by Tonya Kappes
“Luvie! Take this off of him right now!” he screamed out as I left in a cloud of dust.
Granny and Charlie met me at the Lady B with Patricia and her bandaged up hand. The doctors had put a couple of stitches in her finger, but the bite was really not as bad as it had seemed…just a nip.
“I’m afraid I’m not going to sign the contract to purchase Primp My Pet.” Patricia held her hand in the air to keep it from throbbing. “I think I’m going to keep my little shop and clients.”
“Oh.” I felt a bit of relief that Patricia wasn’t going to buy it. She wasn’t right for my clients anyway. “That’s fine.”
I took Patricia back to her shop and left Granny and Charlie to help set up any last minute details for the fundraiser. They needed help counting the donations they had gotten so far to add to the total that was going to be announced at the live event.
“I’m sorry, Luvie,” Patricia said with true feeling. “I really thought I would enjoy driving around and meeting the clients, but I really didn’t.”
“No big deal,” I said, and I meant it. We said our goodbyes. There was definitely one thing I had to do before the fundraiser—withdraw my donation of free pet grooming for one year. It seemed that Primp My Pet was no longer going to be in business.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Mom had made the entire homestead so beautiful with the twinkly lights strung up all over the gardens. I watched the arrival of many limousines and cars from my bedroom window. The long line told me this was not just a rich function, but the entire town had come out to support a great cause—the SPCA and the homeless community in our area.
“Aren’t you ready yet?” Vivian came into the room. She looked so good in her maxi-dress designed especially for her by little ole moi. I was sad because Millie wasn’t able to come tonight, but at least two of the three musketeers would be here.
“You look gorgeous!” It was such a surreal moment. “Are you prepared to be on all the huge billboards around the globe?”
“What are you talking about, Luvie Beiderman?” She planted her hands on her hips.
“That dress is going to propel Sasha Designs spring line next year, and you are the model that is going to endorse it.” I ran my hand along the straps. “It’s already been cleared by Sasha.”
“I think you have lost your mind.” Amusement danced around her eyes. I could see her wheels turning. “Really?”
“Yes. It’s a done deal.” I grabbed my shoes and slipped them on my feet. I dressed in a cute white pair of shorts, a cream long-sleeved sweater, and an awesome pair of wedge heels. Even though it was after Labor Day, I didn’t abide by the no-white rule. Abiding by the rules had never gotten me anywhere before so why should I start now. “I wish Birdie was here.”
We hooked arms and started down the hall.
“Have you talked to her?” Vivian must have heard me and asked when we stopped at the top of the steps. She was watching all the people milling around, looking at all the donated items.
“Just briefly. She’s in love.” I looked over at the stuffed dog on the table and realized I had completely forgotten to take my donation out. I grabbed Vivian’s hand. “Hurry. I forgot to take the free grooming off the table. Lucia will kill me.”
As we made our way through the crowd, a few people stopped us to say a quick hello. I excused myself.
“Oh-oh,” caution dripped from Vivian’s lips. Her eyes were suddenly wide open along with her mouth. “Houston, we have a problem.” She pointed to the blind donation of five hundred thousand dollars. “Too late now. It looks like you will be coming back home every eight weeks to groom someone’s pet.”
Jase. He was the only person I knew that would make me come back here to groom Duke, and he had the money too.
“How is everyone doing tonight?” I heard the leader of the band ask the crowd.
Vivian and I made our way to the back porch where the band was setting up to start their first set. Mom and Dad were up front and center with a drink in their hands.
“Before we get started, I would like to take the opportunity to thank our gracious host, Mrs. Lucia Beiderman.” The DJ let everyone know that Mom was in charge. The crowd roared with applause as my mom made her way up to the microphone.
“Good evening.” She held her glass in the air. “Cheers!”
The crowd went wild. Mom was great at getting a group of people all hyped up with her bubbly personality and good looks. She was in her element.
