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They stepped inside a waiting area that was divided down the middle of the large room by a waist-high wall. Lucy noticed one side appeared decorated for the feline patients while the other side was indicated for dogs. She almost yelped when she saw a teenage boy seated on a bench with a python wrapped around his shoulders. She hoped the expression on the snake’s face didn’t have anything to do with hunger.
“Can I help you?” asked a young woman behind the counter. Light-blue medical scrubs decorated with tiny kittens wearing wings and halos covered a large pregnant belly. She smiled at the two of them.
“I’m Nick Donner. I’m supposed to be working here.”
She nodded and pressed down on a button on the phone console. “Gwen, the kid is here.” She looked at him. “The vet tech will be out here in a second.”
“I’m Lucy, his mother,” Lucy said, keeping as much distance from the snake as she possibly could. She transferred her attention to a silvery gray dog that looked like a husky that sat near the woman. What appeared to be a cell phone was lodged firmly between his jaws. She hoped the dog had been fed lately because he looked awfully hungry. Between the python and the dog, she felt like an afternoon snack.
“Nick Donner?” A spritely blonde walked out from the rear. She greeted him with a broad smile. “Hi, I’m Gwen.” She introduced herself to Lucy and then explained, “Don’t worry, Mrs. Donner, he won’t be around anything dangerous. “He’ll be under the supervision of our shelter staff along with Dr. Kincaid and myself.”
Lucy was reassured by the young woman’s matter-of-fact manner. “I’ll be back at six, then. Nice meeting you.” As she made her way out, she determinedly kept her eyes down instead of looking around for Logan Kincaid. With Nick working here for the next six months, she knew she’d be dealing with the veterinarian sooner or later.
She was hoping for later.
NICK FOLLOWED Gwen to the back. She walked swiftly while talking over her shoulder. “The shelter has two regular employees who work a rotating schedule. Kristi is working today. She’ll show you the ropes. I’m sure Logan will come back to see you when he finishes with his patient.”
“Okay.” Nick looked at the framed color sketches of dogs, cats and exotic animals that lined the hallway walls.
“You’re our youngest worker,” Gwen told him as she pushed open the rear door. Barking and feline yowls greeted them as they stepped into the large room. “Just don’t let Kristi scare you off.”
Nick gulped as he entered the shelter. For a brief moment, he wondered if he should have found another way to accomplish his goal. It had seemed so easy when he’d mapped it out to the judge.
“Kristi, this is Nick Donner. We’ve got him for the next six months,” Gwen announced.
Nick stared at the young woman dressed in a midriff-baring black tank top and camouflage pants tucked into Doc Martens. Light danced off the tiny gold ring hooked to one nostril and another bisecting an eyebrow, while a red stone sparkled from her navel. A barbed-wire tattoo circled one slender upper arm. Her short spiky hair was as black as her top. Dark-brown eyes surveyed him with clinical interest.
“You don’t look like the typical juvie Judge Kincaid sends here,” she drawled. “What’d you do?”
“I hacked into my school’s computer system and gave them a whole new set of records.”
She looked impressed. She gestured for him to follow her to the back of the large building. “Cool. Okay, here’s how it goes. You do the dirty work. I supervise. Gwen or the doc handles any medications that need to be administered. Jeremy or I handle the records. That means you keep your paws out of the medication cabinet in case it’s unlocked, which is pretty much never. What you’ll be doing is hosing down and cleaning the kennels. You’ll also exercise the bigger dogs, which means you take them out to the fenced-in dog park the doc set up out back. They can run free out there, but you still have to stay in there with them. Most of them enjoy chasing a ball or chasing you. You have a dog, right?”
“No, we have a cat. Luther.” He eyed one rambunctious German shepherd with a trace of unease. “He’s real old and cranky.”
She shrugged. “You’re a kid. You can handle a dog.”
“Nick Donner?”
Nick turned around to see a tall man with dark blond hair coming toward him. Sunglasses hung from his T-shirt neckline.
“Logan Kincaid.” He held out his hand. “You’re Lou Walker’s grandson, right?”
“I guess you’d call me more a nephew or something by marriage. My uncle is married to Lou’s daughter,” Nick explained, taking his hand.
“And you reworked the school’s computer records which now has you slaving away here.” He shook his head. “You’re going to regret it real fast. Work around here is pretty dirty.”
