Take a Chance

by D. Jackson Leigh

  Trip’s smile was almost as bright as the sun-filled morning when Jamie revealed their feast. They had nearly polished off every bite when Trip looked up, smiling. “So, what’s next?”

  “When we’re almost finished, I’m supposed to text Jerome. He’s standing by to saddle a couple of horses so you can give me a tour of your property.”

  Trip looked surprised, but pleased. “I didn’t know you could ride.” She grinned. “Not horses, anyway.”

  “Pervert.” Jamie poked her leg under the table. “Jerome said he’d saddle one that even a beginner like me would be comfortable riding.”

  Trip nodded. “Two of my personal horses are Missouri fox trotters. Very smooth.” She took Jamie’s hand, her expression turning uncharacteristically shy. “I’d love to show Grandpa’s land to you. Do you want to text Jerome now?”

  Jamie shook her head and plunged in. “No. I want to tell you about a phone call I got yesterday.” Jamie held her hand up when Trip’s expression turned instantly sour and guarded. “No, don’t do that. Can you just listen without deciding it’s bad news before I even open my mouth?”

  Trip had the decency to look chagrinned. “Sorry. I’m sorry. I’m listening.”

  “I tried to track you down several times yesterday as soon as the guy contacted me because I was excited and wanted to know what you thought about it. But my calls kept going to voice mail. I trusted that you were out on an emergency, not out playing call girl to Virginia what’s-her-name.”

  Trip’s face clouded. “If you think—”

  Jamie held her hand up again. “No, I’m saying I know you well enough that I didn’t think that, and I’m asking you to give me the same trust.”

  Trip’s face flushed and her jaw worked—not like she was angry, but like she was holding back tears. Jamie kissed the hand that held hers. “Then I ended up working late because of a big pileup on the interstate, and Essie answered when I got off shift and called you again. She said you were here and upset. So, P and I packed an overnight bag and came right away. When we started talking about the Grace and Dani thing, I forgot about my news until after you had to go out on that colic call.”

  Trip held Jamie’s hand to her chest, and Jamie could feel her heart thumping like a slow, steady drum. “You have my full attention now. Tell me this amazing news.”

  Jamie explained the call, emphasizing that she told the man she wasn’t job hunting but would talk with them about some consulting work if it could be worked around her regular job. She was pleased that Trip asked some good questions and seemed to share Jamie’s enthusiasm for the program.

  “Maybe somewhere down the road, you could figure out how to rescue young men like Jubal and his pals, the same way this program would rescue shelter dogs,” Trip said.

  “I’m only one person, Trip.”

  “And every successful company begins with a single great idea and builds from there. Go to your meeting tomorrow. Essie and I will watch Petunia.”

  “Thanks.” I love you. The words almost popped out of Jamie’s mouth. They’d broken free from her heart and were poised to leap from her tongue, but fear held her back. Too soon, she told herself.

  * * *

  Trip wished she hadn’t slept the morning away because the rest of their day felt like…well, like one of those sappy romance stories she secretly liked to read. They rode the horses along shaded tractor paths to every corner of the Beaumont estate, enjoyed a playful swim, dined by the pool and made plans for the Boys and Girls Club. They schemed, they laughed, and they shared.

  Trip closed her eyes and tried to burn into her memory the feel of Jamie’s naked body cuddled against her side, Jamie’s dark head resting in the well of her shoulder, and Jamie’s slow breaths warming her breast. She’d wanted to tell Jamie that the day had been the best she could ever remember. She wanted to confess she was falling more deeply in love with every smile Jamie turned her way, every word Jamie spoke to her, every touch of Jamie’s skin against hers. She wanted so badly to vocalize what she’d tried to convey by making slow, sweet love when they’d come upstairs.

  Even as desperate as she was to gaze into Jamie’s eyes and say I love you, the only words her mouth would form were Don’t leave me.