“Would my husband, Leonard, and my daughter, Luvie, please come up?” She put her hand over her eyes as if she was looking around the crowd. Dad joined her on stage. “Where’s Luvie?”
“You’d better go.” Vivian pushed me from behind and I tripped my way across the porch.
“There you are.” Mom got between Dad and me. “We would like to welcome you to our home; but more important than that,” she paused and looked around, “we would like to announce that this year we have raised over one-point-two million dollars that will help feed the animals and homeless in our community. One-point-two million dollars!” she squealed.
I was so proud of Mom. She had worked so hard to put on a great fundraiser and she had accomplished it. As I looked out into the crowd, I could see Coco and Granny in the distance in a deep conversation. I hoped they weren’t discussing the pet clothing line. I had already told Coco that I would make good on my deal.
Suddenly Coco fell to the ground.
Before I heard Granny yell for help, I was off the porch and running toward them.
“Call 911!” I shouted behind me. “Call 911!”
“I’ve got it!” Vivian let me know she was following my every move.
Within a short period of time, the ambulance had Coco loaded up and ready to go. I couldn’t fathom her being alone, so I jumped in with her. The EMTs didn’t say anything.
As soon as we pulled into the hospital Emergency Entrance, they whisked her away to the emergency room.
“I need you to fill out some paperwork, tell the nurse everything about her medications and what was going on before she passed out.” The receptionist handed me a clipboard and a nurse ushered me over.
“I’m afraid I don’t know any of this information.” I read through the first few questions like social security number, list of medications, and history of illness. “I’m only a family friend.”
“I’m sorry.” The receptionist took back the clipboard. “We assumed you were family. Do you have any of the family’s phone numbers?”
I quickly wrote down Jase’s number and handed it to her before I slipped off and called Vivian.
“How is it going there?” I asked Vivian, who stayed back at the fundraiser while I rode with Coco to the hospital. Vivian brushed my question aside and asked, “More importantly, how is it going with Coco?”
“Coco is in the ER now and they’re working on her. Initially they thought she had a heart attack, but couldn’t confirm it.” Nervously, I bit my lip and kept my eye on the sliding doors.
I knew any minute Coco’s family was going to be bolting through those doors and Jase was going to be with them.
From the background noise coming from Vivian’s phone, I could tell the party was still going strong. The band was blaring in my ear.
Vivian spoke loudly, “Your parents are worried sick about Coco.”
“I know. Me too.” I turned back to the ER door and stood on my tiptoes to try to see through the emergency room glass, but the curtain where they had taken her was still closed. “I should have lied and said I was her granddaughter. Now they won’t tell me anything or let me see her.”
I turned back around when I heard the sliding glass doors to the entrance of the emergency room open. A cold rush of air came in right before Jase ran in.
“Where is she?” He beat his hand on the reception desk. “Where is Coco St. James?”
“Settle down, sir.” The receptionist stood up.
“Jase.” I got his attention.
“Where is she, Luvie?” Fear, stark and vivid, glittered in his eyes. “Answer me, damn it! Where is she?”
I pointed to the double doors. He didn’t wait for the receptionist to buzz him back. He hit the door full force, knocking them open right before the rest of the Nelson family members bolted through the door.
There wasn’t a whole lot I could do at the hospital. Jase wasn’t talking to me after the way I had treated him, his family never came out of the room, and the receptionist wasn’t going to update me.
I grabbed a cab back to the Lady B, and by the time I got back, the party was over and the clean-up crew was working away.
“Hi, honey.” Dad held a gun up in the air. “Got to go. Hunters are out there right now leaving the remains and taking the antlers. The same ones that have been doing it all along. We are going to get them tonight.”
“How do you know it’s the same people?” I questioned, knowing it wasn’t Jase’s family. They were all at the hospital with Coco.
