Mistletoe Not Required Page 9

  “It’s good that you made a declaration about relaxing. Really sets the chilled mood I was going for.”

  “I’m glad I could help. We’re chilled, and now it’s time to warm up. Go get my coffee and cinnamon roll you promised me.” I slide into the seat of an empty table and wait for Hunter to return with my goodies. My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I know there’s only one person it can be.

  Amelia: How’s your all-day date going?

  Me: Fine.

  Amelia: One-word answers are inappropriate in this case. Details. Now.

  Me: Rode horses. Kissed. Had a moment of rekindled fire. Flames quickly extinguished by reality.

  Amelia: Stop looking for what’s wrong with him and enjoy everything that’s right.

  Me: Shut up.

  I can hear her laughing all the way up here on the mountain.

  The thing is, I know she’s right. She knows she’s right. But I don’t really want to admit this to her out loud. I do always look for something wrong so I can get rid of the guy as fast as possible. It’s not like I’ve found something petty wrong with Hunter. No toenail fungus. No finger-like toes. No annoying habits after we kiss. Outwardly, he’s great—as close to perfect as I’ve ever found. Inwardly, I always used to think he was the best guy I knew, apart from my dad, of course.

  When I boil it all down to a single issue, the problem becomes much easier to digest. It’s trust…or a lack of trust, to be more precise. I can’t trust him with my heart anymore. So, I can’t give it to him again.

  With that settled in my mind, now I can relax and have fun. If I don’t let him in my head and my heart, leaving Cringle Cove at the end of our break will be easier than it was the first time. I won’t be nursing a heart that’s been smashed into a million pieces this time.

  Hunter approaches the table with two large mugs and two plates with enormous cinnamon rolls on them. The steam from the mugs and the warmed plates mix, setting off the sweet aroma and making me practically drool in anticipation.

  “Mmm, that smells so good.” I stand to help unload the treats from his hands. We dig in with our fingers, ignoring the strange looks from the people around us when we smack our lips in appreciation. “I guess it’s a good thing I don’t live here. I’d be as big as a barn with these available year-round.”

  “Nah. We’d keep it worked off of you one way or another.” He waggles his eyebrows at me while opening his eyes as wide as possible. That goofy move always makes me laugh. “By the way, we have a small change in plans. Chad called a few minutes ago. He said one of the horses on today’s ride threw a shoe, so they need to use my horse for the trip back down the mountain. We’ll drive his car today, and tomorrow I can ride Jet back down the trail to my barn.”

  “Sounds like you’ve got it all worked out. But, for the record, if you’re trying to get rid of me early, you don’t have to make up such an elaborate story. Just take me home, and we’re good.”

  “I’m not trying to get rid of you early, and you’re not getting out of spending the day with me. A deal’s a deal, Mal.”

  “I’m just saying.” I shrug my shoulders casually, conveying I’m fine either way. I’m not, but I’ll make sure he believes it no matter what.

  “So am I.” He looks at me pointedly, and his point is taken.

  “Fine. Have it your way. What’s next on the agenda?”

  “Tell me the rest! What else did you two do yesterday?” Have I mentioned Amelia is very demanding?

  “Where was I? Oh yes, the horse threw a shoe. Then we took Chad’s car and parked on Main Street. We walked up and down the street, window-shopping like tourists. We stopped and listened to the choir singing Christmas carols in the church. We ate junk food all day. Then we went to the Christmas play and drove around the lake to look at all the Christmas lights and decorations on those houses.”

  “You make it all sound so exciting. I’m thrilled to death listening to you go blah, blah, blah. Could you be more boring right now?”

  “Fine. You want to hear the juicy stuff? Then let me get right to the point.”

  “Finally! It’s about damn time. Tell me!”

  “After the play and the drive, he took me back to his house. I never saw it when we were at his barn yesterday morning. Meli, it is absolutely stunning. He built an enormous log cabin up against the mountain. It sits behind a grove of white pines, so it’s completely secluded from the rest of the world. It has a huge front porch. The kitchen is to die for—and oh my God, the bathrooms!

