Puppy Love. Kelly Moran

didn't swallow it.

      He grinned and, damn, there went her air. “Come on back.” He glanced at the waiting room and did a double take. “George, get that reptile in a cage.”

      Wordlessly, they followed him down a long hall and into a back room where crates lined the wall with recovering animals. Yips and feral cries echoed off the walls.

      “This is where we board.”

      She nodded. The twelve-by-twelve room smelled like wet fur and antiseptic. The walls had a continuation mural of grassy fields and blue sky. Several red fire hydrants were painted among the landscape. Pretty clever.

      Hailey took off and knelt by one of the crates.

      Before Avery could correct her, Cade strode over and squatted beside her. “Hold on, squirt. I'll get him out for you.” After opening the cage, he reached in and removed Seraph, nuzzling the puppy to his broad chest. A cone had been placed around the dog's neck, but Seraph nudged Cade's hand for petting. “Who's a good boy?”

      Oh. Oh, swoon.

      She hadn't had so much as a flicker of attraction in so long she almost forgot the sensation. Her cheeks heated and her belly quivered. A flare of jealousy sparked when Seraph licked Cade's face. The rumble of Cade's laugh had her biting back a moan.

      “Hey, squirt. Can you sit on the floor? Your little buddy might not be up to running yet.”

      As usual, Hailey took a few seconds to process his words, then dutifully sat on the tile floor. Even her daughter seemed smitten. She squealed and flapped her hands. Yes, cute doctor man. Whatever you say.

      Cade gently set Seraph in her lap and, keeping one hand on the puppy, he lifted the other to Hailey. “I'm going to show you how to pet him.” He took her hand and used it to stroke the dog's back. “Just like that,” he said as if coaxing calm. “Good. Just stay away from the ouchie on his leg, yeah?”

      Avery made a conscious effort to shut her mouth. Good with animals and kids. Not just kids, but disabled ones. He'd told Hailey what he was going to do before doing it and used a soothing voice for both her and Seraph.

      Double swoon.

      Cade grinned as Hailey giggled, and then he looked at Avery. “Best friends already.”

      “Yeah,” she whispered. Was she drooling? She cleared her throat and stepped closer. Her heart swelled at Hailey's complete adoration of the dog. “When can we take him home?”

      “Tomorrow, if he's still looking good.”

      “At the risk of you getting upset, I need to know what he requires. I've never had a pet before.”

      A flash of irritation lit his eyes before he blinked it away. He stood and dusted fur from his pants. “I'm sorry about last night. How I behaved wasn't me. Don't be afraid to ask me questions.” As if in afterthought, he added, “I won't bite.”

      What. A. Shame. Bad, Avery!

      Staring at her with intense, unwavering eyes, he sighed. “You'll need a leash until you can train him to mind commands. A couple of dog bowls for food and water. Toys, especially ones he can chew on until…” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Know what? I'll take you out to the supply place and steer you in the right direction.”

      Her jaw dropped. Again. “You don't have to do that. If you just make a list—”

      “How's seven tonight? We close at six. That'll give me time to shower.” Though his tone was genial, it brooked no argument. He held her gaze, patiently waiting for an answer. When she didn't say anything—because how long had it been since someone offered to go out of their way to help?—he jerked a thumb at the door. “I've got to get back to the patients, but meet me here at seven, yeah? I'll send Rosa in to help Seraph back into the kennel when you're done.”

      With that, he strode out, all alpha-male goodness.

      The move and pressure he'd put on her reminded her of Richard. But Cade wasn't like her ex. Where Richard was controlling and cold, Cade was confident and warm. His mood today was a vast cry from the brash guy she'd met last night. She wondered which version was the real man, and then remembered the self-depreciating humor and the way he'd smiled with even his eyes.

      Rosa opened the door and the barking started anew. “Hush,” she called and went right to Hailey. “Time to put him back, but you get to take him home tomorrow. How exciting.”

      Hailey jerked her gaze around the room, upset.

      Avery patted her arm through the coat. “They'll take good care of Seraph, sweetie. We'll see him tomorrow.”

      Rosa eyed Avery skeptically. She got the suspicion she was being dissected again, but had no clue why. “How are you settling in? Redwood Ridge is quite the difference from a big city.”

      Avery nodded. “It is, but it's very pretty. It'll just take some getting used to.”

      “Have you found a job yet? Your mom said you were looking.”

      Shifting her gaze from Hailey—who walked past the kennels—to Rosa, she shrugged. “I haven't had a chance yet.” She'd been out of the workforce so long she didn't think she'd be hirable. Her savings would only stretch so far. “Do you have a medical clinic in town?”

      Rosa pursed her lips. “We've got Dr. Brad Crest at the edge of town. Otherwise you'd have to travel forty miles north. Why?”

      “Well, I've been a stay at home mom since Hailey was born, but before that I managed a cardiology practice.” In fact, Richard had insisted she resign to remain at his beck and call for fundraisers or business dinners. He'd just used Hailey as an excuse to isolate her even more from society.

      She squared her shoulders. Richard was a jerk of epic proportions, but she couldn't lay all the blame on him. She hadn't stood up to him or challenged his orders. But she'd gotten Hailey because of the sham of a marriage, and they were starting fresh. No sense dwelling on the past.

      “Dr. Crest has a nurse and receptionist, so you're out of luck there.” Rosa raked her gaze over Avery and nodded. “You'll do. You're hired.”

      “What?”

      Rosa shrugged as if she hadn't just knocked Avery on her ass. “I'm retiring. Cade's been dragging his heels finding a replacement, and you have experience.”

      She rubbed her forehead. “I have experience in healthcare, not veterinary medicine. You haven't even checked my references.”

      “Don't need to. You're Justine's daughter, which is good enough for me. Besides, you're not going to be treating the animals, just running the office.”

      “True, but—”

      “When can you start?”

      Avery opened and closed her mouth several times. She did need a job and, though she hadn't been employed in a long time, it was work she could handle. It seemed a little too good to be true. She glanced at Hailey as she sat in front of Seraph's crate. Avery needed to get her enrolled at the elementary first, plus find someone for after school care.

      “Um, Monday?” She looked at Rosa, who was grinning like a Cheshire cat. “What about my hours or salary or insurance?”

      “We're open from eight to six, Monday through Friday, and eight to noon on Saturdays. The office is closed on Sundays. You'd have Saturdays off, as that's just an emergency day for on-call. We'll get you enrolled in insurance right away, but you'll have to wait sixty days for it to be active. What are your salary requirements?”

      Head spinning, she tried to recall what she made at the cardiology practice and quoted that number. “Are you sure about this? It's awfully fast and you just met me.”

      Rosa slapped her shoulder. Avery nearly toppled with the force. “Welcome to Redwood Ridge. Small town life is different than where you came from. We look out for each other around here. Word of mouth is grail and everyone knows your