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“Thanks, Mrs. Martin.” Haley moved toward the steel sink in the exam room to wash her hands.
“And I’ll be praying for you. I know you’re bound to be a little nervous handling things on your own around here with Doc Sheridan moving to Florida, but I can tell you’re going to do just fine.”
Mrs. Martin had no way of knowing how desperately Haley wanted to do “just fine.” She’d always dreamed of having her own veterinary practice, and she’d moved to this tiny Alabama town six years ago specifically because Doc Sheridan had assured her he was on the verge of retirement and ready to turn over his practice to “young blood.” But now that he was gone, she felt overwhelmed.
“And the fact that you’re starting that new program for the Willow’s Haven children to work with animals...well, I admire you greatly for that. Those kids need so much, don’t they?”
“Yes, they do.” Haley had been so busy getting ready for Doc Sheridan’s retirement and learning the details of running the place on her own that she hadn’t even visited the children’s home yet. But she planned to get the program started this week.
“It’s beautiful out there, isn’t it, at Willow’s Haven? At least the children have a nice place to live,” Mae continued.
Haley washed her hands, dried them and then grabbed three tissues out of the box on the counter. “I haven’t actually seen it yet. I’ve only talked to Brodie and Savvy Evans on the phone.” She kept her voice calm as she gathered her courage to face what could be a very bad first day as the only vet in town.
She’d only recently made the decision to help the orphaned and abandoned children cope with their losses by giving them animals to care for, but listening to the cries in her lobby made her wonder if it might not always be a positive experience.
“Oh, you’re in for a treat. Willow’s Haven is beautiful, and so peaceful. The church put an announcement about the upcoming program in our bulletin last week. By the way, we’ve missed you there, dear,” Mae called out, bringing up yet another uncomfortable topic while Haley strode down the hall toward the lobby.
“Thanks,” she answered, not making any promises about seeing her there any time soon. Instead she made a beeline toward the wailing boy.
“I found him—” his watery hazel eyes focused on Aaliyah, who was leaning down to look at the teeny ball of fur cradled in his arms “—in the woods behind our cabin. I think he’s scared. I thought he was hungry, but he wouldn’t eat my snack. And Mr. Gavin said I shouldn’t try to feed him anything else until he sees the doctor.”
Haley noted that the boy was wearing a puffy blue winter coat and red mittens, even though it was merely late October. A light dusting of dirt coated his face, barring the tear streaks striping both full cheeks. More dirt was missing beneath his nose, which dripped from crying. He looked around six or seven years old, best Haley could tell, but with worry lines as intense as her grandfather’s currently creasing his forehead.
She should have grabbed more tissues.
Wasting no time in crouching to his eye level, she performed a perfunctory scan of the quivering puppy in his arms. A mixed breed, brown and black, with quite a bit of Yorkie in him. Bones were visible beneath his thin coat but, at first glance, none appeared to be broken. Probably dropped off on the side of the road, poor thing.
“He wouldn’t eat my snack. I tried to feed him, but he wouldn’t eat it.”
Haley took one of the tissues and tenderly wiped beneath the boy’s left eye, then followed suit with the right. Doubling up the last two tissues, she asked, “Can you blow your nose for me?”
He nodded, placed his nose in the center and proceeded to make a sound like something she’d expect to hear from one of her animals instead of a darling little boy. Sniffing, he completed by rubbing his nose against the tissues before glancing at Haley. “Sorry. I blow loud.”
She smiled. “Yes, you do, but that’s okay.” She wiped the wadded tissues beneath his nose again, then tossed them in a small trash can in the lobby. “What’s your name?”
Another sniff. “Eli.”
“That’s a nice name.”
“It’s from the Bible.” His eyes blinked overtime to battle more tears.
Haley nodded, not wanting to stir the pot by acknowledging she knew the story about Eli and Samuel. Mrs. Martin would enter the lobby soon, and Haley didn’t want any additional reminders that she should be at church. Therefore, she changed her focus from the boy’s name to the quivering animal and held her palm in front of the puppy’s nose. He made no attempt to move toward her to get a better scent, which should have come from mere instinct. “And what is this little guy’s name?”