“They have the same cutting technique. They leave the body for the coyotes.” Dad grabbed the walkie-talkie and put it on his belt buckle. “They are going to see my technique tonight. I even called the sheriff to cut them off at the pass because Dan Nelson told me exactly where they were coming in.”
“Dan Nelson?” I asked. “Jase’s brother?”
“Yes.” Dad took a bottle of water from the refrigerator. “I’ve been using Dan to keep the deer population down. They use the entire deer. The venison is used down at the shelter to feed the homeless and the remains are used to make the organic pet food.”
My mouth dropped.
“I didn’t realize who Jase was until a couple of days ago when he showed up at the door looking for you.” Dad laughed. “The business world is so different now with computers, email and these darn phones.”
Dad checked all the guns.
“So you know Jase’s family are killing the deer on the property?”
“Yes. They aren’t the ones poaching.” The crease between Dad’s brows deepened. “The poachers are the ones we are after. They are the ones bringing the coyotes and putting the horses in danger.” He snickered for a moment. “The other day when I thought I shot one of those bastards, I actually shot Dan’s ear.”
Dad didn’t wait for me to reply. He just darted out the door when someone blared through the walkie-talkie, saying that they had the poachers in sight.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
I had a hard time getting to sleep last night. Several things ran through my head. Why hadn’t Jase told me that the Lady B was the farm they did business with? Why didn’t Coco tell me?
Not that anything would have turned out differently; it probably wouldn’t have. Especially since I now had my name on the golden office.
My plane wasn’t leaving until tonight, so I got up and got dressed. I had to go to the hospital to see how Coco was doing. There was a text from Vivian asking me if I knew anything. I texted back that I didn’t, but I’d be sure to let her know when I did. She confirmed she’d pick me up around seven to get me to my plane on time.
The only vehicle for me to take was the RV. As soon as I pulled out onto Circle 4, my phone was going crazy. My number was still plastered all over the side. I let it go to voicemail because I had yet to change anything. I figured I’d give my clients a call and let them know that Primp My Pet was out of business or maybe I could still find another buyer in the near future. It would be a shame to let this awesome RV go to waste.
The hospital was busy as usual and the receptionist was busy helping other people, so I waited patiently in line for my turn.
I nearly jumped out of my skin when someone touched me from behind.
Jase.
A cry of relief broke from my lips. It was a good sign seeing him. I hoped it meant Coco was still here with us.
“How is she?” I got out of line.
He had circles under his eyes. He looked tired and beaten down, but he was still devilishly handsome. He ran his hands through his hair. His voice broke, “She had emergency heart bypass surgery after you left. She is still asleep.” His eyes told me everything he was feeling. “If it weren’t for you…” His voice trailed off.
I stood in silence as he tried to regain his composure. He cleared his throat. His gaze clouded with tears.
“You are healing us, one family member at a time, Luvie Beiderman.”
Confused, I tried to wrap my head around what he was saying right before Dan rushed out into the hall.
“There you are.” He didn’t look at Jase but directly at me. “Granny is awake and she is asking for you.”
Jase took off.
“Not you, Jase,” Dan called after him. Jase stopped. “You, Luvie. She’s asking for you.”
Without a moment to waste, I pushed past the Nelson boys and made my way straight into Coco St. James’s hospital room. The family left when they saw me enter. The tubes sticking out of her frail body frightened me. But I knew I had to be strong. She was the one who was weak, not me.
She motioned for me to sit in the chair next to the bed and she stuck her hand out for me to take. I took it and sat down.
“Thank you,” she mouthed. “You saved my life.”
“Shh…” I put my finger up to her lips. “Don’t talk. I didn’t do anything you wouldn’t have done. Besides, Granny is the one who yelled for help. I just sprang into action.”
“Luvie, you have brought a new breath of fresh air into our family,” she whispered. “We were on the verge of closing shop when your brilliant idea saved the company. I don’t know how we will ever be able to thank you.”
