Free Healing Hearts by Kim Watters Page B

the cat’s neck, Grant injected the shot. Was he a fool for trusting Sarah? Could he really take care of himself? After last night, he wasn’t so sure. He’d started to fall in love with his assistant.
    “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
    At the sigh of resignation, Grant glanced at his aunt. Worry lines creased her forehead as she chewed the pink lipstick off her bottom lip. He’d never seen her in such a state. Something was up and he knew he wasn’t going to like it. “What aren’t you telling me?”
    “I asked Gillian’s boyfriend, Joe, to run her plates.”
    “You what?”
    Joyce returned, ending their conversation.
    Grant could have been an actor. In a wink, his professional demeanor replaced his shock at his aunt’s admission. “You’re all set.” He no sooner opened the door to the kennel and the cat leaped inside. Grant smiled in spite of himself and closed the gate. “And I thought you liked it here, Sebastian. Thanks for coming in today, Joyce. Aunt Mary will see you out.”
    Feeling the need for some fresh air, Grant hooked the leash to Rocky’s collar and headed out the back door. While Aunt Mary had no right to request that information, he knew she was only looking out for him. Family did that.
    Even after a quick walk around the block, his mood hadn’t lifted. Could his aunt see something he couldn’t? Maybe he should do some checking up on his own, but that thought disturbed him
    He shook his head, trying to dispel the seeds of doubt planted in his brain. They were nonsense. Sarah was nothing like the picture certain people were painting. The trust he saw in her eyes behind the wall of defenses was real. She didn’t lie or cheat he’d bet his practice on it.
     
    Sarah was only too glad to leave the noisy confines of the diner and step into the comforting interior of the clinic. She inhaled deeply, filling her lungs with the tangy scent of disinfectant, not the smell of stale grease. A chorus of barks greeted her as she passed by the room to her right. “Hi, guys. What were you in for today?” Stopping in front of the kennels, she reached in and petted the smaller of the two brown dogs, then gave a hearty scratching to the bigger one. “I’ll take you out in a minute.” They both licked her hand.
    A feeling of contentment swept over her. For the first time in her life, she actually felt as if she belonged somewhere, that she was wanted, not an inconvenience, and that she had something to give. She didn’t know a lot, but with time, she would learn. If Grant would keep her on after her debt was paid.
    She liked her job. The constant challenge of dealing with pets and their owners kept her on her toes. When she’d first started, she hadn’t been too sure about her role in the clinic, or how well she’d fit in.
    Grant had welcomed her, and his niece, Amanda, treated her with kindness, too. Only his aunt, Mrs. Thatcher, treated her coolly. She couldn’t figure the older woman out and didn’t necessarily want to. She reminded her of one of the social workers assigned to her when she was a child.
    She smiled, contented, but wondered how Grant would feel about her today after her confessions last night. Between her customers, she’d gone over the scene in her head; relived it, even down to the last moments in his arms. Instead of shying away, she’d enjoyed his hug. It brought back images of a lost time when her mother, on a good day, would comfort her, before the bitter reality of the bottle hit.
    Yet, it was different. The rhythmic beat of Grant’s heart, his comforting words, and the scent of soap mingled with aftershave was nothing like the sweet, sickening smell of gin or slurred words produced by liquor.
    No. Grant was sincere and she wouldn’t have done anything to stop him had he tried to kiss her, but he hadn’t. She sighed. Obviously, he didn’t find her the least bit attractive. It had never bothered her before, but now she cursed her curly hair and freckles as she