19. Dog Tired
CHAPTER 19
Dog Tired
G arrett was relieved when Marcus turned into the drive leading to Kimi’s cottage. Addy had texted to let Kimi know she and Nina had done a final check on all the animals for the night. Other than the fact that two kittens had escaped their stall by climbing up the hay bales, there had been no problems. They’d returned the escapees to the stall and added another bale for the night to keep them inside. The kittens were pretty much ready to explore on their own, so it wasn’t a big deal.
After they climbed out, Garrett leaned down to talk to his friend through the window. “Thanks for everything, Marcus.”
Marcus nodded. “Anytime, Scooby. You two did a great job today. Get some rest.”
Marcus drove out, leaving them standing in the quiet of the dark night, although it was edging closer to dawn. He lifted Kimi’s hand to kiss it. “Want to do a perimeter check on the gang?”
She smiled softly. “I trust Nina and Addy to have done everything, but I’d like to see them with my own eyes.”
Understanding her need to see happy animals safe in their own places, they walked to the paddocks. Snoops brayed his annoyance at someone interrupting the night. With a happy gasp, Kimi pointed at Onigis’s paddock. The mare stood completely inside the shed. Popcorn and Raspberry curled up at her feet while Butter slept on a hay bale next to the mare’s head.
They watched for a few minutes, then quietly moved to the sideyard, not wanting to disturb the group. In the back fields, the pygmy goats were curled up in one corner near the sheep, while the pigs crowded together in their pen right opposite the trees where the peafowl roosted with the rheas.
All safe. All happy. Including Olaf, who was enjoying his sleepover with Animosh. Garrett wanted to see him, but he’d wait until morning.
As they walked back toward the cottage, a low whistle had their attention turning to where Heath walked their way. Olaf let out a single happy bark and barreled away from Slick and across the field toward Garrett and Kimi.
The dog ran under the fence and straight to them. Garrett waved at Heath, who turned back to his home, and then he knelt down to run his hands all over the happy dog.
Olaf squirmed and licked and bounced, thrilled to be reunited with his humans. Garrett didn’t bother to dial back his own joy as he lathered attention all over the dog.
Kimi sat on the ground, and Olaf licked her face and wriggled in her lap before bouncing up to do the same to Garrett.
When he realized tears were streaming down her face, he sat and pulled her to his side. Olaf spun around in happy circles and then plopped down to lie across both of them. His doggy grin had the final slivers of Garrett’s heart stitching back together. “Shaggy would have liked you, Olaf. You’d have made a good team.”
Kimi’s head rested on his shoulder, and she wiped the tears from her face. “I wish I’d met her.”
He kissed her hair. “Me too. She would have loved it here. She’d be in doggy heaven with all these animals to play with.”
“I bet she would have been an excellent therapy dog.”
He nodded. “Like this guy is going to be. And maybe some others from tonight. ”
“I’m so glad they’re going to have good lives from now on.”
They would follow up on the dogs and make sure of just that. “We’ve got lots of space.”
She tilted her face to his, eyes shining. “We do indeed. And we’ll keep filling it up.”
Now that Olaf was calmer, Garrett stood and helped Kimi to her feet. They walked through the night back to the cottage. Olaf led the way to the bedroom, where he immediately curled up on his bed with his favorite stuffed dragon.
Kimi led Garrett to the bathroom and closed the door behind him. “I need to wash away Marlena.”
He cupped her face. “Marlena did a kickass job tonight, but I’d love to have my Kimi back.”
They shed their clothes, and Kimi dumped hers directly into the garbage. He washed her hair while she scrubbed at her face until every bit of makeup was gone.
When they were clean, she turned to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Thank you again. You didn’t want me to do it, but you didn’t try to talk me out of it.”
“I know you needed to do it.”
She kissed his chest, then smiled up at him. “And that’s one of the many reasons I love you.”
“Right back at you. You’re so brave and so determined to help. You amaze me, Kimi. I’m going to spend my life making sure you’ve always got someone by your side and at your back.”