I felt the tears well up in my eyes. Now I knew what Jase was trying to say to me in the hall.
“First, Dan had a great idea about using the deer to come up with an organic food line and we didn’t realize it was a deal he made with your dad. The deal was made on Dan’s terms. He never disclosed where he got the deer meat. Then Jase saved the company a couple of years later when he came up with the idea of using the quality cuts of meat to help feed the homeless.” She swallowed hard. “Then you, my sweet friend’s granddaughter. What you did for Barkleigh will never be forgotten. And you have also stolen my grandson’s heart.”
I smiled. I felt my cheeks warm. I knew my freckles were bright with embarrassment.
“But I know it is not here that you long to be.” She stared at me intently. “I want to let you know that I’m releasing you from your clothing line contract. You don’t need to worry about us when you have a world to clothe.”
“But,” I started to protest, but she had fallen back to sleep. I sat there for a second and watched her. She was resting and I didn’t want to disturb her any longer.
“Well?” Dan asked. The family was standing in the doorway looking at me. Everyone except for Jase. He wasn’t anywhere near them.
“Where is Jase?” I asked.
“He went home to feed Duke and grab a bite to eat,” his mom answered. “What did my mom say to you?”
“Nothing important.” I stopped and took a deep breath. It was as if clarity flowed through me. “I need to see Jase, excuse me.”
Without any time to spare, I rushed out the door and headed straight to Jase’s house.
Luckily, the back roads were clear, and it didn’t take long to get there.
Woof, woof. I beeped all the way down the gravel drive. Woof, woof.
Jase ran out of the cabin with Duke on his heels.
“Is my grandmother okay?” There was panic in his voice.
“Yes, she is okay,” I assured him and hopped out. “It’s me. I’m not okay. You don’t have to honor the grooming service I donated.”
“What grooming service?” He looked so handsome as he played coy.
“The donation from the fundraiser that you bid on.” I put my hand on my hip. My cell phone buzzed with a text. It had to be Vivian, wondering what was going on with Coco and why I wasn’t home yet. It was close to the time she need
ed to drive me to the airport.
“I didn’t bid on anything. Especially not a dog grooming service.” His face melted into a buttery smile. “But if it will keep you here, I will pay whatever it takes.”
Instantly, I knew what I had to do.
I grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him toward me. He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around my midriff. The mere warmth of his body near mine sent shivers through me.
I longed to be with Jase. I longed to be with Coco. I longed to be with Lucia and Leonard. I longed to be home.
Giving myself freely to him, I let him claim a series of slow, shivery kisses that sent me into another world. A world I knew I could stay in if I didn’t catch that plane back to New York.
Chapter Thirty
The next few weeks were almost a blur. Birdie had called to tell me that she had married the Sheikh because she couldn’t stand the thought of being without him, and that they would be traveling to the United States for Christmas to check on their horse.
I let her know that I didn’t go back to New York after the fundraiser was over and had decided to stay in Lexington to further my career in the pet grooming industry. When Sasha got wind I wasn’t coming back, she tried everything possible to sweeten the pot, but my heart was not there. I had everything here I have ever wanted.
Mom and Dad were on the winning path not only with the Sheikh’s horse—because the horse was definitely on the road to being a Triple Crown Winner—but also Dad let the police take over the situation with the poachers.
The police had a stakeout for a couple of nights and took a couple of local hunters into custody. Instead of pressing charges, Mom talked to Dad and they agreed the hunters were to serve time by doing volunteer work for the SPCA and homeless shelter. The hunters happily agreed to all terms and to never poach for antlers again.
I pulled into Bessie’s neighborhood. It was the first of her bi-weekly bathing services. I still hadn’t changed my services to state specifically what types of animals I did groom. Seeing Bessie would become the highlight of my day. She was a sweet pig. After I finished with her, I was going to go to Jase’s and he was going to drive us to Coco’s house. We were going to pick her and Granny up and take them to dinner.