  “I don’t know how many acres he has, but it’s a lot. I sat on the front porch swing, bundled up in a blanket and drinking hot chocolate, just watching the snow fall. I’d forgotten how beautiful the snow can be. I know that’s because I never see it anymore, but his place could be in a Norman Rockwell painting.”

  “This whole town could be, Mal. It’s gorgeous here. And you miss it more than you’ll admit. You miss Hunter a lot. Like, a lot, a lot. You only wish you didn’t.”

  “What if you’re right? It wouldn’t change anything. We can’t change the past, and the future is already mapped out. My life plans don’t involve moving back here after graduation.”

  “I ran into the principal for the elementary school last night.”

  “How do you know you met the principal?”

  “Chad introduced me to her. She’s very nice.”

  “Good for you and Chad.”

  “We started talking, and I mentioned you were graduating with a degree in early childhood education in less than six months. She was very interested in talking to you about a position. One of her teachers is having a baby just before the end of the school year and doesn’t plan to return after maternity leave. How many of our classmates can say they have a job waiting for them as soon as they graduate?”

  “You know how much I hate it when you are all logical and sensical.”

  “Well, you are welcome to stew on it all day while I’m off with Chad. I’m not crashing his family’s Christmas Day festivities when I just met him this week, but I will totally hijack him Christmas Eve for our own festivities. Later, Mal.”

  “Later, hussy. Have fun with Chad.” I wink, letting her know I’m joking.

  “Oh, don’t even go there.” She waves goodbye and walks out the door with such a spring in her step, I’d swear she bounced.

  Dad walks into the den and sits down across from me. He picks up the newspaper and starts reading it. I swear, I think he’s the only person I know who still gets the newspaper delivered to his home instead of just reading the news online.

  “You’ve been spending a lot of time with Hunter lately. Something going on there I need to know about?”

  “Not really. We’re just old friends catching up on everything that’s new in our lives. That’s about it.”

  “If you say so.”

  Before I can retort, Dad’s phone rings with the distinctive tone alerting him to an emergency call. He picks it up before the first ring even finishes.

  “Dr. Conner. Yes. How’s his breathing? How long ago did this happen? Can you move him? Okay, meet me at the office as soon as you can. I’ll be waiting there for you.”

  He jumps up and grabs his jacket from the coatrack. “Mallory, I need you to come with me. Call your mom on the way and tell her to meet us at the clinic. I’ll probably need her help with surgery. A friend’s dog was hit by a car a few minutes ago. From what they said, he’s not in good shape.”

  I grab my coat and rush out to the car with Dad, fumbling with my phone to reach Mom. This is why I can’t do what they do. If I lost that dog, I’d be an emotional wreck for days. They understand they can’t save every animal—they do the best they can with what they have to work with. But I’m not made like that. Adrenaline doesn’t make me work better—it makes me drop my phone and dial wrong numbers.

  “Mom!” I finally reach her and relay the message from Dad while he drives, weaving around one car after the other on our little two-lane road in our two-red-light
town.

  We rush inside, not knowing how soon they’ll be here with the injured dog. Dad changes clothes for surgery, and I turn on all the lights, sterilize my hands, and make sure all the instruments they’ll need are ready. Dad joins me in the surgery area and helps finish the last of the preparations before we hear the bell over the front door.

  “Dr. Conner?” a frantic voice calls down the hall, so I rush out to help him as much as I can. An older man is carrying a large chocolate lab wrapped up in a blanket. The man’s eyes are red-rimmed and his face is splotchy.

  “Dad’s in the back getting ready for you. What’s your dog’s name?”

  “Bear.”

  “Go ahead and bring Bear back here. We’ll take good care of him.”

  Dad steps out from the surgery room. “Right here, Sam. Let’s put him on the table then we can take a good look at him.”

  A few seconds pass before I hear the jingle of the front door opening. “Mallory? Pete?”

  “Back here, Mom.”

