“I see the improvement as well.”

He wanted to protest that he hadn’t promised, but knew the girl was right. He had been promising. But soon he was leaving anyway.

Going back on his word to a kid? How screwed up was that?

Once again he found himself missing Montana—her emotional sanity had become something he depended upon. Without her he was adrift in a world where he didn’t belong.

Fay touched his arm. “I want to thank you for all you’ve done. We wouldn’t have gotten through this without you.”

He wanted to tell her that of course she would have, but he accepted her words with a smile. That’s what Montana would have told him to do.

Back in his office, he updated his charts, then leaned back in his chair. He stared at his cell phone, knowing how easy it would be to call. But then what? Nothing had changed. It was better for both of them if he didn’t make promises he couldn’t keep.

“I SAW THE MOVIES a bunch of times, but this is better,” Daniel told Montana as he sat in one of the small conference rooms at the library. “My mom already bought me the whole set. They’re kind of hard, but it’s fun, too.” His nose wrinkled. “Don’t tell anyone I said that.”

Montana held in a smile. “Because reading isn’t cool?”

“No. I don’t want to be one of those smart kids.”

Peer pressure started early, she thought.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying the Harry Potter books. They’re some of my favorites, too.” She watched Daniel pet Buddy, who sat patiently at his side.

“Is a million dollars a lot of money?” she asked casually.

Daniel stared at her. “Yeah.” His tone made it clear he thought she was an idiot for asking.

“I think so, too. Do you know that according to some studies, people who go to college earn a million dollars more in their lifetime than people who don’t?”

There were plenty of exceptions, but she wasn’t going to get into that with Daniel.

“A million dollars more?”

“Uh-huh. Sometimes being smart is kind of a good thing.” She leaned toward him. “I don’t know why you had trouble reading, but that’s all gone. You’ve jumped two grades in your reading ability just in the past few weeks. It’s like your brain was getting ready and getting ready and suddenly it is ready.”

He gave her a shy smile. “I’m sorry I didn’t want to try before. It was hard.”

“I know, but you tried anyway. Buddy likes that in a guy.”

He hugged the dog. “Buddy’s really smart, too.”

“He is. But here’s the thing. They’re going to reassess your reading abilities when you go back to school, and you’re going to get moved to a different group of students.”

“With the really smart kids?” He sounded concerned.

“It depends on how you do. I know you’re worried that your friends won’t be happy if you change. But that’s what growing up is about. Changing. Trying new things. Do you want to play sports in high school?”

He nodded vigorously.

“You need good grades to stay on the team. The same in college.”

“I’d love to play college ball. Do you think I could?”

“I’ve seen how you’ve worked on your reading, even when it was hard. I think you can do anything.”

“That’s what my mom says, but I thought it was because she had to.” He shrugged. “She loves me.”

The words were spoken with perfect certainty. Montana thought of Simon and wished his childhood had been filled with that kind of affection and support.

“I think knowing you can do anything is a little more about you than her.”

Daniel rose and walked around the table. He hugged her, squeezing hard. “Thank you.” He straightened. “I’m going to college so I can earn that million dollars.”

“I’m glad.”

He left the room.

She bent over and stroked Buddy. “You did it, big guy. You were exactly what Daniel needed. Everyone is pretty happy. Daniel’s mother sent a letter to the school principal and everything. The program is going to be expanded.”

His doggie eyebrows drew together, as if he were worried about keeping up with it all.

She laughed and kissed the top of his head. “Relax. You can handle it and I’ll be right there with you.”

KALINDA’S SURGERY took over ten hours. The work was detailed, every tiny adjustment, every cut, every stitch would determine how she looked for the rest of her life. Simon felt the weight of responsibility—wanting to get everything right.

Perfect was a bitch, but as he pulled off his gloves, he knew he’d gotten damn close.

After checking in with Fay and her husband, telling them that everything had gone well and that their daughter would be in recovery for a couple of hours, he headed back to his office.

His body ached. Standing for that long always took a toll, as did being hunched over and doing such meticulous work. He grabbed a cup of coffee from one of the nurses’ stations and took the stairs up two flights. He should eat something, he thought. Before he started on his rounds. Keep his energy up.

He entered his office and was greeted by a soft yip.

He flipped on the light and saw Cece stepping out of her crate and stretching.

“You’re a surprise,” he told the happy dog. “Did Montana bring you by so you could be with Kalinda later today?”

The dog’s fluffy tail wagged. She danced around him, obviously thrilled they were together at last.

He set down his coffee, then picked her up. She gave him happy kisses, then settled into his arms with a contented sigh. He checked that she had food and water, then walked over to his desk and sat down.

“Want to play?” he asked, opening his bottom desk drawer and pulling out a couple of toys he’d bought for her.

There was a tiny cat with a squeaker in the middle and a Ping-Pong-size tennis ball. Cece quivered with excitement, then scrambled to get out of his arms. She raced to the end of his small office and barked expectantly, as if urging him to get on with it.

He threw the cat toy. She caught it in midair, then held it, squeaking happily. The high-pitched noise made him grin.

“You’re pretty proud of yourself, aren’t you? Have you seen a real cat? I’m not sure you’d win the fight.”

Cece dashed toward him and leapt into his lap. It was something she’d done a dozen times before, maybe more. But this time the partially open bottom desk drawer was in the way.

Simon saw what was going to happen a microsecond before it did. He reached for her but couldn’t get there fast enough. Her back left leg clipped the drawer, the impact loud enough for him to hear.

She dropped the toy and cried out, then fell to the ground, yipping loudly. He shoved the drawer back in place and dropped to his knees, beside the writhing dog.

