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In a little bit. As much as it surprised him, he was excited about working at The Country Vet. Coming to Celebration hadn't been an easy decision. His love for his grandparents had been the motivating factor. There wasn't much in this world he would deny the people he loved. But, if he was being honest with himself, he'd considered working at the Country Vet as a slight punishment. Going back to a hometown his family had fled from in the shadow of scandal hadn’t appealed to him. He'd spent the better part of two decades avoiding it. Now, for the first time, he was looking forward to this new adventure and to reconnecting with old friends. And Eden. He couldn't deny he was curious to peel back some of her layers and discover who she was as a person. She intrigued him.
As he walked towards Lou's truck, a tight feeling banded around his chest. It nudged at him, giving him an unsettled feeling. For whatever reason, he didn't feel like the same person who'd trudged through the sleet and ice last night. He wasn't certain what was going on, but he knew with a deep certainty that it had everything to do with the lovely and enigmatic Eden Lassiter.
**
After getting her father settled with breakfast and checking in again on Daphne and her brood, Eden made her way into town. Thankfully, last year she'd invested in a truck with four- wheel drive. Living outside of town required her to drive the ten miles or so in order to get to the Country Vet. The roads weren't too bad considering the ice storm that had wreaked havoc the day before. The warm temperature and the sun's rays had thawed the ice, making the driving conditions bearable. Eden felt very grateful since she hated white knuckle driving in hazardous conditions. Once she reached the Country Vet she parked in the side lot, appreciating the sand that had been placed over the thin sheet of ice in the lot.
The Country Vet was a light blue, Victorian style home with white shutters and a wraparound porch. In Eden's opinion it was the best looking business in town. Vicky had purchased the home from the estate of the town's former librarian, whose family had owned the home for over fifty years. With a lot of hard work and determination, the Shepards had transformed a run down, crumbling home into an eye-catching establishment, Celebration’s only vet's office. Every time Eden walked through the doors she felt very fortunate to be able to work in such a wonderful, homey environment.
Out of nowhere, a nervous butterfly fluttered low in her belly. She placed her hand over her belly, urging herself to calm down. What did she have to be nervous about anyway? The Country Vet was her home away from home, a wonderful place where she was truly in her element. This year Vicky had decked the place out in all kinds of Christmas decorations. It practically made Eden’s head spin. On the front door sat a large pine wreath decorated with little elves and reindeers. Every time Eden saw it she couldn’t help but smile. A small Christmas tree—fully decorated—sat in the waiting room. Once Eden plugged it in the lights would be flashing like crazy. Little angels sat on the window ledge while a smiling snowman graced the wall.
Eden had barely opened up the office doors before one of the practice's best customers came crashing through the doors. Merry Jackson, one of Celebration’s liveliest residents, walked towards the counter with the force of a Category five hurricane. A tall woman with striking features and a flair for wearing bold colors and loads of jewelry, Merry always knew how to make an entrance.
With tears in her eyes, Merry said in a breathless tone, “I know I don't have an appointment, Eden, but something's wrong with my baby.” Jingle was the most adorable Hedgehog she'd ever seen in her life. With big brown eyes and an endearing face, she was unforgettable. According to Merry, there was always something wrong with Jingle. Since Merry didn't have any children, Jingle was her enti
re world. “She started feeling poorly yesterday, and since the office was closed I had to wait the storm out. Thank goodness you've opened up your doors today.”
Eden reached out and nuzzled Jingle's face, careful to avoid her sharp quills.
Although Jingle was delightful, hedgehogs weren't the ideal pet, something Merry refused to acknowledge. Merry peered behind Eden, her expression betraying her anxiety. “Is Shep here?”
Most folks in town called Vicky by her nickname “Shep” rather than her given name. “No, I'm sorry, Merry. Vicky's hip surgery was moved up because she's been in a lot of pain. Her grandson will be replacing her during her recovery.”
