A Match for Meghan (Heartsong Presents)

by Kimberly Rose Johnson

  She playfully slugged him in the shoulder. “You can’t do that simply because I’m thinking. What if I want to go?”

  “Do you?”

  “I’m not sure. Will I know anyone else there?”

  He shrugged. Mitch hadn’t given him the guest list, but Keira was good friends with the couple, so there was a good chance she and Pete would be there. “Maybe, I can’t say for sure. How about this? If you decide to come and find it’s uncomfortable and you want to leave, I’ll make some kind of excuse and take you home.”

  “You’d do that?” Her eyes held surprise.

  “Of course.” They’d reached the end of the trail where it came out of the woods. After an old car rolled along the road, they crossed the street.

  “Okay then. I’ll go.”

  “Great! I suppose I should head back to the clinic for my truck.” He told her when he’d be by to pick her up. “See you in a few hours.”

  “Okay. Bye.”

  They parted at the corner. A smile touched his lips, and his steps had a bounce even after his run. This day, which had started off rough, was turning out to be better than average. It looked like his decision to stay Animal-Magnet was paying off. Meghan would never be reading the Bible if it weren’t for his alter-ego.

  * * *

  Ben knocked on Meghan’s door. It was opened almost instantly, and she rushed out.

  “Hurry, before my roommate sees you.” She looped her hand through his arm and pulled him toward his pickup.

  “What’s the rush?” He held the door open for her.

  She hopped in. “I’ll tell you on the way.”

  He ran around to the driver’s side and slid behind the wheel. “Care to share now?” He put the truck in gear and pulled out of the parking lot.

  “Cassie is on a cleaning frenzy. I managed to avoid being home most of the day, but snuck in long enough to make a quick change. Believe me, you don’t want to let her see you when she gets like this.”

  He chuckled. “Why’s that?” He shot a glance her way and caught his breath. Sunlight danced across her face, a hint of color kissing her cheeks and blending perfectly with the pale pink sweater she’d draped over her shoulders.

  “What’s wrong?” She puckered her brow.

  “Nothing. You look lovely. Now tell me about Cassie.”

  Meghan waved a hand. “She’s nuts! When I was eating breakfast this morning, she announced that today was spring cleaning day and to stay out of her way. Basically, make myself scarce. So I did—I’ve seen her like this before, and it’s not pretty. Honestly, I think she only has a cleaning day when she’s chewing on a big problem.” She took a breath.

  At a loss for words, Ben gripped the steering wheel and focused on the road. It was probably best to stay quiet anyway.

  “Don’t get me wrong,” Meghan continued, “usually Cassie is a sweetie, and I love her like a sister, but when she gets like this, there is no dealing with her. After you left the clinic this morning, I treated myself to Starbucks and then went book browsing to avoid going home. Then shopping in the afternoon.”

  The lilt in her voice drew his gaze to her face again. Her eyes shone contentment. “Sounds like you had fun.”

  “I did. You know I’ve lived in Leavenworth for a while now, and I’ve never wandered from shop to shop. Sure, I’ve been to a few of the stores in the village, like Keira’s candy shop and several of the eateries, but I’ve never explored the knickknack or clothing shops.” She shifted beside him. “I picked this outfit up at a fantastic boutique I never noticed until today.”

  He pulled along the curb in front of Mitch and Julia’s house, killed the engine then turned to face Meghan. She wore dark jeans and a white blouse, the pale pink sweater still delicately draped over her shoulders. In a word—preppy. “You look nice.”

  “Thanks. Just so you know, I wasn’t fishing for a compliment.”

  He grinned. “I didn’t suggest you were.” He reached behind the seats and grabbed a medium-sized grocery bag he’d stashed. “Chips. Mitch asked me to bring them.”

  “Yum!” She pulled her sweater tighter around her. “Well, are you ready for this?”

  “I am. You?”

  She nodded.

  “Hold on, I’ll be around for your door in a sec.” He hustled to the passenger door and pulled it open.

