Veronica yelled for Patsy and Jarrod, one of her techs, to help her with the pups. They came running to assist her, each of them grabbing three puppies, which looked to be about five weeks old. Meanwhile, Veronica told the man to put the mama dog on the table so she could examine her. The poor dog was nothing but skin and bones. Veronica clenched her jaw in anger because she hated seeing this happen to any animal.
“Where did you find her?” She ran her hands over the dog assessing the poor thing’s condition. She pulled on the fur on the scruff of the neck to check its elasticity, the fur moved back slowly—not a good sign.
“Anonymous caller…said the people moved out about three weeks ago, and left the dog behind,” the man told her.
“I could literally kill people for this,” Veronica said to no one in particular. She told Patsy to get an IV started so they could get some fluids into the dog. She was badly dehydrated. Veronica wasn’t even sure how any of the puppies had survived. She doubted mommy was able to nurse them sufficiently. Patsy started the IV, while Veronica checked the dog’s mouth and teeth. She pressed on her gums to see how long it would take them to pink up again—too long.
“She’s really in bad shape. Her organs could be shutting down.”
Veronica squeezed the bag for the IV drip to get the fluid into her quicker. She then administered some electrolyte fluid into the dog’s mouth. The man told her to let him know what happens because he had to get back to work. Veronica gave him a wave as he left. Patsy and Jarrod were busy working on the puppies. They fed them with baby bottles filled with puppy formula. All six were eating well. Maggie, another tech, had come back to help them. They all knew it was going to be a long day and even longer night. If the mama dog couldn’t feed her puppies, they would have to make sure the pups were fed every four hours.
Veronica had Jarrod put the mama dog into one of the wire crates, but kept the IV hooked up to her. The dog seemed to be responding well to the fluids. What truly angered Veronica was the dog was only around a year old, and yet she’d already had a litter of pups. This meant, in her mind, the poor dog had an irresponsible owner and she’d been a victim of cruelty.
She called the Humane Society to tell them what she’d discovered. They informed her they would try their best to find the owner but not to be surprised, if they couldn’t. They were probably long gone. They also told her that once the dog was in good health and the puppies were old enough, they would all be available for adoption. Veronica just hoped someone would adopt them and treat them right.
As she watched the puppies sleeping with full tummies, she thought of Nathan. Would he want one? She’d call him later and feel him out on the idea. Patsy looked as if she was already in love with the runt of the litter who she was holding in her lap. Veronica smiled at her new friend.
“You’re going to want that one, aren’t you?”
Patsy laughed softly. “Yes, but I’m not sure how my landlord would like it.”
Veronica laughed. “Oh, I think your landlord might approve.”
Patsy’s eyes rounded. “You think so?”
Veronica walked over to her and hugged her. “Give them a call and ask about the pet policy. I believe most apartments allow pets now.”
The puppy’s eyes came open and started whining but once Patsy put the puppy on her chest, the pup quit and just moaned as if it was in heaven. Patsy kept holding the pup and talking to her in low tones. She looked at Veronica with tears in her eyes.
“How can people do this? It’s just not right. All of them, the puppies and the mama, would’ve died.”
Veronica shrugged. “Some people just don’t give a damn. Personally, I think the punishment should fit the crime. Let’s tie the owners outside with no food or water in freezing temperatures and see how they like it. They left her, and her puppies, to starve. The Humane Society told me she’d eaten all the snow she could reach but you know that’s not enough. I want to punch her owners in the throat.”
“Who do you want to punch in the throat?” Lincoln spoke up from the doorway. Veronica spun around and looked at him. She drank in the sight of him. He stood there leaning against the doorframe with his arms folded across his chest and his booted feet crossed at the ankles. She walked over to him and kissed him on the lips.
“What are you doing here?” She slid her hands under his jacket and over his chest.
He smiled at her. “I thought maybe you could get away for lunch.”
“Really? You want to take me to lunch?”
“Of course. Can you go or not?”