“Mr. Gavin called him Buddy when we found him in the woods.”
Haley glanced toward the opposite side of the lobby, where a man had his back turned to her and talked quietly on his phone. Mr. Gavin, she presumed. He didn’t seem overly concerned with the little boy’s dilemma, which didn’t earn him any brownie points in Haley’s book. Was he the boy’s stepdad? A teacher? Mom’s apathetic boyfriend?
It bothered her tremendously to see adults neglecting a child. Her own parents had been amazing at supporting her growing up, attending every activity and encouraging her through every step of her veterinary dreams.
A shame that, after being the model husband to her mother and perfect dad to Haley, her father had turned his back on them completely.
She winced, not wanting to go there again.
The truth was, in spite of her dad eventually letting her down, she’d wanted to be the kind of parent and have the kind of family she’d had growing up. She’d wanted children desperately and had planned to have at least one by the time she was thirty.
That milestone birthday had passed last month and since she’d now decided against all dating and relationships, children certainly weren’t in the picture. But she could still be around them and show them that someone cared. That’d been her main reason for wanting to start the new Adopt-an-Animal program for Willow’s Haven.
Mr. Gavin continued talking on his phone and Haley all but snarled toward his back.
She returned her attention to the one who needed it. “Buddy—that’s a great name.” She scanned the puppy. His fur was dull and brittle, eyes opened marginally then closed again, as if he didn’t have the energy to look at who held him. Running a finger along his back, she easily felt his spine, which would have been visible had it not been for a thin layer of scruffy, dry hair.
“He wouldn’t eat my fruit snacks,” Eli said, anxious to provide insight as to what was wrong with his new friend. He’d made this statement a couple of times already, obviously wanting her to know he’d done his best to assist the little pup.
Haley nodded. “He hasn’t eaten a lot of food in a while, so he’ll have to take his time learning to eat normally again. But it was very thoughtful of you to try to feed him.”
Eli’s top teeth tugged his lower lip, his eyes blinking as he soaked up every word.
“Think about when you’re sick. When you aren’t feeling well, do you eat a lot?”
“Just soup. And maybe Sprite.” He was absolutely adorable, with his dirty little face and pleading eyes, and so concerned for the puppy in his arms.
“Right. Well, he will need to work up to eating again, too, like you do after you’ve been sick.” She’d continued probing and performing a preexam on the tiny dog while talking to the boy, and she was now fairly certain that no bones were broken. The pup didn’t show signs of distemper, and though his breathing was shallow, he wasn’t struggling for breath. Even so, he wasn’t out of the woods yet. She would need to keep him for treatment, and she hoped the boy would understand.
“He doesn’t eat soup, does he?” Eli asked. “’Cause I could get him some if that’ll make him better.”
“No, he doesn’t, but I can try some other things that his tummy should be okay with, until he can work his way up to eating normal food again.” She placed a finger under Eli’s chin. “Would that be okay, for me to take care of him here for a little while? To help him feel better?” Haley knew the puppy wouldn’t have made it very long in the woods on his own. This little boy, whether he realized it or not, had potentially saved him.
“Do I have to leave him here?” The panic in his voice pierced her heart and his grip on the puppy increased, so that the little animal let out a squeaky yelp.
Haley barely noticed the man on the other side of the lobby turn to face them, because she was too intent on capturing the boy’s attention. “Eli, calm down, honey. I am going to do my best to get him well. I promise.”
He stared at the puppy, still whimpering. “Did I hurt him?”
“You just don’t need to squeeze him so much,” she said. “But I can tell that you aren’t trying to hurt him, and he knows that, too.”
“He does?” Eli looked imploringly to Haley. “Are you sure?”
She nodded. “Of course. Puppies can tell when someone cares about them, just like people can tell when someone cares about them.” She fought the impulse to glare at the man who had shifted his stance and was now undoubtedly watching their interaction.
