by Linda Wisdom
“Kristi’s in charge back here,” Logan explained. “She and Jeremy keep things humming.”
Lucy silently prayed that Nick wouldn’t get the idea that a tattoo or body piercing was a good idea. It had taken a couple months for his self-drawn tattoo, courtesy of a semi-permanent ink marker, to wear off. She’d made him wear long-sleeved shirts any time he had to leave the house.
Her gaze skipped from one kennel to another. It seemed they were all filled with large dogs. Didn’t anyone have a Chihuahua out here in Southern California’s Riverside County?
“I cleaned all the dog runs then took the dogs out to this fenced area in the back where I can run with them,” Nick explained with enthusiasm. “It’s really cool!”
“And did you also roll in the dirt with them?” She indicated his dirty clothing.
He looked down. “I guess this is why you had me wear old clothes, huh?”
Lucy turned to Logan. “He’s safe being alone with these animals?”
“No one’s been bitten yet. And I guess Nick’s had his shots so the animals are protected.” He blew out a low breath. “It’s a joke, Lucy.”
“Yes, I gathered that.” She mentally hated herself for acting so stiff but couldn’t seem to stop herself.
“I have to clean up first,” Nick told her.
“Use the antiseptic soap,” Kristi reminded him.
Nick nodded as he loped off.
“He’s not a typical juvenile delinquent,” Lucy stated almost defiantly.
“I never thought he was,” Logan replied mildly. “I read the judge’s report, Lucy. It sounds like Nick has a knack with computers that will give Bill Gates a run for his money in a few years. I think the judge wants Nick to see a different side of life so he uses his skills only for good and not evil. Another joke.”
“I know that! He’s on the basketball team at school.” Now she sounded defensive. “And he’s worked on cars with Lou Walker since we moved here. He just has too much imagination and sometimes does something before thinking of what his actions might cause.”
“And what have you done since you moved here?”
“I’ve taken kind of a sabbatical from my travel agent job in order to get my house in order. It’s not an easy task,” she replied.
“That’s right, your other house was crashed into or something.”
“The engine landed ahead of the jet,” she said dryly. “Unfortunately, it landed inside my house. Luckily, the jet didn’t.”
“Since you’ve been so busy you probably haven’t seen too much of the area,” Logan surmised. “Perhaps one weekend you’d like to go for a tour.”
“Right now you’re in charge of my son’s community service. I think that’s enough interaction.” She raised her voice. “Nick, I’ll be in the car.” The smile she directed at Logan was patently insincere. It turned more genuine as she looked at the young woman. “It was nice meeting you, Kristi. Dr. Kincaid.” She made her escape.
“It’s Logan,” he called after her departing figure.
Before he could say anything further, Nick emerged, wiping his wet hands on his jeans.
“My mom’s not usually this cranky,” he explained quickly. “I think it’s because I got in trouble. I’d promised I wouldn’t get in any more trouble and then this happened. I think she was afraid I’d end up in jail.” He leaned over to confide, “She kept saying my lawyer looked like Opie, whatever that means.”
Logan chuckled. “I know who you’re talking about. Ritchey Owens does look pretty young to practice law, but he’s good. Besides, the judge doesn’t like to send boys to jail. He believes in a strict work ethic.”
“He just likes you getting free labor,” Kristi teased her boss.
“The judge is your dad, isn’t he?” Nick asked Logan.
“Guilty.”
“You must take after your mom, then.” He shot the vet a grin. “Good night, Logan. ’Night Kristi. See ya tomorrow.”
“Good night, Nick.” Logan turned to Kristi and cocked a questioning eyebrow.
“He did good,” she told him. “He took orders without any arguments. He actually listened to everything I said. Of course, he hasn’t given the dogs their baths yet.” She grinned.
“The ultimate test.” He looked around. “It all looks great. Go ahead and take off.”
She sketched a salute. “See ya on Thursday.” She snatched up a backpack and headed out the rear door. A few moments later the roar of a motorcycle could be heard.