Veronica looked at Patsy. She was too interested in the pup to notice. “Yes, I think so. We’re not busy today, other than our emergency pups. I’d love to go to lunch with you.” She touched Patsy’s hand. “I’m going to lunch, Patsy. I’ll be back in about an hour. Call if you need me.”
Patsy nodded without taking her eyes off the pup.
Lincoln chuckled. “I think she’s in love. Where did the pups come from?”
Veronica looped her arm through his. “I’ll tell you on the way.”
They walked out of the hospital, and headed for the restaurant. When they got there, it was crowded but they managed to get seats almost immediately. Veronica looked over the menu, deciding on a turkey club. Lincoln ordered a hamburger and fries with a milk shake.
“How do you keep in shape if you eat like that?” Veronica asked teasing him with her voice and her fingers on the back of his hand.
“Oh, I have ways of working it off.” He winked, making her blush. Lincoln laughed at her.
“You’re an evil man, Lincoln Cole.”
“Me? Evil? All I said was that I have…”
Veronica interrupted him. “I know what you said.”
They both laughed. After lunch, Lincoln and Veronica took their time walking back to the hospital. She’d told him about the dog and her puppies during lunch, now she wanted to know his opinion of asking Nathan if he’d take one.
Lincoln shook his head. “I don’t know. Isn’t it a little early for him to get another dog?”
Veronica sighed. “It all depends on where he is in the grieving process. It may help him heal.”
Lincoln tugged on her hair and kissed her forehead. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to ask.”
He turned away and walked to his truck then waved to her as he drove out of the parking lot. She waved back, and then entered the hospital where she returned to the area where the mama dog was recuperating. She was pleasantly surprised to see her standing and wagging her tail.
“Hello little mama, you look much better.” Veronica put her fingers through the wire and rubbed her nose. The dog licked her fingers. “You’re just a softie, aren’t you?”
The rest of the day passed by quickly with a full waiting room, this made Veronica happy. She was so busy but that was a good thing. With Thanksgiving in a week, it seemed like everyone was bringing his or her pets in before the holiday.
Plans for Thanksgiving were already set. Nathan and Shelly had invited them to dinner at their home along with Dakota. Nathan and Dakota’s parents had died years ago in an airplane accident, leaving Nathan to pretty much raise Dakota on his own. Patsy was spending the holiday with Isabella and Montgomery.
Veronica was looking forward to the holiday weekend. Everyone was hoping it didn’t snow so much that they’d have to cancel out on dinner, but Veronica couldn’t think of anything better because she was going to have four days and five nights with Lincoln, and she couldn’t wait. Although, she hoped dinner wouldn’t be canceled either, because she was looking forward to that too.
By the end of the day, she was exhausted. So were Patsy, Jarrod, and Maggie. Between taking care of patients and the puppies, there wasn’t a moment to sit down. The puppies were doing great as was their mama…she seemed to know that they were all safe. They all agreed to call her Precious, simply because she was. Patsy named her little puppy, Runt.
Veronica had teased her about how original the name was,
but Patsy only laughed. She was confident she’d be able to take her pup home the next week. Veronica wanted to keep an eye on all of them for at least another week before calling the Humane Society to pick them up. With any luck, they’d all be adopted quickly, and have good homes with people who loved them before Christmas. Veronica still wanted to talk to Nathan about a puppy, but she hadn’t had the chance to call or arrange to talk to him. She’d try to call him tonight but if not, she’d talk to him about it as soon as she got the chance.
By the middle of the following week, the puppies were healthy, happy, barking, and playing. They were adorable and just being puppies. Precious was doing great and Veronica was so pleased. The Humane Society told her they would send someone to pick up Precious and the pups as soon as she deemed them ready for adoption. Veronica was a bit worried about Precious. She figured there wouldn’t be a problem getting the puppies adopted, but sometimes it was harder to find new homes for older dogs. Everyone wanted a puppy, and it wasn’t that Precious was old, but she wasn’t an adorable little puppy anymore either. Older dogs were great to adopt—no potty training usually needed. Veronica had even considered keeping her, but she just didn’t have the time for a pet right now. The pups were going to be big with their mama being a Labrador retriever but Veronica was somewhat sure they were also part German Shepherd Dog. A few of them had markings resembling a Shepherd’s even while others looked more like a yellow Lab. She was confident that all the pups would find loving homes since they were healthy and so adorable.
