Mason ran his hand through his hair, then glanced up to meet her dumbfounded look. Would it be better to laugh, or to cry? A twinge of anger crept through Lori. Mason was using her in his silly scheme to keep something from his sister? Words failed her at the moment.
“So you see, they think you and I went on a date,” Mason continued. “And I was sort of hoping you’d back me up on that.”
This time Lori did laugh. “Back you up on lying to your sister and sister-in-law?”
Mason moved his chair closer and almost ran over her foot. He leaned forward. “Well, we sort of are here, together. We could call it a date. I’ll admit, I usually take a girl out to a movie or a nice dinner, rather than meeting with her in the back room of the vet clinic with four critters staring at us, but I didn’t expect you’d go out with me for real.”
Lori gaped at him. Her annoyance evaporated much faster than it had been building. Was Mason Taggart trying to say he wanted to go out with her? Her eyes fell to his wheelchair. Comprehension dawned. Because of his handicap, he didn’t believe he could be a vet anymore. Did the thought of dating seem just as far out of reach to him? Why couldn’t he have simply asked?
“Mason Taggart, I think –”
A loud knock on the front door, followed by the shrill buzzing of the after-hours bell prevented her from finishing her comment. The deafening noise of the bell nearly made her jump. She was the vet on call, and if this was a real after-hours emergency, it would be her first since coming to Burnt River.
A new rush of adrenaline flooded her, and her heart thumped in her chest, but this time it had nothing to do with the way Mason stared at her. Was she ready to deal with an emergency call?
“Are you going to see who it is?” Mason stared at her expectantly.
“Of . . . of course.” Lori spun on her heels and headed for the front of the clinic.
“You might want to grab your lab coat before you head out there,” he called after her. “Those PJ’s look mighty nice on you, but I’m not sure your professional image will hold if you meet a client in them.”
Heat flooded her cheeks. Lori snatched her lab coat from the peg on the wall that led to the corridor between the exam rooms and the front office. Her fingers trembled as she buttoned it up. She turned on the lights in the reception area, then unlocked the front door.
A man faced her, carrying a long-coated collie mix in his arms. Next to him stood two small children, probably between the ages of seven and ten.
“Sorry we didn’t call, Doc, but Toby here got kicked and rammed by my bull. I’ve been trying to teach that stupid mutt not to go in the pen with the ornery bull, but he just don’t listen sometimes.”
Lori’s heart jumped in her chest.
Toby.
A shiver of dread rolled down her spine. Lori blinked and shook her head. Time to focus on the present. The dog was panting, and he looked listless. Lori stared down at the fearful look in the eyes of the two children.
“Can we come in?”
Lori blinked and shook her head. “Of course,” she stammered, and moved aside. “Let’s go in the first exam room.”
She led the way, pointing at the exam table. The farmer set the dog on it. The animal whined, then slid to a lying down position on the slick table surface.
Lori did a quick exam. Gums were pale, tongue was purple, pupils were dilated. His breathing was fast but shallow, and it took a moment before she was able to find a pulse.
“He’s in shock,” she said, glancing up at the owner. “I need to get an IV in him and start fluids, and take several x-rays. If he’s been kicked and gored, he most likely has internal injuries.”
The man nodded. He pulled her aside and leaned in to speak in a hushed voice, “Do what you have to. I can’t let this dog die. He’s been a good family dog, and it would devastate the boys.” He glanced at his sons.
Lori stared at the man and the children. She shook her head as memories of another family with young boys crept into her mind. Toby. The Labrador’s name had also been Toby. The dog she’d killed.
This is different. It’s not a hemangiosarcoma.
No, this wasn’t cancer, but it could potentially be far worse.
“Could you please carry him to the treatment room for me?” She smiled at the client. On the inside, dread and insecurity consumed her.
Lori led the way to the treatment area, and directed the owner to set the dog on the x-ray table.
