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The door at the other end of the room opened and a female wearing a long, powder-blue lab coat entered. “I didn’t expect to see this handsome guy so soon. Is he not feeling okay after yesterday’s events?”
“You tended to Blaze yesterday?” Isabel stood and approached the exam table, her hand automatically resting on her dog’s midsection.
“I certainly did. He had a nasty bit of steel cable bird-nested around his back legs. Took a little time to cut that free then stitch up some of the deeper gashes he incurred.” The vet smoothed a hand between Blaze’s ears. “He was a real soldier though, weren’t you, boy? So brave.”
Isabel’s throat stung as she once again thought about her dog being injured and her having no clue about it. When a tissue appeared in front of her, she looked up to see the vet offering it to her.
She took it and dabbed at her eyes. “I’m sorry. I just feel so awful he got hurt on his first day in Maplehaven.”
“Well, it’s lucky that Jackson Henley found him.” The vet fanned her face. “Makes a girl want to go out and get some cable wrapped around her legs so she needs a rescuer, you know?”
Isabel did know, but she did her best to bury that knowledge.
“Can you re-examine Blaze to make sure he’s doing okay and give me any care instructions you may have given Jackson?” she asked.
“Sure thing.”
Twenty minutes later, Isabel was back in her car with Blaze and the peace of knowing her dog was going to be fine. The vet hadn’t found any signs for concern and had only remarked about Jackson’s sexiness four more times.
Not that Isabel had been counting.
Okay, she had been counting and each time the vet mentioned how kind Jackson had been or how worried about Blaze he had been or how freaking heroic he’d been, Isabel felt like more of an ass over the way she’d spoken to him last night. She could only think of one way to get that feeling to subside.
Talk to him.
She feared, however, what other feelings talking to him and seeing him again might cause to float to the surface. She’d already noticed way too much about his physique last night in the rainy darkness. Would seeing him in the bright light of day cause her to explode or something?
Didn’t matter. She had to thank him for what he’d done for Blaze. Grandpa had raised her to do the right thing and do the right thing she would.
After settling Blaze back on his bed in the living room, she stopped into the Pine River Cottages main office which wasn’t much more than a cottage that had been outfitted with a front desk, a small waiting area, a wall of tourist brochures, and a back office where Grandpa did all his business-related tasks.
“Grandpa?”
The wheels of a desk chair squeaked then her grandfather filled the doorway behind the front desk area.
“Hey, Belly. How’s Blaze?”
“He’ll be good as new in a few days.”
“Glad to hear it.” He frowned. “Listen, can we do the info dump tomorrow?” He tapped his temple with a pencil. “I want to clear up a few outstanding things business-wise and I won’t be able to concentrate on imparting my vast knowledge to you if I’m worried about these tasks.”
“Sure, Grandpa. No problem. Just promise me you won’t work too hard and you’ll let me know if you need help.”
“Will do, Belly. Will do. I’m actually going to take some stuff back to our cottage to work on.”
“Good idea. Take breaks.” She wagged a finger at him.
“I will. I’ll take breaks to pet Blaze,” Grandpa promised. “What are you going to do right now?”
“Eat crow apparently.” She sighed.
“It tastes better than you think.” Grandpa disappeared with the same squeaky-wheel soundtrack.
How could it taste better than she thought? Apologizing to Jackson Henley was going to be as tasty as raw sewage.