“I want to keep him.” Eli took a small step away from Haley. “He doesn’t have anyone to love him, and he’s scared.”
A muffled clearing of a throat caused Haley to finally glance up at Mr. Gavin and, for a moment, her breath caught in her chest. Not what she’d expected. She’d anticipated an older, grumpy, stern-faced gentleman who wouldn’t show concern for the brokenhearted boy. But this man was young, around Haley’s age, she’d guess, with one of the most strikingly masculine faces she’d ever seen.
Haley swallowed, forcing herself to get a grip on the awareness flooding through her. She wouldn’t be swayed by his gorgeous good looks and rugged presence.
The bottom line was that he didn’t seem to care about this little boy’s pain.
And that was reason enough for Haley to dislike the man.
So when he glared at Haley, she glared right back.
* * *
Gavin Thomason had thought taking the seven-year-olds from his cabin for an adventure hike would be a great way to enjoy the crisp October afternoon.
The Claremont Community Church had bought the kids new coats, hats and gloves this afternoon for the upcoming winter months. Knowing the boys had been eager to try out their new things, he’d thought the hike had seemed like a great idea.
So, after assisting all of them with their homework, he’d given each boy a sheet with photos of leaves to find and told them they could don their new winter duds for the adventure, even though the temperature was in the midsixties. He’d planned to talk to them about the different trees God created, about the leaves changing color and about how God gave us seasonal weather to enjoy throughout the year. He’d anticipated this leading into the afternoon devotional, focusing on how, in God’s world, things change. And, more importantly, on how change didn’t always mean something bad.
Since all the kids at the children’s home had gone through tremendous life changes, he’d thought the devotional would be well received. That it would help them deal with their unique circumstances, whether they’d been orphaned, abandoned or neglected by their families.
But once Eli had heard that puppy’s cry, all Gavin’s plans for the afternoon had flown out the window.
Mark Laverty, one of Gavin’s fellow cabin counselors, had taken over today’s activity so Gavin could take Eli and what appeared to be a dying puppy to the vet. Gavin had prayed the whole way here because, of all the boys in his cabin, none had been through as much pain as Eli. And none had touched Gavin’s heart like he had, because he’d lost everything that had mattered in his world...
Just like Gavin.
“Do I have to leave him here?” Eli turned away from the vet to direct the question to his cabin counselor. “I don’t want to leave him, Mr. Gavin. He’s scared.”
The vet, whom Gavin had barely acknowledged until this point, glanced up from where she crouched next to the boy. Gavin focused on the woman who, at this moment, could hurt the child more than anyone else if she didn’t help this pitiful dog. And he wasn’t all that certain of her ability to do so. She certainly didn’t look like any vet he’d ever seen before. She was young, probably a little younger than Gavin’s thirty-one, with vivid green eyes amid a pixie face, pale pink gloss on heart-shaped lips and long blond hair that hung well past her shoulders.
How hadn’t he noticed her before now? And why had he picked today, of all days, to become even remotely aware of an attractive female?
Regardless, he wasn’t ready, or willing, to let his mind start noticing such things as green eyes, glossy lips or silky hair.
Not yet. Maybe not ever.
God, help me.
“Buddy needs to stay here, if you want him to have the best chance...” Her voice drifted off, but Gavin knew where the statement had been headed.
...for survival.
Then his mind honed in on the fact that she’d called the dog by name.
“Buddy?” he asked. Was she familiar with the pup? Did she know the owner? Or whoever had abandoned him?
Eli sniffed. “That’s his name. That’s what you called him when we found him.”
Well, what do you know? Gavin had unintentionally named the pup. He’d merely told the little tuft of fur, whining in a pile of leaves and pine straw, We’ll take care of you, buddy.
And now, thanks to Gavin, they had a “Buddy,” and one that Eli didn’t want to leave behind.
He did his best not to notice that the vet was even lovelier when she looked at the puppy and boy with such compassion. Steeling his heart for her answer, he asked her directly, “Are you able to heal him?” He didn’t want to get Eli’s hopes up if she knew the tiny dog’s chances were slim to nil.
