by Deb Kastner
Steady now, he mentally coached himself.
“Well, there you are. Finally. I’m so glad to see you, and I know Dr. Luke will be, as well. Come on back,” Luke heard his mom say in a voice loud enough to be heard in the next county.
Ashley was here.
He tunneled his fingers through his thick black hair, crossed his arms and leaned his hip against the back corner of the examination table.
He wasn’t in the habit of lounging around in an examination room before the client and patient even arrived, but it was too late to do anything about it now.
Gwenny was the first to enter the room, guiding her electric wheelchair with her left hand while holding Pudgy steady on her lap with her right hand.
Ashley had evidently paused to speak to Ruth, and for the moment, it was just Luke and Gwenny in the room.
“Hi, Dr. Luke,” she exclaimed with an enormous grin. It seemed to Luke that everything out of Gwenny’s mouth was a happy exclamation.
“Hey, Gwenny. How has Pudgy been acting for you?” he asked, crouching in front of the girl and scratching the puppy behind the ears. “Is he behaving himself?”
“Pudgy,” announced a melodic voice from over his shoulder—a tone which caused a shiver of awareness to run down Luke’s spine, “has absolutely no idea where any of his several piddle pads are located, nor what they are to be used for, much less have any idea how to give an indication that he needs to go out so I can put him in the back yard to do his business.”
Luke glanced up to find Ashley looking down on him, her fists propped on her hips and her full lips pursed in annoyance.
“He has chewed up three socks, my best Gucci bag and the corner of our couch—granted that last item is already seeing its last days even without Pudgy’s help, but still. I’m counting it. He urped up something of a disgusting orange color all over our white shag carpet, only inches away from the linoleum, might I add. Needless to say, had he aimed his puke a little more to the left, cleanup would have been much easier, and it wouldn’t have left a large stain.”
Ashley moved around behind Gwenny’s wheelchair and narrowed her pale blue eyes on Luke. Then she wrinkled her nose adorably. Luke was positive adorable wasn’t what she was going for, and it was all he could do to maintain his composure. He had to clench his jaw to keep his laughter at bay. Most new puppy owners needed a little bit of guidance now and again, but this woman apparently knew less than nothing about puppies and was learning the hard way.
What did she think—that Pudgy would come completely house-trained and wouldn’t need patient and persistent guidance?
Her eyes narrowed even more when his lips curled upward. He couldn’t help it. He was clenching his jaw as hard as he could.
“Well?” she questioned, crossing her arms and raising her eyebrows.
He didn’t cringe, but he wanted to. He stood and shoved his hands into the front pockets of his slacks. It took every bit of his gumption to meet her eyes.
She was making it sound as if Pudgy’s perfectly normal puppy behavior was all his fault. With the look with which she’d just singed him, he would almost think he was the one responsible for chewing up her Gucci bag, whatever that was.
“I haven’t even gotten started,” she warned him. “That dog pooed in my slipper. In my slipper. In fact, he poos everywhere. Pudgy is a regular poopocalypse.”
Poopocalypse.
He couldn’t help the grin that slid across his face. “You know, puppies only do that with people they like.”
“That is your response?” she demanded, moving around Gwenny’s wheelchair and right up under his chin, way into his personal space as she glared up at him.
He sputtered and shrugged. What was the woman expecting? For him to wave a magic wand over Pudgy and he’d suddenly be house-trained?
“It takes time and consistency. All dogs make mistakes at first. Pudgy is a smart little fellow. He’ll catch on fast. I promise.”
“He’d better,” Ashley muttered under her breath. Her gaze was still on him, making him feel as if red ants were crawling all over him and stinging his skin. Heat radiated from the tips of his toes to the top of his head and he suspected his face must be the color of a ripe tomato.
“I’ve got a booklet that explains house-training in better detail, as well as everything else you’ll need to care for a puppy. Be sure to ask my mom for it on your way out.”
Suddenly he heard a yip at his heels and looked down to see Turbo, a Chihuahua who’d lost his front legs when he’d been run over by a car.
