But of course she has. Her life is on the Bridger Ranch, where a veterinarian is on staff.

I’m merely an assistant. I didn’t get to finish my first year of vet school…but I can’t go there in my mind. Not on my first day at the ranch.

I have a job. A job working with animals I love. I smile to myself.

My first job since my return to Bayfield, Montana.

I gently place Ivory’s hoof back on the stable floor and move to the next one, reliving the conversation with my parents this morning.

“I got a job. I start today.”

My mother’s eyes go wide, and she continues pouring orange juice into my glass until—

“Mom, stop!”

She jerks the pitcher upright just before the glass overflows. “Sorry,” she mumbles. “A job?”

“Yeah. At Bridger Ranch working in the stables.”

“Bridger Ranch?” she repeats.

Dad’s head whips up from the paper. He narrows his eyes

“With their livestock?” Mom asks.

I nod, feeling nervous and excited. “I’ll help wherever they need me. Cattle, horses, dogs and cats. Chickens. I don’t know. It’s the first step to getting back to vet school.”

“Why the hell would you get a job there of all places?” Dad’s voice doesn’t have his usual warmth. In fact, the way a vein throbs in his temple, he looks downright pissed.

“Because they have animals.” The long list I just shared. Duh.

“Are you qualified?”

Classic Dad. He knows I’m qualified. This is about something else. Again, his words hurt.

“I’ve had almost a year of veterinary school and all the time I worked at the animal hospital in town during high school,” I remind him.

“That was a long time ago, sweetheart,” Mom says cautiously. She’s worried for me, but all her sentiment does is remind me of what I missed out on. How far behind I am. What I lost.

Five years to be exact, but—

Dad slams his phone down on the table. “The answer is no. Fuck, no.”

Mom gasps. “Rick. Watch your language.”

“There are enough ranches in the area for you to work on. You don’t have to work for the Bridgers.”

I frown. “What’s wrong with them? The head vet over at Bridger ranch thinks I can do the job as well as any vet tech.”

I sigh, eyeing my father closely. I don’t know what his deal is. It’s one thing to worry about me and smother me by the day, but he’s acting as if he doesn’t like the Bridgers specifically. I thought they wanted me to return to my life. To be normal again.

“Besides, Dr. Lake thinks I’m ready. More importantly, I think I am.”

God, am I. I need to get out of this house. I love my parents, but I’m twenty-seven years old, and they treat me like…

Well, like I could disappear at any moment…which I did five years ago.