“Don’t scare him off,” Kristi warned her boss.
“I don’t have to. That’s your job.” Logan looked her over. “New tattoo?”
She glanced down at her arm. “It was time. You can’t see my other one unless I’m wearing a bikini.” She turned to Nick. “Don’t even try to imagine where it is,” she warned him.
“I know it’s hard to believe, but Kristi’s bark is worse than her bite,” Logan told Nick.
“Yeah. Uh, yes, sir.”
“Just call me Logan. We’re pretty informal around here. Do you understand what we do here?”
“You’re a veterinary clinic. You treat sick dogs and cats.”
“That along with treating pretty much any other critter that shows up. We’re also an animal shelter. The county shelter is usually overloaded. This area was growing enough that we needed a more local place for dogs and cats dumped on the back roads or given up by owners. We have a successful adoption program.”
Nick must have looked uneasy, because the doctor gave him an assessing look and said, “Look, if you have a problem with this, I’ll talk to the judge about putting you somewhere else. Just because you’re ordered here doesn’t mean it’s written in stone, no matter what he says.”
“That’s not it. I’m not used to being around dogs except at the Walkers’s and Jasmine’s real low key.” He mentioned Cathy and Lou’s German shepherd. “We only have a cat.”
“Then I suggest you make friends with the dogs first. Don’t worry about them. They’re all friendly and love the attention. Just make sure to read the tag on each door and always greet them by name. Also, if the tag has a warning about biting, don’t do anything with them. Let Kristi or Jeremy handle those animals.”
“Uh, boss.” Kristi held up a broom. “The kid’s got work to do.”
Logan laughed. “Okay, he’s all yours, Kris.” He walked to the front of the clinic.
“Come on, it’s time to earn your keep.” Kristi chuckled. “So to speak.”
She showed Nick how to clean out the first dog run then handed the cleaning tools over to him.
In record time Nick was wielding the hose, a heavy bristled broom and a bucket.
Kristi stood back and observed him at work.
Nick figured he was doing all right since she hadn’t offered any criticism.
“Once the kennels are clean, take the dogs outside to the fenced area. They all play together pretty well, but we only take two or three out at a time. It’s easier to keep them under control that way. We try to give them at least a half hour out there. When they’re all exercised, clean up the area. Right now, we don’t have any puppies and only a few cats. The cats are in what we call the cat palace. You’ll find two litter boxes in there that have to be cleaned.”
Nick nodded. “Okay. I’ll get it all done.”
Kristi studied him. “What are you? Thirteen, fourteen?”
“Thirteen and a half,” he replied. “Have you been working here long?”
“About three years. Old Judge Hard Ass gave me the choice of working here or going to a youth facility. Trust me, juvie would have been easier.” She started measuring dog kibble into metal bowls. “Logan worked my butt off.”
“So you’re under a court order, too?” Nick asked. He hated to think what she had done if she was still working here.
“Nah, I finished up a couple years ago. Logan gave me a real job here. It helps pay my college expenses.”
“Gwen said someone else works here, too,” Nick said.
“That’s Jeremy. We work a rotating schedule. You’ll meet him tomorrow.”
Nick stared warily at a black-and-tan rottweiler sitting docilely by the gate. “Is he friendly?”
“That’s Ginger and she’s a sweetheart, aren’t you, baby?” Kristi cooed to the dog as she opened the run. The dog stood up and greeted her with a slobbering kiss.
LOGAN REMAINED out of sight for a few minutes to see how the two got along. He’d had problems in the past when either Kristi didn’t like her new helper or the helper wasn’t too sure he or she could get along with a young woman who looked as if she just stepped out of a Goth club. Despite her tough exterior, Logan knew that Kristi had a true heart of gold.
He heard Nick speaking to the dogs in a low voice that didn’t show any of the trepidation he’d first shown. He gave the kid credit for not flinching at the prospect of dirty work. He knew Kristi would find a way to make the tasks dirtier than usual. She claimed they might as well find out right off the bat that it wasn’t easy. Seeing that the two were getting along fine, Logan went up front and stopped by the desk.
“Brenda, do me a favor. Would you let me know when Nick’s mother shows up?”
The receptionist nodded.
Logan might not feel he needed another helper, but he might as well take advantage of the situation to see Lucy again.