When Logan walked into the reception area, Brenda was shutting down the computer and locking drawers. He looked at her big belly and winced. The fear she might go into labor during working hours had haunted him for the past month.
“I’m out of here,” Brenda announced before breezing out the door.
“Good night,” he called after her.
“Have you seen Beau?” Gwen asked, coming into the room.
He shook his head. “You know how he is when we’re closing up.”
“Come on, you little monster! Show yourself!” Gwen called out.
Beau, a bright red macaw with turquoise and green wings, waddled down the hallway. A flap of his wings bore him up to the counter. He cocked his head to one side.
“Tigger is in his bed, Beau.” Logan held out his arm and the macaw hopped onto it, content that the cat he somehow believed to be his pet was down for the night.
“Magnum,” Beau uttered in his raspy voice.
Magnum was Logan’s Malamute.
“He’s on guard.”
“Like anyone would dare break in here,” Gwen muttered. She eyed her boss. “So that’s Lucy Donner.”
“Nick’s mother, yes.”
“I heard she’s one of the few women to turn you down.” Gwen grinned broadly. “She shot you down again tonight, didn’t she?”
“I didn’t give her any reason to shoot me down,” he defended himself.
“I really like her.”
Logan huffed the exasperated sigh men expel when women think they have the best of them.
“Shouldn’t you be nicer to the boss when you’re due for a raise?” he asked as he set the macaw in a large black wroughtiron cage and secured the door with a lock; the macaw had a habit of escaping.
“I already gave myself a nice one last month. ’Night, boss.” She waved her hand over her shoulder as she headed out the door.
“’Night, boss,” Beau echoed.
“Right, like I’m in charge,” Logan muttered.
Before locking up, he took one last tour of the clinic to make sure all was in order. He was impressed to find the bucket Nick had used rinsed out and hung on its hook on the wall, the broom set back in place and the hose neatly coiled in a corner by the faucet. No trash was left out and covers on trash cans were secured. He didn’t think this was a boy behaving himself because it was his first day working here. He was positive Nick had acted like himself that day.
“I wonder if Dad would consider giving him to me for an additional six months. Magnum, guard!” he ordered the Malamute who lay on a dog bed in one corner. As always, the slightly chewed cell phone lay within reach.
For once, Logan left the clinic not thinking about work. Lucy Donner dominated his thoughts as he walked outside to the small house he used as his living quarters. He chuckled as an idea came to mind.
“Too bad Dad can’t order her into community service.”
Chapter Two
“How is Nick doing with his community service?” Ginna Stone asked when she met Lucy for lunch a week later.
Ginna had called her that morning and suggested that since she had the day off from the hair salon they get together for lunch. Lucy was always glad to see her best friend and new sister-in-law. Lucy had always thought Ginna would be a perfect match for her brother, Zach. She proved it when she’d secretly paired the two for an island getaway. Now they’d been married for months, and Lucy had never seen them happier. Ginna joked that she was going to return the favor by fixing Lucy up with Mr. Right,
but so far her matchmaking efforts had failed.
“He’s doing very well. He goes over to that clinic and cleans up after animals and cats and exercises the dogs, but he still won’t go near Luther’s litter box,” Lucy told her. “His excuse is that he’s so tired from his work at the clinic he only has enough energy left to do his homework.”
Ginna chuckled. “But he finally acknowledges Luther has a litter box. I remember when he pretended it didn’t exist. Isn’t that a step in the right direction?”
“I guess so. I still don’t understand why Nick did this. He’s always had an inventive mind, but he’d outgrown that mischievous streak of his. He was really behaving himself. Until now.”
“Zach once told me about some of Nick’s more colorful antics.” Ginna sipped her iced tea. “And to think you let Nick live,” she teased.
“There were times when I wondered which one of us would survive his childhood,” Lucy admitted. “When Nick was eight, the school psychologist told me that Nick was acting out because he didn’t have a father figure. Zach had gone to the appointment with me and told the man that Nick had him as a male figure in his life. He felt the school needed to do its part by offering Nick and kids like him more challenges. That’s why I was so happy when we moved out here and I found Fairfield. They offer just the right programs for a boy with his smarts. Until this happened. Now I’m just grateful they didn’t expel him.” She sighed.
