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Beth nodded. “Today. I took the afternoon off.”

Delaney’s expression darkened. “Why didn’t you tell me? How did you get there? I could have taken you.”

“Trudy Davis drove me. She stopped by to pick up…” Beth cleared her throat. “She had Frederick cremated. Anyway, I asked her about a rideshare, and she told me there is no such thing in Meadow Valley—shocker—so she drove me.”

Her throat tightened, but she let go of the barre, shook off the feeling, and squared her shoulders.

“He said given my age and the extent of the injury that dancing for recreation was certainly not out of the picture but that the stress of trying to do it professionally…” She trailed off for a moment before collecting herself again. “It’s one person’s opinion.”

Along with that of her surgeon and the therapist she’d seen in Vegas before Delaney forced her to come here.

“There it is.” Delaney grabbed Beth’s hand and squeezed. “I knew something was up with you this week. I was afraid something happened at the clinic. But you must have been nervous about this appointment, huh? You don’t have to keep stuff from me, Bethy. You know that, right? I’m here for you. Despite whether I agree with your doctors or therapists, I’m on your side. So come to me, okay? That’s part of my premeditated plan.” Delaney laughed.

“Okay,” Beth relented. “I’ll come to you. But only if you mean everything you just said. I’ll get through this on my own if I have to, Lanes. But I really don’t want to.”

She wasn’t giving Eli the cold shoulder like she had her first week in town. What happened in the guesthouse was amazing until it wasn’t. And she’d told him flat out that if he wasn’t ready, that was okay with her. She’d just mistakenly thought once he’d brought her to climax that he was more than okay with whatever it was they were doing.

But Eli got spooked, and Beth wouldn’t fault him for that. She’d given him an out, he’d taken it, and she’d had the audacity to let it surprise her. Wasn’t that what she wanted, for Eli to change her mind about surprises?

Note to self: For you, Beth Spence, surprises only end in disaster.

She just hadn’t anticipated how lonely she’d feel the week following the latest disaster.

The week? Scratch that. The past month and a half had been the loneliest of her life. Sure, Delaney could be there for her, but her sister couldn’t fix how isolated Beth felt not being able to participate in what had been her world for more than twenty-five years.

Delaney grabbed her sister’s hand, bringing her back to the present. “Did you hear me, Bethy?”

“What?” Beth replied. Had her sister been talking to her without her knowledge?

“The clinic,” Delaney told her. “I asked if everything at the clinic was okay.”

Beth’s eyes widened. “The clinic? What? Of course. Everything’s fine at the clinic. Perfectly peachy. Why would you think otherwise? Did someone say something? Did Dr. Murphy say something?”

Good god, she needed to shut up. Could the lady protest more than too much? Because her physical therapy appointment wasn’t the only secret she’d kept from her sister this past week, but there was no way she was touching the Eli thing with a ten-foot pole. It happened. It was over. They’d obviously both succumbed to a moment of weakness after an emotional morning. The end. New story. Chapter One: We’re Strictly Professional Now. At least that was how they’d behaved around each other for week two…Eli’s choice this time.

Ms. Spence, can you grab so-and-so’s chart?

Of course, Dr. Murphy.

Ms. Spence, can you email this prescription to the pharmacy?

Sure, Dr. Murphy.

Hot and cold. That seemed to be how they rolled…with a partial roll in the hay in between.

Delaney’s brow furrowed. “Weren’t you there when Eli had to euthanize Frederick? You just mentioned Trudy Davis coming to pick up his—um—ashes.”

“Right!” Beth responded with entirely too much enthusiasm. “Frederick!” She exhaled a steadying breath. “I mean…poor Frederick,” she amended, her tone somber this time. “And Trudy too.” And Eli, she wanted to say. But she kept that part—and any other thoughts she’d had about the complicated doctor—to herself. “I think I get it a little better now, though…how you feel about animals. I only knew Frederick for about an hour, and even I got a little choked up saying goodbye.”

Her sister beamed, and Beth couldn’t help but smile too. These moments when the two of them connected meant more to Beth now than they had when they were growing up. The physical distance between the two women was one thing. But Delaney had built a whole life here with Sam and Nolan, the ranch, and the animal rescue. It had made the span from Nevada to California—a mere eight-hour drive—feel like traveling from the earth to the moon. If there was any silver lining to her sister’s manipulation and—some might say—kidnapping, it was getting to be with Delaney and her family now, seeing her sister in her element as a wife, mother, and rescuer of all animals, great and small.

Okay, so Beth would take her sister’s word on the last part. Beth had already taken her baby step into animal interaction by accepting the job at the clinic. She wasn’t about to frolic in her sister’s petting zoo.

“You’re really good too, Lanes. At all the things you do.” Beth gave her sister’s hand a squeeze. “I’m sorry if I don’t tell you that enough.”

Delaney sniffled, then fluttered her hand in front of her face to wave off the ensuing tears.

“Oh my goodness! I don’t know what’s gotten into me,” Delaney said. “Maybe I’m ovulating early. I should tell Sam. Might be time to get working on baby number two tonight!” She laughed. “And also, thank you, Bethy. That means a lot. I’ll leave you to your stretching. You’re staying for dinner, right? I hope you like baked mac and cheese because that’s pretty much all Nolan eats these days.”