“If you don’t mind, I’d like you to wait in the reception area.” She glanced at the owner. Wordlessly, he nodded.
“Do whatever you have to,” he said.
“Jake Bartlett?”
The man glanced at Mason, who’d spoken his name.
“Mason. Didn’t know you were back.”
“What happened?” Mason asked, rather than answer the question.
“Toby got in the bull’s pen. Damn bull gored him.”
“He’s in good hands with Dr. Emerson.”
“I’m glad you’re here, too, Mason. I’d best go see about the boys. They’re worried sick about their dog.”
While the exchange had been going on behind her, Lori had placed a catheter in the dog’s vein and started a bag of fluids. She’d had plenty of practice since coming to Burnt River with performing this task without an assistant.
Once the owner was out of the room, she positioned the dog for a chest and abdominal x-ray. A lateral view would have to be enough. The table was too tall for Mason to reach up and help her position the dog dorsally.
Cursing under her breath that Dr. Johnson didn’t have digital x-ray equipment, she rushed off to the dark room, and pulled the x-ray film from the cassette, then fed it through the developer. She rushed back out of the room to see to the dog.
“If he has internal hemorrhage, he’s going to need surgery right away.” Her voice cracked. For the first time, she glanced at Mason.
“If he needs surgery, then that’s what you’ll do.”
Lori shook her head. “I can’t,” she whispered. “I’ll have to call Dr. Johnson.”
“What do you mean, you can’t? Of course you can.” Mason wheeled up beside her and gripped her arm. He stared up at her. “I’m right here. I’ll help you through this.”
“You’ll do the surgery?” Her eyes widened with hope. Mason was here. She could assist.
“I can’t do the surgery. I can’t reach the table,” he growled. “But you can. I’ll talk you through it. I think I’ll be able to see enough to at least do that.”
Lori shook her head. “You don’t understand. The dog I killed . . . his name was Toby. I saw the look in Mr. Bartlett’s kids’ eyes. If their dog dies . . .” Her voice trailed off as tears rolled down her cheeks.
“You’re not going to let him die. Focus on this patient, not on something that happened months ago.” Mason glared at her with an adamant look in his eyes. “You can do this.”
She shook her head, then nodded. He was right. She had to focus on this patient. Grabbing the developed x-ray, she hung it on the x-ray viewer.
“He’s got a cracked rib.” She pointed at the ribcage, then at the abdominal area. “There’s fluid in the abdomen.”
“Most likely blood.” Mason came up beside her. “You’re not going to be able to assess the extent of the damage from this picture. Get in there and stop the bleeding.”
Lori turned her head to stare at him. He returned her gaze and nodded, the determined look in his eyes giving her courage. After a quick word with the owner to get his consent for surgery, she was back in the treatment room.
“I’ll get the surgical pack, you get the dog intubated and on gas. We’ll do it right here on the x-ray table.” Mason didn’t wait for her to answer, and wheeled his way into the surgical suite to get what they needed.
Lori inhaled a deep breath. She did as he asked, and hooked the dog up to the anesthetic machine. Even if she controlled the internal bleeding, this dog might not survive. Other than surgery, there were n
o other options.
By the time she had scrubbed and put on her surgical gown, Mason had the dog shaved and prepped for surgery. He’d need a lower table to actually perform the operation. Lori turned her back to him so he could tie her gown.
“Doc Johnson wouldn’t bother with all this,” he said.
“I’m not Dr. Johnson.” Lori glared over her shoulder at Mason. Performing surgery on an x-ray table was bad enough, but she wasn’t going to lower her standards with aseptic technique any further. She inhaled a deep breath before making her initial incision.
“You’ve got this, Lori.” Mason’s encouraging voice was all she needed. He had the confidence in her that she lacked, and having him next to her made the procedure less intimidating.
