Maya didn’t respond, and Ace didn’t dare look at her. He couldn’t bear to see confirmation on her face that she pitied him. He’d gone through a lot over the last number of years, and despite being at rock bottom on several occasions, he’d pushed past all of it.

  But something told him that seeing a look of sympathy emanating from Maya’s soulful brown eyes might just break him.

  Chapter Eight

  The following day, Maya found herself knee-deep in work. Between performing two minor surgeries on cats, helping to rescue a foal stuck in the ice on Kachemak Bay and fixing up a dog who had ended up full of quills after a run-in with a porcupine, she was happy to sign off for the day. She was beginning to feel that a veterinarian’s job was never truly done. Bringing on another vet to the practice couldn’t happen soon enough.

  Later, after meeting up for dinner with Florence at her family’s ranch, she would head back to her clinic to check in on the Labrador puppies and their mama.

  As Maya pulled past the huge iron gates of the Double D Ranch, she took in the expansive property stretching out before her. The Duggans’ land stretched out across several hundred acres. As she drove closer to the homestead, Maya spotted horses cantering around their enclosure and calves in the snow-covered field.

  When she was six years old, Florence’s mother, Renata, had married Patrick Duggan, owner of the ranch. Florence and her kids lived out here with her mother, stepfather and other members of the Duggan family. As her friend often said, it was a great place to raise her boys. The Double D Ranch had been in the Duggan family for generations, and even though Florence wasn’t a Duggan by birth, she’d been accepted into the family as one of their own. Patrick’s nephew Leo had been best friends with Ace since they were small.

  It had been a long and exhausting day but Maya had promised to come out to the ranch to have an early dinner with Florence. Because she was a single mother of twins, Florence found it easier to make dinner at the ranch and host her friends there. Even though she was bone-tired, Maya believed that a promise was a promise. Florence was the type of friend she would go to the ends of the earth for, mainly because her friend had shown her that type of dedication. Maya knew things weren’t easy for her as a single mother of twin boys.

  As she parked and exited her truck, Maya’s gaze swept over the huge, multilevel home that boasted seven bedrooms and an equal number of bathrooms. Inside, high, timbered ceilings and tall, full windows gave the house an airy, wide-open feeling. Patrick’s great-grandfather had built the home, which had been added to and updated over the years.

  Maya knocked on the front door. Within seconds it swung open to reveal Florence standing on the threshold. She was dressed casually in a pair of slim-fitting jeans and a long-sleeved, olive-colored top.

  “Hey there, Doc. Thanks for coming out here,” Florence said, warmly greeting her at the door. “It’s been a while since we met up for dinner.”

  “Thanks for the invite.” Maya looked around as she stepped inside. “It’s awfully quiet in here. Where are the twins?”

  “Mama and Patrick are watching them. They took them for a drive around the property. A cat had a litter of kittens they’re taking a peek at.”

  “I’m glad you’re getting a little break,” Maya said. “I know it’s not easy doing it all on your own, but you’re an amazing mom.”

  Florence leaned in and hugged her. “Maya, you’re incredibly sweet. Let’s go sit down in the kitchen and get comfortable. The food is almost ready.”

  Maya followed Florence into the spacious all-white kitchen, where they sat down and talked while the chicken marsala continued to cook. She couldn’t wait to talk to her best friend about Ace. Just when she thought she and Ace could coexist in a professional way, the past came roaring back to complicate things.

  She didn’t hesitate to bring up the matter with her best friend. “Ace dropped a bombshell yesterday when we paid a house call to Otis.”

  “Okay. Don’t keep me waiting in suspense,” Florence said, leaning across the table. “What did he say?”

  Maya had the feeling Florence would be as shocked as she’d been. “Ace blurted out in front of Otis that he was going to ask me to marry him before we broke up.”

  Florence let out a little shriek. “Are you serious? And you never had any inkling he was headed in that direction?”

  Maya shook her head. “We were getting serious, but we never talked about taking such a big step. I have to admit, I thought about it from time to time, wondering what our wedding would be like and how he would ask me.”

