CHAPTER TWENTY
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Vesper
I WOKE TO AN EAR SPLINTERING chicken cock-a-doodle-doo from my phone’s barnyard ring.
I hated being woken up in the middle of the night. Hated it.
God, this better be an emergency.
Hauling myself upright with sleep sticking to my thoughts, I grabbed my phone and answered, keeping my eyes shut from the glaring screen. “Meloo?” I cleared my throat and tried again. “Hello, Vesper speaking.”
I wasn’t the vet on call tonight—that was Polly’s turn, according to the roster—but I would never turn down a panicked owner with a life-or-death situation on their hands.
However, this was not a panicked owner.
“Vesper, it’s me.”
“You!” I sat upright, wide awake and fumbling for the hang-up button. “What the hell are you doing calling me after standing me up?”
My heart raced with hurt.
“Wait, don’t hang up on me. Let me explain.”
“You have precisely three seconds—”
“I don’t need three. I only need one.”
“Well, you just wasted all of them so spit it out. One…two...”
“Okay, okay. Hold up.” He sighed. “I got a call at three p.m. from the council about an illegal dog fighting ring. They’d managed to ferry off eight of the nine dogs but one was so badly damaged, both physically and psychologically, they couldn’t catch him to transport him safely. I said I’d go and help. It took me three hours to get there and another two to finally catch him. But my phone died. By the time I noticed it was dead, I had no way of charging it and still had a three-hour drive back home. I just got back, but the mutt I rescued is in a real state. I’m worried.”
My anger melted into sympathy. I didn’t for a second doubt his story. His sincerity and apology resonated in his voice. “Wow, that sounds awful.”
“It was.” A rustle came over the line. I imagined him pinching the brow of his nose.
My heart pounded knowing how tired and stressed he would be. “You did the right thing, Ry.”
His voice shuddered. “Thanks, Ves. That means a lot.”
We were silent for a second before I asked, “Do you want me to come over? Help?”
I expected him to brush me off. But his reply was instant.
“Oh God, would you? I didn’t want to ask but…he’s in a bad way. He needs proper care.”
Adrenaline already coursed through my blood, waking me up and preparing me for whatever I would find. “Of course. I’ll be right there.” Launching myself out of bed, I grabbed my jeans and awkwardly tugged them on one handed.
“You are seriously the best woman I’ve ever met,” Ryder murmured. “If you continue being this incredible, I might just have to marry you.”
I froze.
The line crackled with shock from both of us.
I laughed uncertainly but Ryder recovered. “Look, I’m sorry. I’m knackered and worried about this poor thing. He’s bleeding. I’m bleeding. The fact that you forgive me for standing you up and are coming to help means the world…to both of us.”
Now was not the time to talk about how deep our feelings had somehow fallen. My mind focused on easy things—things I knew how to address rather than matters of the heart. “Wait, you’re bleeding?”
He tutted. “That’s the least of my worries. Just…come quickly. Okay?”
Dashing through my apartment, I collected my keys and wallet. “I’ll be right there. I’m leaving now.”
I didn’t care that I had bed hair and most likely racoon eyes from sleeping with make-up on, and I definitely didn’t have time to stop and put a bra on. I was focused. Like I always was when it came to animal safety.
Stepping over my threshold and locking my door, I asked, “Oh, one important thing before I hang up.”
“Anything. Ask and it’s yours.”
I smiled at the genuineness in his tone.
“What’s your address?”