Mason kept quiet, monitoring the patient while she explored the dog’s abdominal cavity, looking for bleeders. While Mason wouldn’t have been able to perform the surgery unless the table had been a lot lower, or he’d been on an elevated platform, he assisted in other ways that didn’t require him to hover directly over the patient.
He helped her suction and flush the excess blood while she tied off the blood vessel that was the cause of the bleeding. He didn’t speak, and neither did she. Together, they worked as a team that seemed to know what the other was thinking.
“You did it.” He laughed after she tied the last skin suture.
Lori glanced at him and smiled. She tore her gloves from her hands and untied the surgical gown, then swiped her hand across her damp forehead.
“We did it,” she whispered.
She took a step back. Her foot caught on the wheel of the anesthetic machine and she stumbled. Trying to regain her balance, she fell against Mason’s chair, and directly onto his lap.
“I’m so sorry,” she stammered, and scrambled to get back on her feet.
Mason’s arms wrapped around her, preventing her from getting up. Lori braced against his chest. Their eyes locked. She swallowed past the dryness in her throat while her heart pounded against her ribs. She opened her mouth to speak, but Mason leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. His hand came up to hold the back of her head to him, and he adjusted his mouth more fully over hers, deepening the kiss.
Lori melted against him. Her arms crept up and grabbed onto his shoulders. She leaned into his embrace, parting her lips further to accept his kiss. When Mason eased up and leaned back slightly, he was panting as she gulped for air.
“I don’t usually kiss on a first date,” he murmured, keeping the contact light this time. “But I’ve been thinking about this for weeks.”
“I don’t either,” Lori panted. Her arms still gripped his shoulders, and her eyes widened. “You have?”
She shifted on his lap. Mason’s forehead scrunched as if he was puzzled about something. His upper body tensed slightly, then he relaxed again, and grinned.
“I think this is about the best date I’ve ever been on, Dr. Emerson.”
Lori smiled. A warm feeling spread throughout her insides as she sat on Mason’s lap, being held in his arms. “I concur with your assessment, Dr. Taggart,” she whispered, and pressed her lips to his.
Chapter 12
“Good morning, Mason. How was your date?”
Mason wheeled into the kitchen, rubbing his scruffy chin. He blinked the grit from his eyes, trying to wake up fully. It was well past nine in the morning, and the bright sun shining into his room had finally chased him out of bed. He should have been up much earlier, but he hadn’t gotten home until after four, and could still use a few more hours of sleep.
He stopped before he was fully at the table and glanced around the room. Something was up. Three sets of eyes were staring at him. Or rather, two sets of eyes were glaring, while the other pair looked downtrodden.
Alley, who’d posed the question, stood at the counter by the sink. She had a slight smirk on her lips and it looked as if she was trying hard to keep from bursting out in laughter. His sister’s eyes bore into him like the talons of an eagle. Shane sat at the table, nursing a cup of coffee. He made eye contact with Mason, and the silent communication was as clear as if he’d spoken out loud. “We’re busted.”
It didn’t matter if they’d been found out. Mason grinned. Nothing was going to get in the way of his good mood, least of all his sister and Shane’s wife. Last night had been incredible.
Ignoring Raine for the moment, he directed his gaze on Alley. “Glad you asked. I had the best time of my life.”
“Really?” Raine clearly couldn’t keep quiet any longer. “Funny that a girl you supposedly took on a date had dinner with me at Evie’s Diner. I would think she would have said something if she was going to be meeting you afterward. We women usually talk about that kind of stuff, but she didn’t say a word about it.”
Mason’s grin widened. For once, he had the upper hand on his little meddling sister. Shane groaned and seemed to slump further into his seat. He deserved to be put out of his misery, but for a few more minutes, it was fun to let the girls think what they wanted.
Alley shot a look at her husband. “Shane told me last night that after he dropped you off for your supposed date, he ran into Jerry and that’s why he’d been gone so long.”
