I peeked at Tessa. Tears filled her eyes, but she did her best to hold them back as she fisted the material of my sweatshirt so hard her knuckles turned white. I met the vet’s gaze. “Do whatever you need to.”
Dr. Maroney laced his fingers in front of him. “I have to warn you, surgeries like this are risky and can be expensive. I can have Dolores ring up an estimate for you—"
I cut him off. “That’s not necessary. Just do whatever you can to fix him up. Cost isn’t an issue.”
The vet’s brows rose ever so slightly. “All right. We’ll do the surgery first thing tomorrow. Let’s just have you fill out some paperwork first.”
Tessa and I settled back into chairs as I filled out forms with my contact and billing information. A delicate hand brushed my arm. The touch was light, barely contact at all, but heat flared where her skin met mine.
“Thank you for doing this.”
I swallowed against the dryness in my throat. “Of course. We need to get that tiny guy fit to fight another day.”
A small smile pulled at her lips. “It’s really kind of you.”
Heat crept up the back of my neck. “It’s nothing.”
Tessa’s hand squeezed my arm for a brief second and then released it. “It’s everything to him.”
* * *
Leaning forward,I punched the dial on my SUV’s stereo, music from an oldies station drifting from the speakers, a remedy to the silence that had been filling the vehicle. I relaxed back in my seat.
My gaze flitted over to Tessa. Her fingers twisted and untwisted the strings of my hoodie into and out of intricate knots as she stared out the window. The passing scenery was dark now, the trees casting ominous shadows on the road.
I cleared my throat. “Why don’t you put your number in my phone.” I slid the device out of the cupholder and held it in her direction. She stared at it for a good five count. I pressed on. “That way, I can text you when I hear from the vet tomorrow.”
Tessa lifted the phone from my fingers. “Oh, right. Of course.” Those same delicate fingers that had made my arm flare with heat tapped on the screen. “It’s in there.” She dropped the cell back into the cupholder.
The notes of Creedence Clearwater Revival’sHave You Ever Seen the Rainwere the only sound now. The song ebbed and flowed. When the final lyrics ran out, Tessa shifted in her seat. “Do you think he’ll be okay?”
I couldn’t help the small grin that came to my lips. Tessa was a total tender heart. “I think he’s a fighter.”
She nodded, looking back out the window. “You’re right. He’s strong. He was so tiny, but somehow, he’s made it on his own this long.”
I wondered how long Tessa had been on her own. The question escaped me before I could think better of it. “How long have you lived in Sutter Lake?”
Tessa stiffened in her seat. “Why?”
I shrugged a shoulder, doing my best to sound casual. “Just curious. I know you didn’t grow up with the Cole family, so I assumed you moved here at some point.”
She licked her perfect bow lips, the action making me sit up a little straighter. “About two years.”
I wanted to know more. I wanted to know everything. “Where did you move from?” Even if she didn’t answer, her reaction might tell me something.
Tessa wiped her hands on her jeans. “The east coast.”
“Where back there?”
A touch of heat flared in her eyes. “You’re really nosy, you know that?”
I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. “Okay…why don’t you ask me something then?” Maybe if I turned the tables, I could get her to relax.
Tessa crossed her arms and stared out the window. “There isn’t anything I want to know.”
I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel. “Look, I know you have no interest in going out with me, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be friends, right?” She sent me a dubious look. “I only know a handful of people here. Taylor’s all wrapped up in Walker, young love and all that. I could use some more friends.”
Tessa let out a sigh. “I can’t be a very good friend.” Her words were soft, almost ashamed.
