Rescuing Ryder (Serenity Securities, Team Hawk #1)

Chapter 16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Claire barely glanced up when Ryder entered her doorway. Her thoughts dwelled on how she planned to stay in the house alone. The joy of new homeownership went out the window at the sight of the letter. The pictures of the young woman and her mother’s bodies, and missing body parts, flashed in her head, and her stomach became queasy.

“Hello, earth to Claire,” Ryder waved his hand in front of her face.

She straightened and met his gaze. “Did you need something?”

He paused. “I’m reporting for my daily job of fixing all the disastrous things you’ve put together. What will it be today? A two-legged stool missing a third leg? A bookshelf missing the pegs and tilting forward? Wait, I got it. You want me to paint the ugly eye sore of a house.”

When Ryder didn’t get any reaction, he sat down across from her.

“What’s up, Doc?” he asked.

Claire attempted to smile, but by the expression on his face, she didn’t fool him.

“I’m sorry. It seems I’ve lost my mind. Come in. I didn’t bring any projects for you today. I forgot.” she confessed.

Frowning, Ryder leaned forward, trying to get a better glimpse of her downturned face.

“Do you feel all right? You seem a bit pale,” he asked.

She brushed her bangs from her face and straightened to meet his gaze. “I’m fine. Do you know anything about security systems?”

“No. Doesn’t Matthew handle security stuff for the mountain? I’m sure he can help you. He seems to visit Kassie’s office daily to talk to her,” he surmised.

“Kassie helped the team and they’re all close to her. You’ll always see them around her,” she informed him absently.

“I’ve only stayed here a short time doc, but I know a crush when I see one,” Ryder shook his head.

“It’s Claire,” she murmured distractedly.

“Do you want me to ask him about a security system? I thought this town seemed safe. Do they have a rampant crime spree affecting your neighborhood? Maybe if you’re lucky, they’ll spray paint your house.”

“No. I’ll speak to Matthew. Why don’t you change into jogging clothes and meet me on the path? Why did physical therapy send me a note saying you refused treatment?”

“My limp won’t miraculously disappear by someone rubbing some ointment on it and massaging it,” he complained.

“It’s part of our deal, Ryder. I stick to the no meds as long as you tend to PT and do what Doc advises,” Claire reminded him before gathering papers and placing them in her briefcase.

“I’ll go this afternoon once we finish. Happy?” Ryder conceded.

She didn’t respond to his retort. “I’ll meet you on the path in ten minutes.”

Claire turned, dismissing him, before entering her private bathroom and changing. After her jog, she planned to return home, gather her clothes, and bring them to the office. She’d research a sound security system and hire someone to install it. Now, she felt settled after making her decision. She waited to hear back from the detective and called Dr. Klein. Hopefully, both replied soon to calm her frazzled nerves.

Ryder glanced over at Claire while she stretched and drank some water. Spending a couple hours each day with her, he never saw her in the mood she seemed stuck in. She answered his questions but didn’t seem as invested in his replies in her typical way.

“Did you talk to Dr. Winters about the medication for nerve pain at night?” she asked as they eased into a slow jog.

“I did. He advised me pain medication worked best and gave me a marijuana medical card,” Ryder threw out, noticing her distraction.

“Yes. He’s very good at figuring out what works best,” Claire responded as she concentrated on the path ahead.

“Yeah. He even encouraged me to drink a case of beer and get stoned at the same time to alleviate the pain,” he watched her for a reaction.

“Good.” She responded.

Ryder stopped running. Claire ran past him before noticing he didn’t run beside her. “Do you have pain in your leg?” she asked before returning to him, concerned.

“No. Something’s bothering you. Did you even pay attention to anything I said?” Ryder asked as he bent, placing his hands on his knees, refusing to show her how winded he felt before they started.

A guilty expression crossed Claire’s face. “I’m sorry, Ryder. Why don’t we call off today? I’ll catch up with you tomorrow.” She walked past him when he grabbed her arm gently.

“Whoa. You’re shaking. Did the new house spook you again?” Ryder asked as he scanned her pale face, tired eyes and lost expression.

Claire shook her head and let out a little laugh. “Did you become the shrink?”

“What do you call the bullshit I spout? I think you said I ‘deflected.’ You’re doing it now. Talk to me. If I didn’t know better, I’d say something spooked you. Did it have anything to do with the other night?”

“Therapy doesn’t work as a two-way street. It’s unprofessional of me to discuss my private life with my patients. This isn’t your first rodeo. Surely, you know it’s bad form for me to discuss my problems,” Claire answered.

“Yeah. I don’t know any other doc who uses their patients as handymen, and yet here we are,” he quipped as he moved closer to her.

