“We plan on making this trip a Christmas tradition,” the woman added.
When Logan merely smiled, Leesa eased to his side. “We’re glad you enjoyed the tour. Don’t forget about the live nativity next weekend. We’d love to see you there.”
She gave them a flyer then waved good-bye as they bustled their children into a blue minivan and drove away. As the taillights faded from view, she lowered her hand to shield her eyes against the glare of the sun reflecting off a blanket of newly fallen snow. “That was fun, don’t you think?”
She breathed a happy sigh, which quickly turned into a sharp inhale when warm fingers closed around her other hand. Heat radiated from Logan’s gaze…enough to set her heart to thumping.
One side of his mouth lifted in a grin. “You were right.” The sweep of his hand encompassed the barn and the animals inside. “Miranda would have wanted this, but I…”
He stepped closer, his grip on her hand tightening. Afraid to speak, she urged him to go on by squeezing back.
“I was too afraid of letting go of the past to even think about moving forward.”
His voice roughened and he broke off, but for once, she didn’t feel compelled to fill the ensuing silence. Too soon, he dropped her hand, his shoulders hunched into the folds of his jacket.
“Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you.”
She hid a smile as he looked at the sky then down at the ground, anywhere but at her. Men and their pride. “You’re welcome.”
He cleared his throat. “So, ah, you hungry? We have a little time before the last tour comes through. I could fix us some sandwiches.”
She feigned a disappointed frown. “What, no enchiladas?”
Logan chuckled and pushed open the barn door then followed her outside. “You’ll have to see Javier for those, though I do think we’re due for another round of Lali’s cooking.”
We’re due. Pleasure spread through Leesa at his use of the plural. She liked the sound of it.
After a light lunch of sandwiches and chips washed down with a pitcher of iced tea, she and Logan returned to the barn just in time to see the first cars pulling into the yard. Children piled out, squealing with excitement.
Maybe next year we could add cookies to the tour, and hot chocolate. Maybe some fun crafts.
Next year?
She yanked her thoughts to a screeching halt. What Logan decided to do with the tours was his business, not hers. She had a clinic to run. Besides, she was only temporary help. Eventually, Pete would be back and things around the farm would return to normal. Wasn’t that what she wanted?
Her disappointed heart said no.
Determined to find a distraction, she busied herself around the barn—helping dole out the corn Logan had provided to feed the animals, lifting the smallest children to see above the rails, demonstrating the various tools and equipment the cast would use during the nativity. Before long, everyone had filed through the barn and headed toward the camel pen with Logan, all except for a slender, dark-haired woman Leesa recognized from church. She appeared to be looking for something. Her head turned to and fro, a puzzled frown on her face.
Leesa draped the halter she’d been holding over a peg on the tack room wall and made her way over to her. “Mrs. Davis?”
The woman was older than Leesa by several years, pretty, and stylish in her black pea coat with silver buttons down the front. She looked up as Leesa approached, and the worried lines between her brows smoothed a bit.
“Dr. McElroy, thank goodness. Have you seen Hayden? He was here a second ago, but he seems to have disappeared.”
Hayden. Leesa did a quick mental search and pulled up an image of an eight- or nine-year–old boy with dark hair and an impish grin. She motioned toward the camel pens. “Did he go outside with the others?”
Mrs. Davis wrung her hands. “To be honest, I’m not sure. There were so many people milling about, I suppose he could have…”
Smiling, Leesa gave her arm a pat. “Why don’t we go check? I’ll help you.”
A bit of the tension seeped from the woman’s posture, and she smiled. “Thank you. It’s silly, I know, but Hayden has a way of finding trouble.” They crossed the yard toward the circular camel pen. “My husband calls him his little daredevil.”
“I take it he’s pretty fearless?”
“Terribly.” Mrs. Davis erupted in nervous laughter. “That child has given me more gray hair…”
Her words trailed off, and her eyes scanned the crowd gathered at the fence. Logan stood inside the corral, leading one of the smaller camels by a halter. Mrs. Davis reached for Leesa’s arm and gave it a squeeze. “I don’t see him. Do you?”
