Defending Hayden (Second Chances #7)(69)

My throat closed up and I tried to hold back the tears, failing miserably. “Lady was such a sweet dog, Mrs. Jenkins. It tears me apart, what happened to her.”

She nodded quickly, her lips trembling. “Yes, she was. And if you decide to come back to Stonebrooke, everyone’s ready for you with open arms.”

“Thanks, Mrs. Jenkins. I appreciate that.” She squeezed my hand and then stepped out of the way.

Wilford smiled at her before focusing on me. “Can I convince you to come back?” he asked pleadingly. “Everything will be yours if you just say yes. All we have to do is sign the paperwork. It’ll be yours the second you write your name on that line.”

To have my own clinic would be a dream come true. I knew Wilford was older and ready to retire, and now he had no one to take the clinic since Jeremiah had turned out to be a psychopath. Still, a lot of responsibilities came with running your own practice. I was ready for them, but it wasn’t just me I had to think about.

“I appreciate the offer, Wilford, but what happens if I don’t stay here for the rest of my life? Right now I’m attached to this place, but in another few years, I don’t know where I’m going to be.”

He held up his hand, halting me. “And I’m fine with that. I trust you, Hayden. When and if you ever decide to leave, I know you’ll make sure Stonebrooke is taken care of. You always have. I am fully comfortable leaving it all in your hands.”

Excitement bubbled in my chest. “You’re sure?”

The bark of laughter that escaped his lips was the loudest I’d ever heard from him. “Of course, I’m sure. I’m an old man, dear. You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to retire. A house in the Bahamas is calling my name.”

“Do you think you can hold off on the Bahamas for a couple more weeks? I need to let the media frenzy die down just a bit.”

He pulled me into his arms and kissed my cheek. “Anything for you. Just let me know when you’re ready to come back. I’ll have your office ready and waiting for you.”

I squeezed him hard. “Thank you, Wilford. This means a lot to me.”

He and Mrs. Jenkins got into the car and left, and I hurried inside to tell my mother the news. She waved me over, but her gaze stayed locked on the TV. “Time’s almost up and we’re in the lead, but not by much.” I sat beside her and bit my lip as I looked at the clock. There was only a minute left to go, and New Orleans had the ball. If they got a touchdown, the game would be over. In position, Derek bounced his leg impatiently; he was pumped.

The quarterback snapped the ball and it went sailing into the air. If Derek could make the tackle, it’d all be over. Instead, he intercepted the ball and I screamed so loudly my mother had to put her hands over her ears. I would’ve loved to see him make another touchdown, but he fell down before the others could tackle him to the ground. With only six seconds left in the game, he’d guaranteed the Cougars victory.

“Another win!” I shouted happily.

“So what did your old boss want?” my mother asked.

I sat down beside her, grinning so hard that my cheeks ached. “He offered me the clinic. In a couple of weeks, I’ll be the owner of Stonebrooke.”

Gasping, she slapped a hand to her mouth. “Oh, honey, this is amazing. I’m so happy for you.”

The Cougars all ran out on the field in celebration. Derek was being praised by everyone, and I knew he was on air, just like I was. “Me, too, Momma. It’s been a really good day.”





Chapter 34





Hayden


ONE MONTH LATER

“Have a good afternoon, Dr. Hunter,” Amanda called out.

“You, too,” I shouted back.

It felt good to be back at the office and working with my furry friends again. Walking into the lab had taken some getting used to, because all I could see was Jeremiah on the videos, killing those poor animals. He was going to be behind bars for the rest of his life. He’d requested a visit from me, but I’d refused. There was nothing he could say to me that I cared to listen to.

Once I finished up the last of my paperwork, I walked into the main lobby and looked around. I still couldn’t believe it was all mine. Wilford had updated to top-of-the-line equipment, but the dark blue walls needed to be painted to something cheerful, possibly a soft yellow or green? It was all up to me. Maybe I could get the football players to help; that would definitely be a sight. My nurses would help in a heartbeat.

Grinning from ear to ear, I locked the clinic doors and headed home. It was still strange referring to Derek’s massive home as mine, but it was. When I pulled in, Jax’s red sports car was sitting in the driveway. He and Derek had been hanging out a lot together recently, and I actually liked the guy. He had a crude sense of humor that I found funny. The only thing I didn’t like were the stories he told of the things he’d done to some of the players, especially Evan, when he tried to sabotage his and Summer’s relationship. Derek warned Jax that as long as he didn’t try to hit on me, he’d give him the benefit of the doubt. So far, Jax hadn’t let us down.

For the past two days, Jax and Derek had been working to rebuild the dock I’d accidentally run the boat into a few short days before. The damage wasn’t that bad, and thankfully, the boat was okay. I’d offered to pay to have the dock fixed, but Derek had wanted to do it. I’d recently learned that he liked to repair things. He was used to doing that kind of stuff when he lived on his parents’ farm in Tennessee. I couldn’t help but wonder about all the things we’d learn about each other now that we lived together.