  Chapter Twenty

  Trip watched Jamie stand in front of the dresser mirror in her uniform pants and a white T-shirt while she combed her hair. Trip liked that she’d hung her uniform in Trip’s closet the day before, and wondered when the time would be right for her to suggest that Jamie bring more, then all her clothes to hang in their closet. Maybe she’d talk to Amani about doing something fancy with the walk-in closet and storing some of Trip’s seasonal stuff in another closet. Jamie strapped on the Kevlar vest she wore under her uniform shirt, jerking Trip’s thoughts from her remodeling plans. She went to Jamie and watched her fasten the straps so she could help or do it for her next time.

  “You’ll be careful today, won’t you?”

  Jamie smiled. “Always.” She gave Trip a quick peck on the lips. “You never know when Bud might run short of hush puppies and a riot might break out.”

  Trip frowned. “I’m serious.”

  “I know you are.” Jamie put her arms into her uniform shirt and tugged it over her shoulders before turning to Trip. “You be careful. I worry every day that you could get kicked in the head or crushed under a horse.”

  Trip frowned and began buttoning Jamie’s shirt for her. “You chase down drug runners and answer domestic calls, the most dangerous call for police officers in any town. I know how to google things.”

  Jamie unbuckled her belt and opened her trousers to tuck her shirt in while Trip continued buttoning. “Let’s talk about dangerous. You doctor alligators, snakes, and buffalo.”

  “I take precautions.”

  Jamie stilled Trip’s hands. “I do, too. How about we both agree to be careful?”

  This was hard. Trip thought that once they were more than friends, everything would be perfect. Oh, she knew they’d probably argue over her tendency to leave the cap off the toothpaste and eat cookies in bed, but that was minor stuff.

  Amani was in the kitchen. “Y’all are moving as slow as Aunt Essie this morning. She said her arthritis is acting up, but I don’t need to know your excuse.” She pointed to two brown paper bags on the table. “When I packed the kids’ lunches this morning, I made some extra breakfast burritos and wrapped up one for each of you. There’s a doughnut in each one, too, because Aunt Essie said her sweet tooth was also acting up.”

  Trip grinned and gave Amani a quick kiss on the cheek. “You’re the best.”

  “Thanks, Amani,” Jamie said, grabbing her bag. “Where’s P?”

  “She’s cuddled up with Aunt Essie. I let her out earlier, but I don’t think she likes that food you have for her. She didn’t even sniff it when I put it down. Just drank a little water and went right back to Aunt Essie. She didn’t seem too perky either.”

  “Drinking water is good, even if she isn’t eating. Give her the day off. It’ll keep you from having to drive out here to drop her off before you head to Savannah.” Trip checked her watch and tapped a quick text message on her phone. “I’m already going to be a bit late to my first appointment, but I’ll get Dani to come check on her before she starts office hours. If she’s still refusing to eat tonight, I’ll ultrasound her belly.”

  Jamie hesitated, staring down the hall for a moment, then nodded. They were crossing the yard when Amani called after them.

  “I gave Jamie two doughnuts for a little extra energy in case you kept that poor woman up all night, Trip Beaumont.”

  Trip whirled and opened her bag. She also had two doughnuts.

  Amani laughed. “Made you look.”

  Jamie stopped beside her truck and shook her head. “They are like family, aren’t they?”

  “I can’t imagine siblings being worse.” Oh, yeah. She had blood siblings. She kept forgetting about those. “I mean, ones who actually like you and hang out wi
th you.”

  Jamie gave her one last peck on the lips. “I’ll call you before I hit the road to Savannah this afternoon.”

  “Please do.”

  Jamie turned to get into her truck and the clarion rang loud in Trip’s head. Say it, say it, say it.

  “Jamie?”

  Jamie glanced at her watch before glancing back at her.

  She was going to make Jamie late. Trip knew how obsessive Jamie was about being punctual. She should wait for a time when Jamie wouldn’t feel trapped to say it back. That’s right. Later would be better. Trip heaved a mental sigh. Truth? She’d lost her nerve.

  “Good luck in Savannah.”

  Jamie smiled. “Thanks.”

  * * *

  The day was nonstop.

