Two years after a horrible accident, Kinsley's determined to make it through vet school, but she didn't expect to meet country boy Noel McLean who's just as mysterious as he is charming.
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Kinsley Hastings suffers from PTSD. After surviving a fata...
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Kinsley
By the time April thirtieth arrives, I feel like I'm stuck in a constant panic attack. No matter who I call, I'm denied. If it's not because of a student already using the area, it's because of rules and regulations. With every option I cross off of my list, the outlook becomes bleaker and bleaker.
It's problematic. I'm running out of time. We're supposed to have our places chosen, written, and handed in to our professor.
Time isn't favourable. Nor are my options.
Although Noel offered me a place, I don't want to accept it. I'll owe him something. And who knows what that guy could expect from me?
All morning, I've been studying in the library. My small breaks have consisted of making calls to various places. There's been no luck. Each phone call is worse.
"Sorry, miss, but our farm is for agricultural purposes only," a male voice explains.
"Oh," I say, unable to hide the disappointment from my voice. His words are bullshit. His farm is for agriculture and livestock. He just doesn't want a liability. "I understand. Thank you for taking my call. I appreciate it."
He apologizes before hanging up.
Sighing, I look down at my list. I've got one option left on my list. Instead of a phone number, a room number sits next to his name.
I drop my cell phone and rub my temples as hopelessness washes over me. Accepting Noel's offer isn't something I want to do. But I have no other choice.
I have to accept Noel's offer.
Several things happen as the confirmation rings through my head.
My palms turn clammy and my heart thumps in my chest.
My mind tries to calculate ways to avoid getting closer to Noel.
These reactions are split down the middle, making me unsure of what I'm truly feeling. This confusion is something I'm used to. It's part of my trauma. Even after all the counselling I went to, I still don't know how to decipher it. It's a push and pull that keeps me locked in the centre.
All I know is I want my thesis to be accurate. Keeping myself busy won't be hard on the farm. Lots of data and observations are needed. There won't be time for Noel and I to socialize. Plus, Noel knows the heavy load this course carries. We'll both be too busy.
A slight pinch of relief fills me. Evenings will be problematic, but I'll figure out how to handle them later.
With my draft plans for avoiding Noel, I revert my mind to another problem. My grandparents. A flight is scheduled for Winnipeg. They think I'm returning home for the summer. Me staying with Noel in Calgary might concern them, too.
Heck, I'm not sure how I feel.
I'm stepping out of my boundaries. My mental health will suffer. Missing my grandparents will be an issue. School was hard enough.
