Begin Again (6 page)

She opened the door to find Cady sitting on the sofa with a big smile on her face. Her sister pointed to the clock on the sofa table. “It's late. That must have been some dinner.”

Maisie pushed the last two hours out of her mind and concentrated on the wonderful time they had before Ryan's questions had made her want to crawl under a rock and hide.

She grinned. “It was. He drove me to Illinois to have dinner at his parents.”

Cady's mouth dropped open. “Illinois! His parents!”

Maisie nodded. “Yeah, that's what I said.” She smiled remembering the warmth she felt sitting around that big wooden table. The smell of his parents' house was comforting and warm, like a cinnamon roll. She bet his parents never pushed him into something he didn't want to do. “It was nice. His parents are nice.”

Cady hugged her. “I'm so glad you went and that you had a good time.”

“Me, too.” If she could just get Ryan to stop asking so many questions, things might be okay.

Ryan tossed and turned, getting tangled up in his sheets in the process. Thoughts of Maisie's upset voice and the sadness in her green eyes kept him from the sleep he needed. What had happened to her? It was a simple question, right? Her reaction told him otherwise. Angry with himself for not knowing what to do, he threw the jumbled sheet off the bed. He got up and went to see what Rex was up to. After a peek, he saw he was playing with his bell; like most rats, Rex loved toys.

“Hey, Rexie. I couldn't sleep.” He opened the cage, and Rex sniffed the air and climbed onto his hand. Ryan pet his soft fur for a few minutes then put him back inside his cage. Sighing, he went back to bed and tried to think of a way to help Maisie deal with her past so they could start a future. Because a future without her didn't seem possible.

• • •

Ryan handed his assistant a blood sample for the lab. “Alice, can you work this Saturday? I was thinking about a free clinic day, to help out the community.”

Alice glanced at the calendar. “Bummer, could we do it another day? My hubby's birthday is this weekend.”

“Don't worry about it. I think I have someone who can help me out.”

Alice frowned. “Are you sure? Maybe I can come for a little while.”

Ryan smiled and shook his head. “Family comes first. I'll be fine.”

“You're the best boss.” Alice walked over to her computer. “The labs came back on that hamster, Boots. Ringworm and mites are both negative.”

Ryan nodded. “Thanks.”

She picked up the phone. “You want me to call Miss Scott?”

An idea popped into Ryan's head and he grabbed his jacket. “No, I'll take care of it. Would you mind closing up?”

“Sure.” Alice smiled.

“Great, see you tomorrow.” Ryan walked to his SUV. Tonight he planned on making a house call, and it wasn't for a pet.

• • •

Instead of heading to the diner, Ryan drove to Maisie's house. With any luck, her sister would be home. As Ryan pulled into the driveway, he started to have second thoughts. He closed his eyes. He only wanted to help her deal with whatever was bothering her. Must be the medical professional in him. When Ryan opened his eyes, a woman with long strawberry-blond hair was walking toward his SUV.

“Hello?” The woman asked.

Ryan rolled down his window. “Hi, I'm Ryan, a friend of Maisie's.”

The girl smiled. “I'm Cady, her sister. Maisie's not home. She doesn't get off work for another hour.”

Ryan drew his brows together. “I was actually hoping to speak with you.”

Her hazel eyes glanced back at the house. “Okay, come on in. I'll make us some lemonade.”

Ryan followed Cady inside the brick home. They walked through the modern house and into a Mediterranean-style, reddish-orange kitchen. Cady motioned for him to sit down at the little table.

Ryan looked around the upscale kitchen. “You have a beautiful home.”

Cady got a pitcher out of the ivory cabinet. “Thanks. I'm a little guilty of watching too many home and garden shows.”

“I was going to say your kitchen — as well as the rest of the house — looks like it came right out of a magazine.”

“Good. That's what I was going for.” She handed him a tall glass of fresh lemonade and sat down across from him. “So, what did you want to talk to me about?”

“I don't mean to pry, but a few times Maisie has … ” He couldn't find the words.

Cady set down her glass. “Gotten upset?”