  Spring was birthing season, which overlapped with breeding season as the mares came back into heat. Show season started up before school even let out, and there were always accidents and injuries when young equestrians gathered to compete for ribbons and breeding stock were trailered from show to show to rack up points proving the strength of their bloodlines. Sprinkled into the mix were the farms that wanted mares checked and ultrasounds performed to confirm pregnancy or send them back to the breeding charts to order another sperm shipment for when the mare went back into heat.

  She was now in those peak weeks when she was still birthing a few late babies, neutering colts born late last year, inseminating mares, treating show season injuries, and performing follow-up visits on mares and their foals she’d helped birth earlier that year. Dani leaving now was going to put her back to working sixteen-hour days.

  It would be more manageable if Trip limited her practice to horses, like some vets. But small animal clinics were bread-and-butter in the veterinary world. An equine vet could travel to only so many farms in one day, which limited the number of patients they could see. A small animal vet could treat the same number of clients and bring in the same amount of revenue in an hour or two with no downtime for travel since the client came to them. They could double their efficiency by seeing a second patient while blood was being drawn or anal glands cleared on the first patient.

  Besides, who would take care of Big Wig, Jawbone, Kiki, and her other unique clients if she wasn’t willing to do it? And to keep her income level vetting only horses, she’d have to range a lot farther than four counties. She’d spend her life alone, traveling from farm to farm.

  She didn’t return to Pine Cone only for Essie. She did it for herself, too. She didn’t want work to be the only thing in her life. She wanted to bargain with Pete and Toby, Jubal and his guys. She wanted to save Grandpa’s woodlands and enjoy them. She wanted to eat at the diner where she knew almost everyone and they knew her. She wanted to surround herself with longtime friends who really cared about her.

  Pine Cone was her heart…and her entertainment. Where else would an old widow call an ambulance for a pig?

  Trip had to park behind three police cars and two ambulances and push past a crowd of neighbors to get to Mrs. Ludwell’s front yard where an emergency medical technician was trying to hold an ice pack to the back of Mrs. Ludwell’s neck and another was pleading with her to move from her seat on the steps to their stretcher. She was waving her arms to fend them off and talking a million words per minute. All Trip could understand was “snake,” “Annabelle,” and “Beaumont.” Deputy Thompson waved Trip over.

  “What’s going on?” Trip asked.

  “Mrs. Ludwell has fainted twice, but she refuses to get on the stretcher. She said she called the ambulance for somebody named Annabelle because she was bitten by a snake. But we’ve searched the house but didn’t find anyone. The medics want to tranquilize her and haul her to the mental ward, but she keeps asking for you. Is she a relative of yours?”

  Trip shook her head, reaching into her pocket when her phone vibrated against her leg. “Beaumont.”

  “Hey, just letting you know I’m on Ninety-five, headed to Savannah.”

  Mrs. Ludwell spotted Trip and jumped up, sending both EMTs sprawling. “Dr. Beaumont, thank God you’re here to save the day.”

  Jamie chuckled on the other end, apparently overhearing Mrs. Ludwell’s exclamation. “Wearing your Superwoman cape again?”

  Trip turned and stepped away from Thompson’s big ears. “You know I only wear that for you.” She looked over her shoulder. Mrs. Ludwell was barreling her way. “Gotta go, babe. Mrs. Ludwell is about to run me down. A snake bit her pet pig and she wants the ambulance people to put it on a stretcher and take her to my clinic. The whole neighborhood has turned out to watch.”

  “Do you need help with crowd control?” Jamie was suddenly serious.

  “No, no. Thompson has it under control. Go to your appointment. I’ll talk to you tonight.”

  “Okay.”

  “Love you.” It was out of her mouth before Trip had time to think about it. But the call had disconnected. She almost smacked into Mrs. Ludwell when she turned around.

  “Dr. Beaumont. A snake bit Annabelle. She screamed so loud, poor baby. I killed it with a hoe, but I can’t get these men to take her to your hospital. She must be treated right away.” Tears welled in her eyes, and she dabbed at them with a ball of tissue wadded in her hand. “I don’t know what I’ll do if I lose Annabelle. She’s been such a comfort since Mr. Ludwell passed.”

