Page 127 of Christmas at the Castle
That made Kat laugh.
Jamie:Can I convince you to visit and teach me how to be a good doggy daddy? Friend helping friend. Enjoy the new year!
Oh, sweet Jamie. She typed a reply.
Kat:Buy whatever you want, but your puppy will need food, water and your love most of all.
Kat:You will be a great doggy dad, and I am here to help you anytime. No more vacation days left, saving for Africa.
Jamie:Africa? I’m in. Just tell me the dates. I’ll be there.
And she knew he would be.
Another knock sounded. “The test results are back. They confirm your diagnosis.”
At least Kat still knew what she was doing here at work.
“Take your time, but there’s a patient in Exam 2,” Jojo said. “Dog. No temperature. Not eating. Sounds gastro related.”
“Thanks.” Kat glanced at the time. Almost midnight. She slipped her cell phone into her pocket. “I’ll be right there.”
She walked to the exam room, knocked, and entered. She made sure to close the door so the dog didn’t bolt if he were unleashed.
“Hello, I’m Dr. Par…”
The words died on her lips. Gill and Max stood in the exam room.
Her heart slammed against her rib cage.
She blinked.
He was still there.
The dog barked. The cone was gone. His tail wagged, and his paws pranced against the tile floor.
Shaken, Kat bent and rubbed him as she tried to control her emotions. “It’s so good to see you, Max.”
The dog soaked up the attention.
She looked up at Gill. He looked handsome in his navy slacks, leather coat, and boots. Who was she kidding? He’d look good in anything he wore. “What are you doing here?”
“Max isn’t eating. He misses you. I miss you, too.”
Kat straightened. “You flew all this way—”
“To see you.” He took a step forward and then stopped. “I want you to understand that I heard what you said at the airport, and I’ve thought about it and you nonstop since then. I can’t stop thinking about you. I love you, and I’m not going to live without you.”
She drew back. “Excuse me?”
“Which part don’t you understand?”
“All of it.”
“I’ll start over, but first…” He pulled out his cell phone and pressed a button. The song they’d danced to at the wedding—the one he’d calledour song—played. “I love you. I’m not sure when that happened. But it did. I won’t lose you. I can’t. So the only solution is for us to spend the rest of our lives together. Is that better?”
Air whooshed from her lungs. “I…”
He crossed the exam room and held her hands. His touch felt oh so right, even though she knew this could never work out. No matter what his intentions. But she wanted to hold onto him for as long as she could.