  Florence held up her finger. “One moment while I take the food out of the oven.” Florence served up two portions, then placed the dishes on the table, followed by a salad and Italian bread. She poured them each a glass of lemonade before sitting back down. After joining their hands and praying over their meal, they both dug in and ate in companionable silence.

  “This is terrific,” Maya said as she finished the last of her chicken. “I wish that I could cook like this.” Maya wasn’t an awful cook, but she certainly couldn’t whip up meals like this one.

  “Thanks. Now, back to what we were talking about. If I’m being completely honest, I thought you and Ace were close to an engagement,” Florence admitted. “You really seemed to be so in love with one another.”

  Moisture stung her eyes. Thinking about the emotional trauma of her leukemia diagnosis and losing the man she’d loved caused her emotions to bubble over. In hindsight, it didn’t seem like a well-thought-out decision, but she’d been in a terrible headspace back then. “That’s why I ended things with him, Florence. I honestly wasn’t sure if I was going to make it through the leukemia, and I didn’t want to put him through that trauma. I knew what it felt like to lose someone I loved and so did he.”

  “I know how much you were hurting back then. It must’ve been painful for Ace to be on the cusp of such a big moment only to get broken up with by the woman he loved,” Florence said, quirking her mouth. “That’s really tough. It would bring anyone to their knees.”

  “He was definitely hurt when I ended things, but Ace has a habit of hiding his emotions. He made it seem back then as if he just picked himself up, dusted himself off and went on living just fine. At least that’s how it seemed to me.” At the time she had been slightly hurt at the idea that he’d gotten over their relationship so quickly. But now, upon further reflection, it seemed as if Ace had simply been really good at shuttering his feelings.

  “Leo didn’t betray any confidences, but he did mention once that Ace was really torn apart by the way things went down between you,” Florence said. She shrugged. “I think he was confused and a bit blindsided.”

  “I don’t blame him,” Maya said. It was horrible knowing she’d wounded Ace. And now that she knew he’d been on the verge of proposing marriage, she felt even worse. It made her wonder if she’d done the wrong thing. The truth was, if Ace had asked her to marry him she couldn’t have accepted his proposal in good conscience. The leukemia diagnosis would have been hanging over her head like a dark cloud.

  And now, her fears about being sick again were ramping up due to the episode she’d suffered yesterday. She should have immediately contacted her current oncology doctor in California and discussed her symptoms with her. It was a terrible feeling to believe she might be seriously ill. She could feel the pressure of the situation affecting her state of mind. Her nerves were on edge.

  She just needed to confide in someone instead of allowing fear to fester inside of her. Since Florence knew her leukemia history, she was the obvious choice.

  “I—I wasn’t feeling well yesterday, Florence,” Maya confessed. “It’s really messing with me. You know I’ve always been afraid of the leukemia coming back.”

  “Oh, Maya. I know how frightening it must be to feel ill after all you’ve been through. I’m so sorry.” Florence was such a nurturing person. It felt soothing simply talking to her.

  “Maybe it’s just stress,” she hedged. “There’s such a learning curve with taking over the practice it exhausts me. And with the dog rescue opening, I’m feeling a bit run-down.”

  “I agree you have a lot of fires burning, but why not ease your mind by having Rachel check you out?” Florence was gazing at her with an intensity Maya couldn’t ignore. She wasn’t going to let this go.

  Rachel Lawson was a nurse married to a local pilot, Gabriel Lawson. They’d all grown up together and Maya knew Rachel was an amazing practitioner as well as being a phenomenal individual. She trusted her medical expertise.

  Maya knew her reservations revolved around the fear of hearing bad news.

  “Go see Rachel, Maya. She’s wonderful,” Florence said in an encouraging tone. “She’ll put you at ease. Have her run some tests and it will reassure you when they come back as normal.”

