Omigod, does everyone all over town know I’m going on a date tonight?Stupid question. Of course they did.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but yes, Leo Cantrell, and I have a lot to do in the meantime.” Hopefully, he would take the hint and leave. “Now why are you here again?”
He shot a look over his shoulder. “Uh, I saw Shane’s patrol car, and I needed to talk to him, so …”
Shane ended his call and covered the distance from the front door in three easy strides. “About what?”
“The hockey game in two weeks?”
Shane’s expression screwed up in puzzlement. “What about it?”
“We’re going to have to forfeit since we’ll all be at Noah and Hailey’s wedding.”
“Damn inconsiderate of them to hold a wedding during hockey season, if you ask me.”
“No one asked you. Besides, the timing makes perfect sense,” Reece argued. “The town’s dead, which means they can close the tavernandHailey’s bookstore and carve out some time for themselves.”
Shane threw up both hands. “Easy, man. I was half joking.”
“It’s the half that’s not joking that pisses me off.”
“Whoa, who crapped inyourWheaties this morning, bro?”
Neve couldn’t have said it better herself. Reece wasn’t exactly a talkative guy, but he was usually easygoing and didn’t snap at people. She took a step toward the recovery room. “Boys, take it outside. You’re upsetting my patient, and he needs all the quiet he can get. Plus, I have a lot on my plate today.”
“Yeah, and she’s got adatetonight,” Shane joked as he grabbed Reece’s biceps and hauled him toward the entrance. “Let’s get out of her way so she has time to get pretty. Er, prettier.”
“Nice recovery, Romeo,” she called out to Shane as the pair shuffled out the front door.
“God, finally!” she huffed as she got Mr. Whiskers settled in his cage. “Rest up, little guy.”
Reviewing her list of to-dos, she whirled and smacked into a tall wall of muscle.
Strong hands steadied her. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to sneak up on you. You okay?”
She took a step back and nearly collided with the stacked cages. “Jesus Christ, Reece! You scared the pants off me! What are you doing?”
Ouch. That was a little harsher than she’d intended, but his stoic, calm mask was firmly in place. “You need to be more vigilant about people wandering in here.”
“You mean like you just did?”
“Exactly. I could have been someone who was up to no good.”
“Hmph. You might be up to no good anyway.” He gave her his noncommittal Reece stare. “Normally, Lauren mans the front desk, but I’m on my own today, and I can’t exactly lock the door. I have patients.”
“Well, be careful.” Then he pointed at the cat’s cage. “Assuming he pulls through and no one comes to claim him, let me know.”
She perched her hands on her hips. “Why?”
He shrugged his big shoulders. “I might be able to foster him for a while.”
Neve dipped a skeptical eyebrow. “Where are you going to keep him? Ever since you sold your house, you’ve been bouncing around from one place to the next. You’re only in Noah’s old apartment for a few more weeks, right? Isn’t Charlie starting the remodel after Thanksgiving?”
Reece stroked his beard. “That’s the plan. Noah’s in an all-fired hurry to open his private dining room.”
“Please don’t tell me you’re planning to move in with Noah and Hailey. They barely have room for themselves, the dog, and Hailey’s books in their new place.”
“Of course not. Besides, I don’t think I could stand listening to … The walls are thin, and they’ll be newlyweds, if you get my drift.”