  She goes through the same sterilization procedures as Dad then joins him in the surgery room. Dad is taking X-rays, and I know what comes next—prepping Bear for surgery. I really don’t want to be around for that, but I won’t leave them to handle the worst part alone. Add to that, Bear’s dad is really distraught, so I couldn’t leave him alone even if I wanted.

  “Sam, he needs surgery right now.” Dad goes into the explanation of an internal bleed that needs to be stopped right away and a broken leg that needs to be set and secured with screws.

  Sam just nods his head, barely able to speak. “Do what you have to. Please just save him.”

  Right there—that’s all it took for tears to spring to my eyes.

  “Come with me, Sam. Let’s go wait out front together so Mom and Dad can work on Bear without us interrupting them.”

  “Okay. My wife will be here in a minute. She had to take the grandkids home. They were pretty upset too.”

  “We’ll wait for her together.” I wrap my hand around his elbow and walk with him down the long corridor. I know a little of how he feels—I want Bear to be okay too. Soon his wife joins us, and they talk quietly among themselves about how the grandkids are doing after the trauma, how Bear got away from them while chasing his ball, and how they wish they could go back in time and just change that one thing. That one awful moment.

  I can relate.

  Chapter Twelve

  Hunter

  “Hunter, I hate to bother you today, but I think you’d better come up here. One of the sleigh horses seems colicky. I don’t think we can wait too much longer to treat him.”

  It’s Christmas Eve. And I’d planned on spending the evening with Mallory, although I haven’t told her yet. I wanted to surprise her with a quiet, romantic, candlelit dinner at my place. Maybe a stroll in the snow. Definitely pick up where we left off the other night.

  Instead, I’ll probably get to spend tonight in a barn, caring for my horse and making sure he’s better by morning.

  “You’re right—we really can’t wait if it’s truly colic. I’m leaving right now, so give me about fifteen minutes.” I hang up with the wrangler on duty and throw on my coat. I’m probably facing a very long night.

  Before leaving, I pour the entire carafe of coffee into an extra-large thermos and grab a few snacks from the pantry just in case the cupboards are bare in the barn office. When I step outside, the frigid air cuts right through me, as expected for this time of year, but the slivers of ice in the air are new.

  And unwelcome.

  I double-time it up the mountain, my lead foot serving its purpose today as I race to the barn. If that 2000-pound draft horse does have colic, it could mean life or death for him. And it means he’s in a lot of pain right now. Time is of the essence, and I’d rather be safe than sorry when it comes to my animals.

  With the number of horses and pets my family has, the local vet’s office is on my list of favorites in my phone. After a few rings, Pete picks up the phone—surprising me since it’s Christmas Eve and I thought I’d have to go through the answering service to get him on the line.

  “Hey Doc, it’s Hunter. Listen, I’m sorry to bother you today, and you must already have an emergency case there if you’re in the office, but I may need your help up at Santa’s Village.” I relay the information my wrangler gave me and practically beg him to meet me as soon as possible.

  “Hunter, you know I’m more than willing to help you, but we have our hands full here right now. Jackie is still in the operating room with Bear. He was hit by a car, and everything is touch and go at the moment. I actually just stepped out to give Sam an update and knew this call must be another emergency.

  “Mallory is here with me and helped until Jackie could get here from my mother’s. Mallory has watched Jackie and me work with animals all her life, and she definitely knows horses. She’ll know if this case is more than she can safely treat. If you trust us, I can send Mallory up there right now with all the essentials.”

  “Yes, absolutely. I trust both of you, and I’d be very grateful if she can meet me and help. Thank you so much, Pete.”

  “No need to thank me, Hunter. Mallory will be there as soon as she can, and I will call and check in on your horse when we get Bear stabilized.”

  We disconnect, and even though I’m still very concerned about my horse, the heaviness in my chest is relieved somewhat knowing Mallory will be with me. Pete was right about her—she has watched her parents work their magic with sick animals all her life. All I can do now is hope we’re not too late to save him. The nearest horse surgery center isn’t close to our little town at all, and I’m positive they’re closed for the holidays.