Luke breathed a sigh of relief. The little dog couldn’t have chosen a better moment to intervene.
“Ashley, Gwenny, let me introduce St. Judith’s Veterinary Clinic’s official mascot, Turbo.”
“Look, Mommy,” Gwenny exclaimed in delight. “That little doggy is just like me.”
“That’s right,” Luke said, nudging Turbo in front of Gwenny’s wheelchair.
Turbo yipped proudly, as if he’d understood the honor Luke had just given him.
He probably did.
“You and Turbo are meant to be good friends, I just know it,” said Luke’s mom, entering the examination room. “You have so much in common. I think that’s why we took to you so quickly, Gwenny. Because you remind us of how brave and strong Turbo is.”
“He is remarkable,” Ashley commented. “I especially like his nifty wheels.”
“Luke made those himself,” Ruth said proudly, making Luke’s face flame even hotter.
“It’s nothing,” he insisted.
“It is most certainly not nothing. You don’t allow anyone to appreciate how creative you are. Luke, why don’t you tell Ashley and Gwenny how Turbo came to live with us.”
So much for not interfering. Luke was shy, not stupid. His mom was trying to set him up to look like some kind of hero.
He wasn’t. He’d done what any man with a heart would do in the same situation—and the last thing he wanted to do was toot his own horn about it, or about anything else, for that matter.
But what choice did he have, with every eye in the room glued to him, waiting for a story?
“Turbo was around four weeks old when he was dumped on the clinic’s doorstep, presumably left there to die. I don’t know. He was in really bad shape. Maybe whoever did it was trying to be kind and thought I might be able to compassionately put the poor puppy out of his misery.”
His mom snorted and crossed her arms. “You think that if it makes you feel better. I have a different opinion.”
Luke met his mom’s gaze and shook his head. No sense getting into that mess, especially not with a sweet little girl in the room.
“What happened to his legs?” Gwenny asked. Luke was concerned the story might bother her, but the only sound in her voice was childish curiosity.
“He might have been born with a birth defect, but by the time I saw him, my best guess is that Turbo had been run over by a car.”
“Oh, that’s awful,” Ashley murmured sympathetically.
“Yes, it was,” Ruth agreed. “Especially at first. But it was definitely meant to be. This little guy has given so many people joy. He’s our official greeter. If he can’t make you smile, no one can.”
Luke nodded. “From the very first moment when I cradled him in my arms, I recognized the little guy’s will to live. It was in his eyes and the way he’d crawl across the floor when I set him down. His determination was remarkable.
“So, I fed him ‘round the clock with an eye-dropper and fashioned a wheelchair of sorts out of an old Playschool toy. That was all he needed to get up and running, and he’s been zipping around ever since.”
“Hence, his name,” Ashley said. “I’m impressed by what you’ve done for him.”
“Naw.” Luke waved her off. “It’s all on Turbo. His strength and will to live is what made the real difference.”
Luke didn’t miss the flash of pain that crossed Ashley’s expression, nor the way her sorrowful gaze turned to Gwenn
y.
Now he’d gone and stepped in it, and he had no idea how to backtrack out again. Of course, Ashley would be thinking about Gwenny and all she’d been through. He didn’t know if she had a degenerative disease or had been born unable to walk, but now was definitely not the time to ask. In any case, he was sure Gwenny had been through a lot. Ashley, too, for that matter.
He put his stethoscope in his ears and listened to Pudgy’s heart and lungs. Luke already knew he’d come from a top-of-the-line pedigree which had been his parents’ pride and joy, especially his father’s.
Luke worked with many rescue organizations and in general recommended rescue to his clients looking for a new puppy, but his parents had been breeders long before most of the rescue organizations even existed. His parents had been smart, careful breeders, working hard to make the breed better and only planning one or two litters a year. This last litter of pups was for his mom’s sake, and to take the puppies to his father in hopes of reaching far into his heart and memories.
That hadn’t happened, at least that Luke could tell, but then they’d met Ashley and Gwenny and everything had turned out okay in the end, with then taking Pudgy home.
