“Are you sure you’re the owner?”
“Yes, Mr. Leonard. I am Olivia Rickard, the owner.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. The first hour of daycare was always the worst. She normally let the dogs run around the back yard to get some of their energy out, but the grass was still wet from last night’s rain. “Did you want me to put you down for a Sunday kennel?”
“No.” He huffed. “I just like quiet Sundays, but I don’t want to pay an outrageous fee for them. I’ll think it over and get back to you.”
The man hung up on her, and she frowned. A quiet Sunday? Just give the dog a bone to chew on.
She really did need to hire someone to help her.
There was a high-pitched bark, and it was filled with pain. With a start, Olivia raced to the back room and stared in horror at the blood spatter on the carpet. Goodwin galloped in circles in panic while Snowball cocked his head and watched calmly from the corner.
“Goodwin!” Olivia gasped and reached out to grab the dog’s collar. “Sweetheart, what did you do?”
Whining, the large dog stuck his head under Olivia arm and nearly knocked her down. She carefully ran her hands over his coat, looking for the source of the wound, and then she saw the blood covering his back paw. “Lay down,” she murmured as she rubbed his ear.
He immediately stretched out on the floor, and she pushed him over on his side to make it easier to examine his paw. There was a string wrapped around his nail, and part of the nail was missing.
“Broken nail, huh? You’re such a baby,” she teased, but she knew that broken nails in dogs weren’t always such an easy matter. “Stay here.” After carefully pulling the bright orange string away, she retrieved the doggie first aid kit from the cabinet in the bathroom and ran a washcloth under warm water.
The big dog thumped his tail against the floor when she returned, but when she started to clean the blood off his paw, he grumbled and tried to pull away.
“Hang on, baby,” she cooed. “I have to see how bad it is.”
When his paw was cleaned, she was able to see that a decent part of the nail’s quick was showing. Straddling him so he wouldn’t jump up and run away, she poured some hydrogen peroxide on it and wrapped it in a bandage. He whined even more, and when she let him go, he limped to the corner to sulk.
Spying the orange rope toy under Snowball, she pulled it out and saw that between the two of them, they’d undone the huge knot and had started to unravel it. One of the strings must have gotten caught on Goodwin’s nail.
“That’s a trip to the vet for you,” she sighed. “Come on, Snowball. You can play with Lily for a bit and let Goodwin rest.”
For the rest of the morning, she fielded phone calls and struggled to keep the puppies from causing too much mischief.
Finally, that afternoon, she loaded up Goodwin and headed to the vet. Dr. Roberts was the only vet in town and stayed fairly busy, but she always made room for Olivia in case of an emergency. Olivia and Goodwin sat in the waiting room for a few minutes before the vet tech waved them back.
Dr. Roberts was already in the treatment room. She was a slight woman with dark auburn hair and a cute button nose. A few freckles dotted her face, and she looked years younger than her actual age. Too young to have graduated vet school, actually. It was hard to believe that this woman could wrestle with the biggest dogs—and win!—but she was an excellent vet.
“So we’ve got a broken nail?” she asked.
Goodwin tucked his tail between his legs and backed up so that he was almost plastered against the wall.
Olivia sighed. “He’s such a sweet dog until I get him in here, and then he’s a monster!”
“Yeah, this place has that effect on people. Don’t worry. I don’t take it personally. Come on, Goodwin. There’s a treat in it for you, if you behave.”
Goodwin’s ears perked up at the word treat, but he was not swayed. It took Olivia and Dr. Roberts working together to grab him and lift him onto the table, and he growled the whole time.
“They all turn into babies,” Dr. Roberts said cheerfully as she unwound the bandage on the big dog’s paw. “Last week I had a Great Dane that was shaking so hard I almost couldn’t give him his rabies shot.”
“I heard that there was a rabid raccoon found. Goodwin and Fender are both up-to-date on their shots.”
“Yeah, this dog was too, actually.” Dr. Roberts lifted the paw and peered down at it. “But the owner said he was going camping for a bit and was afraid there might be rabid animals, so he wanted to get the shot done early. I tell you what, I wish all pet owners were so concerned about their animals.”