“Look at it this way. Nick had a lapse of good judgment. He’s becoming a teenager, Luce. Collectively, my brothers don’t have intelligence anywhere close to Nick’s. Trust me, they pulled some pretty wild stunts in their day. Mom claimed it’s because of them that she had to start coloring her hair so young.”
“No wonder I have highlights done so often.” Lucy laughed. “How are Emma and Trey doing?” She mentioned her niece and nephew, Ginna’s stepchildren.
“They both love second grade. The principal talked to us about putting them in different classes. They prefer splitting up twins unless the parents object. It gives the kids a chance to be more individual. Zach and I thought it was a good idea since Trey seems to follow in Emma’s shadow too much. Now that he’s in a different class he’s had a chance to come into his own more. He stands up to her in ways he wouldn’t have dreamed of before, and last weekend he even pulled a practical joke on her. It’s great to see him turn into his very own little individual.”
“For someone who didn’t want kids, you’ve sure turned into Super Mom,” Lucy teased. “And to think you were so mad at me for setting you up with Zach on your trip.”
“Which you will never let me forget,” Ginna verbally tossed back, but she looked very happy as she uttered the words.
Lucy grinned back. “You’ve loved every minute of it.”
“Yes, I have. In fact—” she leaned forward “—it’s nothing definite yet, but Zach and I are looking at property out this way.” She held up her hand. “We haven’t said anything to my parents yet. For Zach, writing his magazine column and now his books means he can work anywhere, and while I enjoy working for CeCe at the Steppin’ Out Salon, the idea of having my own salon has been calling me for the past year or so. If it works out, Nora and I would look for local space. She and Mark are looking around here, too.”
“Abby said she and Jeff found a house in the area. They don’t want to say anything to Cathy and Lou until the escrow closes,” Lucy said, mentioning Ginna’s oldest brother and sister-in-law. “She said there’s another fire station opening and Jeff has already put in for a position there. Lou said if the rest of the Walker sons would return to Riverside County he could have his very own firefighting department and paramedics.” She grinned.
“They’ll love having everyone around them. Dad used to joke about his Walker Dynasty,” Ginna said. “Which, whether you like it or not, you are a part of.”
“I learned that the day of Nick’s hearing. I was very grateful for everyone’s support,” she confessed.
“That’s the way they are. Dad always hoped that at least one of the boys would go into the auto renovation business with him, but he should have known better; Jeff wanted to be a fireman since the day he accidentally set the garage on fire, and Brian and Mark are naturals as paramedics. Now Dad hopes one of the grandkids has grease in his or her veins.” She chuckled. “Don’t you find it odd that Nick is working for the man you’ve avoided all these months?”
“Not the way my life is going.”
“I thought for sure Logan was going to be successful at Grandpa’s birthday party.”
Lucy shook her head. “Luckily, Mark’s proposal to Nora took the spotlight off us.” She remembered that evening very well. It seemed every time she turned around Logan was there. While she was attracted to the blond, good-looking veterinarian, she was also wary. She had an idea the man knew just how cute he was and capitalized on it. Since Lucy’s ex-husband had been blond and good-looking, she tended to stay away from the type.
Ginna peered at her closely. “Lucy. You’re not—” She suddenly burst out laughing, “You are! You’re blushing. Lucy, you’re blushing!”
Lucy resisted the urge to feel her cheeks to see if they felt as warm to the touch as she sensed. “I am not.”
“Yes, you are!” Ginna was delighted with her friend’s loss of composure. “Logan is very good-looking.”
“If you like the aging-surfer look.”
“Blond hair and a tan don’t automatically make you a surfer. Besides, I understand he gave that up after he graduated from veterinary school.”
“That type plays the field as if they’re still in high school,” Lucy pointed out. “Besides, I don’t need a man in my life.”
