Toby had always been the happy-go-lucky life of
any party, Preston was reserved. Toby just spoke aloud whatever he was thinking,
but Preston weighed his words and considered the consequences. Toby loved
dating lots of women. Preston had always had his heart set on one woman—Tessa.
A yellow hand-printed advertisement caught his
attention.
HOUSE AND ANIMAL SITTER.
VERY EXPERIENCED. REFERENCES AVAILABLE.
Below that was a hand-drawn picture of a smiling
dog and a cat. The bottom of the sheet had small tear off sections with a name
and phone number.
ASK FOR FRECKLES (555) 551-0111.
Preston grinned and tore off one of the
sections. So, your name is Freckles. I should have guessed.
The next morning Preston was the first to arrive
at work and frowned when he saw a small enclosed box on the front step. He
figured someone had left a puppy or kitten. Squatting beside the box he
gingerly opened it and sighed. The puppy couldn't have been more than a few days
old and looked very weak. He gently lifted the box, unlocked the door, and made
his way to ICU to check on his new patient.
Midge came in not long after him and he said,
"We picked up a new patient last night." She peeked over his
shoulder. "Ahhhh, he's so tiny. Have you fed him or do you want me to mix
up some formula."
"I fed him a little to see if it stays
down. So far, so good. He seems to be holding his own. We'll see what happens
over the next few days."
The rest of the crew showed up and their day
began.
At noon, Preston sat at his desk and fingered
the tiny piece of paper with Freckles' phone number. Although his staff would
care for the newborn pup, he knew it would only add to their already heavy
load. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed Freckles' number.
"Hello." She sounded breathless.
"Ah, have I caught you at a bad time? I can
call back."
"No. I'm just running with my greyhound.
Who are you and what can I do for you?"
Rather than say his name, Preston said, "I
have a newborn pup that looks to be a Yorkshire terrier that was left on my
doorstep. I need someone to care for him round the clock. I pay well."
He heard her say, "Rocket, heel."
Preston grinned. So she was caring for another
of his patients.
She still sounded out of breath. "Who would
leave a Yorkshire on a doorstep?"
"Beats me. People do strange things."
"Do you know where Dixie's Cuppa Joe is?"
"Yes."
"Meet me there at three and bring the pup.
That's the only free time I have today."
"Why can't I just bring him to your house?"
There was a pause. "Because if you're a
weirdo you'll end up dead. I don't do weirdos. I always meet prospective
clients in public places. Those are my rules, take 'em or leave 'em."
Preston grinned into the phone. He'd never met
such a caustic woman. "Okay. I'll be wearing a black Stetson with a blue
band."
"Figures," she said.
He hung up before she could ask his name.
Preston went in search of Toby and asked him to
cover his appointments from three to four and his brother frowned. "Only
if you have a hot date. I'm beginning to think you're a sainted monk."
"Not exactly," was all he said and
shifted his eyes to Tessa. She looked beautiful today. He'd always loved the
curves of a woman with meat on her bones, and Tessa had plenty of curves. Half
the time he just wanted to blurt out how he felt about her, the other half, he
cringed at such a notion. He figured things would have to change soon because
it wasn't healthy to keep pining away for her if he hadn't a chance of
garnering her affection. Toby saw him glance at Tessa and rolled his eyes. He'd
been telling Preston for years to sample the female population, but Preston
wasn't a player like Toby. He'd been saving himself for Tessa.
At ten to three, Preston drove to Dixie's with
the orphaned dog wrapped in a blanket inside a small pet carrier, along with a
hot water bottle to give warmth to the baby. He'd also filled a paper bag full of
formula, teeny bottles, vitamins, and stuffed
any party, Preston was reserved. Toby just spoke aloud whatever he was thinking,
but Preston weighed his words and considered the consequences. Toby loved
dating lots of women. Preston had always had his heart set on one woman—Tessa.
A yellow hand-printed advertisement caught his
attention.
HOUSE AND ANIMAL SITTER.
VERY EXPERIENCED. REFERENCES AVAILABLE.
Below that was a hand-drawn picture of a smiling
dog and a cat. The bottom of the sheet had small tear off sections with a name
and phone number.
ASK FOR FRECKLES (555) 551-0111.
Preston grinned and tore off one of the
sections. So, your name is Freckles. I should have guessed.
The next morning Preston was the first to arrive
at work and frowned when he saw a small enclosed box on the front step. He
figured someone had left a puppy or kitten. Squatting beside the box he
gingerly opened it and sighed. The puppy couldn't have been more than a few days
old and looked very weak. He gently lifted the box, unlocked the door, and made
his way to ICU to check on his new patient.
Midge came in not long after him and he said,
"We picked up a new patient last night." She peeked over his
shoulder. "Ahhhh, he's so tiny. Have you fed him or do you want me to mix
up some formula."
"I fed him a little to see if it stays
down. So far, so good. He seems to be holding his own. We'll see what happens
over the next few days."
The rest of the crew showed up and their day
began.
At noon, Preston sat at his desk and fingered
the tiny piece of paper with Freckles' phone number. Although his staff would
care for the newborn pup, he knew it would only add to their already heavy
load. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed Freckles' number.
"Hello." She sounded breathless.
"Ah, have I caught you at a bad time? I can
call back."
"No. I'm just running with my greyhound.
Who are you and what can I do for you?"
Rather than say his name, Preston said, "I
have a newborn pup that looks to be a Yorkshire terrier that was left on my
doorstep. I need someone to care for him round the clock. I pay well."
He heard her say, "Rocket, heel."
Preston grinned. So she was caring for another
of his patients.
She still sounded out of breath. "Who would
leave a Yorkshire on a doorstep?"
"Beats me. People do strange things."
"Do you know where Dixie's Cuppa Joe is?"
"Yes."
"Meet me there at three and bring the pup.
That's the only free time I have today."
"Why can't I just bring him to your house?"
There was a pause. "Because if you're a
weirdo you'll end up dead. I don't do weirdos. I always meet prospective
clients in public places. Those are my rules, take 'em or leave 'em."
Preston grinned into the phone. He'd never met
such a caustic woman. "Okay. I'll be wearing a black Stetson with a blue
band."
"Figures," she said.
He hung up before she could ask his name.
Preston went in search of Toby and asked him to
cover his appointments from three to four and his brother frowned. "Only
if you have a hot date. I'm beginning to think you're a sainted monk."
"Not exactly," was all he said and
shifted his eyes to Tessa. She looked beautiful today. He'd always loved the
curves of a woman with meat on her bones, and Tessa had plenty of curves. Half
the time he just wanted to blurt out how he felt about her, the other half, he
cringed at such a notion. He figured things would have to change soon because
it wasn't healthy to keep pining away for her if he hadn't a chance of
garnering her affection. Toby saw him glance at Tessa and rolled his eyes. He'd
been telling Preston for years to sample the female population, but Preston
wasn't a player like Toby. He'd been saving himself for Tessa.
At ten to three, Preston drove to Dixie's with
the orphaned dog wrapped in a blanket inside a small pet carrier, along with a
hot water bottle to give warmth to the baby. He'd also filled a paper bag full of
formula, teeny bottles, vitamins, and stuffed
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