at Mr. Crumple-kins, wondering whose side he’d be on if a catfight broke out in the exam room. Who was she kidding—he’d side with the woman who gave him bacon fudge.
“How serious are you?” Hazel’s eyes dropped to Faith’s ring finger.
“We aren’t that serious. This is Dad’s clinic. I’m just helping out until he’s able to return.” Although she had no idea how he was going to manage this place. He was still pale, and his energy was low. He’d work himself into another heart attack if he tried to help everyone in these parts who needed a vet. Then again, it wasn’t like he’d asked her to stay on and be his partner. He could—and she’d consider it. At the very least, she could extend her vacation time.
Hazel smacked her palm on the table. “Don’t play innocent with me. Sleigh rides mean something in that family. Not one of those brothers have ever let a woman set foot in their sleighs.”
Faith kept her head down to mask her shock. No one? She’d assumed sleigh rides were a regular part of the Nichollas men’s romancing routine. Caleb was so good at it with the gazebo and the bells. Was she really his first? That seemed unlikely and highly flattering all at once. “Maybe we should focus on your cat.” Faith pointed to the guy currently spewing on her counter.
Hazel’s hands flew to her cheeks. “That’s the third time—do you think he’ll pull through?”
Faith went on to explain that getting the chocolate out of his system was a good thing, but that she wanted to keep the cat to monitor him for a few hours. He might become dehydrated. Hazel was civil but cold, and in the end, she walked out without a backward glance for her feline or the mess he’d made.
Faith moaned. “The first thing Dad needs is a vet tech.” In her office, the techs took care of all the bodily fluids. She settled Mr. Cuddle-kins in an observation crate with a bowl of water and then cleaned up the mess. All the while, her mind was on what Hazel had said about sleigh rides meaning something to the Nichollas family. She couldn’t puzzle it out. What exactly did it mean, and what did that say about the way Caleb felt about her?
Was he trying to tell her he more than liked spending time with her—that he might even love her? She wasn’t sure how she felt about him jumping to exclusivity without telling her.
Chapter 27
Faith
Five days until Christmas and Dad had had enough of the rehab facility. He’d called Faith, begging her to break him out of jail.
Faith swiped Hazel’s card through the reader while she cradled her phone against her cheek. Normally, she wouldn’t take a personal call during work hours, but Dad only called in emergencies.
“Watch him, and if he starts vomiting again, bring him back immediately,” she told Hazel.
“I will.” Hazel hadn’t been too happy when Faith had called to recommend Mr. Cuddle-kins stay the night, but it couldn’t be helped. He’d become dehydrated and needed an IV.
“Oh—and keep him out of the fudge.” Faith said it as she would have to any other customer. Hazel stuck her tongue out and marched out of the building.
Faith laughed at the response. It was childlike and said a whole lot about why Caleb didn’t see a future with that woman.
“Who was that?” Dad demanded.
“Mr. Cuddle-kins and his owner.” Faith smiled. She’d always talked about the pets first and then given the owners’ names second—as if the people belonged to the animals. It reminded her that she’d become a vet because she wanted to help those who didn’t have voices. So often they hurt but couldn’t tell you why. Figuring that out made her feel in tune with their needs, and they became the primary focus of her life. “He had a bad reaction to her bacon fudge.”
Dad coughed and then said, “I hate that stuff. The bacon is rubbery and the fudge weak.”
Faith burst out laughing. “You’ll be happy to know I forbade her from bringing it to you anymore.”
“Bless you, child.”
She checked the schedule and didn’t see another patient for at least fifteen minutes.
“So, when can you pick me up?” Dad asked as if it had already been decided.
“Christmas Eve, like the doctors said.” Even though Dad was sick of being cooped up, he was right in going to the care center instead of home with her. Frankly, she was a little scared for him