“Yeah, right.” Ginna held up her left hand with its sparkling diamond wedding band and engagement ring displayed on the third finger. “That’s what I said and look what happened.”
LUCY MENTALLY CURSED Ginna for planting ideas in her head. She even felt a little nervous when she arrived at the clinic to pick up Nick. She never suffered from paranoia until all her friends wanted to do some matchmaking for her.
As she walked into the clinic she steeled herself to come face to face with Logan. She hadn’t seen him the past few days, but she didn’t expect her luck to continue to hold.
“Mom, I need to come in real early tomorrow,” Nick greeted his mother.
She wrinkled her nose at the smelly young man standing in front of her. “And you have to do this because…?”
“It’s Adoption Day. The dogs have to be bathed and brushed and the cats have to get cleaned up,” he explained. “Jeremy can’t come in early because he’s got an exam. I thought maybe you’d come in with me and help. You will help us, won’t you?”
“Nick said you wouldn’t mind helping us out, Mrs. Donner,” Kristi spoke up.
Lucy wondered if the young woman owned anything other than black crop tops and camouflage pants. Each time she’d seen Kristi the wardrobe had been the same. Still, she doubted the young woman had trouble deciding what to wear when she got up in the morning.
Nick beseeched her. “Please, Mom?”
She could never turn him down when he used the magic word. “Just don’t make a habit of this.”
“We’d appreciate it, Mrs. Donner,” Kristi said.
“Logan, Mom said she’ll help us tomorrow,” Nick called out.
When Logan walked into the kennel area a large macaw with green and turquoise feathers was perched on his shoulder. Lucy noticed that the hungry-looking Malamute trotted along beside him. He still had a cell phone in his mouth. The dog, that is.
“Maybe this is a silly question, but is there a reason why that dog has a phone in his mouth?” she asked, gesturing to the husky who watched her with an unblinking silvery-blue gaze.
“He’s hoping to hear from a cute little collie who was in here a few months ago,” Logan said glibly.
“He’s better off without her. I heard collies can be fickle,” she said. “Also high-maintenance
with all that fur. So what’s his real story?”
He looked down and grimaced. “I found Magnum on a side road about eight months ago,” he replied. “Poor guy had been hit by a car and wasn’t in good shape. When I was checking him over, I set my cell phone down on the ground. It started ringing and I guess Magnum didn’t like the sound. He picked it up and growled every time I tried to get it back from him. To this day, I’m not sure if he’s waiting for a call or still figuring out how to make one. Since he nominated himself as the clinic’s guard dog, I decided he wants to keep it on hand in case he has to call nine-one-one.”
“You mean you just let him keep your cell phone?”
“See that jaw? Those teeth? Trust me, you’d let him keep it, too.”
Lucy studied the black-and-silvery-gray Malamute, a hundred pounds-plus of pure muscle. “I see your point.”
“Here kitty, kitty, kitty,” the macaw cooed. A faint meow sounded before a ginger-colored cat trotted up to Logan. The cat sat back on his haunches and raised a paw, batting at the air.
“That’s Tigger, Beau’s cat,” Nick explained, stooping to stroke the cat, who immediately purred and arched under his touch. “He’s really sweet.”
“If only you paid that much attention to your own cat,” Lucy pointed out.
“Luther’s a hundred years old and hates me.”
“Luther is fifteen years old and merely cranky,” she said.
“Every boy should have a dog,” Logan said.
“Not when I’d be the one who’d be cleaning up the backyard.” Lucy looked at the kennels. She decided the dogs had grown even larger since the last time she’d seen some of them. “Are your Adoption Days successful?”
“Pretty much.” Logan transferred Beau to a series of thick manzanita branches set up as a macaw playpen in one corner of the large room. “We have it all set up outside. We have volunteers to help out with the animals and assist people in filling out the adoption paperwork, but we can always use more live bodies to help out.” He looked hopeful.
Lucy swore Logan’s expression when he turned her way echoed Nick’s. She feared he could prove as difficult to resist as her son was.