The Perfect Couple

Kara whispered.

“I suppose we could claim we were quarreling, like we'd planned.”

“Even I wouldn't believe that one, and this story is my invention.”

“Well, what then?”

Kara pulled a face. “I don't know. Maybe we can…”

Just then, Tyler saw everyone else rush out of the house. Mark was pointing at them.

“Go to plan B.” Tyler finished her sentence with a self-deprecating smirk, grabbed Kara and pulled her into a full embrace. As he bent to kiss her, he whispered a warning against her lips. “Hang on. This won't hurt a bit.”

VALERIE HANSEN

was thirty when she awoke to the presence of the Lord in her life and turned to Jesus. In the years that followed she worked with young children, both in church and secular environments. She also raised a family of her own and played foster mother to a wide assortment of furred and feathered critters.

Married to her high school sweetheart since age seventeen, she now lives in an old farmhouse she and her husband renovated with their own hands. She loves to hike the wooded hills behind the house and reflect on the marvelous turn her life has taken. Not only is she privileged to reside among the loving, accepting folks in the breathtakingly beautiful Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, she also gets to share her personal faith by telling the stories of her heart for Steeple Hill's Love Inspired line.

Life doesn't get much better than that!

The Perfect Couple

Valerie Hansen

MILLS & BOON

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Blessed are they that mourn,

for they shall be comforted.

—Matthew 5:4

To Joe, for being a great husband and father and

also being substitute “daddy” to Whiskers, Harry

(also known as Poopsie), Splash, Blackie, Neek,

Gypsy, Dumbo, Essence, Dinky, Duchess, Beans,

Shady, Big Molly and Little Molly.

Thankfully, not all at the same time!

Dear Reader,

There are many decisions in life that can help make the difference between success or failure, health or illness, joy or sadness. But in the final analysis, no matter how hard we struggle or how much we scheme, we're still not in charge of the final outcome. We never were.

Do we always understand why things happen the way they do? Of course not. Maybe that's why it's so easy to get caught up in worrying about our personal problems and forget that we don't have to face any of them alone. Not only does Jesus promise to send the Holy Spirit to comfort us, God also uses perceptive, empathetic people to help us bear our daily burdens. There is no adversity that others have not already successfully overcome, thanks to their faith in Christ.

Sad or happy, our past is a part of us. It never goes away. There's not a thing we can do to change it. But our future is another story. There, we have a choice. We can spend the rest of our days struggling through life alone, or we can reach out to the Lord, turn our lives over to Him, and be assured He will never forsake us.

Jesus is waiting to wrap us in His loving arms and heal our broken hearts. All we have to do is let Him.

Valerie Hansen

P.O. Box 13

Glencoe, AR 72539-0013

CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Chapter One

Kara Shepherd loosed her ponytail and slipped the clip into the pocket of her jeans. Weary, she rubbed the back of her neck. It had been a long day. And it wasn't over. Sighing, she picked up the inventory list and went to work.

Intent on counting the supplies in exam room three, she didn't hear anyone approach. The first hint that she wasn't alone was a light tap on her shoulder.

She shrieked, whirled, her heart thudding. It took only an instant to realize who had innocently tapped her. “Oh, my!” Air whooshed out of her lungs all at once, leaving her breathless. “Susan, you startled me.''

“Boy, no kidding. I thought for a minute there you were going to slug me!”

“Not a chance.” Kara was still working to catch her breath. She managed a smile. “I'd never do anything like that to my favorite sister.”

“I'm your only sister.”

“Good point.” Her grin grew. Mischief lit her brown eyes; the same lovely eyes her sibling had. “But don't push your luck by sneaking up on me like that again. I wanted a brother, you know.”

“And I wanted a puppy. Maybe I should have been the veterinarian in the family instead of you.”

