horses,” Nick yelled back from the kitchen.

It had been four days, and Sally was ready to come home. Nick’s uncles left yesterday. I was sad to see them go. After some of the shock wore off from Beth’s attempt to kill me, it was nice to get to know them. They were every bit as protective as Nick was. It was easy to see the four men had raised Nick to be the man he was; caring, brave, and considerate. I didn’t know if you could teach someone to be good-looking, but if you could, they did that, too. Holy smokes Nick’s uncles were gorgeous. It was no wonder Nick had a baseball team full of cousins. We’d made plans to go to Georgia when I was fully recovered so I could meet the rest of the tribe, as Nick called them. I couldn’t wait.

Nick and I had spent a lot of time together over the last few days lying in bed talking, telling each other about our childhoods. He’d mentioned his mom, Stephanie, a few times but never elaborated much. I was shocked when he told me that Stephanie was married to his uncle Nolan and had an affair with Nolan’s brother, Nicholas, while Nolan was on deployment. Nicholas was also in the Army and had deployed soon after the affair was discovered. Sadly, he died when his helicopter was hit by an RPG two months later. Nick had never seen a picture of his dad until he moved in with Nolan when his mom was arrested on vehicular manslaughter charges. She was sentenced to two life sentences and died in prison of liver failure. Nolan and Reagan adopted Nick when he was twelve. He said he could barely remember a time when he didn’t have them.

“Okay, ready.” Nick walked into the living room and my mouth watered. Damn, he was sexy. It didn’t matter what he was wearing – a suit for work, athletic gear to go to the gym, or jeans and a tee like he was wearing now; he looked mighty fine.

“I forgot to ask, how did your conversation with Alexandra go?”

“Good. She completely agreed that Sally shouldn’t be separated from you. She’s going to pair Gabe with a new dog.”

I felt horrible that Gabe was going to have to wait to be paired with a new dog, but I couldn’t imagine Sally not being with us.

“But he’ll still get one, right?”

“Yes. Alexandra said she already has the perfect dog in mind. A retired Belgian Malinois named Dottie. Her handler’s wife is having twins, and there are complications. He’ll only let Dottie go if Alex can pair her with one of her vets. So, it’s perfect. Malinois require a lot of attention, especially one that is a retired working dog. Dottie will keep Gabe active, and that is one of Alex’s goals.”

“Knowing that makes me feel better. I hate thinking that Gabe would be without a companion.”

***

“Oh my God. Nick!”

Sally looked bad. She had something the vet called flail chest. Part of Sally’s broken ribs had been detached and had caused pressure on her lungs. The bruising on her lungs made it difficult to breathe and almost killed her; that and Beth’s stab had ruptured her spleen. All the beautiful fur down her belly had been shaved, and there was an angry red incision held together by staples. I hobbled over to the dog bed the vet had laid out for Sally.

“We didn’t kennel her,” Dr. Steel explained. “I didn’t want her anymore agitated than she already was without you.” I tuned out the rest of what the doctor was saying and only heard Nick’s half-growl half-grunt when I knelt in front of Sally to cuddle her, but he didn’t dare stop me.

“Aren’t we a pair. Now we’ll match.” Sally licked my face when I rubbed my cheek to her snoot. “You’re such a good girl.”

Her tail swooshed on the floor, and she tried to scoot toward me.

“Don’t move baby girl.” Uncaring how dirty the floor was in the Vet clinic, or my leg screaming in protest, I laid on my side next to Sally, carefully wrapped my arms around her and cried into her soft fur. “You saved me.” Sally burrowed in and shoved her face into the crook of my neck. I was so thankful Sally was alive I couldn’t stop crying.

“Are you girls ready to go home now?”

Nick had given me time with Sally while he spoke with the vet, making sure he understood how to care for her wounds. I grabbed the paperwork, and a bag of wound care supplies, while Nick carried Sally to his car and placed her in the backseat. I slid in next to her, not wanting to leave her side even for a minute.

It was the same when we pulled in front of Nick’s. He carried her inside and laid her on the bed.

“Don’t get used to this,” Nick warned. “In a few days, she’ll be back on her bed.”

Sure, she would.

Nick was a big ol’ softy, and he was just as grateful to Sally as I was. I didn’t believe he wanted her more than an arm’s length away either.

My leg was throbbing, and the scabs on my back itched like crazy. When I got into bed next to Sally, I tried to rub my back on the sheets to quell some of the discomfort.

“Lie on your side, I’ll rub your back with some arnica gel,” Nick offered.

I should’ve known he wouldn’t miss my scratching.

“You’re too good to me. That would be wonderful. It itches so bad now.”

“You know, it’s only going to get worse. The more the scrapes heal, the itchier they’ll be.”

“Thanks for reminding me. I’ll have to use a door jam or a brush to itch.”

“Or, you could move in here, and I can scratch them for you.”

“Move in?”

My insides fluttered, and my heartrate picked up. Move in? Holy shit. Were we ready to live together? Maybe he meant while I was healing.

“Yeah, you know, pack up your apartment and drive it over here,” he laughed.

I elbowed him in the ribs, and his laughter died on a grunt.

“Is it too soon?” I asked.

“Hell no. Do you love me?” his voice was unsure as he asked.

“Of course, I do.”

“Then why wait?”

“Well…” I tried to think of a good reason, but I couldn’t. Living here with Nick and Sally was a dream come true, something I never thought I’d have. Somehow this wonderful man had looked past my scars and loved me. What more could I ask for?

“I died a thousand deaths the day Beth had you. My heart felt like it was being ripped from my chest. Meadow, I know you’re the one. I don’t want to waste a day. I want my girls here, under my roof, where I can come home every day and love them. I want your clothes next to mine, us making coffee together in the morning, but most of all, I want to fall into bed every night with you where you’re supposed to be – by my side. I love you, Red, and if you’ll have me, one day soon I want to make you my wife and adopt all those kids I know you want. We’ll fill our home full of love. You and me? There’s nothing we can’t do together.”

I was speechless. I don’t know what I’d done to deserve Nick and his unwavering love and support, but I wasn’t going to squander it. If he was giving it, I was taking it, holding on to it, and protecting it. We had the foundation, the roots had taken hold, and I was basking in the glow. I would do everything in my power to make sure I nurtured and cherished our budding relationship until it grew so towering and unbreakable he’d never be sorry he chose me.

He pulled my shirt up and was spreading the cooling gel into my back. I took a moment to enjoy his strong hands against my skin. When I looked at Sally, her sweet face resting on a pillow next to me, I knew I was home.

“I love you, Nicholas Clark.”

“Does that mean you’ll stay?”

“There is no place in the world I’d rather be.”

The three of us laid in silence; there was no need to fill the moment with words. Peace had settled over the room, its weight heavy and comfortable - a promise for the future.

Home.