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“Our local vet will be stopping by to take a look at Fergie,” Mack said in between bites. “I have a friend bringing you a work table for your art room, too. He should be here around noon.”
All Roe really wanted was a quiet morning of reading and sketching. His fingers were itching to draw Mack from the back—maybe with the man looking over his shoulder, his blue eyes full of life. If only Roe could get the man to stand still long enough for him to get the lines right.
“I have security people coming by to put in a new system,” Wally said, his own plate already clean. “I’ll be with Roe the whole time if you need to work, Mack.”
The older man grinned. “I want to help Roe get settled, and I have a lot of PTO to use. We’re actually hiring a few more people right now, so I have applications to look through. I can do that from here.”
Roe rolled his eyes. “I’m a grown man, you know.” His frustration softened as he noticed how easily Mack and Wally blended in with his family. “Thank you for arranging for everything, Ian. You too, Wally. I really do appreciate the two of you.”
Mack scooped another pancake onto Roe’s plate. “Don’t thank me yet. Doc Grover will likely try to get you to adopt some pet, and the Wilsons now know you’re in town. I’m not sure it’ll be a peaceful day for you.”
“I’m really notsure we need guinea pigs,” Roe said, holding two extremely fuzzy guinea pigs against his chest. They wheeked gently, and the black-and-orange one crawled up onto his shoulder.
“Oh, I understand,” Doc Grover said, smiling kindly as he stroked Fergie’s head. “It’s just that they’re a bonded pair, and I’ve had no luck adopting them out together. I guess I’ll have to separate them.”
“Well,” Roe said, petting the piggies. “I wouldn’t want them to be separated.”
“Fergie here likes them, too,” Mack said, taking the white-and-brown one and setting it next to Fergie. “Look, he’s not even trying to eat it.”
Roe arched a brow. “I’m not sure that means that he likes them.”
Fergie whined and licked the guinea pig’s head.
“Okay, that was cute.” Roe chuckled. “I guess we have two guinea pigs now.”
Doc Grover stood and grinned. “Wonderful. I’ll get their cage and food from the car. They’re actually litter trained, if you can believe it.”
“Okay?” Roe patted the piggy on his shoulder and watched Doc Grover practically skip out the door. “Ian, I think we just got played.”
“I warned you.” Mack shrugged and pet Fergie and the other piggy. “You should name this one Pepper and that one Carrot. Benji would like that.”
“You are no help at all.” Roe laughed and leaned back in the comfortable chair. Mmrr watched them from under the couch. They would have to keep an eye on her and the guinea pigs until they knew how she would react.
“Doc does this all the time.” Mack laughed. “The only reason I’ve escaped being conned into a pet is because I’m at the station so much. I have a feeling that will change. Next thing you know, he’ll say Mmrr needs a new friend since Fergie and the guinea pigs are all friends.”
Roe chuckled. “Don’t tell him this, but I love it. Doc Grover seems really nice, and he clearly loves animals. Anyone who takes the time to find strays the perfect home is deserving of a little leniency.”
“I will definitely not tell him that.” Mack shuddered. “Remind me to introduce you to Cain’s brother, Carter. He literally can’t say no to Doc. Now, he has a barn full of animals.”
Roe yawned and pulled Carrot off his shoulder and to his chest. “Do you think this guinea pig will poop on me if I try to take a nap with it?”
“Probably.”
“I’m too late,” Wally said, coming into the room. He chuckled as he moved to kneel next to Roe’s chair. “Mack’s vet friend already got you.”
Roe smiled sleepily. “Yep. Meet Carrot and Pepper.”
“Cute.” Wally smirked and shook his head. “I had a guinea pig when I was a kid. Damn thing was the most demanding fuzzy potato I’ve ever seen.”
“Hey, Sheriff, can we come in?” someone asked from the front door.
Wally’s eyes narrowed, and he stood quickly.
“Friend, not foe,” Mack said, patting Wally’s shoulder as he passed him. “Come on in, Harper.”
“Your friend with the table?” Wally asked, still hyperaware of the two strangers coming inside. One was a young man with brown hair, and the other was an older man who was maybe in his late sixties or early seventies. They carried a cute cedar table between them.
“This is Harper Wilson and his grandpa, Gerald.” Mack moved to help them with the table.