Kara reached out and gave her sister a hug. “I'm glad we're related. You're very special to me. I don't know what I'd have done without you, after—”

“Hey, no sweat. I like working here.” Susan hugged her tight, then stepped away. “Which reminds me. I finished all the billing. I figured I'd stop by the post office on my way home and mail everything. Want to come to dinner tonight?”

Kara wasn't fooled by her sister's overly casual manner. She knew Susan had purposely changed the subject for her benefit, to get her mind off her supposed loss. If only she knew. If only someone did.

Kara felt like a fraud every time she accepted an expression of sympathy. In truth, she was a lot less sorrowful than she should be about losing Alex, and her secret awareness of that fact left her feeling decidedly uncomfortable, especially at times like these.

“Well?”

Susan's voice drew Kara back to the present. “Um, no, thanks. I still have a lot to do here.”

“Like what? Count pills? Roll bandages? Mop the floor?”

Kara chuckled. “Mop? When I have a hired slave like you to do it for me?”

“Yeah, yeah. Rub it in. You always were a pain.”

“Isn't that what little sisters are for?”

“Maybe. If I ever manage to get pregnant and have a girl, I'll know if the problem was all little girls or just you.”

“If your baby's half as nice as you and Mark are, she'll be perfect. Now go on home and leave me in peace.” Kara put her hands on Susan's shoulders, turned her and urged her out the exam room door.

Susan led the way down the hall. “You really aren't coming to dinner?”

“Nope. If I keep you from having any time alone with that handsome husband of yours I'll never be an aunt. Besides, I've had dinner with you three times this week already.”

“You're avoiding the ranch, aren't you? You just don't want to run into Tyler Corbett.”

They had reached the deserted waiting room. Kara unlocked the heavy glass front door and held it open for her sister. “He doesn't scare me.”

“Oh, no. You just hate each other's guts, that's all.”

Kara frowned. “I don't hate anybody.” She paused, sighed. “Not anymore.”

Waving the bundle of outgoing bills, Susan said, “I'm sending him another notice.”

“I told you not to do that. Mark's job as his foreman is more important than collecting on a bad debt.”

Susan shook her head. “Look, Kara, if Corbett fires Mark because of a bill from you…which he owes, by the way…then he's a bigger fool than I thought. Trust me. I've gotten to know the man since we moved into the house on the ranch. I'm sure he's not vindictive.”

“Humph. I wish I could agree with you. The last time I saw him he avoided me like I was his worst enemy.”

“Hey, that sounds like an answer to a prayer to me,” Susan said. “You didn't want to get stuck making polite conversation with him, did you?”

As always, her sister was the voice of reason. Kara patted her on the shoulder. “No, I guess not. Thanks for reminding me who's in charge of my life. I tend to get caught up in other things and forget.”

“You'll be back on track soon, now that you've started going to church again,” Susan assured her. “You'll see.”

“I suppose so.” She brushed a goodbye kiss on her cheek. “Now get going. I don't want Mark thinking I work you too hard.”

“Right. I'll stop by your place and feed your animals for you. See you in the morning.” As she climbed into her car she called back, “And don't forget to eat dinner!”

“I have a brownie in my desk drawer if I get desperate,” Kara shouted, waving. “I'll be fine.”

Watching her sister drive away, Kara locked the door and leaned against it for a few moments, thinking. Remembering. It had felt right to be back in the church in Hardy again after nearly two years' absence. The congregation had been wonderful. They'd welcomed her with open arms, accepting her as if she'd never been gone.

Kara made a derisive sound. Well, most of them had. The lone dissenter had been Tyler Corbett. They'd both been on their way out of the sanctuary one recent Sunday morning and their glances had met by accident. The brief, intense look he'd given her before turning away could have wilted the beautiful flower arrangement in front of the altar!

Working was Kara's favorite diversion. She often stayed long after the veterinary hospital closed, using her job as an excuse to escape the memories that still lingered in her house. The house she and Alex had shared. As his widow she didn't need all the room the old farm in Peace Valley provided but the place was paid for, so she'd stayed. Truth to tell, until she got her practice back on a more solid financial footing, she couldn't afford to move.

