Page 8 of Clearly Charmed

I hitched my thumb back toward the mess in the hallway. He disappeared and a few seconds later the low sound of ‘fuck’ filled the air.

Once he was back through the doorway, he said, ‘I swear he didn’t get sick because of me. This won’t kill him, right?’ He took a wobbly step closer, and white-knuckled the edge of the exam table.

I grabbed his hand. ‘Bryce, do not pass out. I don’t need two patients right now.’

‘Okay, Dr McGuire. I just need a second.’ He took a thick gulp. Focused on our linked fingers. ‘How do you make him better?’

‘The IV will help flush the toxins out of his system. Get him rehydrated. I’m also going to give him anti-nausea meds to help with the vomiting. And you can call me Dani.’

‘What else, Dani? Please, put me to work.’

The desperation in his voice, the fear in his eyes, shook me. I’d usually insist the owner go out to the waiting area, but in this case I knew Indy would do better if Bryce was close.

‘In the cabinet above the sink are extra towels. Grab a few and put them around Indy so we can keep him warm.’

While I got my materials ready, he grabbed the towels and made sure Indy was covered.

‘What can I do next?’

‘Come to the other side of the table and hold Indy still.’

Over the years, I’d dealt with a lot of owners. Most of them treated their pet like a member of the family. A small few were not as dedicated, often balking at the cost for their animal’s care. Then there were owners like Bryce, who clearly made their pet their whole world. That kind of dedication made me want to do everything in my power to give their animals the best treatment possible.

‘Teenagers love certain secluded spots on the ridge, because they can go there and party. My guess is Indy found something they left behind. By the color and smell of what’s in the hall, I’d guess pot brownies. Which is like a one-two punch because of course the weed is bad, but so is the chocolate.’

He murmured another low ‘fuck’ before he said, ‘Sorry about the language, but this really scared me.’

‘Don’t apologize. An animal getting sick can be frightening.’

I went to the small supply closet at the back of the room and returned with a handful of items. Bryce’s gaze narrowed on a long white tube I’d set on the table. ‘That looks like what you use to apply caulk around the bathtub.’

‘It’s activated charcoal. The nozzle helps me get it down his throat. It’ll bind the toxins in the stomach and limit absorption.’

Luckily, Indy was alert enough to swallow. I kept his head at a level position and placed the tube with a syringe-like end into his mouth. Bryce’s intense stare never left me. I squeezed out small amounts to ensure Indy could swallow without choking. After I was finished, I asked Bryce to set Indy on a nest of clean blankets I had waiting on the floor. Flora moved from her spot in the corner and lay beside him, taking her clinic mascot role seriously.

‘I’ll keep Indy here tonight. Do some blood work and monitor his electrolytes. You can come back in the morning to get him.’

His hands stilled in the dog’s deep brown fur. ‘May I… stay a little while longer? I can’t leave him right now.’

I had strict rules about emergency cases and sending owners home so their animals could rest and recover, but for some reason I could not say no to him. It was an odd and reoccurring feeling that was beginning to make me wonder who this guy was, and why he felt so important to my life.

Chapter Four

Present in My Dreams

I moved around the room, putting away supplies and throwing out bits of trash. Bryce studied my every step, his jaw working like he had multiple questions but couldn’t quite figure out how to ask them. It was the same way my ex, Max, behaved when we first met at vet school. It wasn’t so much fear as a sense of confusion, wonder and awe.

I walked to the closet and pulled out a bucket and some rags to clean up the vomit Indy left in the hall.

‘What are you doing?’ he said.

‘Can’t leave that mess out there. My staff would not be happy if they came in tomorrow and found it.’

Before I could object, he pulled the bucket and rags out of my hands. ‘He’s my dog. I’ll do it.’

When he returned a few minutes later, I showed him where to toss the garbage and wash his hands.

Once he was done, he slid down onto his belly and focused on measuring the rise and fall of Indy’s chest.