Page 24 of Clearly Charmed

This was why I’d hired her the second she came in to interview two years ago. She was barely out of high school then, but she was organized, good with the owners and had an even gentler heart than me, which was evident by the four dogs and three rescue cats that lived with her in the small house she shared on the outskirts of town with her boyfriend, Stewey.

‘Indy got activated charcoal and a lot of IV fluids. I watched him for several hours into the night. He was doing better yesterday morning, and I released him to Bryce.’

Bree arched a dark-brown brow. ‘I’ve worked for you for nearly three years, Dani. You’ve never let an owner stay here during an emergency. You always say it’s a firm and fast rule that owners distract their animals. That they need to be apart to rest.’

It was my rote reply anytime an owner begged to stay. But there was something in the way Bryce’s voice trembled, how he looked like he was losing his best friend, that made me let him hang around and help. It was a decision I was still regretting.

‘Indy,’ Jessa blurted out. ‘I like that name.’

‘He’s a good dog. Bryce told me yesterday afternoon that he’s recovering nicely.’

‘Wait, you saw this Bryce guy twice in one day?’ Jessa asked.

‘Yeah, he came into Drip! Drip! Hooray! when I was there with Aster and Lia.’

‘It didn’t take him long to find the best coffee spot in town.’ A hint of respect crept into Bree’s voice.

‘It’s my fault I didn’t pick up the blankets. Didn’t mean to worry you, Bree.’

‘Just glad it wasn’t some kind of break-in,’ she said.

‘In Harvest Moon? Hardly.’ I jumped up from the chair, stretching out my arms and legs. If I was quick, I could get in a hike before sunset.

‘You sure you don’t need anything else?’ Bree asked, giving a quick glance at Jessa and then at the door.

‘Is there something going on tonight I should know about?’

Jessa tucked her chin, and Bree shifted on her heels. ‘Uh, we had plans to see a concert in Vail.’

‘Why didn’t you say anything? Get out of here. I can clean up what’s left.’

‘Are you sure?’ Jessa asked softly.

‘It’ll take at least an hour to get there. Go. I’ve got this.’

Jessa dashed behind the desk and grabbed a mound of papers and envelopes. ‘Here’s the mail, and a few lab reports that came in late yesterday.’

I grabbed the stack from her and cocked my head to the door. ‘Out, both of you. Have fun and get some rest before Monday. Poco is on the books to be neutered.’

‘About time,’ Bree muttered.

Poco was a local stray who’d been adopted by Mrs Chevan a year ago. She was a sweet older woman who had no idea that Poco had gotten at least five dogs in town pregnant over the last eighteen months. It wasn’t until Ernest Potter showed up at her door, red in the face and holding an armful of puppies from his standard poodle, that she realized it was time for Poco’s wild, and promiscuous, days to end.

‘Have a good night,’ they said, grabbing their backpacks and purses and heading out the door.

I threw the deadbolt and headed back to my office. I sank into the chair behind my desk and gave a cursory glance at the lab reports that held nothing concerning. A low ding sounded on my laptop, alerting me to a new email.

The sender’s name sent a chill down my back. I hadn’t seen or heard from Belladonna in two years. My finger hovered over the line to open it. What did she have to say after all this time? My guess: a request for money. It was usually the only reason she popped her head out of the dark hole she’d been hiding in.

The alarm buzzed on my phone, reminding me of the time. Not wanting to think about Belladonna for another minute, I shut down the computer and rushed toward the stairs at the back of the clinic.

Flora panted happily beside me as we climbed the stairs to my apartment. When I bought the building, I had my contractor gut the entire floor, and build out two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a nice galley kitchen with a breakfast bar, and a seating area that could accommodate a tiny bistro table, a large couch and a coffee table.

‘You ready to stretch those legs, girl?’ She gave a sweet bark and followed me into my room. My outfit from last night was still strewn across the floor, and it forced me to think about Bryce. I gathered up the clothes and hated how the scent of him on the material filled all my senses. No matter how good he looked, or smelled, he was off limits.

As I dumped the clothes into the laundry basket, I pushed away Aster’s prediction about him. Years ago I’d accepted that I’d spend my life alone, and Bryce showing up, no matter what color Ast saw in him, or what he could do with that spectacular mouth, was not going to change that.

Chapter Nine