She shook her head. “What is he wearing?”
“A blue coat with red stripes on the shoulders and jeans.”
“Okay.” Leesa directed her toward the group with a gentle push. “Wait here. I’ll let Logan know he’s missing and we’ll look together.”
At her nod, Leesa whirled and lifted her hand to try to catch Logan’s attention, but his gaze was fixed elsewhere, on the opposite side of the corral. At the same moment, a stirring started among the camels. They pressed against the pen, their round, flat feet pawing the hardened ground.
What was going on?
Leesa left the fence, her stomach twisting in a sudden, anxious knot. Pressing through the crowd, she emerged next to the gate. “Logan?”
His head swiveled at the sound of her voice.
At the rigidness of his features, her heart fell like a stone. He pointed toward the camels then looked opposite the pen toward the woods. Wolf stood there, his nose tilted toward the sky, sniffing the air. His gray fur nearly blended with the barren trees. In fact, had he not chosen that moment to howl, she might not have seen him at all.
The sound unleashed a tide of restless pushing and stomping. She turned to look at the camels, her mind ringing with something Logan had said during one of their many conversations.
“The wolf makes the camels nervous.”
It was then she saw the blue coat.
Chapter 10
Hayden!”
Mrs. Davis’s scream rent the air. In the same moment, Leesa dove through the gate and made a beeline for the camels. Logan beat her there. He shoved the small camel’s reins into her hands.
“Try and get the camels moving toward the stable. I’ll get Hayden.”
He whirled before she could respond. Her breath caught as he disappeared into the swirling mass of hooves and fur, but then a plaintive cry rose that turned her blood to ice and she reacted on instinct. Raising both arms, she flailed them harder than she ever had in her life.
“Hyah, camels! Move!” Despite her fear of being stomped by their enormous feet and powerful legs, she surged forward, dragging the young camel with her, until the entire herd began to move.
Suddenly, men surrounded her, all of them waving their arms and shouting, “Move!”
After what seemed an eternity, the animals parted and Leesa saw them—Logan with his arms around Hayden, huddled on the ground. Though they were dusty and Hayden’s face was streaked with tears, they appeared unhurt. She exhaled on a whoosh. Her arms went limp and the reins slipped from her fingers, but she didn’t care. All she could see was Logan. He stood, swept Hayden up into his arms, and carried him from the corral. Once he’d returned the boy to his mother, he searched the crowd.
For her?
She stepped from the corral. “Logan?”
The moment he caught sight of her, he strode forward to grip her by the arms. “Are you all right?”
She nodded. “You?”
“Yeah.” He raked his fingers through his hair, breathing heavily. “The wolf—it never occurred to me—”
“Me either,” Leesa said. “He’s been gone so long, I forgot all about him.”
“He does that sometimes…disappears for weeks or days, then shows up out of the blue.”
“It was probably the people,” Leesa said, lowering her voice. �
��He saw and smelled them and it confused him.”
Logan craned his neck to see past her to the woods. “Did you see which way he went?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I was too busy—” The words “worrying about you” died on her lips. “No, sorry.”
His gaze returned to her face, concerned, earnest, searching. He blinked then gave himself a shake. “Can you do me a favor and help me get these people out of here?”
“Of course.”
His lips pressed together, but she recognized the gratitude that flickered in his eyes. He turned and lifted one hand for silence.
“Folks, I’m very sorry for what just happened. No doubt we all realize it could have been much, much worse. Rest assured, I’ll be taking precautions before we host another tour out here at the farm.”
Mrs. Davis stepped forward muttering profuse apologies, but Logan dismissed them with a wave. “I’m just glad Hayden’s all right.”
After thanking him again, she spun toward the vehicles, clutching her son’s hand.
Over and over, Logan and Leesa repeated their apologies as the visitors took their leave. No one seemed outraged by the incident. Instead, most offered gratitude for Logan’s generosity and praise for his quick action in saving the boy. Finally, only a handful of people remained, but their faces showed concern. One of the men stepped forward to shake Logan’s hand.
