LITMIR.BIZ

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      In answer, she dabbed at the slice cutting across his palm that still hadn’t stopped bleeding and held a thick gauze pad in place before wrapping a thin dish towel around his hand. Leveling a stern glare at this unexpectedly stubborn man, she announced, “You’re not using this hand until it’s been stitched and dressed by a professional. Period, end of story.”

      “You sound like my mom.”

      “Good, then I must be doing it right.” Tying the makeshift bandage to keep it in place, she grabbed the keys from their hook by the back door. “Now, let’s go. I have plenty of other patients waiting for me at the clinic.”

      In truth, she didn’t know that for certain, but she was hoping that the softhearted farmer’s affection for the animals would nudge him to get moving in the right direction. He didn’t protest any further, which she was grateful for, and they walked out to his truck together. She wasn’t used to dealing with patients who talked back, and it was more than a little unsettling.

      This one surprised her by strolling to the driver’s door and opening it for her. Considering the fact that he was probably miffed at her right now, the gentlemanly gesture made her smile. “Thank you.”

      “Sure. Doc Sheppard’s on Main Street, up a ways from the Oaks Café, right across from the park. It’s a big old Victorian, gray with a red front door and black trim around the windows. You can’t miss it.”

      Armed with those directions, Heather engaged the clutch, dropped the truck into Reverse and stepped on the gas. With a stomach-rolling lurch, the pickup flew backward for several yards before her reflexes kicked in and she managed to slam on the brakes.

      “Not a word,” she cautioned, easing the shifter into first gear.

      He obliged her, but she could almost feel him grinning at her. When she flicked a look toward him, he pulled a sober face that did nothing to mask the humor glinting in his eyes. Deciding to let her irritation go, she focused on moving through the gears on the old truck without shredding the transmission. By the time they got to town, she had the hang of it and parked in a small lot beside a graceful old home with a wrought iron signpost that read Henry Sheppard, MD.

      “I’d love to have my office in a place like this someday,” she commented while they walked to the side door marked for visitors. “The house itself is gorgeous, and he can’t beat the commute to work.”

      “Yeah, it’s pretty nice.”

      Once they were inside, she waited while Josh spoke to a receptionist who looked as if she might have been an original occupant of the stately home. “Hi, Mrs. Sheppard. Is the doc available?”

      Tsking at him, the physician’s wife came around the desk to frown at Josh’s towel-wrapped hand. “Oh, that looks bad. What have you done this time?”

      When he explained, she shook her head with a sympathetic expression. “You poor dear.” Then she turned her attention to Heather, offering a slender hand. “You must be the new vet everyone’s been buzzing about. I’m Louise Sheppard, otherwise known as the doc’s wife. Welcome to Oaks Crossing.”

      Everyone? Heather echoed silently. She’d been here only a few days, and she was already the hot topic around town? In Detroit, she’d been just another face in a very large crowd, so she wasn’t accustomed to being singled out this way. She did her best to summon a friendly smile. “Thank you.”

      “How does your niece like our day care?” the woman continued. “My daughter-in-law Tammy started it over the winter, and she’s thrilled to have another preschooler in the class.”

      “This is her first week there, but she seems to be doing fine. Shouldn’t you be getting the doctor to have a look at Josh’s hand?” she added as politely as she could.

      “Of course. How silly of me to be rambling along when there’s work to be done. You have a seat, and I’ll go let Henry know you’re here.”

      Within a few minutes, a plump woman was escorted into the waiting room by a tall, white-haired man wearing an open lab coat over a navy polo shirt and khakis. “You get that prescription filled,” he told her, “and I’ll be calling you tomorrow morning to see how that cough is. Meantime, get some rest and have your daughter make you that wonderful peach cobbler of hers. Best medicine around,” he said with a wink that suggested he’d sampled the dessert himself.

      The woman thanked him and beamed at Josh, who’d jumped up to hold the door open for her. “Such a good boy. Say hello to your mother for me.”

      “Will do, Mrs. Gilbert. Hope you’re feeling better soon.”

      Covering her mouth with a lace-edged handkerchief, she coughed and held up a hand in farewell as she left. Once she was gone, the doctor turned to Josh with a stern look. “What have you done this time?”

      Heather noticed that he’d repeated his wife’s earlier question word for word, and she wondered how often Josh had been here with injuries over the years. With a sheepish look, Josh unwrapped his hand and stood patiently while the physician assessed the damage. Then the doctor did something that stunned Heather.

      Angling a glance at her, he asked, “What do you think?”

      She waited a beat so her surprise at being consulted wouldn’t come across. “Several stitches will close up the wound itself. The metal was rusty, so if he’s due for a tetanus booster, this would be a good time for it.”

      “My thoughts exactly.” Nodding, he smiled proudly at her as if she were his star pupil. Foolish as it seemed, she felt a sense of pride at having earned the approval of such an experienced medical professional. “Come on back, son, and we’ll get you fixed up in no time.”

      Suddenly, what had been a straight wind began to howl in the eaves of the old house, and Josh scowled at the ceiling. “That doesn’t sound good.”

      “I’ve heard worse,” Dr. Sheppard assured him on their way toward one of two examining rooms. “Just look at it this way—the rain will give you a day off to watch TV and rest your hand.”

      Josh grumbled a reply, but she didn’t catch the words before the door closed behind him. Since she had the keys to his truck, Heather realized that she’d be waiting around until he was finished. So she took the opportunity to sit down and check in with the clinic.

      “Hi, Sierra, it’s Heather. My walk got interrupted by Josh hurting his hand, so I’m in town with him at Dr. Sheppard’s. I shouldn’t be much longer. Do you need anything in the meantime?”

      “It’s pretty quiet here, so we’re focused on those drop-off kittens. Bekah and I can handle things until you get back.”

      When she’d accepted Erin’s job offer, Heather hadn’t anticipated inheriting such an accomplished staff. Yet another pleasant surprise in this picturesque town that she hadn’t even heard of until a month ago. By the time she checked her few emails and responded to a thumbs-up text from Bailey’s day care teacher, Josh emerged from his ordeal with a much thicker wrapping on his injured hand and a lollipop in the other.

      “I was brave,” he explained before popping the treat into his mouth.

      “It’s a good thing you’re built sturdy,” the doctor teased him with a chuckle. “’Cause you sure do take a beating on that farm.”

      As if on cue, a gust of wind banged several of the hinged wooden shutters against the side of the house. Before anyone could comment on the noise, a boom of thunder rattled the air, followed almost immediately by a flash of lightning.

      Then a deafening crack split the air, unlike anything she’d ever heard in her life. Josh’s eyes zoomed in on something outside, and he tossed away his lollipop as he ran from the lobby. “Doc, call the fire department!”

      Following his line of sight, Heather saw what had propelled him to make such a dramatic exit. On the other side of the town square was the old Colonial that housed the day care Mrs. Sheppard was so

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