Claire’s eyes roamed from his face to his neck and down his thick chest as if she noticed him as a man for the first time. Her breath hitched and her tongue swiped over her upper lip before she stepped back. “I need to postpone the rest of our appointment today. I’m not feeling well.” She turned and walked up the path.

“Claire! Geez, at least let me walk you back to the hospital. Do you want to see Dr. Winters? Maybe take the rest of the day off,” Ryder suggested as he caught up to her.

“I’m fine, Ryder. I’ll call Whiskey. He’s running a group session in twenty minutes. You’ll have time to change and join them in the conference room.”

“I don’t want to sit in on a group session. I’ll see you tomorrow,” he retorted.

“Group sessions have proven helpful in healing. It helps you to recognize you aren’t the only one who has experienced traumatic events. Even Whiskey refused at the beginning and now he runs them,” she informed him clinically.

They reached the stairs to the hospital’s front doors. Two vets gathered teens for the nature walk. A young, lone veteran stood to the side of the group, appearing as if he lost hope. Ryder briefly wondered if he seemed like him, making Tex, Wolf and his team concerned for him. Hell, he caught himself walking toward the stranger to offer him hope before realizing he had nothing to give. When he glanced at Claire, she had already walked through the doors and disappeared. He frowned, wondering what wound her up.

Turning toward his cabin, he went to change and find Whiskey. If Claire didn’t want to break some confidential bullshit with him, he’d at least send one of her coworkers her way.

An hour later, he waited while the five soldiers exited the room. Whiskey cleaned up the remaining cookies and poured himself a cup of coffee as he glanced in Ryder’s direction.

“Claire said you might come down to join us. I’m surprised you did, but I’m glad you made an effort. It helps if you participate in the discussion,” he prompted.

Ryder frowned. The session made him want to run from the room. They discussed the trauma of losing limbs, losing their brothers and sisters and divorce. He shut them out when they arrived at guilt. Ryder didn’t intend to hear their version of it. He carried it inside his chest daily.

“Maybe next time,” Ryder pacified him. “Did you see Claire today? She said she didn’t feel good and canceled our meeting.”

Whiskey added cream to his coffee before addressing him. “I didn’t meet with her today. She called me and asked if I minded if you joined us. She didn’t mention feeling sick.”

“Did she say anything about feeling unsettled in the new house?” he asked.

Whiskey shook his head. “No. She’s excited about finally moving in,” His brow furrowed in concern. “Did she say something to you?”

“She asked if I knew anything about security alarms. Serenity’s a far cry from Seattle. I can’t imagine you experience much crime in town.”

“Hmmm. Matthew would install a system in the new house if she asked him. The women plan to surprise her with a housewarming party once she gets settled,” Whiskey pondered.

“Thanks. I’ll check in with Dr. Winters,” Ryder informed him as he left the room and headed to find the Doc.

A few minutes later, he located Chase in the nursery bent over his wife’s shoulder while she fed and rocked their daughter. Another child lay sleeping in the crib beside them.

He crept inside the door until Chase glanced up. He whispered something to Kassie, who smiled at him.

“Did you need something?” Chase asked quietly, careful not to disturb the babies.

“Can I talk to you outside?” Ryder asked.

Dr. Winters glanced down at his smiling wife and child before following him to the hallway.

“Claire canceled my appointment today mid-session and said she didn’t feel well. She asked about a security system and seemed off,” he informed the doctor.

Dr. Winter’s mouth firmed, surprised by Ryder’s announcement. “She texted me asking for the rest of the day off. Claire didn’t say anything about an alarm. Does she need Matthew to install one for her?”

“I’m concerned why she needs one in a small town like this one. Doesn’t it strike you odd?” he asked.

“No. She has confidential records of patients. I even keep an alarm at home, and I live here. It’s another form of keeping our patients’ confidentiality,” Dr Winters explained.

Ryder’s protective mode settled a bit on hearing the explanation. Of course, it made sense. Her behavior, however, didn’t. Why did he sense something else bothered her?

“Thanks. I wanted to check on her. She seemed a bit distracted from her usual self.”

“I appreciate you checking in. Kassie’s meeting the women for lunch in the community kitchen. I’ll ask her to stop by and see if she needs anything.”

Ryder nodded. He turned and headed toward his cabin feeling relieved that one of her friends might discover why she acted oddly. Rubbing his chest, he walked through the hospital doors, and for the first time in a long time, he didn’t think of his team. Ryder shook his head, attempting to hear the voices of his brothers but he only saw the big, green eyes and blonde hair of the woman who consumed his thoughts more than he liked to admit.