“Pudgy just had his second round of puppy shots a couple of weeks ago, so you’ll need to come in again in about two weeks from now, when he’s sixteen weeks old. He doesn’t need anything today. Just keep up the good work, Gwenny. Be consistent and persistent as you train him, and he’ll be the best puppy you’ve ever had.”
“The only puppy we’ve ever had,” Ashley corrected.
Luke grinned. “I know it feels a little bit overwhelming right now, but I promise bringing Pudgy home will be one of the best decisions you’ve ever made. You’re in for a real treat.”
And so, he thought, was he, because with Pudgy in their lives, Luke would have a good reason to see Ashley and Gwenny again on a regular basis.
The thought made him smile, even as his gut churned like a combine.
He would just have to be careful. That was all. This time, no matter how attracted he felt to Ashley and how much Gwenny came to mean to him, he wouldn’t allow his heart to be his guide.
Chapter Four
Two weeks passed in a blur of puppy madness, and before Ashley knew it, she was in the car headed back to Dr. Luke’s for Pudgy’s third and last set of puppy shots.
The puppy’s black spots were now completely visible on his white fur. He’d really turned into a darling. There were moments when Ashley would see Pudgy and get all choked up. She’d finally given in and gotten Gwenny a dog, but why did it have to be a Dalmatian?
Since he’d always been after the next adrenaline punch, Chase had chosen the career of a firefighter. They’d had a Dalmatian mascot down at their station, a dog Pudgy was beginning to look more and more like every day.
Pudgy had been slowly improving in his potty-training skills, thanks in part to the booklet Ruth had provided, which had given suggestions on how to best facilitate the process. The puppy still had accidents, but not as often, and he was learning to bark and scratch at the back door when he needed to go out. Not so much of a poopapalooza anymore so much as the occasional land mine.
Luke had provided Pudgy with toys, and as long as Ashley was diligent in replacing her expensive purses with a squeaker, chewing was less of an issue, as well.
Pudgy really was a smart little guy—smarter than most dogs, she imagined, although she’d had zero experience with canines in the past. Pudgy and Gwenny had already bonded into a darling tightly-knit pair. Pudgy followed her everywhere and slept at the foot of her bed at night.
It had occurred to her that Pudgy might make an excellent service dog for Gwenny, seeing as he was so smart, and all, and she intended to ask about that possibility at their upcoming appointment.
“Hee, hee!” Gwenny squealed in laughter from the back seat of their van. “Pudgy keeps licking my chin and it tickles.”
Ashley glanced into the rearview mirror and sighed inwardly, even as her heart warmed at the picture the little girl and the puppy made together. She still occasionally volleyed back and forth about her decision, even though it was far too late for her to change her mind.
Was Pudgy a good thing, or had she made the biggest mistake of her life introducing him into the family?
Being a responsible dog parent certainly took up a lot of time. Thankfully, Ashley worked at home as a freelance web designer, mostly so she could care for Gwenny, which, in itself, required a great deal of time and effort. She had a special van to take Gwenny to and from school and to her athletic event, so often she felt like more of a taxi service than anything. But working at home gave her the freedom she needed to schedule her days around Gwenny. Adding Pudgy to the mix wasn’t as much of an annoyance as it might have otherwise been.
She hated to admit it, even to herself, but Ashley didn’t really regret agreeing to take Pudgy home and make him a member of her family. Just seeing her beautiful little Gwenny in her wheelchair strapped into the back of the van with the wiggly spotted puppy on her lap was enough to convince her that, even against her own better judgement, she’d made the right decision.
“He’s giving you doggie kisses.” Ashley laughed along with Gwenny’s high-pealed giggling.
Luke and Ruth were waiting for them in the front lobby when they arrived.
“Dr. Luke! Mrs. Ruth! Look how much Pudgy has grown!”
Ashley smiled and shrugged. Every sentence out of Gwenny’s mouth distinctively sounded as if it ended in an exclamation point. She’d always been that way, even before the accident.