LUCY PULLED INTO the clinic parking lot promptly at six. She noted a large sage-green SUV parked along the side of the building with a small compact car and a motorcycle parked next to it. When she stepped inside the building, the receptionist was on the phone. She waved her in.
“Go on back,” she mouthed.
Lucy hesitated.
The receptionist covered the mouthpiece with her hand.
“It’s okay. Just go all the way down the hallway to the end door. That leads to the kennels.” She returned to her phone call.
Lucy kept an eye out for Logan as she made her way down the hallway to the rear door. The first thing she heard when she entered the shelter area was her son’s laughter accompanied by a low, rumbling male voice that sent a shiver along her spine. She remembered that voice only too well. The last time she’d heard it had been at a barbecue at the Walker house. Not that she had a problem with the voice. Low-pitched with a slight rumble to it, it was the kind of voice that seduced a woman into feeling safe and cared for, two things Lucy didn’t believe most men could accomplish. No, it wasn’t the voice she was worried about. It was the owner of the voice that prompted her to keep her guard up.
She started to back out through the door, but the two noticed her before she could make her escape.
“Hey, Mom!” Nick called out.
Lucy stared at the dirt-covered lump that had called her Mom. He looked as if he’d rolled in the dirt. She doubted she’d find one inch on him that wasn’t filthy.
“What on earth did you do?” She didn’t think there was enough soap in the world to get him clean again. “Or should I say how much earth did you get on you?”
“Hello, Lucy,” Logan said, looking cleaner than Nick but not by much.
She ignored the tingle starting in the pit of her stomach at the sight of his welcoming grin and brown eyes dusted with gold. “Hello, Logan. I hope Nick did an acceptable job today.”
He looked more amused than put off by her formal tone. “He did fine. For a kid not used to dogs, he handled the pack without any problems.”
“Pack?”
He gestured to the kennels. “I guess you could call these guys my pack.”
Just then a young woman came out back. She stuck out her hand and said, “The kid did great. Hi, I’m Kristi.”
“Kristi’s in charge back here,” Logan explained. “She and Jeremy keep things humming.”
Lucy silently prayed that Nick wouldn’t get the idea that a tattoo or body piercing was a good idea. It had taken a couple months for his self-drawn tattoo, courtesy of a semi-permanent ink marker, to wear off. She’d made him wear long-sleeved shirts any time he had to leave the house.
Her gaze skipped from one kennel to another. It seemed they were all filled with large dogs. Didn’t anyone have a Chihuahua out here in Southern California’s Riverside County?
“I cleaned all the dog runs then took the dogs out to this fenced area in the back where I can run with them,” Nick explained with enthusiasm. “It’s really cool!”
“And did you also roll in the dirt with them?” She indicated his dirty clothing.
He looked down. “I guess this is why you had me wear old clothes, huh?”
Lucy turned to Logan. “He’s safe being alone with these animals?”
“No one’s been bitten yet. And I guess Nick’s had his shots so the animals are protected.” He blew out a low breath. “It’s a joke, Lucy.”
“Yes, I gathered that.” She mentally hated herself for acting so stiff but couldn’t seem to stop herself.
“I have to clean up first,” Nick told her.
“Use the antiseptic soap,” Kristi reminded him.
Nick nodded as he loped off.
“He’s not a typical juvenile delinquent,” Lucy stated almost defiantly.
“I never thought he was,” Logan replied mildly. “I read the judge’s report, Lucy. It sounds like Nick has a knack with computers that will give Bill Gates a run for his money in a few years. I think the judge wants Nick to see a different side of life so he uses his skills only for good and not evil. Another joke.”
“I know that! He’s on the basketball team at school.” Now she sounded defensive. “And he’s worked on cars with Lou Walker since we moved here. He just has too much imagination and sometimes does something before thinking of what his actions might cause.”
“And what have you done since you moved here?”
“I’ve taken kind of a sabbatical from my travel agent job in order to get my house in order. It’s not an easy task,” she replied.
“That’s right, your other house was crashed into or something.”
“The engine landed ahead of the jet,” she said dryly. “Unfortunately, it landed inside my house. Luckily, the jet didn’t.”
“Since you’ve been so busy you probably haven’t seen too much of the area,” Logan surmised. “Perhaps one weekend you’d like to go for a tour.”