“Mr. Franks, my name is Allen Rushing. I work for the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Could I speak with you a moment?”
Logan nodded and gestured toward the shelter of the barn. Though Leesa wanted to follow, she wouldn’t, not uninvited. When the two men reached the door, Logan looked back at her and lifted an eyebrow.
“Coming?”
Heat flamed her cheeks as she nodded. “Be right there.”
She ushered the last few guests to their cars and then hurried toward the barn. By the time she entered, the men were deep in conversation.
“…law requires them to be registered, micro-chipped, and neutered to prevent reproduction,” Mr. Rushing was saying.
Logan stood facing him, both hands braced on his hips. “Wolf isn’t a pet. I told you, he just started showing up after my wife passed away. As for him being a hybrid?” He shrugged and shook his head. “I have no way of knowing.”
“Which actually makes this situation all the more dangerous.” Mr. Rushing lowered his gaze and rubbed his fingers over his jaw. “Mr. Franks, you do realize if anyone had been bitten—”
Her heart thrumming, Leesa stepped forward. “What’s going on?” She extended her hand to Mr. Rushing. “Leesa McElroy. I own the veterinary clinic downtown.”
A bit of the concern cleared from Mr. Rushing’s countenance. “Dr. McElroy, good. I’m sure you’re aware of the law that was passed a couple of years ago regarding wolves as pets.”
As a veterinarian in the state of Maine, she had to be. Still, she cast an uneasy glance at Logan before responding. “I’m aware, though I thought it dealt specifically with hybrids.”
She risked another peek at Logan. Warmed by the gratitude on his face, she pressed on.
“Besides, the law does not prohibit people from owning mixed breeds.”
“That’s correct,” Mr. Rushing said, “but as I was explaining to Mr. Franks, the intent of the law is to protect people from the vicious attacks to which this type of pet are known. To do that, the state requires that the animals be registered.”
Relief shot through her. Maybe she could help clear some of this up. “Mr. Rushing, Wolf isn’t a pet. True, he’s accustomed to having people around—well, just Logan, er, Mr. Franks, but to consider him tame—”
“Does he feed him?”
Her thoughts flashed to the dog food by the kitchen door. “On occasion, but—”
“What about shelter?”
She sought Logan for help, but his face was hard, unreadable. “I couldn’t say for sure,” she replied slowly.
His gaze fell.
She looked at Mr. Rushing. Though she read an underlying empathy in his steady gaze, it was countered by resolve.
“Please understand,” he said, “it’s people’s safety I’m concerned about. Wolves with no fear of humans can be very dangerous, not only to people and domesticated animals, but to themselves.”
“What do you mean?” Logan asked.
“If it’s a hybrid, and it bites somebody, the law requires that it be put down,” Leesa said quietly, her stomach twisting.
Logan stared at her. “You knew about this?”
She nodded, a knot of misery lodged in her throat.
“Why didn’t you say something?”
“I thought about it—”
“And,” Rushing said, “the animal’s head would have to be sent to Augusta to be tested for rabies.”
Logan huffed out a sigh. “So what do you suggest?”
He looked at Rushing, not at her. Leesa jammed her hands into her pockets and kept quiet.
“Our first step would be to file a report with Animal Control. They’ll relocate him if they can. If he’s too used to being around people to release into the wild, they’ll find him a permanent home.”
Logan scoffed. “Like in a zoo.”
“It’s better than the alternative,” Rushing said quietly. “Which is?”
Putting him down. Rushing didn’t speak, but the answer rang like a clarion in Leesa’s head and, she was certain, in Logan’s.
Rushing took a card from his pocket and handed it to Logan. “My number’s on the back. Give me a call after you’ve had a chance to think about it. In the meantime, I’m going to look into scheduling a meeting at the town hall.”
Logan’s head jerked up. “What kind of meeting?”
