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Typically, Chase thought dogs were dogs. Labrador retrievers were great hunting dogs, but Gus, Nash’s dog, wasn’t the best example of a well-trained Labrador. Though Chase found that Houdini’s light green eyes did hold a certain charm. Even a little bit of magic. “Have you heard from the rescue?” he asked, staying on task.
The receptionist gave a tight smile. “Let me go grab Leah. She wanted to talk to you about that.” She handed Houdini to him over the counter.
Chase held the puppy in one hand. “So sly with the ladies.” The pup licked Chase’s nose, wagging his tail. “I’m not going to like what Leah has to say, am I?” The squeak of the door lifted Chase’s attention to Leah’s soft smile. “You couldn’t find him anywhere to go, could you?” he guessed.
“Sadly, not yet.” She stopped next to the desk, folding her arms. “His medical care is a lot to ask of a rescue. I offered to do the blood testing for free to keep an eye on his levels, but the insulin would have to be paid for out of pocket.”
Not good news. “What exactly does that mean for his future, then?”
Leah’s eyes darkened. “I’m afraid his options are limited. I called around, but I couldn’t find anyone to take him right now. I’ve got three dogs and four cats of my own.”
Chase glanced at the receptionist.
She shook her head firmly. “Nope, sorry, my husband will kill me if I take him home. We’ve got three dogs already.”
“You can take him to the animal shelter,” said Leah, “and hope that someone comes in and adopts him.” She stroked Houdini’s head, her voice softening. “But I suspect he’d end up being put down.”
Chase glanced down at the pup in his arms. “Well, we can’t have that, can we?” Looking back at Leah, he added, “I can keep him at my place a little longer. Maybe I’ll have a chat with my mother and see if she’ll take him in.”
Leah petted Houdini’s ear. “You can’t take him?”
He shook his head. “My life isn’t suitable for a dog, especially one with special needs.” Not with his construction company finally getting off the ground. “I’m not home enough. It’d be unfair to him.”
“Ah, bummer,” Leah said with a sigh. “But it’s good to know your limitations when it comes to these guys.”
Chase agreed with a nod. “What do I need to know for now?”
“That shot of insulin I gave him last night was perfect,” Leah explained, crossing her arms again. “For now, he’ll need to get one shot of insulin daily and keep on that feeding schedule I gave you yesterday. You’ll need to bring him in tomorrow, and he’ll stay the day here, so I can continue to test his blood, but we should be good after that until next month.” She scratched Houdini’s head, then said, “Again, I’ll do the testing for free. That’s my gift to this sweet boy.”
Chase gave the dog in his arms a quick look. “You’re one lucky pup.”
Leah smiled. “I’ll keep calling around to more fosters over the next few days until there is no one else to call. I’m hoping I can find a family that has another diabetic dog.”
“Sounds good.” Houdini barked, and Chase chuckled. “And we’re boring him, apparently.”
“Seems so.” Leah took the plastic bag from the receptionist, offering it to Chase. “Here’s his insulin, needles, and the sharps container to dispose of the needles. There’s a pamphlet in the bag from the Department of Public Health and Environment on what you need to do on trash day.”
“Great.” He accepted the bag. “You’ve got my credit card number from yesterday to charge the bill?”
Leah nodded. “Just wanted you to approve first.”
“I approve.”
“Terrific. We’ll get you a receipt for that tomorrow. As for his schedule, I’ve got everything written out for you on a piece of paper in there”—she gestured at the bag—“but so you hear it from me, you’ll need to feed him two-thirds of his food right when you wake up. Make sure he’s feeling all right and acting normal. If everything seems fine, then administer the insulin injection. His next meal will be six hours later. Make sense?”
“Yup, got it.” He paused, catching onto something else too. “Is it a coincidence that you had all this ready for me?”
“I am certain I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Leah said with a sly grin.
Chase laughed. “Same time tomorrow morning, then?”
Leah nodded.
“That will do. Bye, Houdini.”
With the bag and puppy in hand, Chase headed out the door, running straight into a familiar face.
Joel Breckenridge, the general manager for Breckenridge Construction, had been a close friend of their father’s for as long as Chase could remember. He had also been Chase’s mentor and employer for the past ten years during the spring and summer. While Chase worked the ranch during the fall and winter, since Joel’s business was slower during those months, he made sure to hone his skills and learn what he could from Joel and his crew. Everything he knew about construction was because of this man.