“True.” Olivia rubbed Goodwin’s ears and kissed him on the nose. He glared at her as if he blamed her for this terrible treachery. “I put some hydrogen peroxide on it, but it looks pretty deep.”
“Yeah, it’s a clean break, though, so that’s good. It’s going to hurt for a bit just the same way it would if you broke one of your nails. We’re going to do some antibiotic ointment to keep it from getting infected. Because of the pain, some dogs won’t let you near the nail, so if that happens, let me know and I’ll prescribe an oral antibiotic to help. You’re going to want to keep it clean as it heals. I’d suggest a loose covering for when he goes outside, and if he gets obsessive about licking it, keep it covered or use a cone. Obviously, if it starts to bleed again, it gets discolored, or the toe gets hot to the touch and swollen, or you see a drastic change in his behavior, bring him back.”
“Thanks!” Olivia felt relieved as the doctor took out some ointment and slathered it on the nail. Goodwin yelped a little, but he didn’t snap. “What a good boy!”
“Indeed. I think that deserves a biscuit!” Dr. Roberts pulled out a chewy treat and handed it to Goodwin, who gobbled it right up. As soon as he swallowed, he looked up with hopeful eyes and thumped his tail on the table. “See? All’s forgiven!”
“It doesn’t take much,” Olivia laughed.
The vet re-bandaged the nail, and together, she and Olivia lifted Goodwin back to the floor.
“Do you need any medical tape or gauze?” the woman asked as she handed over the ointment.
“No, I’m stocked.”
“Excellent. Hey, before you go, would you mind taking some pamphlets to set up in your office? We’ve got a new oral flea and tick medicine that I’m trying to push. It’s one pill for three months, and it’ll help eliminate the horrible chemical smell that’s in the liquid and collars.”
“Oh, that sounds great! Sure thing!” Olivia didn’t mind. Dr. Roberts had been instrumental in helping her own business grow. “Hey, I don’t suppose you know anyone who’s good with dogs and looking for a part-time job? With Tanya gone, I seriously could use the help.”
Dr. Roberts lifted an eyebrow. “It’s been months since Tanya was arrested. You haven’t hired anyone else?”
“Tanya left a bad taste in my mouth,” Olivia admitted. “She used her position with me to bully other students. I guess I’m a little gun-shy.”
“Understandable. I don’t know anyone, but I’ll keep an ear out.”
“Great, thanks! Hey, listen. Are you seeing anyone?”
The vet lifted her eyebrows. “Why? Are you interested? I thought that pretty boy of yours was so in love with you.”
Olivia snorted. “Would I get any medical benefits for dating a vet?”
“You’ll get plenty of benefits dating a vet,” Dr. Roberts said with a wink.
Laughing, Olivia shook her head. “Jackie informed me that you took my mystery book. I’m stuck reading a romance which, to be fair, has been pretty good, but it’s about a vet falling in love with a millionaire.”
Dr. Roberts sighed. “Oh, that is the dream. Marry a millionaire. Pay off my student loans.”
“And the falling in love part?”
“Eh. I guess that would be okay too. Why? You know some millionaire who might be interested? Or are you just hoping to switch books with me?”
“There are so
me pretty steamy parts in there,” Olivia hedged with a smile.
“Nice try, but I’m right in the middle of my mystery, and it is getting good.”
Pocketing the ointment and the pamphlets, Olivia sighed in exasperation and shrugged her shoulders. At least she’d tried.
Saying goodbye to the Dr. Roberts, she paid the bill and led Goodwin back out to the car. He was limping a little, but he seemed so overjoyed to leave the vet that he didn’t even hesitate to jump in the Wrangler.
“No more roughhousing with Snowball for you for awhile. You’ll have to make do with Fender and Clyde.”
“Hey!” A familiar voice caught her attention, and she turned her head to see Rafe heading toward her. “It’s Olivia, right? Janelle’s sister? Oh, what a handsome dog!” As he caught up to them, he bent down and started scratching Goodwin’s ears. “Are you a good boy? Or a good girl?”