She had briefly considered hiring another large-animal vet to replace Alex, while she continued seeing the dogs, cats and assorted other smaller critters, as before. Then her flighty receptionist had quit and she'd had all she could handle to keep up with the office work, until Susan had arrived in Arkansas and volunteered to step into the job. After that, it had seemed to Kara that the practice was just as it should be and she'd abandoned the idea of adding anyone else to the staff.

She sighed. Looking back, it was easy to see that the Lord had been with her, even in the worst days of her marriage. And He was still looking after her.

“Thank you for everything, Father. Especially for sending Susan,” she whispered.

Looking up at the darkening sky through the window opposite her desk, Kara noted gray clouds across the horizon. Evening storms were common in that part of the Ozarks, especially in the spring, but they could be frightening to some of her overnight patients. The dogs and cats were already anxious because they were separated from their owners. Thunder and lightning only made things worse.

“And thank you, Lord, that I'm still here tonight,” she added, heading for the kennel area. A few kind words or even a mild tranquilizer would make the poor animals' night much easier.

She was petting a mongrel with a broken leg when she heard an echoing thud. Assuming it was the beginnings of thunder, she ignored the noise. Then it came again. Louder this time and accompanied by shouting. Male shouting.

Pausing, she listened. The dogs in the kennel runs had begun to bark but she could still make out a few words. Whoever the man was, he had a pretty colorful vocabulary.

Following the sound of the pounding, Kara stopped at the rear door. It was solid wood, not like the glassed-in front of the animal hospital, so she couldn't see who was making all the racket. Unwilling to unlock the door since she was there alone, she called out, “Who is it?”

“Open up,” the man demanded. “It's an emergency.”

“Go around to the front,” Kara instructed. At least that way she could see who she was dealing with and make a sensible decision about whether or not it would be safe to let him in.

He mumbled something unintelligible, then said, “I was already there once.”

“Well, go there again.”

“I should have known I'd get this kind of treatment from you,” he shouted through the heavy door. “Have a heart. It's raining.”

Kara listened. The staccato sound of drops hitting the metal roof confirmed the man's statement. Since the porch where he now stood was dry, he did have a valid excuse for not wanting to circle the building. When she was in the kennel area she seldom heard anything over the uproar of barking and mewing, so it was highly likely he actually had knocked on the front door, just as he'd claimed. Which meant he was probably harmless.

Still cautious, Kara unlocked the door and opened it wide enough to peek out. Her eyes widened. Tyler Corbett? It couldn't be!

She blinked as she combed a fall of hair back off her forehead with her free hand. It certainly was him. And he looked anything but cordial. His jacket was wet, water was dripping off the brim of his cowboy hat, and his scowl was even more pronounced than it had been the last time they'd met.

“What do you want?” she asked firmly.

“A pepperoni pizza.” His tone was sarcastic. “With extra cheese.”

Kara tried to slam the door. The toe of Tyler's boot stopped it from closing. “I don't like jokes,” she told him. “Now go away.”

“Not till you help this poor dog.”

“What poor dog?” She let the door swing open and stuck her head out far enough to scan the whole porch. “I don't see any dog.”

“He's in here.” Tyler looked down.

Kara's gaze followed his. His arm was bent to support a slight bulge on one side of his jacket. When he lifted the fabric away from his chest, Kara could see the dark, soulful eyes of a floppy-eared, nondescript brown puppy.

“Why didn't you say so?” She quickly threw the door wide-open and ushered him inside. “Follow me. I'll have a look.”

Tyler kicked the door closed behind him, took off his soggy hat and reluctantly trailed her down the hall. He hadn't intended to do more than drop off the pup and go home. If he hadn't thought the dog's condition was critical, he wouldn't have brought it to that particular animal hospital in the first place. And he certainly wouldn't be taking any orders from Kara Shepherd.