Their mouths crashed together, and the heat from the shower was nothing compared to the heat that spun between them.
He ran his hands over her body and felt her trembles of need. He gently pressed her against the tile wall and dropped to his knees.
His first lick had her head thumping back against the tile and her fingers gripping his hair. “Hang on, Kimi. I’ve got a lot of pent-up emotion going here.”
Her strangled laugh changed to a gasp, and then she cried out his name.
Watching her come apart had his body revving, but he wanted to watch her do that again and again. After her second orgasm, the water cooled. He turned it off, scooped up her shaking body and set her on the vanity. He toweled them off and carried her to the bed, where her eyes finally fluttered open.
Her grin was full of everything he’d ever wanted.
“My turn.” Her husky voice nearly sent him over the edge. She reversed their positions and straddled him. Her lips grazed his. “I love you. Let me show you.”
It was a hell of a show.
T he next day, Kimi snuck in a few calls to help her implement her plan. Fiona and Ginny were happy to help. This town was full of fabulous people.
Snoops brayed loudly and had Kimi moving. The donkey was often annoyed but this sounded different from his usual cranky call. Was the bear back?
She raced to his paddock and found the donkey backed into the corner, staring at one of the new pygmy goats. In place of his usual annoyance, the donkey’s face was dialed to confusion.
The goat didn’t reach Kimi’s hip and was completely unconcerned with the reaction she’d caused in the donkey. Instead, she munched on the grass near one of the fence posts.
Kimi slipped into the paddock. “You’ve seen plenty of goats before, Snoops. What’s different about this one?”
Snoops looked at Kimi as if she’d asked if he wanted to waltz. She laughed and approached the tiny goat, who had somehow escaped the very secure fenced paddock. “What happened, sweetie? Did you scare the donkey somehow?”
The goat didn’t answer. Kimi walked over to the donkey. Showing his concern about the tiny goat, he didn’t even attempt to nip at her shirt.
She stroked the donkey and looked around in case something else had spooked Snoops. Popcorn and her troop stood in the next paddock, watching the proceedings.
Kimi grinned at the goat, who needed a name. Nina wasn’t here for her shift yet but she’d bet the girl had ideas. “Are you Popcorn’s newest recruit?”
As if her thoughts had conjured her, the teen hopped the far fence and approached with Animosh, stopping to talk with all the animals on her way.
Kimi waved, and Nina headed in her direction. She grinned when she took in the situation. Animosh, having learned from experience, stayed on the outside of the paddock. “Is Snoops wondering why this one isn’t running away?”
Kimi nodded. “I think so. He doesn’t seem to know how to react to her.”
“That’s weird. He’s used to Popcorn being in here.”
Nina stroked the tiny goat’s head. “Are you being brave for such a little one? Small but mighty. Do you like Snoops?”
The goat butted Nina’s hand for more pats and then walked toward Kimi and the donkey. Nina followed. “Did you name her yet?”
Kimi laughed. “Not my department.”
Nina grinned and walked with the goat. “She’s got that pretty reddish coat. How about Merida from the movie Brave?”
“I haven’t seen that one yet but I trust your judgment. Merida it is.”
Nina grinned and spoke to Snoops. “Hey, Snoops. Your new friend here is Merida. I think she’s going to want to hang out with you. Would you like that?”
Snoops wasn’t too sure but he didn’t back away when the goat neared.
Kimi moved closer to Merida. She and Nina knew enough to stay on the safe side of the donkey, but the goat might need a rescue.
Merida didn’t agree. She looked at the donkey and bleated. When Snoops didn’t answer, she tilted her head and bleated again.
Undeterred by the lack of reaction, she bounced right up to the donkey. For a long minute, the two studied each other. Then Snoops dropped his head.
He didn’t have the gleam he usually had when about to nip someone, but she and Nina tensed anyway.
When Merida didn’t back away, Snoops lightly butted his head against her .