Since Brady's presence in town was a few weeks premature, she was going to have to explain his presence to all of their clients. Most, she assumed, would be understanding about Vicky's medical situation.
Merry's eyes widened at the news. “Grandson? Do you mean Brady?” Eden stifled a smile. Merry Jackson was somewhat of a town busybody. Although well meaning, she was known as a chatterbox. And she loved to spread stories all over town.
“Yes, Dr. Brady Shepard now,” Eden said, making sure Merry knew he was a veterinarian.
“I heard he became a veterinarian just like his Grandma.” Merry shook her head.
Eden should have known Merry would have already known
that tidbit of information. The woman must walk around Celebration with her ear to the ground.
Merry continued to prattle on. “Haven't seen that boy since he was a young un.” Merry leaned in and began speaking in a loud stage whisper. “Brady and his family left town quicker than a shake of a lamb's tail under very questionable circumstances. Plenty of tongues were wagging about that, let me tell you. From what I heard Brady's mother stepped out on his father.”
Eden frowned, not enjoying the petty gossip about Brady's family. The Shepard family had always been good to her, particularly Vicky and Tom. The very idea of people gossiping about their offspring rankled her. It was small and mean spirited. She had no use for it. And it wasn’t in keeping with the spirit of the season.
“Merry, I don't like to speculate about other people's lives. And I won't have anyone talking about the Shepard family like that. They're good, kind people. And Vicky and Tom have done so much for me.”
Merry’s mouth opened and she blinked a few times. With a nod of her head, she said, “I didn't mean to insult the Shepard family. Just repeating an old rumor.”
She held up her hands. “I don't want to hear anything like that, especially not in their very own establishment. Please take a seat until Dr. Shepard gets here.”
Appearing mollified, Merry headed towards the couch, cradling Jingle as if she were a newborn. A slight creaking sound had Eden turning her head towards the back office. Brady stood in the crack of the doorway, slightly obscured from view. He must have arrived a few moments ago and entered The Country Vet through the unlocked side entrance. Heat swept across her face at the realization that he'd heard every word Merry had uttered about his family. His mouth quirked and he bowed his head in her direction, silently mouthing a thank you. She nodded back in his direction, acknowledging his presence. She quickly turned to the file cabinets and grabbed Jingle's chart, then headed toward the back office so she could hand it over to Brady.
When she knocked on the office door and Brady yelled for her to come in, Brady was sitting on the edge of the desk, looking around the office with the glee of a small child. “I can't believe this place still looks the same,” he said. “I used to love coming down and visiting Vicky at work when I was a kid. And I shouldn’t be surprised at all of the holiday decorations.” He let out a chuckle. “She really enjoys making everything look festive.”
“I remember those visits. I think I tagged along a time or two,” Eden said. Tagging along on an occasional visit to The Country Vet had been the catalyst in her love of animals. Watching the tender love and care exhibited by Vicky Shepard had shown her the path towards a career in veterinary medicine. And even though she'd gotten sidetracked for a few years, her dream had come to fruition when Vicky hired her to work at her place.
“Hey, I remember that,” Brady marveled. “You brought a broken winged bird in here that one time.”
Broken winged birds had been her specialty. She'd brought in more than a few for Dr. Vicky Shepard to patch up. Not once had Vicky turned her away. And even when Brady hadn't been around she'd brought any stray animal she could find over to the Country Vet. There had always been something about this place that drew her in like a moth to a candle.
She extended Jingle's folder to Brady. “That's Merry Jackson out there. These are the records for her hedgehog, Jingle. She's feeling slightly under the weather,” Eden explained. “FYI. Merry treats Jingle like her very own child.”
Brady's gaze was steady and strong as he studied her. He raised an eyebrow at her, seeming to challenge her glossing over the conversation he'd just overheard. He really was quite nice looking. With his strong jaw and masculine features, he had a rugged appearance that was softened by his cultured vibe and the rich tone of his voice. “Thank you for defending the Shepard family name,” he said in a sardonic tone.