Ryan nodded. “Exactly. And when I try to get her to open up to me, she shuts down completely.”

Cady sat and stared out the kitchen sliding door into the landscaped back yard for a minute. Then she looked back at him and sighed. “Look, Ryan. Give her time. She'll come around.”

“If it was just that, I wouldn't be here.” He scratched his head. “I know something happened to her to make her the way she is. I'm afraid that if I don't know what is bothering her, I will say or do the wrong things and hurt her even worse.”

“I guess I can tell you the gist of it. A couple years ago, Maisie lost her husband and her unborn child all in one night.”

“Maisie was married?” He was surprised, but it didn't change how he felt about her.

Cady nodded. “I'm afraid that is all I can say. I've probably already said too much.”

Ryan nodded. “I understand. And thank you.”

“I only told you what I did because Maisie seems to be very fond of you.”

He took a sip and sat his glass down. “And I am of her. Thanks for the drink. I should get going.”

Cady nodded and reached out to place her hand firmly on his arm. “Ryan, don't hurt my sister.”

Ryan looked Maisie's protector in her hazel eyes and said with all honesty, “I won't.”

• • •

Exhausted, Maisie counted her tips. Not bad. She put on her jacket and was about to walk out of the diner when Ryan came in before she could put her hand on the door.

He grinned. “Hi.”

Maisie swallowed. “Hi. I was just on my way out.”

Ryan looked into her eyes, and for a split second, she thought he was going to kiss her. “How about getting us a couple of pieces of pie to go? My treat.”

“That depends, where are we taking the pie?” she asked breathless.

“I got the results back on Boots. The labs were negative. I thought I'd go home with you and check him out.”

A customer came up to the door they were blocking and they stepped aside to let him through.

Maisie rubbed her shaking hands together. “You don't have to do that.”

“I want to.” Ryan smiled. “Make mine apple.” He handed her money out of his wallet.

Maisie walked back toward the counter where Lola stood. “Hey, can I get two slices of apple to go? I already clocked out.”

Lola smirked and nodded. Maisie watched her wrap up the pie. Lola handed it to her and Maisie gave her the money.

“Enjoy.” Lola winked.

Maisie rolled her eyes and turned around.

Ryan was waiting for her at the door. “I'll follow you home.”

“Okay.”

Maisie got into her car and took a deep breath. He was persistent if nothing else. What was it about this man that had her so confused? Yes he was gorgeous, and yes he was a thoughtful man, but what else? One minute she wanted to let him in and let him be her hero. The next, she wanted to push him far away so she never had to deal with the feelings he was creating deep in her heart. A heart that was already shattered and defective. His headlights behind her were a constant reminder that he was about to be in her private space. Her place. Not only did that scare her, it excited her at the same time.

Maisie parked her car and waited for Ryan to get out of his. She handed him the pie and unlocked the front door. Odd, her sister and husband weren't in the living room reading like usual. Good, maybe she could sneak Ryan downstairs without playing twenty questions. Ryan followed her down the steep stairs and she turned on a light.

Maisie looked around at the meager furnishings. If it had been up to Cady, the basement would look like the upstairs.

“It's not much, but I won't be here forever.”

“It looks great to me.” Ryan walked over to Boots's cage and opened the door. While he examined her hamster, she put the apple pie on a couple of paper plates.

“Good news. His fur is starting to grow back,” Ryan called over to her.

Maisie walked over to look. “It is?”

“Yep. It could have been the stress of being in a new place or he could be allergic to his bedding.” He put Boots back inside his cage. “If he doesn't lose any more fur, it was probably just stress. Keep an eye on him and let me know if all his fur doesn't grow back.”

Maisie smiled and handed Ryan a plate. “Thanks. You really didn't have to make a house call. I could have brought him into your clinic tomorrow.”

Ryan took a big bite and swallowed. “I really just wanted to see your place.”

Maisie laughed at his honesty. She took a bite of the warm apple dessert.

“Also, I may have wanted to ask a favor.”

She stopped her fork in midair. “A favor?”