  But what if the tests showed the leukemia was back? Maya couldn’t even imagine going through that nightmare all over again. Maybe she did need to reach out to Rachel and find out what was going on before she let herself get into a negative mindset.

  Just when Maya opened her mouth to tell Florence she would call Rachel, the sound of running feet heralded the arrival of her friend’s twins. As the blond boys toddled into the kitchen and made a beeline toward Florence, Maya’s heart threatened to crack wide open. Although she’d always dreamed of one day having children of her own, she worried it might not ever happen due to her chemotherapy treatments. She was open to the idea of adoption, especially since there were so many kids in the system who needed homes. Maya didn’t need to give birth to a child to make it her own.

  If her worst fears were realized about her health, Maya might never get the opportunity to become a mother.

  * * *

  Ace had to give it to Zach. He wasn’t half bad as an assistant. So far he’d completed all the tasks Ace had given him, as well as initiating a few on his own. He hadn’t complained once and he had no problem with the long hours. Ace was still keeping his eye on him, though. Getting the dog rescue off to a good start was imperative. Nothing or nobody was going to get in the way of a successful launch. He looked over at his brother. He was listing all the dogs’ names on their individual whiteboards, along with their medications and breed. Ace realized he needed to cut him some slack. So he’d made a few youthful mistakes. It wasn’t his place to judge him.

  Blue liked to remind Ace that he had a tendency not to afford people second chances. He was beginning to realize his dad might be right. His thoughts immediately turned to Maya. She was one of the main reasons he was mistrustful. Being hurt by someone wasn’t a great excuse, but it was the truth. Because of her, he’d developed a thick outer shell.

  “Zach, why don’t you head home? I can finish up and we can start bright and early tomorrow morning.”

  “Are you sure?” Zach asked. “I don’t mind staying.”

  “I’m sure,” Ace said with a nod. “I think we’re in good shape to open up on Friday.” They’d completed the fencing earlier today with the help of some local friends. Ace grinned. Just the idea of welcoming the first of the rescue dogs made him want to celebrate.

  “Okay,” Zach said, wiping his brow with his forearm. “I can take Luna home and get her fed. She’s probably missing the rest of the dogs,” he said, nuzzling her head and getting an enthusiastic tail wag in return.

  “Thanks, Zach. By the way, you’re doing a great job.”

  Zach gaped at him. “Seriously?” he asked, uncertainty laced in his voice.

  “One hundred percent,” Ace said, feeling a little hitch in his heart at the smile breaking out on his brother’s face. He needed to validate him more, he realized. Build him up instead of waiting for him to fail. His mother’s voice rang out in his head. You’re his big brother, Ace. He looks to you for guidance. Don’t let him stumble around in the dark.

  “Good to hear,” Zach said, grinning. “By the way, Dad told me how you saved the house from being sold out from under him. I really respect what you did. It says a lot about who you are as a person. I know you thought that you let us down when you exited the Iditarod, but you never have...not once.”

  Ace felt his chest tightening with emotion. What he’d done for his father had been instinctual, and he hadn’t ever wanted to be hailed as a hero for doing the right thing. It would have broken Ace’s heart to see Blue lose their family home. However, hearing his little brother speak so highly of him hit Ace squarely in the chest. He cleared his throat and said, “I appreciate hearing that more than you can imagine.”

  Zach smiled at him. “See you at home. Come on, Luna. Let’s go.”

  With one last look in Ace’s direction, Luna followed Zach out of the building. A few minutes later he heard the roar of tires as they headed out of the lot. Ace busied himself in the kitchen making sure there was enough dog food in the cupboard, along with training treats. He’d purchased some fresh vegetables to add to the dogs’ food. Not all of them would appreciate the veggies, but it was an additional nutrient to add to their diets.

  Ace was so engrossed in his task that he didn’t even hear approaching footsteps until Maya was standing right beside him. When she uttered his name, it completely startled him.

  “Sorry for disturbing you, Ace. I saw the light on and decided to come over.”

  “No worries. I was in the zone going over the feeding schedule. I’m surprised I didn’t hear you come in.”