Her cheeks twitched slightly, eyes narrowing the slightest bit.
Gavin noticed.
But he didn’t care.
He wanted an honest answer about the dog’s chances, because he wouldn’t lie to Eli, not about this puppy or anything else. The little guy already had enough tough blows to last a lifetime, and Gavin wouldn’t allow this young doctor to cause him more unnecessary pain.
She looked away from Gavin, her features softening as she placed a hand beneath the puppy’s scruffy chin. “He’s severely malnourished, and it’ll take time to get him back to a healthy condition. He’s undoubtedly been on his own for a few days.” She looked like she wanted to explain further, but Eli emitted another sucking whimper that made her pause and drape an arm around him.
“But, yes, I do know what to do to try and make him better.” The last sentence was delivered to the little boy beside her rather than the man who had asked the question.
Gavin prayed that the woman who sounded so convincing...hadn’t just lied to the kid.
“But I have to leave him here?” Eli repeated, this time his lip quivering through the words.
“So I can take extra good care of him.” She tenderly brushed a tear from his cheek. “Is that okay, Eli?”
“But what if—what if he dies? What if he goes to Heaven, too?” He looked toward Gavin and then back at the doctor. “What if I was too late—again? Like I was too late when Mommy and Daddy died?”
Gavin felt punched in the gut. Last year, the kid, at only six years old, had tried earnestly to save his parents, even after all the adults around him had given up.
The vet bit down on her lower lip and Gavin could tell that she was trying to control the emotions pressing forward at the hint of Eli’s tragic past. And he recognized the same deep sorrow that he felt every time he thought of the way this little boy had been left, all alone, with no one to care for him.
Much like that little dog in the woods.
“I’m going to do my very best to make sure that doesn’t happen,” she promised.
“Can I come see him, though? Like, every day?” Eli shifted the quivering dog to one arm and wiped the opposite red mitten across his cheek to knock the tears away before returning it to cradle the pup. “Can I come after school? He needs to know that I love him. It’s important. I’ll need to show him.”
She blinked twice, held on to that lower lip a long beat before finally speaking. “That would be very nice, and I know it would comfort him to know you care.”
Eli nuzzled the puppy, who had fallen asleep in his arms. “Can I, Mr. Gavin? Can I come see him every day until he’s better?”
“Yes,” he said gruffly, as if any other answer would escape his lips. “I’ll bring you after school, after you finish your homework. But you need to give the puppy—Buddy—to Dr....” He’d noticed her name embroidered on her white jacket, but from this angle, he couldn’t read the script.
“Calhoun,” she supplied, and then she softened that clear, lyrical voice, looked at Eli and said, “or you can call me Miss Haley.”
Haley Calhoun. The name sparked a hint of a memory, something he’d overheard recently, but he couldn’t recall what was said.
Gavin shook the scattered thought away and nodded to Eli. “Now give Buddy to Dr. Calhoun, so she can take care of him and help him get better.”
Eli eased the lifeless animal toward the doctor. “O-kay.”
Her eyebrows dropped, fingers probing gently as she took the puppy.
Trying to divert the boy’s attention from the doctor’s sudden look of concern, Gavin pointed to the schoolbag Eli had dropped near a chair by the door. “Eli, why don’t you grab your backpack and get ready to go? We’ll come see Buddy again tomorrow.”
Gavin’s phone rang and he saw that Savvy Evans, who ran the children’s home with her husband, Brodie, was on the other end. No doubt she wanted an update on the mistreated puppy. He answered, “Hey Savvy, we’re still at the vet.”
Eli halted his pace toward the backpack. “Can I tell Miss Savvy about Buddy?”
Gavin nodded. “Savvy, Eli wants to talk to you.” He gave him the phone and listened as the boy recited every detail, from holding the puppy on the way to the vet to everything Haley—Dr. Calhoun—had said since they’d arrived.
