Chapter 54
By the time the car careened to a stop in front of the entrance of the Driftwood Pointe Animal Hospital, Nell was positive she needed a hearing exam.
She knew it was impossible, but she could have sworn the cat had mumbled comments about stupid tourists and speeding cars and Dr. T paying more attention to the lost house.
Nell scurried out of the car and opened the passenger door. She slid her arms under the blanket and supported the cat.
“I’ll be gentle, but picking you up might hurt.” She didn’t know why she said this out loud.
She lifted the cat off the seat, and it snuggled against her body.
Nell pushed her car door closed with her foot and turned to the sidewalk leading into the hospital.
If she wasn’t in such a hurry, she would have stopped to admire the red brick structure with its pristine white trim.
Native plants flanked the building. Ironweed, goldenrods, and azaleas gave the space a homey feel.
A withered trumpet vine sagged over a trellis painted the same white as the trim.
Hopefully, the veterinarian was as concerned about animals as the landscape.
She cradled the cat in one arm and pulled open the door. Red-and-gold bells tied to the inside of the door jingled, announcing her arrival, but the reception room was empty. Nell’s panic rose, realizing it was after 5 p.m. Was the clinic closed and someone had forgotten to lock the door?
What was she supposed to do now?
She took a slow, deep breath. If the divorce had taught her anything, it was that she needed to stay calm and not react. The only thing she could control was herself. If she didn’t do that, then someone else, usually Darren, got the upper hand.
Maybe someone was in the back room. She stepped behind the receptionist’s counter. “Hello? Is anyone here?” She felt like the helpless heroine in movies who needed rescuing. “I need help.”
A scratching noise caught her attention. Sitting next to the giant computer monitor was a… well, she wasn’t sure what it was. The creature was about the size of a softball with two beady eyes, a pointed snout, and quills. It tipped its head back, its nose quivering in the air.
The creature froze.
Whatever the thing was, it didn’t like cats.
Its tiny paws scraped against the smooth surface of the counter, trying to get some traction.
It didn’t get far, though, before it backpedaled into an oversized coffee mug proclaiming, “I like pig butts and I cannot lie.” The impact didn’t deter the animal, though.
It scurried toward a board that was propped up on the side of the counter and slid down, reminding Nell of the Slip 'N Slide that Andrea had adored growing up.
When the creature reached the floor, it steadied itself before peering over its shoulder.
She watched the thing pause, like it was waiting for something. When she didn’t move, the creature lifted a paw and beckoned her forward.
Nell stiffened. There was no way this was happening.
The cat flinched in her arms, and Nell focused herself on the task at hand.
She didn’t have time to figure out what was really happening, and she didn’t have any better options, so she followed the creature toward a door that was propped open.
She kept her distance, not wanting to step on the small thing as well as to give herself a fighting chance in case whatever was in the other room was unsavory.
A man dressed in scrubs leaned on the counter.
Silver streaked his brown hair, which was cut short and looked tidy.
His face was hidden, but his muscled arms told her this man took care of himself.
His navy scrubs pulled tight around his shoulders, and when she let her gaze dip lower, she noticed his butt was firm and taut.
Her face heated, and she shifted her eyes to the book the man was reading. It looked old, its black leather cover worn at one corner. The images danced on the page, swirling with bright reds, yellows, and blues.
Nell blinked to clear her vision. Images in books did not move. What was wrong with her today? First her ears. Now her eyes.
When she looked again, the images continued to whirl. Nell took a step closer. How could a book have that sort of effect?
Before she could tell, the creature from the reception area waddled onto the counter and stood on the book. The book immediately lost its movement and color, and the man turned to stare at her.
Never in her life had she met a man whose looks made her forget what she was doing. Darren had been cute, but this man made her body tingle in places she’d forgotten she had. For a moment, all she could do was stare.
“Can I help you?”
Nell swallowed hard. She needed help, and this man appeared to be her only option. But instead of asking about the cat, Nell said, “Those pictures moved. What kind of book is that?”
The man looked back down at the book, which now resembled a veterinary textbook, complete with an image of a canine X-ray on one page.
He picked up the creature and closed the book.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.
” He nodded at the bundle in her arms. “But if you hand over the cat, I’ll see if I can work some magic. ”