Mason winced. Ouch. Judging by that look, Shane was definitely in trouble. Clearly, his wife had gotten a few pointers from Raine. Alley used to be quiet and meek. She adored Shane. This was a bit out of character for her. It seemed as if the girls were enjoying the taunts as much as he was.
Unrelenting, Alley continued, “Shane told me he and Jerry got to talking and he lost track of time.”
“What’s wrong with that?” Mason stared from Alley to Shane, who quietly shook his head.
“Well, the funny thing is, Jerry stopped by here, looking for Shane at the exact same time.” Alley glared at her husband, but there was a sparkle in her eyes that belied her amazon-woman stance. Raine might be taking this interrogation seriously, but Alley was a softy, and probably just enjoyed the idea that she’d caught her husband and brother-in-law in a juvenile lie and prank.
Mason’s gaze went to his brother. Shane’s pain at getting caught in a lie to his wife was clear. Mason shot him an apologetic look. Getting his brother sent to the doghouse by his wife certainly hadn’t been intentional.
“Sorry, Mason. I had to come clean last night.” Shane darted a quick look at Alley.
Mason shook his head and shrugged. “I understand. Didn’t mean to drag you into my business, Shane.” He turned to the two women who still stood as if they were prosecuting an ax murderer. He met Raine’s dagger-eyes with a narrow-eyed look of his own.
“Unlike meddling little sisters who need to keep their noses out of their brother’s business unless they are asked for help.”
Raine stood straighter. Her back visibly bristled. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Mason moved toward her. “It means I’m getting tired of you telling me what I should and shouldn’t be doing, and what’s good for me and what isn’t.” Mason softened his gaze. “I love you, Raine, but I can do things for myself. I asked Shane for help with a new therapy I’d wanted to try, without you getting involved, too. That’s why I kept it quiet, and asked him to keep it quiet.”
“But why go to all the trouble to make up some story about going on a date with Lori to keep me from finding out?” Alley shook her head.
“Because I know how tight the two of you are.” Mason looked at his sister-in-law. “I didn’t want to risk you telling Raine.”
Alley shook her head and glanced at Raine. “You were right. When those two get together, they do all kinds of stupid things.”
“Watch out, Alley.” Raine’s hardened expression had turned into a playful smirk. “They might just be getting started. This could have simply been a warm-up stunt. When Mason is back to full capacity, there’s no telling what those two might cook up next.”
Raine turned to Mason. She took several steps forward and leaned down to wrap her arms around his neck.
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“I care about you. I can’t help but meddle because I only want what’s best for you.”
“I know.” Mason hugged her back. “I appreciate your concern. You pushed me when I first got here, and it’s what I needed then. But back off just a little from now on.”
Raine straightened and smiled. Mason grinned at Shane. “But it was fun keeping you in the dark for once.”
Raine raised her chin and squared her shoulders. “But we always find out. You can’t keep secrets from Alley and me.”
Mason glanced at Shane, who stood from his seat.
“We’ll take that as a challenge.” Smiling for the first time, he pulled his wife into his arms and kissed her soundly on the mouth.
Mason cleared his throat. The scene was a reminder of what he and Lori had shared not twelve hours ago, and what could be his future. It was nice to see his brother happily married. It had never entered his mind that he’d want the same thing, or that he could have a wife of his own. He’d never had a serious relationship before. He’d never wanted one because his career had always come first. All of a sudden, he couldn’t stop thinking about being together with Lori, and how he could have both a wife and a career.
He shook his head. He was jumping the gun, but after last night, it wasn’t such a far-fetched idea. His infatuation with Lori went far deeper than that. He’d felt it weeks ago, and had simply ignored it. Because of the wheelchair, he’d been a coward and afraid of rejection. He wasn’t going to ignore it any longer, especially not since –
“So, you went to the clinic after hours and did what? Did you see Lori?” Raine’s question interrupted his thought.
“Yeah, I saw her. In fact, we had a great time together. She finally brought me home around four this morning.”
Mason's Rescue Page 11
