Defending Hayden (Second Chances #7)(13)

“What happened?” I called out.

The woman had her back to me, her hands diligently working on the dog as if she were an expert. “He got hit by a car, but they ran off. I was lucky enough to be here to rescue him.” Blood oozed out of the gash on the dog’s stomach.

“What do you need? I have a shirt you can use to wrap around his stomach.”

“That’d be great, thanks,” she said quickly.

Hurrying to my truck, I grabbed my bag and pulled out one of my T-shirts. I rushed back and knelt down on the other side of the dog, handing her the shirt. “This should work.”

When she grabbed it and lifted her head, her brown hair revealed the same beautiful face I’d seen the night before. Recognition sparked in her green eyes, and she gasped. “Oh my God, it’s you.” Shaking her head, she turned her attention back to the dog. “Thank you for stopping. You’d be surprised how many people have just driven by.”

“What can I do?” I asked.

She twisted the shirt and pressed it against the dog’s stomach. “I need to wrap this shirt around his midsection, but I need help lifting him.” She pointed to the dog’s shoulder. “Place your hands underneath and gently lift him when I tell you to. Can you do that?”

“I’m sure I can manage.”

Placing the shirt on the dog’s stomach, she grabbed the other end and moved it toward the dog’s head. “Okay, lift him.” I did as she said, and she carefully slid the shirt underneath him and tied it tight. “Now comes the tricky part…putting him in my car.”

I glanced at her small car, a silver Nissan 370Z. There was no way in hell she’d get that big a dog in it comfortably. “Why don’t I put him in the back of my truck? He’ll have more room. I can take you anywhere you need to go.”

She looked at my truck and then at her car. “Good point. I’ll ride in the back with him. Do you mind taking us to Stonebrooke Veterinary Hospital? It’s just up the road in downtown.”

I nodded. “I know where it is. But aren’t they closed for the night?”

She snorted. “Not anymore. Looks like I’ll be opening it back up. I work there.”

So that was how she knew what she was doing. “All right, let’s go. Just tell me how you want me to lift him.”

She shook her head. “I don’t think there’s any wrong or right way at this point. I won’t know anything until I take X-rays. Lift him gently is all I can say.”

Sighing, I looked at the dog. “Here we go, buddy.” As carefully as I could, I put my hands underneath him and lifted him into my arms. He whimpered, and I was thankful he didn’t try to bite my face. “He’s pretty heavy,” I said, carrying him to the truck. “I don’t think you could’ve lifted him.”

She snorted and lowered the tailgate on my truck. “You’d be surprised what I can do, Mr. McLaughlin. I’ve handled dogs a lot bigger than he is.”

“I didn’t think you knew me,” I said curiously. When she’d looked at me after I broke her phone, I could see in her eyes that she had no clue who I was. It had been a first for me. I had to admit, it was nice not being noticed.

She helped me set the dog in the back and then hopped in there with him. “I didn’t know who you were,” she confessed. “When I told my friend what happened, he showed me a picture of you. I guess you can say he’s a fan.”

“And you’re not?”

She shrugged. “Football isn’t my thing. But I promise after today, I’ll be more than happy to watch a game. You have no idea how much I appreciate this.”

“You’re welcome…” I trailed off and lifted my eyebrows. “I don’t know your name.”

“Hayden Hunter.” She glanced down at her hands. “And I would shake your hand, but mine are covered in blood.”

“It’s okay. I’ll get you to the clinic as fast as I can. Just hold on tight.”

I hopped in the truck and opened the back window in case Hayden needed my help. However, something caught the corner of my eye, and my gut clenched. Down in the ravine, a wreath of flowers hung on a tree; they must have been for Brianna.

“Derek, you okay?” Hayden asked.

I glanced at her in the rearview mirror and put the truck in gear. “Yeah, I’m fine. Let’s go.”





Chapter 6





Hayden


Out of all the people who could’ve stopped to help me, I never thought it’d be Derek McLaughlin. It made two times in two days that we’d run into each other. His gentleness with the dog had surprised me. I never would’ve thought he’d put that much care into handling an animal.

“Where do you want me to park?” he asked. He turned down Main Street and was almost at the clinic.

“Out front will be perfect.” Luckily, there was a place directly in front of the door. I rubbed the dog’s head and whispered in his ear, “We’re here, boy. I’ll get you fixed up in no time.”

Derek got out of the truck and lowered the tailgate. I jumped out and unlocked the clinic door, opening it wide. Derek lifted the dog in his arms and carried him inside. “Where do you want him?”

“Back here,” I said, hurrying around the front desk. I led him to the first operating room, turned on the light, and pointed at the table. “Lay him on there. I’m going to put him to sleep and fix that gash on his stomach before taking X-rays.”