“This Saturday I'm having a free clinic to give back to the community, and my assistant couldn't cancel her plans. I really could use your help.”

“But I don't know anything about animals.”

“Sure you do. Anyway, I just need an extra set of hands.”

How could she tell him no? Only a completely selfish person would refuse to help him after all he'd done for her. “What time do you need me there?”

Ryan's smile caused his eyes to light up and crinkle. “Eight
A.M.
”

After they finished eating, Maisie walked Ryan back upstairs and again wondered where Cady was. She told Ryan bye, and not looking a gift horse in the mouth, she ran back downstairs before her sister could pounce.

• • •

Maisie had managed to get through the next couple days without Cady's inquisitions. She wasn't sure if she should be relieved that her sister was finally giving her some space or curious why. On Saturday morning, Maisie waited on the porch for Lola to pick her up. She had convinced her to come and help out at the free clinic so she wouldn't have to be alone with Ryan all day. Being alone with Ryan did crazy things to her insides, something she didn't know how to deal with right now.

Dressed in jeans and a lavender T-shirt, Maisie sat on the bench outside her sister's front door. A few minutes later, Lola pulled up in her bright yellow Beetle. Lola's dark hair was pulled into a messy ponytail.

“What kind of people get up this early on a Saturday?” Lola asked, before chugging a Starbuck's coffee.

“It's a good cause,” Maisie said getting into the tiny car.

Lola picked up a cup and handed it to her. “Here, I got you one, too.”

Maisie smiled and took the hot drink. “Thanks.” She took a sip and let the caffeine do its job.

Lola glanced at her over her sunglasses. “Why do I get the feeling that the reason you wanted me to come along was more than just helping out sick animals?”

Maisie shrugged. “I dunno.”

“Mmm-hmm.”

“Oh my … ” Maisie words trailed off as her mouth fell open at the line of people standing outside the clinic door waiting like it was a concert or something.

“You have to be kidding me. And how many hours are we supposed to be here?” Lola screeched as she parked her car in the lot.

“Uh, supposed to be four.” Maisie's mouth still hung open. “I guess you use the word ‘free' and people line up.”

• • •

After looking outside at the crowd, Ryan was happy Maisie had brought a friend to help. When he'd thought of the idea to offer a free day, he'd had no idea what to expect. Even on his busiest day he had never had this many patients. He met Maisie and Lola around at the side entrance.

Ryan smiled as he let the women in. “Thanks so much for helping. Looks like we'll have quite the day ahead of us.” Maisie's red hair looked like silk and smelled like strawberries. He had the urge to run his fingers through the softness but instead looked over to her friend. “Lola, you can sit behind the desk and sign people in.”

“Sure, sitting is good.” Lola sat down and took a long swig of her coffee.

He turned back to Miss Temptation. “Maisie, you can call people back and assist me.”

She nodded and gave him a thumbs-up.

“Ready?” he asked them.

They both nodded, so he unlocked the doors so the line of people could pile into the small clinic.

• • •

Ten critters later, Ryan washed his hands and went into the next room to check on Maisie. He had left her to feed an abandoned baby rabbit while he examined a snake and a bird. A lady had found the rabbit in her flowerbed, and he was barely responsive. Ryan could tell the rabbit had once been a pet.

“How's he doing?” Ryan asked behind Maisie. He could still smell the strawberry scent of her shampoo, although it wasn't as strong as it had been three hours ago when she'd first arrived.

Maisie held the young, white and gray rabbit in her lap, feeding him with a dropper. “He seems to be feeling better. The vitamins and water are perking him up.”

The way Maisie cared for the feeble, dirty animal melted Ryan's heart and soul. In that moment he felt something inside that he knew was turning into love. Maisie was everything he had ever wanted in a wife. Could she be the one this time? He knew it wouldn't be easy. Maisie had been through a lot and wasn't ready to share that tragedy with him. But after today, he knew she was worth waiting for.

Ryan wiped his hands on a paper towel and tossed it in the trash. “Thanks for all your help. We only have seven more patients.”