She was just worried about Precious. That dog deserved someone to love her too. She couldn’t help but think she would be a great dog for Nathan. Veronica was going to spay Precious as soon as she was healthy enough. She’d have to get Nathan to come by the hospital somehow so he could see Precious. She was sure he’d fall in love with the dog since she was so sweet.
Exhaling a long sigh, she decided it had been a very long day and it was time to quit. She told everyone she was going home but to let her know if they needed her. They told her goodnight and that they would clean up. She had a good crew working for her. Veronica gave them a wave and left.
Living so close to the hospital was a godsend, especially when it was bitter cold. She still got cold so walking into a nice warm house felt so good. Veronica hung up her coat, and after taking a seat on her bed, she pulled off her shoes and rubbed her feet. A nice hot bath sounded good, she thought.
She took her cell phone from the pocket of her scrubs pants, and walked to the bathroom where she turned on the water and started filling the tub. She set the phone on the toilet seat within reach, in case of an emergency. While the tub filled, she undressed. The bathroom was soon toasty warm from the steam rising off the water so she took her time pinning up her hair. Her thoughts drifted to a big, handsome, blue-eyed man. Stepping over the edge of the tub, she moaned as she slid down into the water. Heavenly.
Resting her head back against the pillow she’d placed at the back of the tub, she wished Lincoln were here with her. They’d taken showers together, but never a bath. She laughed and the sound bounced off the walls. He probably wouldn’t even fit in it with her. He was a very big man. She closed her eyes and smiled. He was a wonderful man—a gentle giant. She knew he never would hurt her on purpose. She sighed and sunk deeper into the warm water.
She wished she’d known that back then, when she’d thought him so scary. She’d wasted such precious time worrying about reputations and such. Who knew what would’ve happened between them had she accepted him when he asked her out. Instead, she’d said the meanest thing she could and hurt his feelings. God help her but she regretted that. Even back then, he’d seemed like such a grownup man. He’d scared her. The feelings, she’d had for him, scared her too. She’d been so afraid of him and her inability to resist him. Now she realized what a fool she’d been. She could still see the look on his face when she said those harsh words to him then turned and ran from him, not looking back.
She placed her wet hands over her face. You were such an idiot, Veronica Leigh Bailey!
She planned to make it up to him for as long as she could, if he wanted her. They had fun together—that counted for something. They laughed together, and the sex was amazing. She grinned thinking how she never thought she’d feel this way about sex. She realized now, it just had to be with the right man. Lincoln Cole was the right man.
Gooseflesh rose on her skin when she realized the water had cooled far too much. She reached for the plug and let the water out. Stepping from the tub, she dried herself off, put her robe and slippers on, and walked into the kitchen. She’d decided to make an omelet for dinner, but was still wishing Lincoln were there.
VERONICA COULDN’T BELIEVE how quickly Wednesday passed, thank goodness. Thanksgiving was nearly here. It seemed as if she’d just gotten to the hospital and now she was leaving for the ranch to see Lincoln. It was snowing again and bitterly cold, but she knew exactly how she could get warm once she was there. Get Lincoln into bed. She shivered, but this time it had nothing to do with the cold. Patsy was getting into her car nearby. She waved, wished her a Happy Thanksgiving, and told Patsy she’d see her on Monday.
Driving out to the BLC Ranch, she remembered asking Lincoln about the name of the ranch. He’d explained that after his dad passed away, Lincoln changed it to the BLC, which stood for Barrett and Lincoln Cole. His dad had always just called it the Cole ranch. He felt it needed something more but Lincoln wanted to keep his dad’s name in the mix, so he combined them.