  He was startled to see her, considering he’d spotted her leaving the clinic hours earlier. He’d figured she was heading out for an early dinner date or running some errands. Ace didn’t like thinking about Maya dating anyone. Just the thought of it made his stomach twist. It was a stunning realization considering they hadn’t been together in such a long time. And he had no idea if it was simply irritation that she’d possibly moved on while he’d been stuck in limbo.

  She shoved her hands in her pockets. “I was going to give you an update on the pups. Actually, if you want to come over to the clinic you can get a peek. But, if you’re busy...” Her words trailed off.

  She wasn’t looking him in the eye, and he had to wonder if it was because of their ride back from seeing Otis yesterday. He’d been a bit harsh with his comments and she’d responded with silence, not uttering a single word to him until they reached the clinic, when she’d thanked him for driving her to see Otis. Although he’d meant what he said, Ace regretted his delivery. By the way Maya had withdrawn into herself, he knew he’d hurt her. It didn’t make him feel very good about himself. Sometimes he felt like a teapot on a stove ready to boil over. It was the result of five years of not being given any answers or true closure. Pretending everything was fine had never been his strong suit.

  “I’ve been wondering about the puppies and how they’re doing,” he admitted. “And I’d love to see them.”

  “Well, then let’s head over,” Maya said, turning toward the door. Ace trailed behind her, marveling at the brilliant pink moon hanging high in the sky. Maya looked up at the night sky as well, stopping in her tracks to do so. She let out a gasp. “It’s gorgeous. I didn’t even notice it earlier.”

  “Hard not to notice a moon like this one,” Ace said, his tone teasing. “My mother used to call it a blushing moon. The most romantic one of all according to her.”

  “I’ve never heard it called that before,” Maya murmured before looking away and continuing to walk toward the building. When they entered the clinic, Maya led him to a room where Daisy and her puppies had been set up in a cozy pen. The babies were nestled up together in a tight-knit group. Daisy was sleeping on the other side of the enclosure.

  “Aww. They look great,” Ace said, going down on his haunches to get a better look. Three of the puppies were yellow, while two were chocolate.

  “They really are wonderful,” Maya said, her face beaming with pleasure. “God was really watching out for all of them. Daisy really pulled it off, as sick as she is. And she’s even nursing them.”

  “Is it possible that they’ve gotten bigger in only a short time?” Ace asked as a feeling of wonder spread through his chest.

  “That’s generally what they do,” Maya answered.

  “Oh, you’ve got jokes,” Ace drawled, letting out a chuckle as their eyes met.

  He enjoyed lighthearted moments with her. It almost made him forget about the tension that always tended to crop up when they were together. Perhaps their mutual love of dogs was the thing that would create a sense of peace between them.

  Maya picked up one of the pups and handed it to Ace. “This is the runt of the litter.”

  Ace took the chocolate-colored pup and cradled it against his chest. Holding such a tiny helpless puppy stirred up feelings of protectiveness in him. They were completely innocent. The fact that human beings didn’t honor their promises to their canine friends was heartbreaking.

  “Have you named him yet?” Ace loved naming dogs. It had been one of the best parts of compiling a sled-dog team. He’d had a lot of fun with selecting cool names that fit the individual dogs. He missed the sled dogs that he’d loaned out to his close dog-musher buddies. Ace knew without a single doubt that his friends were taking good care of them. Things wouldn’t feel complete until he reunited with all of his canines.

  Maya shook her head. “Nope. He doesn’t have a name. I’ll give you the honors since you helped with the delivery.”

  “That’s sweet considering I didn’t really do anything.”

  “You did enough, and I appreciate it.” Sincerity rang out in Maya’s voice and it humbled him. Even when he acted like a jerk, she still continued to treat him with kindness.

  “Frisco. I’d like to name him Frisco,” Ace said, trailing his thumb against the puppy’s forehead. It was a solid name for a pup who had pluck and grit. He was a survivor, much like Luna.