Page 47 of Fake It Till You Make It

“I thought you hated them,” he joked, as Amarie devoured her portion and started in on his.

“Ha ha. You made a funny. Social media catnip. Funny sells.”

With her quick changes of ideas and subject, Eli had started to adjust to her stream of consciousness.

He tipped his bottle in tribute. “To the queen of one-liners.”

“Well, we can’t all be supervets, can we, Dr. Calvary.”

“You did pretty darn good today.”

Her eyes seemed to glow at his compliment. Amarie’s vibrant floral top exposed smooth brown shoulders that drew his eyes to a delicate cleft between her breasts. The top was paired with relaxed pink pants that hugged elegant curves, and everything about her contrasted with his T-shirt and denim attire.

“Thank you, Eli.”

As he palmed his icy mug, Eli’s soul, a coal lump where Amarie’s shone diamond bright, the part of him he thought dead, stirred. Not good. He had little to offer a woman like her. Hadn’t he learned that lesson?

“Welcome.” He nodded. Yep, he broke eye contact, afraid he might stare a second longer than a platonic partnership allowed. He found himself plum dwelling on her laughter, her smile, her curves. She’d talked to every farmhand who’d answer her questions this morning. They’d had a stressful day, out at the dairy farm between Service and the town of Whynot. Amarie had been a big help in saving a dairycow postdelivery. They’d had a new mother who had just delivered her calf and hadn’t been able to get back on her feet. It had been a race against time. The cow’s body weight on the legs could’ve caused permanent nerve damage within twelve hours if they hadn’t gotten her back on her feet.

Amarie had been instrumental in Eli’s ability to act quickly. With efficient hands, she’d prepared the calcium infusion to stabilize her after delivery. By the time they’d packed up their supplies, the owner was in tears. And the dam was on her feet with the new calf at her teat.

Eli was more exhausted than he had time to admit. Having Amarie as a partner was a force multiplier, a term the military applied to both people and processes that boosted productivity.

His mom and dad had worked in a similar fashion, harnessing the power of two versus one. Maybe Kanaan had been right. Flying solo wasn’t always the best way. But Eli had tried a partnership with his marriage. It had failed. So had he by degree. Failure had a way of souring a man on trying the same for a second time.

“So,” she swallowed, “about our social media campaign.”

Oh, shoot. There went his great mood. “Let’s call it a night,” he said, downing the last of his beer.

But then Timmy Ramsey came running in with her little boy Ezra in tow, his red face covered in tears. She plopped one of those little round automated vacuum cleaners in front of Eli. “We need your help.”

Not sure what to make of this request, Eli twisted to look at the other bewildered patrons. “Timmy, I’d love to help, but I might not be the best person to repair your vacuum cleaner.”

Erza released a heart-wrenching sob, his little shoulders shaking. “Please, please, Mr. Eli. My gerbil, Gery, is stuck inside it.”

“What?” Amarie blurted before slapping a palm over her mouth. The music slowed. Couples, hand in hand, broke off from the line dancing to zero in on the commotion at his table.

Unfortunately for hamsters and gerbils, the average household posed a multitude of dangers when pocket pets were uncaged.

Seconds passed while Timmy communicated the scenario.

“We let Gery out of his cage.” Eli opened his mouth, but Timmy waved him off. “I know what you told us, but I had the vacuum cleaner going before, and this had never happened, Eli. We heard a squeak, but then it was too late. He got sucked up.”

“Oh, poor little Gery,” Amarie mouthed.

“Please, help him, Dr. Eli.” Ezra sniffled. “I promise I’ll keep him safe. Cross my heart.” The little boy reached for his mother’s hand. “Won’t we, Mom?”

Timmy bent to kiss her son’s trembling fingers. “Yes, baby.”

Gosh, Eli heard sniffles from within the crowd.

Amarie, being Amarie, lowered to her knees. “Hi, Ezra. I’m Amarie, Dr. Eli’s partner and first assistant. He’s going to need help to perform a delicate extraction procedure for Gery. Do you think you can help him by bringing him a cup of water and a stack of paper towels?”

“Is Dr. Eli gonna rescue Gery?” Erza asked, his voice low and shaky with emotion.

How in the world could she answer with any honesty? Eli had no idea what he would find inside the suction apparatus. He pulled his pocketknife and all-purpose folded tool from his belt-loop holster.

“Timmy, you should go with him. Ms. Gracie Lou might have a cup of chocolate milk for my brave assistant.”