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“Momma?”
“Go change, and I’ll get directions.”
Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Kait inspected the framed certificates on the wall. She smiled, so very proud that Ryan had gone after his dreams.
An unexpected lump of sadness welled in her chest. She’d hadn’t been there to share that journey.
Next to his certificate was that of a Lucas Hammond. So there were two vets at the clinic? That was a good thing since it was so busy. She’d watched no less than half a dozen small animals and their owners come in and out of the front door since she arrived.
Kait checked her watch. That had been quite a while ago.
She approached the counter. “Excuse me?”
The receptionist arched her penciled brows while twisting a strand of fuchsia hair around a finger but didn’t put down the cell phone attached to her ear.
“How much longer do you think it will be?”
“That’s hard to say. Dr. Jones is booked solid, and you didn’t have an appointment.”
Kait bit her lip at the accusation but decided against pointing out that the sign outside said walk-ins were welcome. “What about Doctor Hammond?”
“Who?”
“Doctor … never mind. Perhaps you can give me directions to another clinic?”
The door behind the receptionist opened, and Ryan appeared. Head down, broad shoulders slumped, he shoved a stethoscope into his lab-coat pocket and ran a hand through his hair as he checked a ledger on the counter. His guard was down, and Kait was taken aback by the fatigue and something else—discouragement perhaps—that she saw in his stance.
Ryan rarely showed any emotion, instead putting on his happy-go-lucky face for the world. She knew he must have a lot on his mind. Her heart ached, and for a moment she simply stared. How simple it would be to reach out and smooth the worry lines from his brow and give him a hug of encouragement.
With a small sigh, she turned her face away. Nothing was simple anymore.
“Kait? What are you doing here?”
She swung back at his voice.
When he offered a tentative smile, she froze for a moment. He so reminded her of Jenna.
Any trace of fatigue or stress had disappeared, and his smile, however wary, wrapped itself around her. Suddenly she was glad Jenna had convinced her to come to his clinic.
Kait pointed across the room to where Jenna held the kitten; both were mesmerized by the huge tropical fish tank in the corner.
“You have a kitten.”
“Jenna found her. It looks like she was in a tussle.”
“Who? Jenna or the cat?”
Kait swallowed a laugh at his dry humor. “The cat.”
“Ah.” He crossed the room. “Hey, Jenna. Good to see you again.”
She turned at his voice, her face brightening. “My kitty was in a fight.”
He leaned closer to inspect the kitten and then looked up at Kait. “How long have you been here?”
“About an hour,” she replied.
“An hour?” Ryan glanced at the receptionist who kept chatting on her cell, oblivious to the note of disapproval in his voice. “I’m sorry. I can tell you that won’t happen again.” He shook his head. “Let’s go back to an exam room.”
Jenna looked around the small room, her interest focused on the black-and-white framed photographs on the wall. “Oh, wow. This is so cool.”
“They’re all my patients.”
“Even that one?” Jenna pointed to a photo of a lizard sunning on a rock.
“Especially that one. That’s my lizard, Roscoe.”
“You really have a lizard?”
“Absolutely.”
“I love animals,” Jenna said.
“So do I,” he responded.
“Do you like kids, too?”
Ryan chuckled, not the least bothered by the random question from Jenna. He relaxed, open and unguarded as he conversed with the seven-year-old. “Yes. I like kids, too.”
“Do you have any?”
“Unfortunately, I don’t.”
Kait cleared her throat loudly. “Who took all these pictures?”
“I did.”
“I didn’t know you were a photographer.”
Ryan raised a brow in challenge, the caution back in his eyes. “I bet there are a lot of things you don’t know about me.”
Regret washed over Kait, and she turned to the wall, feigning interest in the photos. “So this is your clinic? Yours and Dr. Hammond’s?”
“How’d you know about Doc Hammond?”
“I saw his certificate on the wall.”
“Old Doc Hammond went fishing six months ago and decided not to come back. He says he needs to keep his options open, so there is a slight possibility that either retirement or Mrs. Hammond will drive him nuts and he’ll be back.”
Kait smiled.
“Why don’t you set the kitten on the table, Jenna?” Ryan donned gloves and began to stroke the animal. “Pretty little thing, isn’t she?” He skillfully examined the kitten from head to toe, finally assessing her teeth. Then he pulled out the stethoscope.
