One Tough Christmas Cookie - Lucy McConnell Page 0,27

of her coat to keep it close to her body and therefore warm, before turning off the engine and climbing out.

Caleb’s welcoming smile took her breath away. He wore that dark hat that shaded his eyes and made his jaw look like it belonged on the cover of Hottest Ranchers.

“Hey,” she managed to force out.

“Good morning.” He walked right into her personal space and stared down at her. She grinned up at him, shocked at how happy seeing him made her feel, especially since the two of them didn’t really get along. She’d kicked him, twice, and he’d stood up for her. Her chest still warmed at the sense that he was a knight in worn denim.

“I, uh,” she stuttered, wondering when her brain had headed into daydream territory and praying she hadn’t said anything out loud. “Dunder?”

He blinked like he’d forgotten she’d come for the reindeer. “Yeah—I mean, he’s in there.” He pointed to the barn.

Faith gave herself a solid mental shake. One of them had to rub two brain cells together and start thinking. “Great.” She plowed ahead.

Her movement spurred Caleb into action. “Wait!” He bounded in front of her and turned so he blocked her path. “Let me just make sure everyone is in their stalls. I don’t want you stepping those pretty new boots in reindeer poop.”

Her face heated to a thousand and one degrees. He’d noticed. He noticed her boots and probably her jeans and mostly the fact that she was nervous being out here with him again. She tucked an invisible piece of hair behind her ear and ducked her head. “Thanks.”

He was in and out of the barn in less than ten seconds. “The coast is clear.” He held the door open as she walked by, her shoulder brushing against his body just because the opening was so small and his chest was so big.

Dunder lay in his stall, looking forlorn and forgotten. He huffed a hello.

She smiled as she knelt next to him and took his vitals. This time, she’d come prepared with a full vet kit. “Morning, handsome.”

He quirked an eyebrow at her.

“Don’t give me that look. You know you’re a beautiful specimen.” She glanced over his head to see Caleb smirking at her as he leaned against the doorframe, his arms folded. She could have used the same line on him. “What?”

“Nothing. I’m just listening in on your conversation.”

She ducked her head to hide her smile. “I always compliment my patients, believe it or not.”

“What do you say?”

She stuck her temperature reader inside Dunder’s ear. It wasn’t the most accurate way to get his temp, but she only needed to know if he was burning up—which she probably could have determined by other means. This gave her a full minute more with Caleb, though, so she waited for the results. “It depends on the patient. No one minds hearing they’re handsome, though.” She used her free hand to scratch under Dunder’s chin.

“A chipmunk?” he challenged.

She paused to think about her answer. “We don’t get many chipmunks in our office, but I think I’d tell him his cheeks could hold many nuts.”

“A giraffe?”

She giggled at the thought of working with a giraffe. “Even though she looked down on us all, I was impressed with her humility.”

“A parrot?” He lifted an eyebrow in challenge.

She rolled her eyes, telling him it was too easy. “He’s a captivating orator.”

He eked out a laugh and then schooled his face. “A goldfish.”

Dunder’s temp was normal. She cleaned off the orb at the end and then stored it in the bag. “She’s the queen of the bowl, or tank, as the case may be.” She stood up, brushing off her hands.

“How about a wrangler?” he asked.

“Your ego is as big as Texas,” she blurted before thinking.

Caleb laughed. He winked at her, and she broke down and laughed too. At least he didn’t take himself too seriously. That was refreshing.

“Well, it looks like this guy could use a big dose of meds.” She reached into her inside pocket and pulled out the small box with three syringes inside. “He’ll need one a day for the next three days. Do you think you can give them to him?”

Caleb was all business now as he made his way around Dunder to stand next to her. “Do I need to find a vein, or can I put it in the muscle?”

“Muscle is fine.” She knelt down and placed a reassuring hand on Dunder’s neck, just above where she was going to