“Of course. Rory, you go with her and make sure she is all right. Hurry, though. We only have ten minutes before we have to be in there.”
“I don’t want you away from me right now,” Dade said low.
How did she explain she was scared to death and needed a minute to calm her nerves in a bathroom stall? He’d think she was weak, and Dade deserved better. He deserved a strong mate. “The bathroom is right here,” she said pointing to the sign to their left. “Wait for me.”
Dade lifted his lip in a snarl, and a rumbling growl filled the space between them. “Come back to me quick.”
With a nod, Quinn bustled into the bathroom with Rory trailing. The mirror was one judgmental little skank. Quinn glared at her pallid reflection and colorless lips. The cut on her temple was already closing, but a smear of red remained. Thank heavens for bear shifter healing. Damp paper towel in hand, she washed her face gently, careful not to scrape off the heavy layer of make-up she’d slathered on to try to cover how scared she was. Apparently, that stupid plan wasn’t working.
“Here, let me,” Rory murmured. “You’re getting your hair all damp.” She snatched the cloth from Quinn’s hand and made quick work of fixing the damage. Then she rifled through her purse, handed Quinn a tube of pink lip gloss, and quickly combed the snarls from Quinn’s wavy tresses with practiced fingers. When she was satisfied, she turned to her own reflection and let off a frustrated sound.
Quinn bounded into a bathroom stall and shut the door behind her. She was breathing so fast she was going to pass out, and then what use would she be to the Breck Crew? She wouldn’t even be good moral support.
“You can do this,” she whispered to herself, wishing she’d figured out how to handle people staring at her when she’d taken a public speaking class in college. All she’d learned was that she could do worse by the end of the semester than in the beginning. She’d nearly peed her pants during the final, and in front of the entire lecture hall, then walked out halfway through her terribly enunciated speech on the use of technological devices in education. Her teacher had given her a C, probably so she wouldn’t retake the class. That, or she took pity because she thought Quinn was having a medical meltdown in front of everyone.
“Quinn? Are you all right?” Rory asked.
She took a steadying breath and opened the door, averting her eyes to hide her panic.
“Oooh.” Rory waved her hand around Quinn’s face. “You look like a bear.”
Quinn glanced at her reflection in the mirror and groaned. Well, now she and Dade could match monster eyes. “This is going to go awesome,” she said sarcastically.
“That’s the spirit,” Rory muttered, shoving her toward the door.
Dade waited with his hands behind his back, a formal gesture she’d never seen him do before. He looked sexy in his dark dress pants and blue button-up. His eyes seemed even brighter near the color of that fabric.
Onlookers were crowded in the hallway, but they were a different breed than the protestors outside. If they hated them, they showed it with dirty looks and whisper instead of rocks and hate-signage.
The Blue-Haired Ladies were there, talking to Cody and Rory, and bobbing their heads with the seriousness of whatever discussion they were entombed in.
“Quinn!” Dr. Voss called from down a hallway as they walked by. “Oh, good, I thought you’d go in before I caught you.” The vet took her hands in her own and squeezed them comfortingly. “I just wanted you to know you’ll have a friendly face in there.”
Relief flowed through Quinn, allowing her tense shoulders to relax by millimeters. “It’s so good to see you. I’m so sorry about your clinic.”
“Don’t be. We’ll rebuild with what insurance is giving us. It’s a frustrating inconvenience, but the important thing is that no one was hurt. I’m so glad you made it out of there.” Dr. Voss leaned closer. “And I’m so glad it was Dade and those Keller boys who found you. I’ll call you when the clinic re-opens and you can start right where you left off. No matter what happens today, you’ll have a job at my clinic if you want it.”
“Really?”
“Yes, of course.” Dr. Voss pointed to her chest. “Animal advocate, remember?”
“Oh, right.” Because she was part animal now. Still really weird to think about. Quinn gave her a grateful smile and thanked her, then she and Dade bustled after the rest of the Breck Crew.
The exchange with Dr. Voss made her feel better. Not all humans would accept them, but some would. Some were good and understanding and accepting—like the Blue-Haired Ladies and the group of bystanders near the window who weren’t shooting death lasers at her with their eyes. And Dr. Voss. And Moira. As Quinn passed, she waved to the doctor, dressed in a coral business suit and nude pumps.