I take it and swipe the screen. “I hate that you keep calling and texting when you’re driving alone.”

“It’s the life of a doctor’s wife. I feel like he’s always on call. And the time he took off from being sick doesn’t help. Luckily our neighbor was willing to come over and watch the kids. Ocean wanted to come so badly, but I …” She clears her throat, and I can feel the emotion she’s suppressing.

“You didn’t want her to see him if he’s not the Swarley she’s used to seeing.”

“Yeah,” she whispers.

Jake feeds the dogs then crawls around on the floor with them, giving them more love. I smile even though he’s not looking at me.

“Are you almost to the clinic?”

“Forty-five minutes out.”

“We’ll head that way too. Jake just heard from the vet, Megan. She said he’s awake and stable.”

“K.”

K … she’s so choked with emotion. I want to crawl through the phone and wrap my arms around her. I want to apologize to her with as much sincerity and regret as Jake just did to me.

“Drive safely.” I disconnect.

Jake glances up, sitting back on his heels. He’s so handsome in those faded jeans and old tee, tattoos all down his arms. I want to ease onto his lap and taste his mouth, die in his hunger for me, let the world around us fade into another life.

“We should go. Sydney will be there soon.”

His gaze slips from mine. It’s like we’re a sinking ship, but there’s no hole or crack to fix. We just carry too much baggage to stay afloat—or maybe it’s just that we have nowhere to go but down.

Jake finds a bag for Megan’s dinner, and we make our way to the truck in silence, drive to the clinic in silence, sink in silence.

I climb out and stare at the dim light coming from the front window of the clinic. Jake steps in front of me and sets the paper bag on the ground by our feet. My gaze sticks to the bag because I can’t look into his blue eyes. I can’t watch the night’s shadows dance across his handsome face. I just can’t …

His fingertips feather along the inside of my palms, touching me deeper than should be possible. “What if I can’t let go?”

Chapter Nineteen

Jake

“Jake …” Avery bites her quivering lower lip.

Instant regret hammers my chest. Why did I say that? Before I say more or attempt to erase the words I just said, an SUV pulls into the parking spot next to my truck.

“My sister…” Avery jogs away, hugging the brunette that gets out of the vehicle.