She moved lightly, with athletic grace, he noted, watching her precede him. Funny. He'd seen her before but he'd never noticed that. Nor had he seen how long and silky her hair was when it was unbound. He'd also never noticed what a take-charge person she could be. About the only times he'd talked to her was when she'd acted as her husband's assistant during veterinary visits to the cattle at his ranch in Ash Flat. She'd seemed more introverted then.

Kara led him to the closest exam room and gestured toward a stainless steel table. “Put him there.”

“He's awful cold,” Tyler said. He dropped his hat on a chair. “And I'm not sure how busted up he might be. I think it's pretty bad.”

His concern brought her up short. So, there was a tender bone in Mr. Corbett's body after all. Well, well. What a surprise.

She reached into a cabinet beneath the supply rack and brought out a fluffy white towel, draping it over the exam table. “Okay. Lay him on this to begin with. If I need to do anything serious, we'll move him into surgery.”

Tyler began to slowly part the front of his coat and lean toward the towel. The puppy whimpered. “I'm afraid to move him much.”

“Here. I'll help.” She circled the table without thought and reached for the jacket, folding it back carefully. There seemed to be more blood on the man's shirt and coat lining than there was on the dog.

Kara took a moment to caress the puppy's face and check his gums for color. Thankfully, they were pink and healthy. He hadn't lost too much blood.

“That's a good boy. I'm your friend, too,” she cooed, sliding one hand along the length of his body and lifting gently. “Come on. That's it. You'll be just fine.”

Tyler leaned toward her, bending over the exam table, and together they maneuvered the injured dog out of the crook of his arm.

Kara continued speaking softly to reassure the puppy as she eased him down onto the towel. “That's good. Almost there.”

“Watch that front leg,” Tyler warned. “I think it may be broken.” He reached out to cradle the tiny bones. Kara did the same. Their hands accidentally touched.

She looked up, startled. Tyler was staring back at her as if he'd never seen her before. “You can let go, now,” she finally managed to say. “I've got him.”

“Right. I was just…” He frowned. “Never mind.”

Well, at least he didn't look angry anymore, she thought, relieved. She quickly refocused on the job at hand. “He's in shock, like you thought. That's why he was acting so cold. You probably saved his life by keeping him warm the way you did.”

“I didn't know what else to do. By the time I found him, he looked like he'd been there for some time. When I picked him up he started bleeding again.”

Kara was swabbing the matted fur around the wounds with peroxide as she assessed her patient. “There's one deep laceration on his shoulder and a few other smaller ones. I suspect you were right about the broken leg. Can't tell yet about internal damage. How was he hurt?”

“I think a car hit him. I found him by the side of the road.”

She nodded. “These injuries are consistent with that kind of an accident. How long have you had him?”

Tyler pushed up the sleeve of his jacket and looked at his watch. “About fifteen minutes, give or take.”

“What?” She froze in midmotion.

“He's not my dog.”

“I see. Do you know who he belongs to?”

“Not a clue. I suppose he was dumped. Lots of folks seem to think that the country is a wonderful place to abandon unwanted animals.”

“I know what you mean. I got three of my own dogs that way. No telling how many others just wandered off and starved to death.”

“Or became a coyote's dinner.”

“Don't remind me.” She shivered. So did the pup.

“Will you be able to save him?”

“I think his chances are good. He's young. That's definitely in his favor. We'll start by sewing up the gash in his shoulder, then X-ray the leg to see if it needs a splint or a cast.”

Tyler raised one dark eyebrow. “We?”

“A figure of speech.”

“Oh.”

“However…” She did need help. And he was handy. There was nothing wrong with having him assist her. Besides, he'd always been disgustingly overbearing. It might be fun to turn the tables for a change, to see how he behaved in a situation where he wasn't the one giving all the orders.

A slight smile lifted the corners of Kara's mouth. She bent over the puppy, letting her long, brown hair sweep across her cheeks to hide her amusement until she could get it under control. “I could give him a general anesthetic instead of a local, but I'm afraid his already depressed nervous system might shut down if I do. That's why I'd rather not operate to pin the leg bones.”

