you in a moment.”
“Thank you,” Margaret said while motioning for Savannah to sit down beside her. As Savannah lowered herself into one of the molded chairs, she set a small plastic and wire pet carrier on the floor at her feet. They were the only ones in the waiting room.
“Hi Maggie.” It was a man’s voice. Savannah looked up. Her face began to burn and she was sure her heart skipped a beat. Walking toward her was one of the most gorgeous men she’d seen in quite a long time. Frighteningly gorgeous—run-away-now-or-get-your-heart-broken gorgeous. As if he isn’t already a 10.5 on the appealing man scale, he’s holding two adorable black-and-white kittens in his hands, Savannah thought, as she took in the yummy scene before her.
The veterinarian’s eyes were on his tiny patients as he approached the two women. “They’re ready to go,” he said. “They both did just fine. Have you met them, yet? This is Tommy.” He rubbed the larger kitten’s cheek with his thumb. He looked up at Margaret while saying, “And this little guy is Tonka.” But something else caught his eye. “Oh, hello,” he said, nodding toward Savannah. “I’m Michael Ivey.” He stared at her for a moment and then offered an apology: “I’d shake your hand, but…” He smiled down at the two rather docile kittens, still groggy from the anesthesia.
When Savannah didn’t speak right away, Margaret interjected, “Dr. Mike, this is my niece, Savannah. She and her family lived in Hammond for many years—in fact, their home still stands just a few blocks from here.”
“Oh? Here on a little vacation? How long do you plan to stay?”
“Hi,” Savannah managed as she diverted her gaze from his piercing stare. She rested her eyes on his shoulders—a safe zone. Or maybe not. Even through his lab coat, I can tell he’s buff…and look at that tan. Holy cow, is he an Olympic swimmer? she wondered? Certainly not a gymnast—too dang masculine. “For as long as my aunt needs me,” she finally managed.
“Cool,” he said, his light-blue eyes intently studying her face.
I wish I’d worn makeup today. Who would have thought I’d meet such a steaming hot man in my travels with Aunt Marg? Of course, that’s part of Auntie’s charm. You never know what’s going to happen next or who you’re going to meet. She took a chance and glanced up at Michael Ivey’s face again.
Noticing the obvious sparks between the two and her niece’s sudden lack of total consciousness, Margaret smiled and said, “Savannah is a veterinarian, too.”
“Oh really?” He eyed her with even more interest. “Where do you practice?”
Embarrassing… Savannah thought. I wish Auntie would stop telling people that. “I’m working as a vet tech right now in a large hospital just outside Los Angeles,” she said, trying not to sound like a failure. She didn’t actually consider herself a failure. After the situation with Travis, she had to take a time-out. Opening a practice when she was still so emotionally whacked, would be a mistake. Or was this a cop-out? She hoped to work out the logistics of it while she was away from LA and Travis.
“Do you want me to carry these kittens to your car?” Michael Ivey was saying.
“Oh, I’m sorry. We have a carrier. Here it is.” Savannah picked it up, set it on a nearby table strewn with magazines, and opened the little wire door.
“In you go, guys,” the veterinarian crooned. “You know the drill, right, Savannah? Keep them quiet, watch for swelling or redness…”
“Sure,” she said with a nod. “I guess we’ll tell Max when we deliver the kittens to him, right Auntie?”
“That’s the plan. Shall we go?”
Michael Ivey held Margaret’s crutches while she lifted herself up out of the chair. “See you tomorrow, then. The meeting’s at 7?”
“Yes, donuts and coffee,” she called over her shoulder as she headed for the door, which Scarlett held open for them.
As Savannah approached the
“Thank you,” Margaret said while motioning for Savannah to sit down beside her. As Savannah lowered herself into one of the molded chairs, she set a small plastic and wire pet carrier on the floor at her feet. They were the only ones in the waiting room.
“Hi Maggie.” It was a man’s voice. Savannah looked up. Her face began to burn and she was sure her heart skipped a beat. Walking toward her was one of the most gorgeous men she’d seen in quite a long time. Frighteningly gorgeous—run-away-now-or-get-your-heart-broken gorgeous. As if he isn’t already a 10.5 on the appealing man scale, he’s holding two adorable black-and-white kittens in his hands, Savannah thought, as she took in the yummy scene before her.
The veterinarian’s eyes were on his tiny patients as he approached the two women. “They’re ready to go,” he said. “They both did just fine. Have you met them, yet? This is Tommy.” He rubbed the larger kitten’s cheek with his thumb. He looked up at Margaret while saying, “And this little guy is Tonka.” But something else caught his eye. “Oh, hello,” he said, nodding toward Savannah. “I’m Michael Ivey.” He stared at her for a moment and then offered an apology: “I’d shake your hand, but…” He smiled down at the two rather docile kittens, still groggy from the anesthesia.
When Savannah didn’t speak right away, Margaret interjected, “Dr. Mike, this is my niece, Savannah. She and her family lived in Hammond for many years—in fact, their home still stands just a few blocks from here.”
“Oh? Here on a little vacation? How long do you plan to stay?”
“Hi,” Savannah managed as she diverted her gaze from his piercing stare. She rested her eyes on his shoulders—a safe zone. Or maybe not. Even through his lab coat, I can tell he’s buff…and look at that tan. Holy cow, is he an Olympic swimmer? she wondered? Certainly not a gymnast—too dang masculine. “For as long as my aunt needs me,” she finally managed.
“Cool,” he said, his light-blue eyes intently studying her face.
I wish I’d worn makeup today. Who would have thought I’d meet such a steaming hot man in my travels with Aunt Marg? Of course, that’s part of Auntie’s charm. You never know what’s going to happen next or who you’re going to meet. She took a chance and glanced up at Michael Ivey’s face again.
Noticing the obvious sparks between the two and her niece’s sudden lack of total consciousness, Margaret smiled and said, “Savannah is a veterinarian, too.”
“Oh really?” He eyed her with even more interest. “Where do you practice?”
Embarrassing… Savannah thought. I wish Auntie would stop telling people that. “I’m working as a vet tech right now in a large hospital just outside Los Angeles,” she said, trying not to sound like a failure. She didn’t actually consider herself a failure. After the situation with Travis, she had to take a time-out. Opening a practice when she was still so emotionally whacked, would be a mistake. Or was this a cop-out? She hoped to work out the logistics of it while she was away from LA and Travis.
“Do you want me to carry these kittens to your car?” Michael Ivey was saying.
“Oh, I’m sorry. We have a carrier. Here it is.” Savannah picked it up, set it on a nearby table strewn with magazines, and opened the little wire door.
“In you go, guys,” the veterinarian crooned. “You know the drill, right, Savannah? Keep them quiet, watch for swelling or redness…”
“Sure,” she said with a nod. “I guess we’ll tell Max when we deliver the kittens to him, right Auntie?”
“That’s the plan. Shall we go?”
Michael Ivey held Margaret’s crutches while she lifted herself up out of the chair. “See you tomorrow, then. The meeting’s at 7?”
“Yes, donuts and coffee,” she called over her shoulder as she headed for the door, which Scarlett held open for them.
As Savannah approached the
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