“Right now you’re in charge of my son’s community service. I think that’s enough interaction.” She raised her voice. “Nick, I’ll be in the car.” The smile she directed at Logan was patently insincere. It turned more genuine as she looked at the young woman. “It was nice meeting you, Kristi. Dr. Kincaid.” She made her escape.
“It’s Logan,” he called after her departing figure.
Before he could say anything further, Nick emerged, wiping his wet hands on his jeans.
“My mom’s not usually this cranky,” he explained quickly. “I think it’s because I got in trouble. I’d promised I wouldn’t get in any more trouble and then this happened. I think she was afraid I’d end up in jail.” He leaned over to confide, “She kept saying my lawyer looked like Opie, whatever that means.”
Logan chuckled. “I know who you’re talking about. Ritchey Owens does look pretty young to practice law, but he’s good. Besides, the judge doesn’t like to send boys to jail. He believes in a strict work ethic.”
“He just likes you getting free labor,” Kristi teased her boss.
“The judge is your dad, isn’t he?” Nick asked Logan.
“Guilty.”
“You must take after your mom, then.” He shot the vet a grin. “Good night, Logan. ’Night Kristi. See ya tomorrow.”
“Good night, Nick.” Logan turned to Kristi and cocked a questioning eyebrow.
“He did good,” she told him. “He took orders without any arguments. He actually listened to everything I said. Of course, he hasn’t given the dogs their baths yet.” She grinned.
“The ultimate test.” He looked around. “It all looks great. Go ahead and take off.”
She sketched a salute. “See ya on Thursday.” She snatched up a backpack and headed out the rear door. A few moments later the roar of a motorcycle could be heard.
When Logan walked into the reception area, Brenda was shutting down the computer and locking drawers. He looked at her big belly and winced. The fear she might go into labor during working hours had haunted him for the past month.
“I’m out of here,” Brenda announced before breezing out the door.
“Good night,” he called after her.
“Have you seen Beau?” Gwen asked, coming into the room.
He shook his head. “You know how he is when we’re closing up.”
“Come on, you little monster! Show yourself!” Gwen called out.
Beau, a bright red macaw with turquoise and green wings, waddled down the hallway. A flap of his wings bore him up to the counter. He cocked his head to one side.
“Tigger is in his bed, Beau.” Logan held out his arm and the macaw hopped onto it, content that the cat he somehow believed to be his pet was down for the night.
“Magnum,” Beau uttered in his raspy voice.
Magnum was Logan’s Malamute.
“He’s on guard.”
“Like anyone would dare break in here,” Gwen muttered. She eyed her boss. “So that’s Lucy Donner.”
“Nick’s mother, yes.”
“I heard she’s one of the few women to turn you down.” Gwen grinned broadly. “She shot you down again tonight, didn’t she?”
“I didn’t give her any reason to shoot me down,” he defended himself.
“I really like her.”
Logan huffed the exasperated sigh men expel when women think they have the best of them.
“Shouldn’t you be nicer to the boss when you’re due for a raise?” he asked as he set the macaw in a large black wroughtiron cage and secured the door with a lock; the macaw had a habit of escaping.
“I already gave myself a nice one last month. ’Night, boss.” She waved her hand over her shoulder as she headed out the door.
“’Night, boss,” Beau echoed.
“Right, like I’m in charge,” Logan muttered.
Before locking up, he took one last tour of the clinic to make sure all was in order. He was impressed to find the bucket Nick had used rinsed out and hung on its hook on the wall, the broom set back in place and the hose neatly coiled in a corner by the faucet. No trash was left out and covers on trash cans were secured. He didn’t think this was a boy behaving himself because it was his first day working here. He was positive Nick had acted like himself that day.
“I wonder if Dad would consider giving him to me for an additional six months. Magnum, guard!” he ordered the Malamute who lay on a dog bed in one corner. As always, the slightly chewed cell phone lay within reach.
For once, Logan left the clinic not thinking about work. Lucy Donner dominated his thoughts as he walked outside to the small house he used as his living quarters. He chuckled as an idea came to mind.
“Too bad Dad can’t order her into community service.”
Chapter Two
“How is Nick doing with his community service?” Ginna Stone asked when she met Lucy for lunch a week later.