“Is she okay?” Jenna asked.
“She’s going to be just fine. This little baby is about eight months old. A little underweight. But your stray is definitely a girl.”
Jenna turned to Kait with a delighted grin on her face. “I was right. She’s a girl.”
Ryan reached for a small machine on the counter. Holding it in his hand, he slowly wanded the device over the cat’s entire body. “I don’t see any microchip, so I’m guessing she isn’t spayed either.”
“What’s spayed?” Jenna’s voice became concerned.
“We do surgery on animals so they don’t have babies. Cats can have a lot of kittens in their lifetime. That’s dozens of homeless, hungry cats.”
“Will it hurt?”
“A little, but I’ll let her stay here overnight. Chris, my technician, will check on her. We’ll take very good care of your little one.”
Ryan grabbed a pump bottle, saturated a few cotton balls and began to clean the kitten’s ear.
“She’s wiggling!” Jenna exclaimed with concern.
Kait reached over to help hold the animal tighter just as Ryan did. His hand covered hers.
Their eyes held.
“Sorry,” Kait murmured. Embarrassed, she slipped her hand away.
Ryan lowered his gaze. “Well, Jenna, looks like the wound isn’t too bad. Probably another cat. I’ll give her antibiotics and put ointment on the ear.”
Reaching to the counter, he grabbed several long cotton-tipped swabs and checked her ears.
“Does she get shots?”
“Yes, a few. Then you’ll bring her back in a few weeks for another shot, and we’ll test her to make sure she didn’t pick up a virus from the bite.”
Jenna nodded as Kait began to nervously tally the cost of today’s visit.
Ryan handed the kitten back to Jenna. “Here you go. Are you ready to be a parent?”
Jenna’s smile widened, and she nodded.
“Well then, congratulations.”
He pulled off his gloves and washed his hands. “Tell you what. You show your kitty the fish tank while your mother and I take care of the paperwork.”
Kait followed Ryan to the front desk where he opened a chart. She noted the strong, mature line of his jaw and the five o’clock shadow on face. In the crisp white lab coat worn over navy scrubs he looked vastly different from the rough-and-tumble carefree cowboy she had known. Ryan had become a man in the years since she’d seen him. Another unexpected pang of regret struck Kait.
“Do you still rodeo?” The question popped out before she realized she’d spoken aloud.
“What?” He looked up, brows knit.
“Rodeo.”
The corners of his lips twitched, and his green eyes flashed as he leaned against the counter. “Ah, rodeo. Don’t I wish? Lately my horse has become a pasture ornament, and my saddle doesn’t even know my name.”
His gaze wandered to Jenna, and he gave a puzzled frown before turning back to the chart, his professional mask back in place. “We’ll do the surgery late tomorrow afternoon. Is that okay with you?”
She nodded.
“If it’s more convenient, you can just leave the kitten here, and I’ll drop her off when she’s ready to come home.”
“Oh, I don’t want to bother you with—”
“It would be my pleasure. Let me do this for your daughter.”
Your daughter.
Kait inhaled sharply at the words.
“All right. Thank you.” She glanced down at Ryan’s scribbles and cleared her throat. “How much do you think this is going to cost?”
“There’s no charge.”
She blinked. “Of course there’s a charge. You examined her, treated her ear, gave her shots and she’s going to have surgery.”
“There’s no charge.” His lips became a firm line, and his taut stance brooked no discussion. “Kait, I’ve never stopped being your friend, even if you don’t believe that. You’re like family. And I don’t charge family.”
Speechless, she searched the depths of his gaze.
“But,” he continued, “we have to talk.”
She took a ragged breath. “Maybe you could stop by the house? I mean, well, I don’t know your schedule or anything.” Kait looked pointedly at his left hand.
“Not married, if that’s what you’re asking.” His expression softened a fraction. “Who’d have a guy who lives at the clinic 24/7, and when he does make it home, he sleeps with two cats and a hundred-pound mutt?”
Kait resisted the very strong urge to respond. Instead, she fiddled with the chain at her neck, struggling for nonchalance.
Ryan raised his brows in question. “And you, Kait?”
“Me?”
“No ring?”
“I’m not married.” She quickly glanced over at Jenna and moved the conversation along. “We have an appointment later today. But Jenna goes to bed at nine. Maybe …”
“After nine, then. I’ll be by,” Ryan said.