  She stepped out.

  They strolled up the walk and Ben whispered, “If you’re uncomfortable, get my attention and I’ll make an excuse for us to leave.”

  “Sounds good, and vice versa for you.”

  He knocked on Mitch’s front door. Getting along with Meghan in person for more than five minutes felt foreign, but he was rapidly getting used to it. She’d changed since she had first barged into his life—softer. That was it. She was softer, not so abrupt. What had caused the shift in her approach to people? Whatever it was, he was thankful.

  The door swung wide, and Mitch grinned at them. “Hey, man. Glad you made it.” He held his hand out to Meghan. “I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Mitch.”

  “Meghan.”

  He stepped aside and motioned for them to enter. “Welcome. Make yourselves at home. Everyone is out back.” He led the way to the kitchen and disappeared through the French doors.

  Meghan tilted her head at Ben, uncertainty shining in her eyes.

  Ben’s heart softened even further. He grasped her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before releasing it. “It’s going to be okay.” She stayed beside him as they walked into the backyard.

  “It’s so big!”

  “I suppose so.” Ben gazed around the yard he’d been in so often that he barely noticed the details anymore. He tried to see the space from her perspective. A stone wall divided the generous patio from the large grass-covered yard. He’d played in a few games of volleyball here over the years. A bench swing hung from an arbor, which was crowded with spring flowers in yellow and purple. All in all, a well-manicured yard with plenty of space for the young and old.

  Meghan must have spotted someone she knew, because she skipped off without a backward glance—good. A short time later, his cell buzzed. He checked the caller ID. The clinic. Since he was on call this weekend, he answered. His heart rate accelerated. He needed to get moving—fast.

  Chapter 15

  Meghan heard Ben call her name and turned away from Keira. “Excuse me.” Meghan wove through several clusters of people until she reached Ben who was now explaining to Mitch that he needed to leave. “What’s wrong?”

  “I must see to a dog. The owners are bringing him to the clinic right now.”

  “Oh, would you like me to come along?”

  Relief shone in his eyes. “Yes.” He took her arm. “We need to hurry. The dog’s situation is grave.”

  “Oh.” Meghan kicked into work mode. “Dr. Harding is here. Should I grab him?”

  “No. He’s off this weekend. We’ll be fine.” After making a quick apology to Mitch, they rushed inside and through the house.

  Meghan’s short legs were no match for Ben’s long stride, and she had to trot to keep up. “I’ll get my own door.” She hopped in his truck and was buckled up by the time he got in. “What’s wrong with the dog?”

  He explained the situation as they raced toward the clinic. Meghan understood Ben’s shift in personality. The poor dog had been caught in an old steel leg trap, and had been found half-dead a short time ago. The dog had almost chewed off his leg.

  Meghan caught her breath and blinked away unexpected tears. No. She was a professional and would not give in to the emotions of the situation. “I thought those traps were illegal.”

  “They are. This couple lives in the country. Their dog had gone missing for a couple of days and they finally found him.”

  “They trapped their own dog?
”

  “No. It had wandered onto a neighboring property.”

  Meghan pursed her lips, taking several slow, deep breaths as anger for the animal surged through her. People needed to respect the law!

  Ben’s hands gripped the steering wheel. “Apparently, the trap was very rusty, like it’d been there for a long time.”

  “You mean someone put it there years ago and forgot about it? Incredible. I can’t believe an animal didn’t get trapped sooner.”

  “No kidding.” He whipped into the clinic’s parking lot. Another pickup was already there. A couple scrambled out and hurried to the back of the pickup and opened the bed. A terrier mix was sprawled on its side on a blanket, barely alive. Tears streamed down the woman’s face. The man’s eyes were red rimmed.

  “Can you help her?” the man asked.

  “We’ll do our best,” Ben said. “Follow me.”

  The owner wrapped the blanket around the bleeding animal and carried her inside.