Nina laughed. “He likes her.”
Kimi nodded. It was a definite sign of affection from the Snoops. “Okay. I guess we can leave her here without worries.”
As they approached the barn, Animosh rejoined them, and Nina lowered her voice. “Can I help you with the setup?”
Kimi nodded. “Garrett is working with the horses in the backfield today. That should keep him busy until showtime.”
Fiona brought in the deliveries from her and Ginny. Rachel and Owen Kerins arrived with their new puppy, Flups.
Nina bounced. “Dad’s bringing Garrett and Olaf over. He said everyone else is pulling in now.”
Sure enough, her office was full when Heath walked in with Garrett. His eyebrows shot up when he saw the crowd. His gaze locked on her as the crowd shouted, “Happy Gotcha Day!”
With not a hint of sadness in his eyes, Garrett crouched down and patted Olaf’s head. The pit bull had stopped at the cheer but wasn’t afraid. He knew these people, and knew nothing bad would happen to him while Garrett was at his side.
Happy tears misted her eyes. Again. Before Garrett had arrived in town, she wasn’t sure she’d shed a single tear, happy or otherwise, in years. Maybe decades. Now, she was constantly battling to contain her emotions.
Of course, Garrett knew. He appeared and swept her into a hug. “You okay?”
She nodded. “Always.” Which was true. His arrival had changed her world. Changed her. All for the better.
He chuckled in her ear. “Me, too.”
Owen’s excited voice had them turning. “Hey, Flups. It’s your Gotcha Day. We’re going to get our picture taken. And we’re going to be on the Gotcha Wall Of Fame. We’re going to be famous.”
Chuckles rumbled through the room but no one disabused the boy of his concept of fame.
Kimi set up Owen and Flups on the stool beneath the Gotcha Day sign and snapped a few pictures. The boy and his dog were adorable, and she hoped the photos captured the joy .
Next, she had Garrett and Olaf take their spot. Piper held out her hand. “I’ll take the camera. You need to be in the picture.”
Kimi shook her head. “Olaf is totally Garrett’s dog.”
Instead of arguing, Garrett tugged her hand and brought her over to the photo area. He sat on the stool and settled her on his knee. Giving in, she rested her arm around his shoulder. Olaf stood in front of them, looking proud and happy.
“Say Gotcha!”
It wasn’t long before the pictures were printed, and Nina set several paper plates on the conference table. Each was filled with a small amount of animal friendly paint in different colors.
Owen held Flups as they walked around the table three times, discussing the pros and cons of each color.
Flups barked when they stopped at the turquoise, so they used that color for his paw print on the wall.
Olaf walked around the table on his own and inspected the plates. When he stopped to sniff at the soft brown, she laughed. “That’s the same color as your Stetson, Garrett. I wonder if he associates it with you?”
Garrett’s smile widened, and he rubbed down the dog. “Good choice, buddy. Now, let’s get some paint on your paw.”
Olaf let Garrett stick his paw in the paint and then press his paw into the wall beside their picture. He looked confused but was willing to help out his human.
After they’d cleaned the paws, Nina brought out the treats Fiona had brought. Dog biscuits for the guests of honor, and cupcakes for the humans.
When everyone was eating, she joined Garrett, who stood in front of the wall of pictures. He wrapped his arm around her and kissed her hair. “This wall sent me running on the first day I met you. I hadn’t realized all my buddies had dogs. The sight of them nearly knocked me on my ass. I couldn’t handle it then.”
“And now?”
He chuckled. “It’s good. All good. I’ve got my heart back, Kimi. Shaggy would love all of this. She’d love you. ”
Her heart filled with joy at his words. “We can add her picture up here, too.”
He shook his head. “No. I think I’ll put that up in the other barn or up at the house. This is the Phail Gotcha Wall.”
They laughed together, and he hugged her close. “That sounds ridiculous.”
She grinned. “Which means it perfectly suits this town.”