  My truck comes to a sliding halt outside the barn, and I rush inside to assess the situation myself. When I reach Blue’s stall, I find him pawing the ground and biting at his side. His food remains untouched, all obvious signs the big guy is in pain. He sighs and shifts on his feet at the same time, telling me he doesn’t feel good at all in the only way he can. I step inside the stall and slip the rope halter over his head before connecting the lead rope.

  “Come on, Blue. Let’s go for a walk and see if that helps at all.”

  “That probably won’t help him.” Mallory approaches from behind me with a duffel bag full of supplies. I’m instantly grateful she came overly prepared for the task. “Walking a horse with a mild case of colic may temporarily distract him, but it mainly just makes the owner feel better by thinking they’re doing something more than simply watching their animal in pain.”

  “I still say you should’ve been a vet, Mal. By all means, tell me what we need to do to help him, then.”

  She takes the lead rope from my hand and walks him back into the stall. “You’re a big, handsome guy, aren’t you? I’ll take care of you—don’t worry.”

  She speaks to him in a calm, soothing voice, scratching his neck and giving him time to acclimate to her presence before she starts poking and prodding him. She’s a natural with animals, especially horses. She understands them, and they sense her comfort with them in turn. He’s still in pain, but he lowers his head and licks his lips a few times, signaling his submission.

  She pulls the stethoscope out first and presses it against his side. Her brows draw down, and she stands stock-still, listening intently and not speaking. I want to ask a hundred and one questions, but I bite my tongue instead. When she’s finished with that, she finds the thermometer in the bag and takes his temperature next. Then she checks his mouth, looking on the top and bottom all around. Next, she moves to his left side and runs her finger along his bottom jaw then stops and looks at her watch for several seconds.

  “Good boy. Now it’s time for the not so fun part, big guy.”

  “Can you tell me what you’re doing first? You’re killing me here.”

  “Sure. I listened for bowel sounds, and I still hear them, so that is a positive sign. Then I took his temperature—it is slightly elevated, but not in the d
anger zone. Then I checked his gums. They’re still a healthy pink all around. I just finished taking his pulse, which is fast because of the pain. Now, I have to examine him to hopefully tell what type of colic we’re dealing with without having to wait for Dad to come up here. I think I know what it is, but I need to be sure.”

  “How do you do that?”

  She reaches into the bag and pulls out a plastic glove…one that’s long enough to reach all the way up to her shoulder.

  “Oh.”

  “I’m going to insert a gastric tube first through his nostril. Mom and Dad taught me how to do it years ago in case my horse ever developed colic and I had to react in an emergency situation. I’m ninety-nine percent sure we’re dealing with an impaction, but this will help tell us for sure. Hold his head while I guide the tube in—I have to be able to feel where the tube goes to make sure it’s in the correct passage.”

  The twelve-foot-long tube slowly disappears into Blue’s nose while Mallory watches his every reaction with extra attention. She occasionally speaks softly to him, repeating “good boy” over and over. Those are words he’s familiar with, and he understands he’s doing exactly what she’s asking him to do. When she finally stops feeding the tube in, I hear a rush of gas through the tube and immediately detect the sweet smell of grass.

  “Is that a good sign?”

  “Yes, it is. He doesn’t have any fluid built up in his stomach, so that’s a very good sign. Now for the intestinal exam.”

  She sticks her hand into the ginormous glove and pulls the end up to her shoulder. Then she removes the outer sterile plastic covering, revealing the lubricant covering the latex glove. She moves behind Blue, running her ungloved hand along his body to tell him where she’s standing at all times. I watch with a mixture of profound gratitude and morbid curiosity as she performs the exam without hesitation.

  “You’re such a good boy, Blue. We’ll make you feel better in just a minute, buddy.” She disposes of the glove and walks out of the stall. “Stay there with him. I need to wash my hands and call Dad to give him an update. I’ll be right back.”