Page 121 of Sit, Stay, Love
Buffy’s tail tapped lightly against the floor.
Sera was lucky she had a vet on call. Someone who loved Buffy as much as she did. Someone who never let either of them down.
‘You can’t scare me like that,’ she said. ‘What would I do without you?’ She sighed. And what would either of them do without Toby?
Toby returned a couple of hours later with the promised food and the look of someone who’d been working. His curls were a little damp around his face, and he had dirt on his t-shirt.
‘You were a long time,’ Sera said. The room felt so much fuller with him in it, and so much warmer.
He dropped a couple of bags on the table. ‘I gave Carol a hand. We dug up the rest of the daffodils and took everyone for a walk. Well, not the cats.’ He flashed her a toothy grin. ‘How’s Stink?’
‘Wagging and demanding affection as usual. As needy as her owner.’
‘I don’t mind being needed.’
‘That’s lucky. Because we definitely need you.’
His brow creased slightly and his mouth opened and closed.
She leaned forward, waiting for him to speak, not quite sure what she hoped to hear.
But he just shook his head and unpacked the food. ‘I got a barbeque chook, fresh rolls and salad.’
She blew out a held breath. ‘Salad?’
‘You look like you need it.’ He smirked.
She scrunched her nose at him. ‘Dad’s going to be mad about the flowers,’ she said, setting his small dining table. ‘He only put them in yesterday. I should have asked him what he was planting. It’s all my fault.’
‘What is this, a pity party for one?’
‘Way to be empathetic, Herriot.’
He laughed. ‘You’re kicking yourself for no reason. It’s no one’s fault. I’ll go check on Stink, then we can eat.’ He gave her hand a squeeze as he left the room.
They cleaned away the dishes, Sera washing and Toby drying, then sat down to watch television, deciding to catch up on the latest season ofYellowstone.
Their heads rested at opposite ends of the couch, each propped on an arm. Toby’s long legs were stretched out across the back of the cushions, and Sera’s were tucked in beside him, her toes shoved under his back. He’d bought her a giant block of rocky road chocolate, and she’d managed to eat over half of it without even noticing.
She reached for another piece.
‘I’m going to have to pump your stomach if you eat any more of that,’ he said.
She scooched down the cushions and tapped her foot on the side of his head.
‘Nice. Now you’re kicking me in the head?’ He shoved her foot away.
She got comfortable again and jammed her feet back under him. ‘We should go to Montana. Get away from everything.’
‘Okay. But just so you know, Kevin Costner probably won’t be there.’
‘Damn.’
He laughed. ‘You don’t have to stay here, you know. Buffy ate dinner. She’ll be fine to go home tomorrow.’
Sera wriggled up a little. ‘Do you want me to leave?’
‘I’m pretty sure you know the answer to that.’ His hand gently squeezed her foot.