Ginna had called her that morning and suggested that since she had the day off from the hair salon they get together for lunch. Lucy was always glad to see her best friend and new sister-in-law. Lucy had always thought Ginna would be a perfect match for her brother, Zach. She proved it when she’d secretly paired the two for an island getaway. Now they’d been married for months, and Lucy had never seen them happier. Ginna joked that she was going to return the favor by fixing Lucy up with Mr. Right, but so far her matchmaking efforts had failed.
“He’s doing very well. He goes over to that clinic and cleans up after animals and cats and exercises the dogs, but he still won’t go near Luther’s litter box,” Lucy told her. “His excuse is that he’s so tired from his work at the clinic he only has enough energy left to do his homework.”
Ginna chuckled. “But he finally acknowledges Luther has a litter box. I remember when he pretended it didn’t exist. Isn’t that a step in the right direction?”
“I guess so. I still don’t understand why Nick did this. He’s always had an inventive mind, but he’d outgrown that mischievous streak of his. He was really behaving himself. Until now.”
“Zach once told me about some of Nick’s more colorful antics.” Ginna sipped her iced tea. “And to think you let Nick live,” she teased.
“There were times when I wondered which one of us would survive his childhood,” Lucy admitted. “When Nick was eight, the school psychologist told me that Nick was acting out because he didn’t have a father figure. Zach had gone to the appointment with me and told the man that Nick had him as a male figure in his life. He felt the school needed to do its part by offering Nick and kids like him more challenges. That’s why I was so happy when we moved out here and I found Fairfield. They offer just the right programs for a boy with his smarts. Until this happened. Now I’m just grateful they didn’t expel him.” She sighed.
“Look at it this way. Nick had a lapse of good judgment. He’s becoming a teenager, Luce. Collectively, my brothers don’t have intelligence anywhere close to Nick’s. Trust me, they pulled some pretty wild stunts in their day. Mom claimed it’s because of them that she had to start coloring her hair so young.”
“No wonder I have highlights done so often.” Lucy laughed. “How are Emma and Trey doing?” She mentioned her niece and nephew, Ginna’s stepchildren.
“They both love second grade. The principal talked to us about putting them in different classes. They prefer splitting up twins unless the parents object. It gives the kids a chance to be more individual. Zach and I thought it was a good idea since Trey seems to follow in Emma’s shadow too much. Now that he’s in a different class he’s had a chance to come into his own more. He stands up to her in ways he wouldn’t have dreamed of before, and last weekend he even pulled a practical joke on her. It’s great to see him turn into his very own little individual.”
“For someone who didn’t want kids, you’ve sure turned into Super Mom,” Lucy teased. “And to think you were so mad at me for setting you up with Zach on your trip.”
“Which you will never let me forget,” Ginna verbally tossed back, but she looked very happy as she uttered the words.
Lucy grinned back. “You’ve loved every minute of it.”
“Yes, I have. In fact—” she leaned forward “—it’s nothing definite yet, but Zach and I are looking at property out this way.” She held up her hand. “We haven’t said anything to my parents yet. For Zach, writing his magazine column and now his books means he can work anywhere, and while I enjoy working for CeCe at the Steppin’ Out Salon, the idea of having my own salon has been calling me for the past year or so. If it works out, Nora and I would look for local space. She and Mark are looking around here, too.”
“Abby said she and Jeff found a house in the area. They don’t want to say anything to Cathy and Lou until the escrow closes,” Lucy said, mentioning Ginna’s oldest brother and sister-in-law. “She said there’s another fire station opening and Jeff has already put in for a position there. Lou said if the rest of the Walker sons would return to Riverside County he could have his very own fire-fighting department and paramedics.” She grinned.
“They’ll love having everyone around them. Dad used to joke about his Walker Dynasty,” Ginna said. “Which, whether you like it or not, you are a part of.”
“I learned that the day of Nick’s hearing. I was very grateful for everyone’s support,” she confessed.
“That’s the way they are. Dad always hoped that at least one of the boys would go into the auto renovation business with him, but he should have known better; Jeff wanted to be a fireman since the day he accidentally set the garage on fire, and Brian and Mark are naturals as paramedics. Now Dad hopes one of the grandkids has grease in his or her veins.” She chuckled. “Don’t you find it odd that Nick is working for the man you’ve avoided all these months?”