Rushing met his gaze steadily, his dark eyes somber. “The locals will want to take precautions for their children and pets until we figure out what to do.”
Logan nodded reluctantly, and Leesa walked Rushing to the door. When he’d left, she lingered at the entrance, wringing her hands. Logan paced the floor, as restless as the wolf. Why, oh why, hadn’t she said something? She should have warned him of the dangers of allowing the animal to become too accustomed to his presence. An apology ready on her lips, she stepped forward.
He spoke before she had a chance to voice it. “We can’t let them relocate Wolf.”
The agony in his voice tore her heart. Though she wanted to, she didn’t reach for him. “I don’t like it either, but—”
Still pacing, he shook his head. “Wolves mate for life, right? I think I read somewhere that they’re as monogamous as humans.”
She hesitated, the familiar itch to flail tingling in her fingers. “N—not exactly.”
He drew up short and stared at her.
“I mean…that is an accepted train of thought, but in reality…what I’m trying to say is there has been some discussion regarding—”
At the look of exasperation he tossed at her, she fell silent. He didn’t want a lesson on animal reproduction. She crossed to him.
“Logan?”
The muscles in his arm quivered beneath her touch. He was holding himself in check, but barely. She dropped her hand.
He cleared his throat. “The wolf…I told you, he disappears sometimes.”
She nodded for him to continue.
“I’ve never seen a female, but I always thought…I mean, if that’s where he’s been going, relocating would split them up forever.”
Her heart lurched. This wasn’t so much about the wolf as it was what the wolf had come to mean to him. “He’ll find another mate, Logan,” she said softly. “It is true wolves will choose one mate and remain with them during breeding, but if one were to die, the other would move on.”
“He wouldn’t be dead.” Logan whirled and strode the length of the barn. “He’d be cooped up in a cage somewhere. And it’d be my fault.”
She widened her eyes. “Your fault?”
“I never should have listened to you. I never
should have let you talk me into turning this place into a petting zoo.”
“Logan, we were only trying to—”
“The wolf showed up to help me. Somehow…he knew I needed…something…and he stayed even when…”
He trailed off, his hands clenching and unclenching into fists at his sides, his eyes storm-filled and cold. Though he stood mere feet away, his next words told her just how far the distance between them had grown.
“I’m sorry, Dr. McElroy. I know you were only trying to help, but I think it’d be best if you stayed away while I try to figure out what I’m going to do.”
Dr. McElroy?
Leesa’s heart clutched. She had to at least offer to help, yet the words refused to come. And then…Logan whirled and walked away. This time, she didn’t follow.
Chapter 11
Alight snow had begun falling, but inside the Bethlehem town hall, the air was stuffy and warm, thanks to the hundred-or-so bodies packed into the narrow space. Logan took a seat near the back, content to remain invisible, or nearly so, for a while longer. For several minutes, he merely listened. Definite sides had formed—from conservationists who believed people had no right to infringe on the local wildlife to people frightened for the safety of their children, and many who fell somewhere in between.
And Leesa.
Logan sucked in a breath at the sight of her standing near the front, her hair pulled tight into a ponytail and her face devoid of makeup. They hadn’t spoken for days. He couldn’t take back his last words to her, but he’d beaten himself up ever since speaking them. Before the night was over he’d tell her it wasn’t her fault Wolf was in this mess. It was his. For one brief moment, their eyes met, and then she looked away.
Drawing a deep breath, he focused on what Kate Walters was saying. Her back was turned, but she stood with shoulders squared, facing three men seated behind a long table. Rushing was also there, seated near the end, but only volunteering information when he was asked.
“Bottom line, Mr. Samuels, unless this animal is a proven danger, I think it would be a mistake acting too quickly.”
Logan scanned the faces at the table and settled on a dour-faced man he’d seen around town. Selectman Murray Samuels. Great. The battles between him and Kate were legendary. It appeared tonight would be no different as he rose to address the crowd. For nearly five minutes, he railed about everything from wolves to Kate’s job as town manager.
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