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
When I arrive home, I step out of the car and stare at it for a moment, still unable to believe that I drove somewhere. It's ridiculous that I'm obsessing over it, but I'm very proud of myself for overcoming a fear of mine. Besides, driving back wasn't as scary as driving there. Halfway home, it felt more natural.
As soon as I enter the house, I notice that something is off.
Usually, on hot summer days like today, my grandparents are out on the deck, playing crib or enjoying each other's company. But, as I kick off my shoes, I can hear voices coming from the kitchen. They're low and muffled, so I can't quite make out who they're talking to or what they're talking about.
Curious, and quickly making sure I wiped my cheeks free of any residue mascara, I walk into the kitchen.
My purse slips from my hand when I see him sitting at the breakfast bar.
"Cole?" I ask in disbelief.
He glances over his shoulder and smiles at me. "Hello, love. How's it going?"
Over the summer, I've kept in touch with Cole. We've talked about other things than Noel and his progress. How our summers have gone, what we've been doing, how Willow and Daisy are, et cetera. But talking on the phone and texting is never the same as seeing someone face-to-face.
Before Cole can even get up, I have my arms thrown around him and I'm hugging him desperately. "I've missed you," I say.
He laughs and hugs me back. "I've missed you, too."
After pulling away from the hug, I ask, "What are you doing here? How did you get here? How are Daisy and Willow?"
"What?" he jokes, nudging me in the arm. "I need a reason to come visit one of my friends?" He pauses. "Willow and Daisy are doing well. Counselling's been good for us. We're planning on renting a condo closer to campus until I finish off my degree in engineering. Things are going well. Better than I anticipated. I had a lot of thoughts I needed to sort out. Funny how focusing on your problems leads to solving them, eh?"
I nudge him back, a silly smile on my face. Daisy and Cole are adorable together. After everything that's happened, they deserve to be happy.
For a moment, he stares at me, his eyes searching my face and then my body. "You look amazing, Kinsley," he says.
I blush. The first couple of weeks after Cole took me to the airport were hectic for me. I was so emotionally distraught that I could barely eat. I lost a lot of weight. Enough that it was unhealthy. But, with the therapy sessions and all the help I got, I put some of that weight back on, making myself look more like a human being than a skeleton. I've also spent a lot of time outside; my skin is a few shades darker and the freckles on the bridge of my nose are more obvious.
"Thanks," I reply, bashfully. It feels good to know that I'm not the only one who knows I've made progress, that I have something to show for it.
"Now," Cole says, "to answer your questions, I flew here and then rented a car. I'm surprised you didn't see it parked out front. Oh, and I got your address from your grandparents. Not sorry to say I've been going behind your back and talking to them while you've been here. Just making sure you're okay. I'm not a bloody stalker."