“I can see he certainly has, sweetie,” Ruth agreed, giving Pudgy a friendly pat and leaning down to kiss Gwenny’s cheek.
“You know what?” Luke said. “We just got in a whole room full of new toys, so kids don’t get bored while they’re here. Gwenny, can you do me a favor and let me know if I’ve done a good job picking out the right toys? You can tell me if you think there’s anything I’m missing.”
Gwenny’s face lit up, but not nearly as much as it did when Ruth added, “We’ve also got a TV with the latest video game. You could teach me how to play it if that’s okay with your mother.”
Ashley nodded when Ruth mentioned the name of the game. “It’s Gwenny’s current favorite. But I warn you—she’s really good at video games.”
“Oh, yay,” exclaimed Ruth, nearly as excited as Gwenny. “Can you teach me how to play as good as you?”
Luke chuckled and muttered something about old dogs and new tricks.
Ruth snorted and wagged her index finger at him. “You watch it, young man. Time eventually catches up with all of us. By the time you’re my age, you’ll be trying to figure out how young people get around in driverless cars.”
Luke laughed and shook his head. “They’re already doing that, Mom. The technology is there. I don’t think it’ll be too long before we see those on the road.”
“Good heavens.” Ruth appeared genuinely shocked. “Well, that’s something I don’t want to see, thank you very much. I’ll keep on driving the old way, with a wheel in my hands.”
Ashley reached for Pudgy. “Have a good time with Ruth, sweetheart. We’ll be back after Pudgy has his doctor’s appointment.”
Luke gestured Ashley down the hallway toward an examination room, guiding her with his hand on the small of her back. He might as well have tasered her, she was so vibrantly aware of his touch. It had been a long time since she’d felt such a physical attraction to a man. No one since Chase—and maybe not even this much with him. But then, they’d been teenagers when they’d met, which was a whole other thing than what she was experiencing now—the feelings of a full-grown woman.
“We’re giving Pudgy his shots today and I didn’t want it to distress Gwenny,” he explained as he closed the exam room door and flopped cross-legged onto the floor with the puppy on his lap.
Of course, Luke could have just taken the puppy out of the exam room and worked on him elsewhere, but a room ful
l of toys would definitely be way better in Gwenny’s eyes.
“You didn’t seriously just buy a whole bunch of toys because of Gwenny,” Ashley said, amazed at his thoughtfulness. Luke was right. Gwenny wouldn’t have liked to have seen her puppy get shots.
He shrugged and the half-grin he flashed her sent her stomach all aflutter. “Mom and I have been talking about putting in a kids’ playroom for a while now. Gwenny just prompted us to get the job done.”
Ashley shook her head. The compassion Luke had for children and animals made her throat tighten with emotion. She couldn’t think of a more attractive trait in a man. Watching him now with Pudgy and the way the puppy responded to him, rolling over so Luke could scratch his tummy, was just one more tick in the positive column.
“He’s looking great,” Luke said after a quick physical examination. “Is he getting enough exercise?”
Ashley chuckled. “That I can promise you. Gwenny and Pudgy play together from the time she wakes up in the morning until she has to go to school. Then Pudgy comes along with me in the van when it’s time to pick her up from school. It’s the ultimate in cuteness, the way he watches out the window for her. He’ll wait and watch, and when he finally spots her, he does a little puppy song and dance.
“I knew you’d be good for her,” Luke said in a high, squeaky, baby-talk tone as he gently cupped the pup’s jowls and gave them a rub. “BFF’s, right, boy?”
“Are you squeamish about needles?” he asked, rising to his feet and opening a drawer.
“Me? No. Especially since you’re not using them on me.”
“Excellent. So, like I said, today Pudgy is getting his third and last round of shots.”
“Does that include his rabies vaccine?”
“Yes. Then he’ll also get DHLPP—Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parvo and Parainfluenza.”
“Gracious. That’s a lot of shots.”
He laughed. “It’s a combined vaccine, so no worries. Only two shots for our little guy today.”
“Do I need to look out for anything?”