7. Chapter Seven
Chapter Seven
Tack parked the truck and trailer, marveling at the setup that had been added to the backyard. There were tables for examining the animals, wash stations, bins for dirty laundry, a place for hosing down and cleaning the crates, along with other stations that he had no idea what they were used for.
Looking around at the number of animals they’d brought back and seeing the ones that had already arrived, Tack sent a quick text to his brothers that help was needed.
He turned toward the woman who had turned his life upside down in the very best way and debated for half a second if he could let her sleep longer. He grinned at the firestorm she’d rain down on him if he made those poor animals wait any longer for care.
“Sophia, we’re back,” he whispered, brushing back her hair that had come loose from her ponytail.
She stretched her shoulders and neck while keeping her eyes closed. Breathing deeply, she opened her eyes and nodded. “Let’s do this.”
Tack unbuckled her seatbelt, cupping her face. “My club’s bringing food because I imagine you’re starving.”
The faint smile on her face created a yearning in him to be the reason she smiled every day.
“I am. We’ll have to break in shifts because this is an all-night job. Thanks for driving,” she called, slipping out of the vehicle.
By the time he met her at the back of the trailer, she’d transitioned to the professional Doc Woods and was handing out tasks to Freedom, Lake, and a couple volunteers who’d been called.
The rumble of engines had him smiling. Extra hands meant the animals could be helped sooner and Sophia might get to sleep tonight.
Sophia, Lake, and Freedom had obviously done this job multiple times and had an amazing system.
Tack found himself washing the animals that were deemed stable at this point.
Each animal had a color-coded card that detailed what the animal was dealing with and where it was to be taken after being cleaned.
Sophia was taking care of the German Shepherd puppies that had been in the house. Tack hoped, for Sophia’s sake, they made it.
His club members were efficiently moved into areas by Lake and Freedom.
Even Adley and Ariel, his President’s Ol’ Lady, had shown up.
His Aunt Charlie was probably keeping the kids, but Tack had to grin when his mom came walking around the corner dressed to help with a huge bouquet of flowers.
He finished the dog he was cleaning and hurried to intercept his mother, but his mom moved fast when she wanted to.
She was standing, talking with Sophia before he had a chance to introduce her.
“Oh, thank you so much. Are you sure?” Sophia questioned.
“Of course. Let me put these flowers inside. I’ll get the drinks made, and then you can put me to work out here.
It’s wonderful to meet you, Sophia, and I can’t tell you how amazing I think it is that you do all this as a volunteer,” his mom praised her, patting Sophia’s arm, then winking at Tack as she headed in.
“Your mom is so sweet,” Sophia gushed.
Tack bit his tongue because if Sophia knew what his mom had done over the years to keep them all safe after his dad died, he wondered if Sophia would still call her sweet.
“She is. I was trying to get over here to introduce her, but it seems she took care of that herself.”
“She did, and thank you for the lovely flowers. I would love to go out either to dinner or for a bike ride when it’s a happier day,” Sophia confirmed.
“It’s a date,” he confirmed, heading back to the line of animals waiting to be washed.
He’d take them out of the crate they were in while another volunteer sanitized and dried the crate.
Depending on what the card said, he either put the clean and dried animal back in the crate in a different area or moved it to another designated station.
“Watch out for Pudding,” Freedom yelled at Stinger, who was walking over to pet the donkey.
Tack could have called out for Stinger to cover his nuts, but he figured they could all do with the laugh.
Pudding got that look on his face and slammed his head between Stinger’s legs, and Stinger looked like Tack imagined that he had when Pudding had pulled that stunt yesterday.
Shield hopped up on a chair and whistled for everyone’s attention. “If anyone would like to protect their family jewels from Pudding, I have cups that you can buy for one hundred dollars. All proceeds will benefit the Sophia Woods Clinic.”
Tack chuckled at the stampede of men heading toward Shield for the cups. He glanced at Sophia. She was completely missing the guys because she was focused on the animal in front of her.
Tack forced himself to quit staring at his woman and get back to work. Now, he needed to figure out how to convince her that she was his and protect her from whoever was out to get her.
Sophia glanced at her watch as she stripped off the gloves—six in the morning.
She stretched her back and neck. She’d been bent over the operating table for the last four hours, repairing injuries.
This Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was the last one needing surgery, but he should make a full recovery.
Once she showered, ate, and got some rest, she’d start figuring out how to find fosters for some of these animals. Freedom had checked with their partner clinics, and no one else had room for this many animals either. The Kansas City Humane Society and surrounding ones were full too.
She walked into the bathroom off the clinic, stripping off her clothes and throwing them in the bin.
Stepping into the hot shower, she quickly washed and scrubbed to get clean.
Once she felt fresh again, she stood underneath the hot water, letting the emotions go that she’d been holding tightly for hours.
So many times, she’d craved to walk over to Tack for a hug, but there were always animals waiting.
The tears rolled down her face with the water, and she wrapped her arms around herself, leaning against the wall, sobbing for the animals she couldn’t save.
Sometimes her job broke her heart and today was one of those days.
Although they’d saved so many, she grieved for the little ones who never stood a chance.
She leaned against the wall, the tears falling and the exhaustion overwhelming her. She wasn’t sure how long she cried, but a knock on the door had her pausing.