Seeing the sign, Veronica smiled and steered into the drive. She drove the long drive, and stopped the car by the back door. Her heart gave a little jump of excitement when the door opened and Lincoln came out to meet her. She got out of the car and threw her arms around him. He lifted her up and pressed his lips to hers.
“I feel like I haven’t seen you in months and it’s only been three days,” he said against her mouth.
Veronica kissed him again. “I’m freezing. What do you say to us going inside?”
Lincoln shut her car door with his foot, and carried her into the house. He helped her out of her coat, and rubbed her arms because she was still shivering. Wrapping his arms around her shoulders, he led her to the living room where he had a wonderful fire blazing in the fireplace.
Veronica walked to stand in front of it and stuck her hands out to warm them. She watched as the flames flickered and snapped around the logs. Lincoln came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He rested his chin on her shoulder. She leaned her head back alongside his and rested against his shoulder. She reached her hand up behind her to touch his hair. He turned her in his arms and kissed her deeply, moving his tongue into her mouth. Hers met his in a long caress, making him moan. Without a word, he picked her up and carried her upstairs.
Thanksgiving morning had arrived cold and snowy. By mid-afternoon, Veronica was anxious to get going. They would drive together to Nathan and Shelly’s for dinner at four and she hoped to get there early. As she was taking the cake out of the oven, she almost dropped it because Lincoln suddenly wrapped his arms around from behind, startling her. She quickly set the cake down and turned to frown at him, mitted hands on hips.
“We almost didn’t have a cake to go with us. You shouldn’t sneak up on me like that.”
Lincoln grinned at her and kissed her nose. “Sorry, darlin’, but I just needed to touch you. Are we ready to go yet?”
“I need a bit more time. The cake has to cool and then I need to frost it.”
“Time for a quickie then,” Lincoln said waggling his eyebrows at her.
Veronica stared at him, and then burst out laughing. “No, we do not.”
“Damn,” Lincoln muttered but grinned at her.
In about an hour, everything was ready, and they drove to Nathan’s home. He came out to greet them on the porch. He shook Lincoln’s hand and hugged Veronica, taking her wrapped cake from her and leading them inside.
“How are you doin
g? Without Nero, I mean.” She hoped this was a good opening for bringing up Precious.
Nathan sighed. “I’m okay. I still miss him. I still look for him every day. It’s strange now with him gone.”
“You should get another dog, Nathan.” Veronica waited for his reaction.
“I’ve thought about it but I don’t know. I’m not looking for a replacement for Nero. If I did, I’d want something entirely different so it doesn’t remind me of him. I know I can’t replace him, so I’m not even going to try.”
Veronica hugged him again. “Good, because I happen to have a beautiful yellow Lab female, who is about a year old, and she’s so sweet. She just had puppies but her owners abandoned her.”
“Where are the puppies?” Nathan was curious…that was good.
“Well, Patsy kept one of them and the others are just about ready to be adopted. I just didn’t think you’d want a puppy. Precious is so smart, I think you’ll like her.”
“Precious? Her name is Precious?” He made a face at her.
Veronica laughed. “I named her that because she is but if you take her, you can call her whatever you want.”
“Thank God,” Nathan muttered. Then he smiled at Veronica. “I’ll come by Monday and look at…Precious.”
Veronica hugged him again. Lincoln cleared his throat. Nathan didn’t take his arms from around Veronica’s waist and she didn’t remove hers from around Nathan’s neck. She watched as Nathan got a big sly grin on his face and peeked at Lincoln from under his long lashes.
“Something wrong, Linc?” He burst out laughing when Lincoln narrowed his eyes at him.
Veronica stepped away from Nathan to move close to Lincoln. She put her arms around his waist and snuggled in against his chest. “We’ve been caught, Nathan. Now I guess I’ll have to make it up to Lincoln in some way.” She winked up at Lincoln.
“Oh, you’re going to make it up to me, all right.” He looked at Nathan. “If I didn’t want some turkey, I’d leave right now and take my woman with me.”
Lincoln Bad Boys of Dry River, Wyoming Book 4 Page 11
