But Doc was shaking his head no. “Fighting for her, forcing her to divide herself between the west and east coast would be far more damaging than letting her go. I have to let go, Stone. I have to let her be. That’s guilt speaking. I won’t bring her any emotional strain. She’s had enough.”
Stone sighed. “You did the best you could.”
Doc shoved back his unruly hair and smiled sadly. “You’re making excuses for me. It’s about accountability, which unfortunately I didn’t learn until two months ago on an ER table. The truth is, I’ve been every bit as selfish as her mother. Emma knows it, and so do I.” He opened the fridge one more time and sighed as he stared at the contents. “What I wouldn’t give for a damn Pepsi.”
“Accountability,” Stone said dryly. “You needed a lifestyle change, which includes eating healthier, exercising more than lifting a fishing pole, and here’s a new one—living until you’ve seen your grandchildren.”
Doc’s eyes, kind and sharp as they came, met his. “You should have been a doctor. You’re a natural caretaker.”
“As I’d have passed out at the first sight of a needle, I think it’s fair to say I made a good choice.”
“You’re still taking care of people.”
“Playing for a living,” Stone corrected.
Doc smiled. “Now see, that’s what makes you who you are, Stone. Modesty. Because unlike myself, you’ve never acted selfishly in your life.”
“Stop it.”
“No, I mean it. You managed Cam when he was a world champion at such a young age. You helped TJ through his tragedy—”
“Both of those things were a long time ago.”
“Yeah, and you’re still there for them, keeping your family a unit. You invested Cam’s pro earnings for him wisely, and now he’s rich as sin. You helped TJ realize his dream by building that lodge. You keep both your brothers’ dreams alive by running Wilder Adventures even though we both know you’d rather be wearing a tool belt and working with your hands. Face it, Stone. You’re always, in one form or another, taking care of someone you care about, including trying to get between me and Emma to keep us both happy.”
Uncomfortable with that, Stone turned away, looking out the window and automatically counting teenage heads to make sure they were all still out there. Last week two of the little geniuses had decided to take off on their own to smoke some weed. Today they were back at the lodge with Annie, cleaning toilets. His own unique form of punishment. “You make me sound like some sort of a saint.”
“No.” Doc tossed back more of his water. “A saint would have slipped me a soda.”
Spencer had met a few doctors from South Shore and the next day was off with them for the day playing on Lake Tahoe. Emma didn’t go because she had the clinic. In the hottest day of the year so far, she saw a total of four patients. She got one casserole, one IOU, and two checks.
Progress.
She treated a sprained elbow, two sore throats and one migraine. She’d say this—she was getting used to the lack of drama in her day.
Actually, it did make breathing easier. Not that she was ready to admit such a thing. Near closing time, Annie showed up. “Sorry to bother you,” she said, holding Chuck in her arms. “But our vet is climbing Echo Summit.” She set the cat on the reception counter.
Emma raised a brow.
“Yeah.” Annie grimaced. “Seeing as you patched up our Stone so nicely, I was hoping you’d also—”
“There’s a big difference between treating a man and a cat, Annie.”
“Sure there is. My nephew’s a big baby, and Chuck isn’t.”
Emma reached out to pet Chuck, laughing, and Annie smiled in approval. “Well there you are.”
“Excuse me?”
“Oh, the rumors are that you’re not as human as the rest of us mere mortals. But I see peeks of your father coming through.”
“You do not.”
Now Annie laughed. “That wasn’t an insult. Your father’s a good man.” She patted Emma’s arm. “And you’re a good woman.”
Chuck butted his head up against her hand, trying to get her to resume the petting. “How do you know that?”
“You flew out here to take care of his business, didn’t you? That’s what family does,” Annie said confidently.
“You’re close to your family.”
“Extremely.”
“How do you manage that?” Emma asked. “You’re all so different.”
“Oh, it’s Stone. He does it. Ever since he was little, he’s been the protector, the go-to guy. We joke that it’s the middle child in him, but truthfully, his heart is bigger than the rest of ours.” Annie nuzzled Chuck. “Aw, my poor boy.”
“Stone?”
“No, Chuck. He’s been through some rough times. Did you know when we first found him, he was skinny and missing patches of hair? He was the most pathetic thing you’ve ever seen. We fattened him up with food and love.” She eyed the cat’s belly. “I might have gone overboard on the food, but I couldn’t stand to think of him hungry. Anyway, he’s got a bellyache, and it’s swollen. It’s why we’re here.”
With a sigh, Emma reached for the cat, who rolled to its back, and exposed its belly.
“He’s hoping you have bacon,” Annie said while Emma probed and poked. “Or cheese. He’s not picky. Which is probably why he has gas, right?”