She had to admit that her dog was shaggy enough to make it difficult to tell the difference. “Boy.” Goodwin thumped his tail, and Olivia tried not to laugh. “But he’ll pretty much answer to anything that gets him some attention. Do you have dogs?”
“Unfortunately, no. I used to have a gorgeous German Shepherd growing up named Lolly. Man, she was my second shadow. We went everywhere together. I never got another dog after her. Just got too busy I guess, but I love animals. You kind of have to be, in order to have a farm.” His grin faded when Goodwin lifted his paw. “Oh no! What happened?”
“It’s nothing too serious. Just a broken nail. We just left the vet’s to get some antibiotics so it doesn’t get infected.”
“Poor baby.” Rafe knelt down, lifted the bandaged paw, and kissed it. “I bet your momma is going to take good care of you.”
There was a strange change in Rafe when he spoke to Goodwin. He looked almost distant as he scratched the dog’s ears, as if he was recalling an earlier memory that made him smile. Olivia and Goodwin were used to that kind of reaction. Adults who had grown up with dogs as kids usually seemed to have those cherished memories. Growing up with a dog changed everything, and those feelings always bubbled to the surface whenever they petted a dog.
“Careful or you’ll spoil him.”
Laughing, Rafe stood. “I bet he’s already spoiled.”
“Well, if you ever need someone to herd your cows, let us know. I’ve been trying to get Goodwin to pull his weight around the house since the day I got him.”
Goodwin barked sharply, and Olivia opened the door to the Jeep. “See? Mention work, and he gets all upset!”
To her surprise, Rafe eased Goodwin into the car so the dog wouldn’t have to jump, saying, “Poor guy has had a rough afternoon! When he gets better, you should bring him to the farm to run around. I bet he’d love it.”
Olivia smiled at Rafe. Maybe there was more to him than just being a pushy salesman. “I bet he would love that. What are you doing on this side of town?”
“I live down here. I’ll move to the farmhouse soon, but I need to find someone to sublease my place in town.” He cleared his throat. “I don’t suppose you know which way your sister is leaning?”
Her eyes widened. “My sister is thinking of subleasing your apartment? I know she wanted to expand, but I didn’t think she was shopping for a new place! I’m going to kill her!”
“No, not subleasing. I meant the eggs. And with your sister expanding? That’ll be fantastic!” His smile widened, and he rubbed his hands together.
“Eggs, right. I haven’t spoken to Janelle about that. She’s distracted lately.” She gave Rafe a sympathetic look. She knew what it was like to get a new business off the ground. “I’m sorry.”
He shook his head and waved his hands dismissively. “Don’t apologize. I didn’t want to push her, but I know that she seems unhappy with her current distributer. I’ll give her a few more days and then check in with her. I’m sorry that I ambushed you. Not very professional of me.”
“You’ve got a lot going on in your life,” she said softly. “New business venture. Losing your grandmother, and then Hannah so suddenly. No one is going to judge you for being a little stressed, but it takes time for a business to get off the ground.”
A visible look of pain crossed his face when she mentioned Hannah, and Olivia felt bad. She’d only done it to get a reaction from him, and guilt twisted inside her. Maybe she’d had him pegged wrong.
“Right. Thanks. Have a good evening. Take care of that gorgeous pup of yours!” He nodded his head, gave Goodwin’s left ear a final rub, shut the back door of the car, and strolled away.
As she got in the car, she caught Goodwin’s look in the mirror. “I’m not investigating!” she protested. “He found us, remember?”
For a second, it looked to her as if Goodwin rolled his eyes, and Olivia grumbled as she started the car. Trust her dog to judge her.
15
“Are you avoiding me?” Christopher growled when they were alone in the exam room.
She shot him a pointed look. “This is a vet’s office. I don’t see a dog with you.”
“Come on, Wynona. It’s been a week. You haven’t returned my phone calls. You sent me a text outlining a payment schedule. What is going on?”
“I owe you half the reward money that you paid for Godiva,” she said calmly. “I don’t make much, but if you’re patient, I’m sure I can have it paid off in about two years.”