“Yes,” she called, her voice hoarse from crying.
“If you’re done, Mom has biscuits and gravy, bacon, scrambled eggs, hash browns, and hot coffee for breakfast,” Tack called through the door.
She stood up from the wall and pulled herself together. “Give me a second to get dressed.”
She dried off and braided her hair. She was starving.
She pulled on one of the many sets of clothes she kept in the clinic bathroom.
She needed something cheery, so she chose her bright pink shirt to go underneath her jean overalls that were embroidered with yellow ducks, pink flamingos, and white and red robins.
The bib of her overalls was embroidered with the words Birds are Flocking Amazing.
Sliding on the glasses with little yellow ducks on the frames, she opened the door to the bathroom, almost running into Tack leaning against the wall.
“Tack?” she questioned at the look on his face. Had something happened?
“I heard you crying and thought you might need a hug, baby,” Tack offered, opening his arms.
She sniffed and stepped into his arms, letting the warmth and safety wrap around her. She’d been so alone since her parents died. Rufus had never been the type of man to offer comfort. Leaning her head against his chest, she basked in the safety and warmth he provided.
“You were amazing—keeping everything together until the last animal was taken care of. I’m in awe of your strength,” he whispered against her head.
“Thank you. We couldn’t have done so much without your club, though.”
Tack didn’t rush her to go to the kitchen. He held her in his arms, patting her back and kissing the top of her head while holding her. The hallway was a quiet space away from the bustling she could hear in the kitchen and the humming of the lights in the clinic.
She leaned back and stared up at Tack with his dark eyes, scruffy beard, and mustache that she ached to have brush against her when he kissed her. She really, really hoped he was planning on kissing her because if his kisses were half as good as his hugs, she could probably come from just that.
He chuckled against her, and she closed her eyes. Fuckity-fuck-a-duck.
“I said that out loud,” she squeaked, hoping with all her might that she was wrong.
“Yep! It’s one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen, and yes, I will be kissing you, but it will be when you’re rested and—we don’t have the whole club waiting breakfast on us,” Tack quipped, chuckling while he slipped his arm around her shoulders, leading her into the kitchen.
“I hope you’re hungry,” Ruthy called from the stove.
Tack led her to one of the kitchen chairs at the island. After helping her into the chair, he got her a plate, napkin, and utensils so she could fill her plate. He stared at Shield until Shield got out of the chair beside her and moved.
“This looks really good. I didn’t realize how hungry I was until I smelled the food,” Sophia mentioned, holding her hand over her plate when Tack tried to dump a huge pile of bacon from the platter onto her plate.
“She’s making more,” he whispered.
“It’s too much. How are our newbies settling in?” Sophia questioned Lake.
“Good. Freedom is doing rounds while I eat, and then I’ll pick up where she left off when I’m done. We cleared today so that you can catch up on sleep and then check over any rescues that have changed status. Have you thought more about fostering with anyone?” Lake asked.
“Oh, what’s it take to be a foster because, oh my, some of those darlings might need to come home with me,” Ruthy questioned.
“It was so busy. I didn’t have a chance to think. If anyone calls in, why don’t you take their name and number. We can talk more about a form maybe…” Sophia paused at the chime of her front doorbell.
“I’ll check who it is,” Stinger replied.
Sophia strained to hear what was being said, but she could only distinguish murmuring conversation with laughter. She sipped the orange juice Tack had placed in front of her. She was glad he didn’t make her coffee because she didn’t want or need caffeine. She craved sleep.
Stinger walked back in leading two police officers, chuckling and shaking his head.
“I invited them for breakfast and coffee since they were brought out on a fool’s errand,” Stinger revealed, pouring them both cups of coffee.
She wasn’t firing on very many cylinders, but she was positive she knew who had called them.
“What did the old goat complain about now?” Sophia asked.
“She called in a noise complaint because of the animal sounds and also that there were ruffians hanging around,” the one officer laughed.
“We were the winners. At least six other teams put down money to have dispatch send them the call after the great Kansas City Squirrel Abduction,” he snickered, high-fiving his partner.
Sophia rolled her eyes at Jolene’s actions. She still couldn’t figure out what was going on and why the woman wouldn’t leave her alone. The divorce was final, and nothing was ever going to happen with Rufus.
Sophia took the last bite of her biscuit and gravy. “Thank you, Ruthy. This was delicious.”
“Oh, you’re welcome. Why don’t you head to bed? I’ll finish feeding everyone and then clean up before I go,” she offered.
Sophia nodded, a huge yawn cracking open her jaw. “If I don’t wake by noon, come wake me, Lake. I want to check over the ones that might need it,” she directed around another yawn.
Tack’s warm hands on her shoulders turned her toward the stairs and her bedroom.
“We’ve got this unless you need me to tuck you in,” he grinned, waggling his eyebrows.
“I’m too tired to enjoy that,” she admitted.
“Go catch some sleep, and I’ll see you later,” he promised, his finger touching her nose.
She turned and went up the stairs. She would have loved for him to tuck her in, but she’d be asleep before she could appreciate it.
She’d get some sleep, then check on her babies.
Maybe sometime after that, she could think about Tack and what she wanted from him, and if she was willing to risk her heart on another man.