with a hamster in it and waited for
Tessa to finish helping her.
Tessa said, "Now, Miz Doolittle, I assure
you that Toby and Preston know all about hamsters and they'll take excellent
care of Peewee. Hopefully, they'll be able to find out why he doesn't have an
appetite."
"Okay, dearie, if you say so. But if the
Tanner boys can't figure out what's wrong, maybe your pa can do his whispering
magic on Peewee."
Sean could see Tessa was stifling a grin when
she replied, "Let's just take things one step at a time."
"Okay. How long until they can see
him?"
"Why don't you take a seat and I'll work you
in as soon as I can?"
Mrs. Doolittle nodded, started murmuring
comforting words to her hamster, and turned around. Sean slid out of her way
and then stepped up to the counter. Tessa met his gaze, but wouldn't hold it.
She said, "Come on back. Lucky is ready to go."
Sean stepped to the waiting room door and opened
it. As he followed Tessa down the hall, he flashed back to kissing her the
night before. It had barely been a kiss, but it was enough to ignite the flame
that was always there for her. That slow burn had turned into a torch. He
whooshed a breath. He needed to get his mind on the task at hand, which was to
get Lucky signed out, sealed, and delivered to his new home. Tessa entered the
room Lucky shared with about a half dozen other dogs.
When Lucky saw Sean, he barked and his tail
wagged like a windshield wiper. Tessa opened his cage and Lucky hobbled out.
She reached for the brace with wheels and gave it to Sean.
"You go ahead and put it on him, just so we
know you know how."
Sean had no problem getting the dog strapped
into the contraption which allowed him easier mobility.
Tessa attached a leash to Lucky's collar and
reached for a large paper sack. "There's a bag of food in there, some pain
pills in case Lucky looks like he's hurting, and his favorite squeaky
toy."
Sean accepted the bag. "Got it. Do you
think he can make it to my truck, or should I carry him?"
"He gets around pretty good. He can
probably make it to the truck with a little help around objects."
The door opened and Preston and Toby walked in.
Toby said, "I couldn't let Lucky leave without saying goodbye." Lucky
heard his name mentioned and started wagging his tail crazily. Toby squatted
and patted his head and haunches. Preston even gave the dog several strokes.
Tessa said, "Preston, Mrs. Doolittle is
here with her hamster and she's very concerned about him. She's a walk-in. Do
you have time to look at Peewee now or should I tell her it will be awhile?
Your scheduled appointment is here. It's Mr. Mercury with Finn."
Preston said, "Send Florence Doolittle back
to room one, and put Mr. Mercury in room two. He's a nice man and I know he
won't mind if I look at Peewee first."
"I'll do it right now." She glanced at
Sean and a smile tugged at her lips. "Good luck with Lucky."
Tessa's dimple blinked in and out and Sean's
heart melted. Preston cast him a sour look and left the room.
Chapter 13: Puppy Love
On his way out of the library, after picking up
some books on hold for his mother, Preston paused to look at the bulletin
board. He enjoyed seeing what was going on around his community. In high
school, many of his friends couldn't wait to move out of the quaint town to big
cities, but he'd never had that desire. He loved his family, his home, animals,
and his town, in that order. The love he and Toby had for animals had begun
early on with passels of dogs, cats, horses, cows, hamsters, guinea pigs, ferrets,
and an odd assortment of other animals living at the ranch. They'd even loved
the occasional mouse or rat they'd seen scurrying for cover. Although some
twins went their separate ways when grown, he and Toby never had. Their desire
to become veterinarians had been sealed at a young age.
As for their personalities, however, they were
as different as night and day. They may have looked identical, but that's were
the semblance ceased. Whereas
Tessa to finish helping her.
Tessa said, "Now, Miz Doolittle, I assure
you that Toby and Preston know all about hamsters and they'll take excellent
care of Peewee. Hopefully, they'll be able to find out why he doesn't have an
appetite."
"Okay, dearie, if you say so. But if the
Tanner boys can't figure out what's wrong, maybe your pa can do his whispering
magic on Peewee."
Sean could see Tessa was stifling a grin when
she replied, "Let's just take things one step at a time."
"Okay. How long until they can see
him?"
"Why don't you take a seat and I'll work you
in as soon as I can?"
Mrs. Doolittle nodded, started murmuring
comforting words to her hamster, and turned around. Sean slid out of her way
and then stepped up to the counter. Tessa met his gaze, but wouldn't hold it.
She said, "Come on back. Lucky is ready to go."
Sean stepped to the waiting room door and opened
it. As he followed Tessa down the hall, he flashed back to kissing her the
night before. It had barely been a kiss, but it was enough to ignite the flame
that was always there for her. That slow burn had turned into a torch. He
whooshed a breath. He needed to get his mind on the task at hand, which was to
get Lucky signed out, sealed, and delivered to his new home. Tessa entered the
room Lucky shared with about a half dozen other dogs.
When Lucky saw Sean, he barked and his tail
wagged like a windshield wiper. Tessa opened his cage and Lucky hobbled out.
She reached for the brace with wheels and gave it to Sean.
"You go ahead and put it on him, just so we
know you know how."
Sean had no problem getting the dog strapped
into the contraption which allowed him easier mobility.
Tessa attached a leash to Lucky's collar and
reached for a large paper sack. "There's a bag of food in there, some pain
pills in case Lucky looks like he's hurting, and his favorite squeaky
toy."
Sean accepted the bag. "Got it. Do you
think he can make it to my truck, or should I carry him?"
"He gets around pretty good. He can
probably make it to the truck with a little help around objects."
The door opened and Preston and Toby walked in.
Toby said, "I couldn't let Lucky leave without saying goodbye." Lucky
heard his name mentioned and started wagging his tail crazily. Toby squatted
and patted his head and haunches. Preston even gave the dog several strokes.
Tessa said, "Preston, Mrs. Doolittle is
here with her hamster and she's very concerned about him. She's a walk-in. Do
you have time to look at Peewee now or should I tell her it will be awhile?
Your scheduled appointment is here. It's Mr. Mercury with Finn."
Preston said, "Send Florence Doolittle back
to room one, and put Mr. Mercury in room two. He's a nice man and I know he
won't mind if I look at Peewee first."
"I'll do it right now." She glanced at
Sean and a smile tugged at her lips. "Good luck with Lucky."
Tessa's dimple blinked in and out and Sean's
heart melted. Preston cast him a sour look and left the room.
Chapter 13: Puppy Love
On his way out of the library, after picking up
some books on hold for his mother, Preston paused to look at the bulletin
board. He enjoyed seeing what was going on around his community. In high
school, many of his friends couldn't wait to move out of the quaint town to big
cities, but he'd never had that desire. He loved his family, his home, animals,
and his town, in that order. The love he and Toby had for animals had begun
early on with passels of dogs, cats, horses, cows, hamsters, guinea pigs, ferrets,
and an odd assortment of other animals living at the ranch. They'd even loved
the occasional mouse or rat they'd seen scurrying for cover. Although some
twins went their separate ways when grown, he and Toby never had. Their desire
to become veterinarians had been sealed at a young age.
As for their personalities, however, they were
as different as night and day. They may have looked identical, but that's were
the semblance ceased. Whereas
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