“I don’t want your money. I thought we had a good thing going.”
Closing her eyes, she struggled to get a grip. “We did have a good thing going, but now it’s over. Sometimes that happens. Jackson is always welcome here. Are there any other questions that you have for me?
“No. I guess that about sums it up.”
The banging woke her up at the crack of dawn. Groaning, Olivia opened one eye and winced. What in the world was going on? Fender grunted unhappily at the foot of the bed, and Goodwin whined at the door.
The dogs were up, which meant that it was pee o’clock.
“Okay, okay. Hang on.” Bleary-eyed, she stumbled out and reached for her sweatshirt. Tossing it on, she inspected the bandage on Goodwin’s foot to make sure that it was still secure before opening the door. Both dogs bounded toward the door to the private entrance.
Just as she passed Andrew’s door, it opened, and he stood there half-naked, an annoyed look on his face. The days at the gym were paying off, and Olivia couldn’t help but stare.
“What is happening?” he scowled, meaning the banging, not Goodwin’s scratching and whining at the closed door.
Immediately, she looked away. She was not going to let a few muscles distract her from the fact that he was keeping secrets. “I don’t know, but it’s coming from the bakery. God knows what Janelle is doing. I’m going to check on it now.”
Running his fingers through his hair, he looked at Goodwin. “Goodwin? What’s wrong with his paw? Is he okay?”
“He’s fine. He broke a nail yesterday.”
“A nail? Is that serious?”
“I just said that he’s fine,” she snapped. “I need to let them out. Go back to bed.”
“Like that’s going to happen.” He hesitated. “Can we have dinner tonight? And talk?”
She folded her arms and glared at him. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”
A look of pain washed over his face. “Not yet.”
“Then I’m busy tonight. And I’m going to be busy until you can explain things. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” She turned her back to him and closed her eyes. The lack of sleep and coffee was making her cranky.
“Andrew?” she said as she turned back around. “I’m sorry. Dinner would be fine.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I mean I’m going to be annoyed and probably won’t be able to resist prying, but if you can deal with that, then, yes.”
He grinned. “I can deal with that.”
Her heart fluttered just a bit, but Goodwin’s increasingly desperate cries broke the moment. Hurrying down t
he hall, she opened the door and let them both out onto the landing. They bounded down the stairs and out into the yard.
Shutting the door, Olivia took the internal stairwell all the way down to the first floor. Janelle was in the kitchen, her arms crossed tightly, and three men were pushing and pulling as they tried to squeeze another oven in.
“Janelle!” Olivia gasped. “What is going on?”
“What does it look like? I can’t expand the building, so I’m making another oven fit.”
Her logical older sister had once again been replaced by a monster. Olivia pressed her fingers to her temples. “You didn’t think to run this by me?”
“It was your idea,” Janelle snapped. “Besides, this is my business.”
“Yes I did, and yes it is, but I own half this building. Any contract that you sign with a contractor needs to be co-signed by me. Do they have to start so early?”
“I have an event that I’m catering at the end of the week, and I need this extra oven. It’s going to be my first party, and it needs to go smoothly. Fifty people, and I’m shutting the bakery down for the day that day.”
“Fifty people!” Olivia gasped. “The party is going to be here? Whose idea was that?”
“Andrew’s.” As soon as the name was out of her mouth, Janelle’s eyes widened and she covered her mouth with her hands.
“What?” Olivia’s mouth dropped open. “Why would Andrew be telling you to host an event here?”
Her sister turned around and took a few steps toward to the workers. “Be careful! That oven cost me an arm and leg!”
“Stop,” Olivia said in a low voice, just loud enough to reach her sister. “Janelle, answer my question.”
Her sister cocked her head and bit her lower lip. “I asked him what I should do, and he gave me an opinion,” she said slowly as if she were thinking up the answer on the spot.
“Are you lying to me?”
“No!” Janelle shook her head emphatically. “That was absolutely not a lie. I would never lie to you. You’re my sister, and I love you. I trust you. Just like you should trust me.”
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