  Meghan flipped on lights and adjusted the thermostat before turning to the woman. “There are tissues on the counter.”

  “Thanks.” She snagged a handful. “Misty is a good dog. Too curious, but a good dog. Please save her.”

  Meghan swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. “We’ll try.” She practically sprinted to Dr. Harding’s office to grab her bag, which held a clean set of scrubs. She quickly changed out of her new outfit.

  Doctor Young would be prepping the dog for emergency surgery. One look at Misty’s leg and she knew it needed to be amputated. Her stomach sickened, but she held it together and went to the operating room.

  Ben turned when she opened the door. “I won’t lie. This is going to be difficult. Hard to look at. You sure you’re ready?”

  She nodded. She’d never assisted in an amputation, but knew she could do what needed to be done.

  “Do you mind if I pray before we begin?”

  Her eyes widened. “Go ahead.” She bowed her head and listened to his rich bass pray for wisdom, and for Misty and her owners. Her throat thickened and she blinked rapidly.

  “Amen.”

  “Amen,” Meghan whispered. Peace filled the room. Her shoulders relaxed, and with a clarity she’d never experienced, she assisted Ben. The dog had lost a lot of blood. It would be touch and go for a while, but the surgery had been successful. After they bandaged her wounds, they gently moved Misty to a kennel.

  Ben exhaled. “I’ll go tell Misty’s parents that everything went well.”

  She nodded. “I’ll clean up.” More than likely, Ben would spend the night at the clinic with the dog. She’d come to realize his tender heart would never allow him to leave an animal in need alone. She heard footsteps in the hall, but continued cleaning. She’d check in with Ben when she was finished.

  A short time later, the room sparkled clean. She closed the door and found Ben in his office. “Thanks for your help, Meghan.”

  “Of course. Do you think Misty will make it?”

  Tired eyes met hers. “Yes. I sent her owners home. I’m going to crash here tonight.”

  “Can I bring you anything? We never did get to eat at the barbecue.”

  As if on cue, her stomach rumbled. She slapped a hand across her midsection.

  “Food sounds great.” He pulled out his wallet.

  She waved him off. “I’ve got this. What would you like?”

  “Steak and lobster.” Mischief lit his eyes.

  “Ha. How about a steak sandwich?” She quirked a brow and smiled smugly.

  “Perfect.”

  “Okay. Be back soon.”

  * * *

  Ben bowed his head and thanked the Lord that the amputation had gone well, then he prayed for Misty’s recovery. Other than being weak from blood loss and dehydration, Misty was in remarkable health. She had obviously been well cared for and loved.

  Closing his eyes, he leaned back in his chair and propped his feet on top of his desk. He kept a cot in the closet for nights like this. He should set it up in the kennel room before Meghan returned.

  “Knock, knock.”

  Her voice tickled his brain. He opened his eyes and sat up, quickly shifting his feet to the floor. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

  She’d changed into her outfit from earlier, and a gleam lit her eyes as she approached his desk. “Probably because you were out cold.”

  “I was resting my eyes.”

  “Um-hmm. Whatever you say, doc.” She handed him a bag that smelled delicious.

  “What is it?”

  “A steak sandwich as promised. Plus fries, and a cookie for dessert.”

  He pulled the food from the bag. “It looks great. Thanks. Did you eat?”

  She held up a second bag. “It sounded good to me, too. Be right back.” She darted from the office and came back a moment later with two cups that looked suspiciously like milk shakes.

  “Are those what I think they are?”

  “I didn’t know if you were a chocolate or vanilla kind of guy so I bought one of each.”

  “Vanilla.” He reached for the treat.

  “I should’ve known.” She rolled her eyes and pulled a chair up to his desk before unwrapping her sandwich.

  He bowed his head and offered a silent prayer for his food. Unable to resist the delicious smell coming from the wrapper, he took a huge bite. “It’s even better than it smells,” he said with a full mouth.

