Chapter 271: Roxy
*You poor girl. There’s a good puppy under those scars. – Alicia*
Jaye reached over and squeezed Chance’s hand as Patch put his breakfast burrito down. He brushed a few crumbs from his beard and used a napkin to wipe his face. When he had decided that Chance had enough time to formulate his thoughts, he looked at his nephew and pushed him to look deeper inside. He might only be the veterinarian for the ranch, but in the past decade, he had picked up some knowledge.
“What’s the real problem, son?” Patch asked. “Tell me why you’re here. Why, after all these years, this woman has you breaking all your rules.”
Chance looked at his uncle and let out a soft breath. “Somehow, Rye made it out of all that, she survived it. But she feels like she doesn’t deserve anything. She believes that she failed because when she was twelve, she promised her dad that she would keep her mother and sister safe. One is dead and the other,” he let out a breath as he pictured Leigh Anne in his mind, “she might as well be.”
“She graduated high school at seventeen. Will graduate college at twenty with a teaching degree. Moved across the country for a baby. Survived a shit childhood surrounded by drugs and alcohol and prostitution.”
Chance stood up and started pacing back and forth as he spoke. “Not only did she make it out clean, but she’s also a damned virgin. A virgin! Why the hell am I, me, fucking just take a Chance, even thinking about getting involved with a virgin? Me? Two, three months ago, I’d already had at least two women by this time.” His arm swung out in the direction of the clock on the microwave to make his point.
“And now? I couldn’t tell you the last time I had a woman. And apparently, they’ve been throwing themselves at me and I haven’t even fucking noticed! And do you know why?”
Jaye allowed her husband to move them both so that he was sitting with his back against the chair, and she had her back to his chest. They both faced the younger man as he continued to pace. Wrapping his arms around his wife, Patch kissed her cheek.
“Ever think that we would see this?” he whispered.
“Yes, but only because Nessie said that it would be fun to watch.” She whispered back interlocking their fingers together.
Chance stopped in front of the sink and gripped the stainless-steel basin. He looked out the window and barely saw the backyard. The kennels and other dogs were just objects and movement to his eyes blurred by tears. Roxy sat next to him and leaned her body against his leg.
“How?” Chance asked quietly. “How do I show her that she’s worth the world? How do I prove to her that I’m not the man whore I was? How do I become good enough for her? How do I know if I’m in love?”
“Chance,” Jaye smiled as she squeezed her husband’s hands. “The last question, only you can answer it.”
Patch squeezed her with his arms and kissed her hair before looking at his nephew. “Timothy James.” He said softly and the other man turned at the sound of his real name. Even with the distance they could see his eyes were filled with tears.
“Baby steps, son. Think of her as Roxy. The difference is that you can see Roxy’s scars. Your woman, her scars are inside.”
“I know, I’ve talked to Carly. But I don’t know what else to do.” He told his uncle.
“Bring her out to the Star. Take her for a ride. Let her play with the calves. There’s several new ones out there. Introduce her to some of the girls.” He suggested. “Maybe talking to someone who has been there, will help her.”
“We can change the pantry around, make it more open.” Jaye offered. “But the closets have to stay, that’s what makes them bedrooms. I can take the doors off.”
“Sticks is making her some armoires. Said that she doesn’t like hangers. I’m afraid to ask about that one.”
“Patience. That’s the key to it all. We also use dog biscuits for our rescues, but I don’t recommend that.” Patch shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe shoes. Or clothes.”
“I’m still female, damn it. I can have a closet for myself.” Jaye said teasingly as she was popping his leg.
“Never said that you couldn’t.” He said grinning into her hair.
“Rye doesn’t like to have a lot of things. She kept telling me that there was too much in the house, she doesn’t know what to do with it all.” Chance said quietly, looking back out the window. “It’s like she’s ready to run at any moment.”
“I’m sure she is. We see it with the kids at the Star, especially when they first arrive.” Patch said. “It’s what they are used to.”
Chance reached out and put a hand on Roxy. She nuzzled his hand and licked his fingers. The dog had changed a lot in the past year. She no longer cowered and growled at people. Now if she were to attack you, it would be out of wanting attention.
If he considered Rye the same way his uncle did his rescue dogs, she too had changed. She would open up some. She was still very guarded, especially around new people. But she was more relaxed and didn’t flinch every time he would touch her.
Deciding that he should take her out to the horses, he washed his hands and went back to the table.
“Thank you for washing your hands.” Jaye smiled at him as he picked up his sausage biscuit.
It was a pet peeve of hers that he always found ironic that she could eat at a job site without washing her hands. But hands had to be washed after handling an animal. After nearly forty years of marriage to a veterinarian and living on a farm, and just as many working in construction, it was one thing that had never changed.