“Sounds logical. So?”

“So, I'll need you to hold him still while I work.”

“I have a lot to do at the ranch,” he alibied.

“Fine.” She straightened, managed to face him soberly. “I'll call Susan to come back in. Even if she's home, it could take her a while to get here, though. I'd rather do what's best for the dog.”

“Which is?”

“Start immediately. You don't have to help. I can always chase him around the hospital with a needle and sutures while he hops along on a broken leg.”

“Very funny.”

“Just making a point.” Kara's smile crept back. Mischief lighted her eyes. “Well?”

Muttering under his breath, Tyler shed his coat and began to roll up his sleeves. “Okay. You win. What do I do first?“

Kara was amazed at how competent her drafted assistant turned out to be. All she had to do was tell him once and he did whatever she said. Correctly. His compassion for the injured little dog was even more impressive.

They had successfully tended to the puppy's wounds, X-rayed his leg and started to set it. As soon as the bones were stabilized the pup had settled right down, exhausted.

Up to her wrists in the slippery solution that was part of the new, lightweight casting material, Kara realized she'd forgotten to pull back her hair and it was getting in the way. She blew it out of her eyes, tossed her head, rubbed her cheek against one shoulder…. Nothing worked.

Tyler was steadying the sleepy puppy, gently stroking its head and leaning close to speak softly to it as if Kara weren't there. “Your doctor's got a problem, kid. Yes, she does. I think she needs a haircut.”

She tried her best to ignore the taunt. A wild hair stuck to the perspiration on her forehead and tickled her lashes. When she tried to wipe it away with her forearm, it whipped into her right eye. Squeezing that eye tightly shut, she wished mightily for a second pair of hands. Hands that didn't belong to smart aleck Tyler Corbett.

“I think she's winking at me,” he told the pup. “Either that or she's making eyes at you.” He glanced up at Kara, giving her a lopsided grin. “Want some help?”

That was the last straw. “Oh, no. I'll just sit here and go blind while my hands become a permanent part of this dog's cast.”

“I take it that was a yes.”

“Yes.” She made a contrite face. “Please.”

“That's better. I hate it when people aren't specific. What do you want me to do? Cut it off?”

“My hair? No!” she snapped back without thinking. His resultant chuckle aggravated her. Of course he hadn't intended to actually cut her hair! How dense could she be?

Kara pulled herself together, helped by the fact that her eye was really beginning to smart. “There's a big clip in the right-hand pocket of my jeans. Use that.”

Hesitating, Tyler raised one dark eyebrow and eyed the slim hips encased in form-fitting denim. “I don't suppose you could hand it to me, could you?”

“Of course not.” Kara suddenly understood exactly what was stopping him and her cheeks warmed in a bright blush. “Tell you what. Why don't you just come over here and hold the hair back for a few minutes. Get it out of my eyes. I'm almost done.”

Tyler wasn't in any hurry to accommodate her. He was still recovering from the bewilderment he'd felt when their hands had touched. Just because he was a widower and Kara Shepherd was a widow didn't mean he was interested in forming any kind of relationship with her. Or with any woman, for that matter. There would never be anyone like his Deanne. She'd been the perfect wife. Practically a saint.

Which meant he'd certainly be immune to any mild charm a prickly person like Kara might have, he reasoned logically. Pulling her hair back for her would be no more exciting than combing the tail of his favorite Quarter horse.

Reassured, he sauntered around the table. “Okay. No sweat.”

“Thanks.” She leaned her head to one side. “It's this eye that hurts. See if you can clear that first, will you?”

Tyler lifted his hand. Hesitated. Discovered he actually wanted to see what it felt like to touch that beautiful, silky hair. Until now, that kind of act had been reserved for his late wife. Transferring those feelings to any other woman was totally unacceptable.