  “Eww. Didn’t your mother teach you manners? My mom had her faults, but she at least taught me not to talk with my mouth full.” Meghan bit into her sandwich. “Mmm. This is good,” she said while chewing, then froze and met his eyes. “Oops.”

  He winked and took another bite.

  “You did a good job with Misty,” she said. “She’s going to be okay?”

  “I think so.” The last thing he had wanted to do was amputate her leg, but after the damage she’d done, there was no other option. It was fortunate Misty came from a loving family. They would help her adjust to her new situation. Ben expected the dog to live a long and happy life in spite of having only three legs.

  They finished their meal in silence. Based on Meghan’s furrowed brow and the distant look in her eyes, she had a lot on her mind. “You want to talk about it?”

  She blinked. “Huh?”

  He chuckled. “You looked lost in thought. Would you like to talk about whatever has that pretty forehead of yours all crinkled?”

  “Hey!” She flung a napkin at him. “I don’t crinkle.”

  He raised his hands palms out. “Sorry, no offense meant.”

  “You’re forgiven, and my thoughts are best left unspoken.”

  He raised a brow. Interesting.

  Pushing back from the desk, Meghan stood and tossed her garbage. “I’m heading out. Cassie should be here to take me home any minute. Do you need anything else?”

  “I’m good. Thanks.” He watched Meghan amble from the room. Too bad she was leaving. He would’ve enjoyed her company. It would be a long night.

  A loud slam thundered from the other room. He jumped out of his chair and dashed into the hall. “You okay?” he called. Where was she?

  “Fine,” she called. “Just dropped the cot.”

  He followed the sound of her voice to the kennel room, where he found her placing a pillow and a few blankets on the cot he’d been too lazy to deal with earlier. “You didn’t have to do that.”

  “I know. But I imagine you’re exhausted.” She inched past him. “Have a good night.”

  A moment later, the sound of the front door clicked, alerting him that Meghan was gone. He checked on Misty, made sure the clinic was locked and then returned to his office. In spite of everything, today had been a fulfilling day. He only wished Meghan had fel
t comfortable enough to share with him whatever was bothering her. She’d probably tell Animal-Magnet, though. With a grin, he booted up his computer.

  He typed out a quick note asking about her day. And waited. She probably wasn’t home yet. Five minutes later, his computer pinged announcing a new email. “Yes.” He clicked on Foxy-Girl’s message.

  Today was a mixed bag. There were highlights and lowlights. May I ask you a personal question? I’m going to assume you’ll say yes. I read some of the book of John today. BTW, I bought a Bible and returned the one I borrowed from the waiting room where I work.

  Anyway, I was wondering what you think about praying. One of the veterinarians in the clinic where I work actually prayed before doing a pretty serious surgery today. Honestly, it freaked me out that he thought he needed to pray.

  Meghan

  Ben read through her note three times before attempting a reply. He hadn’t meant to upset her with the prayer. It had seemed like the appropriate response to the situation.

  I don’t mind answering your question. For me, prayer is something that is a part of me. I do it often. Sometimes I pray about minor things and other times major things. Praying shouldn’t scare you, Meghan. It’s a good thing.

  I hope that helps.

  Animal-Magnet

  Ben pressed Send and rested his head in his hands. He hadn’t expected to make her uncomfortable or afraid when he had prayed. She’d been asking a lot of questions about Christianity and the Lord, and seemed very close to making a commitment, but something held her back. If only he could figure out what.

  He yawned and noted the time. Misty would probably be waking soon. He pushed away from his desk and meandered down the hall to check on his patient. She peered up at him with big brown eyes that seemed to plead with him to help her.

  “You’re going to be all right, girl.” He opened the gate and ran his hand through her fur. Satisfied that his patient was doing well, he closed the gate. “I’ll be back soon. I just need to close down my computer.”

  It’d been a very long day and he was ready for it to end. Fifteen minutes later, he rested in the darkened kennel room and closed his eyes. Lord, please be with Meghan. Please draw her to You.