Page 48 of Vetted for Vengeance
“Fine. I'll see you at the house in fifteen minutes.”
I need the air more than I need the reassurance that these chewy bundles of pups are home safe. Two wire carriers, four pups squashed in each one, a pair of borrowed welly boots and I'm off. I've not been out to this side of the practice before; the building is hidden behind a hedge of bushy trees. What I find is nothing like the polished and refined practice I've become accustomed to. This is more like the puppy farm. It's basically a semicircle of stables, but some doors are regular house doors. I open the one labelled reception and find a nice little replica of the one in the main surgery.
“Hello, you must be returning our puppies.” The nurse jumps up from behind the desk. She's wearing the same dark green as the other qualified nurses, and a pair of pink wellies. I've seen her in the main practice, so this must be a satellite surgery they work at on a rota.
“I'm Noah, and yes, returning your puppies.” That is hard to say. These are my puppies. Even if they were never meant to be.
“Welcome to the large animal size of the business. This is where we treat farm animals and several litters of puppies. I'm Abigail.”
The door opens behind me, and I instinctively turn around and then move aside. He's a tall, broad guy, wearing mud-splattered dungarees and a big grin. Absolutely looks like a farmer. “Sorry, you go first. I can wait.”
“No need for that. I work here.” He holds out a large hand that I have to put down a carrier to take. “Harry Pike, I'm the large animal veterinary specialist.”
“Like a vet for cows?” I ask.
“Exactly that.” He looks down at my baskets that are still squealing and yipping as they make do with the only toys available, being each other's tails.
“That's the loopy litter come back? Let me show you the temporary pens.” He grabs the carrier I set down and walks back out.
“He's a gentle giant,” Abigail promises as I nervously follow him out.
“We've got five litters over here, four with mums, and the one without.” He opens an empty stable where I find a clean space filled with chewed-up dog beds and lots of toys. In one corner is a red heat lamp hanging down to keep them warm.
We open the carrier doors and the pups tumble out.
“Hopefully we can get them adopted and then move Toffee over here.” Letting these puppies go is an inevitable part of my life, so the sadness sits quieter than it should. It’s good seeing them move on in favor of Toffee getting all this space for her and her pups.
“As long as I have nothing to do with the filming side, I don't mind the extra work.”
“You're looking after them?”
“Yep, and there's a nurse here permanently at the moment too.” Harry gives me a nervous smile. “I prefer animals to people, but you've got a big heart, kid, and I'll help any way I can.”
“Knowing you're here looking after these guys means a lot. Thank you.”
“We've got a few of the pregnant girls in the lambing barn if you want to see them before you go. Not quite as much room as these stables, but not by much.”
“I'd love to, but I'll have to come back another time. I've got to get back to…”
Back to my date that isn't a date.
He nods, but instead of walking me back, he sits down and starts playing. “If no one wants the nervous black girl, once her pups are gone, she can stay here, if she wants.”
“Are you offering to adopt Cayenne?”
“Cayenne. The spicy tempered one.” He chuckles. “This is her place, for as long as she needs it.”
I head back to the main practice with a smile plastered on my face. Cayenne is a good girl, but she's very nervous. I always thought she just needed love, but maybe she needs space more than love.
Chapter twenty-five
Rhys
Noah leaves the film dressing room looking stunning.Not polished into someone else, just… refined. Like someone has taken the chaos and smoothed the edges without taking anything away.
It suits him.
I’m not sure I like how much it suits him, but it's a nice change from scrubs and whatever he called the puppy-farm uniform.
