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“Is that right?” He looked down at her, his eyes pinned on hers. “Just acquaintances, eh?”
She suddenly felt very, very warm. For an acquaintance, Heath was being awfully attentive. “Yeah. It’s been hard. And if Copper isn’t—” She couldn’t finish the thought.
“He’s a fighter. He’ll pull through.” Then, just when she needed a hug most, Heath drew his arm away from her and stood. “Hang tight.” He headed across the waiting room and slipped out the front door.
She should’ve kept her mouth shut.
When Heath had been gone so long she was convinced he wasn’t actually coming back, maybe was gone for good, the vet tech who was doubling as receptionist sidled over. “Nothing new on your pup yet, but goodness. That’s a keeper, that one.” She gestured towards the door Heath had disappeared through.
“Excuse me?”
“Your man, there.”
“Oh, he’s not—He’s just—a neighbour.” A neighbour she’d been way more than neighbourly with…
The woman—Mariah, according to her name tag— raised her brows and sat back on her heels. “You might want to have a rethink, then. I’ve seen the way he looks at you, and my girlfriend was at the food tables and she said the way he sprinted away the second you screamed was true love if she ever saw it. From what else I hear, between him leaping over barriers and plunging into pools, you’ve got quite the hero there. A cute one, too!”
From what else I hear?Lena’s cheeks heated. She knew gossip travelled fast in small towns, but she hadn’t realised she’d made such a spectacle.
The chime on the front door sounded, and Heath came back into the waiting room, laden with M&Ms, Tim Tams, ginger beer, and a bag of rice to dry out their phones.
Mariah tipped her head in Heath’s direction. “I mean… seriously? If that’s not smitten…” The woman backed away.
It wasdark by the time Jake Morgan came out of the treatment room. “Copper’s doing really well. His temperature is stable, his heart rate is good. We’ve given him IV fluids and started his meds. Ordinarily, we’d like to keep him overnight at least, and for maybe another day or two, but…”
“It’s Christmas?” Lena’s heart sank. She had no idea what she would do if something went wrong with Copper again.
Jake nodded. “The clinic is closed tomorrow. The only day of the year we take off. I can refer you to the emergency clinic we partner with, over in Tamworth. But… how do you feel about monitoring him”—Jake darted a glance from Lena to Heath—“yourselves? Taking his temperature every two hours, administering meds, subQ fluids, the like.”
One thing about being a horsewoman, especially on the track, was that she’d done all manner of veterinary procedures—injections, wound care, bandaging. “I can do all that. No problem.”
“Great. Then I think you’ll be fine to take him home. Just know this first twenty-four hours is crucial. You’ll need to keep him in a temperature-controlled environment—”
Heath answered before she could even voice her concern. “My place then, yeah, Lena?”
Her heart did one of its gymnastic backflips.If that’s not smitten…“You’re sure?”
“Yeah. I’m sure. He needs the air con. And we can take turns checking on him.”
Heath insistedon leaving his truck at the clinic and walking back to the park to get her car. Then he insisted on driving her car straight to the farm. “Get Copper’s bed and food and your pink suitcase. Then we’ll go home.”
While Heath kept the car and air-conditioning running, she ran inside the farmhouse. One advantage of having no furniture was that she hadn’t unpacked anything. It was easy to stuff everything inside her suitcase, because mostly it was still in it. All her big luggage was still in her car. When she came back out onto the porch, Heath was there waiting at the steps.
“I’ll take that, luv.” He relieved her of Copper’s bed and her luggage like it was nothing, leaving her to bring the tote of Copper’s things.
When they pulled into Heath’s driveway she was surprised all the Christmas lights were on and twinkling happily.
“Look at you, leaving the lights up, Grinch Guy.”
“I like them.” He said it matter of fact as he leaned into the backseat and scooped Copper out. “Bring Copper’s things and I’ll come back for the rest.”
“Thank you so much, Heath. This is really above and beyond.” If she were honest, she couldn’t remember the last time someone had taken such good care of her, let alone Copper. It didn’t erase the fact that he’d never bothered to answer any of her text messages from the night of Carols by Candlelight, but it went a long way towards making her feel like Heath cared about what happened to her.
Or Copper. Maybe he just cared about her dog. Copper was one hundred percent adorable.
“Glad to do it. That’s what acquaintances and neighbours are for.” He held her gaze, and her stomach lurched. Had he somehow overheard what she’d said to Mariah?
While she set up Copper’s bed and filled his water dish, Heath brought in her suitcase, taking it straight to his bedroom. When he came back out, he went to where Copper lay on the rug and knelt next to him.