“It’s okay,” he said, feeling stupid. He didn’t know what was wrong, so he couldn’t commit to an outcome. Still, the words were instinctive, and he murmured them over and over again.

He reached out and gently stroked her. She quieted, her dark gaze locking on his, as if begging him to make it stop hurting.

He touched her leg and she yelped again. He swore. Was it broken?

“Okay, okay. I’m going to get you help,” he told Cece, even as he fought against a nearly overwhelming fear. Fear for her, and with it, guilt that he was responsible for this sweet, loving little dog getting hurt.

He reached over his head to the desk and fumbled until his fingers closed around his cell phone. He pulled it to him and hit the number for Montana’s cell.

“Hello?”

“It’s Simon. Cece hit her leg on a desk drawer while she was jumping into my lap. She’s in pain. I think it might be broken. Tell me what to do.”

Montana didn’t hesitate. “Take her to the vet. His name is Cameron McKenzie. He just took over for Mavis Rivera, who retired. Which you don’t need to know. Sorry. Okay, here’s the address. It’s going to be just as fast to walk.”

She gave him quick directions on how to get there from the hospital.

“I’ll call and tell them you’re coming.”

“Thanks.”

He hung up and reached for Cece. Although she moaned when he picked her up, she didn’t flinch and settled trustingly in his arms.

As he raced through the hospital and out onto the street, she stared at him, her gaze telling him she knew he was going to make it better.

“Stop believing in me,” he told her as he hurried toward the vet. “Chances are, I’m going to screw this up, too.”

CHAPTER TWENTY

DR. MCKENZIE’S veterinary practice was in an old building that had once been a private home. There were big trees, a kennel area in back and the reception desk sat in the middle of what Simon would guess had once been the living room.

“Montana Hendrix called,” he said as he rushed in. “I have Cece with me.”

Two women sat with a carrier in the waiting area. He ignored them, along with the kid holding a bowl with a fish, and rushed toward the older woman in a blue scrub shirt.

“Yes, Dr. Bradley. We were told you were coming.” She picked up the phone. “Cece is here.” She put down the phone and smiled. “Carina will be right up to get her.”

He nodded, but what he really wanted to do was start yelling. Right up? What did that mean? Why wasn’t this Carina person waiting to take Cece immediately? Although the dog continued to stare at him with love, he knew she was in pain. Her breathing came in pants and she moaned softly. He also didn’t like the angle of her leg. If it was broken, he would never forgive himself.

A blonde girl who looked like she was twelve came through a swinging door.

“Hi. I’m Carina.”

He wanted to growl he didn’t give a damn who she was, but held in his annoyance.

“Montana told you what happened?”

“Yes.”

She reached for Cece, taking her gently. Even so, the poodle yelped. Simon flinched. “Be careful.”

Carina gave him a patient smile. “We’ll take good care of her, Dr. Bradley. Cam… I mean, Dr. McKenzie is brilliant. If you want to give us a phone number where we can reach you—”

“I’m not leaving. I want to know exactly what’s wrong with her and what you’re going to do about it.”

Carina took a step back. “Um, okay. Sure. It may be a little bit. We might have to take an X-ray.”

“I would say that’s more than a might. Look at how she’s holding her leg. Are you a trained medical professional? Do you have any experience at all?”

Carina stiffened. “Yes, I do and perhaps this would go faster if you would let me do my job. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll take Cece in back. Someone will be out as soon as possible to let you know what’s going on.”

“Good.”

She turned and went through the swinging door. Cece strained to look around her arm, her eyes begging him not to abandon her.

He swore and ran his hands through his hair, then stalked to the receptionist. “I have to make a couple of calls. I’ll be right outside. Come get me if they learn anything.”

She nodded, looking completely unimpressed by his agitation. “Carina knows what she’s doing and, like she said, Dr. McKenzie is very good. Your little dog is going to be fine.”

“You actually can’t know that,” he growled, then stalked past the other waiting clients and went outside.

Once there he paced the path to the parking lot, then retraced his steps. A glance at his watch told him Cece had been in the back all of forty-five seconds and it was unlikely they would have found anything yet.

He phoned the hospital and talked to one of the nurses in the burn ward. After explaining that he’d been called away, he told them he’d have his cell with him for emergencies. Then he spoke to one of the nurses in recovery, and was relieved to find out Kalinda was doing so well that she was already on her way back to her room.

That taken care of, he shoved his phone into his pocket and continued pacing.

“KNOCK, KNOCK,” Montana called, walking into the back of the vet’s office. While Dr. McKenzie was new and she’d only met him once before, she was friendly with all his staff.

“Montana,” Carina said, coming up to her and giving her a hug. “What’s with Dragon Man?”

“Who?”

“The guy who brought in Cece. He’s the worst kind of pet owner. Terrified and angry at the same time. I thought I was going to have to muzzle him.” Carina’s eyes were bright with laughter as she spoke.

“He’s a doctor.”

“Oh, sure. I should have guessed that. He seemed like he wanted to be in charge.”

“I’m sure he’s more comfortable that way. How’s Cece?”

“Still with Cameron. Sally’s assisting. They’re doing an X-ray. We’ll have the results in a few.”

“Great. Thanks.”

“Want to stay back here? It’s safer.”

“No. I can handle Simon. If you’ll excuse the pun, his bark is worse than his bite.”

“If you say so.”

Montana walked toward the front of the building. Before pushing through the swinging door, she drew in a breath and told herself that whatever she felt when she saw Simon, she wouldn’t show it. This was a crisis and he’d called her because of Cece. He’d made his feelings about everything else very clear. Wanting him didn’t mean he wanted her back. She had to keep telling herself that.