  Trip took Mrs. Ludwell’s hand in hers. “Mrs. Ludwell, I want you to sit on this stretcher and listen to me.” Trip guided the now sobbing Mrs. Ludwell back to the medical people. Mrs. Ludwell’s face had turned an alarming gray and she’d begun to hyperventilate.

  Thompson bent close to Trip’s ear. “I’m telling you there’s nobody in the house, just a pig in the backyard.”

  Trip ignored him. “I’m going to take care of Annabelle. Snakebites are rarely serious for pigs. They have very thick skin, a thick layer of fat, and few blood vessels near the surface. In fact, pigs in the wild sometimes kill and eat snakes.”

  The medic looked wary when Trip signaled for him, but he approached slowly.

  “Now, I need to ask you a few questions before I check Annabelle, but you’re not looking so good either. You’re going to lie back and let this medic put an IV in your arm while we talk.”

  “But Annabelle—”

  “She seems fine, Mrs. Ludwell. Ran me right out of the yard when I went back to see if anyone was back there,” Thompson said.

  “And I’ll check on her next. But you must let these guys take care of you first. I’ve heard of pigs grieving themselves to death over an animal friend or beloved owner. You wouldn’t want that to happen to Annabelle, would you?”

  Mrs. Ludwell shook her head emphatically and her eyes locked onto Trip’s face like she was a lifeline. “I know it’s silly to love a pig, but I do.”

  “It’s not silly,” Trip said, helping Mrs. Ludwell lie down on the stretcher. “Now, do what these guys ask and I’m going to get Annabelle so you can see that she’s okay.”

  Trip went through the house to get Annabelle’s pink harness, then brought her around so Mrs. Ludwell could watch her clean the tiny puncture wounds. Turned out the real victim was an unfortunate nonpoisonous rat snake that probably bit because the pig stepped on it. When it was all sorted, Mrs. Ludwell was transported to the hospital for an overnight stay to stabilize her heart rate, and a neighbor’s fourteen-year-old grandson, who loved Annabelle, came to pig-sit until Mrs. Ludwell was released to come home.

  One more stop, then a mound of paperwork back at the clinic. Trip’s mind drifted back to Jamie. Had she arrived in Savannah yet? Her truck indicated an incoming call.

  “Essie? Are you okay?” Essie never called since her grandkids taught her how to text from her iPad.

  “Miss Petunia is real sick, Trip. I called over to the clinic and Dani’s here.”

  “Is she there now? Put me on speaker.”

  “Trip?”

  “Give me the bottom line, straight up.”

  “Heart rate up, respirations
shallow. She’s in a lot of pain. Her belly is tight as a drum. Essie said she hasn’t eaten anything since yesterday morning, but threw up food about an hour ago. If we don’t drop a gastric tube quick, her stomach could burst. After we do that, it looks like we’ll need to open her up and see what else is going on.”

  “Take her to the clinic and prep her for surgery. I’m going to call Jamie, then see if we can get Professor Harrell to join us via the web. He’s still out of the country.”

  “You can do this yourself, Trip. I’ve seen your surgery credentials. I also saw the MRI report. This has to be a complication from the first surgery or a new tumor.”

  “This one’s extra special, Dani. I want Petunia to have every chance possible.”

  “You are her best chance, Trip. Because she and Jamie are more than an interesting case to you.”

  * * *

  Jamie was glad she’d arrived early because she had to drive around for thirty minutes just to find a city parking deck that wasn’t full. The address was one of those old buildings on River Street in downtown Savannah that had been renovated for boutique shops on the first floor, then twenty or so additional floors were divided between professional office space and upscale apartments. The top floor was a popular restaurant and pub. Jamie was sure the property was worth more than the whole town of Pine Cone, but she wouldn’t give a rusty penny for it.

  The river was scenic if viewed from inside an air-conditioned building, but outside, the humidity coming off the Savannah River was so thick you could almost drink the air. She grimaced at her reflection in the shiny metal lining of the elevator. The collar of her white shirt had wilted and even her navy suit showed a hint of the sweat that soaked her armpits and back. She hoped their office was super cold because she wouldn’t dare take her jacket off. Her shirt felt like she’d been caught in a rainstorm. As it was, she looked like a half-drowned river rat.