The two of them left the cage and shut it. The dog came running up to them, howling.
"It's okay," Vane told him. "We'll be back."
"Yeah," Fury added, "with a nice treat for you."
Vane draped his arm over Bride's shoulders as they followed her brother and father into the house. "Is this where you grew up?" he asked Bride.
"No. My parents moved here a few years ago after they sold their small farm."
"I miss the old place," Paul said as he held the door open for them. "There are too many ordinances here. I had to get a special license just so I could keep my patients in the back, and I routinely have to pay fines."
"Why did you move?" Fury asked.
Paul shrugged. "Her mother wanted to be closer to town. What's a man to do when his wife has her heart set on something?"
They entered the dining room where a huge feast waited along with Deirdre, who still looked like she'd rather they leave.
"Come over here and sit by me, Vane," Joyce said, indicating the chair on her right. "And Fury, you can sit on the other side of Bride."
The instant Fury sat down, Titus came running up and tried to climb into his lap. "Oh, good grief!" Joyce snapped. "Paul, get the dog down."
"It's okay," Fury said, laughing.
Then when Vane sat down, Titus ran for him and licked his face. "Hey boy, watch the dewclaws."
"What has gotten into my dog?" Joyce asked, pulling at Titus's collar. "He's normally standoffish with people."
"Dogs know good people when they see them," Paul said, pulling a piece of stuffing out of the turkey.
"Titus," he said, holding it down for the dog.
Titus ran to get it.
Bride sat down beside Vane. "So Patrick, where's Maggie?"
"Over at her parents'. I'm going over there after I eat here. Since we're sleeping here, she wanted to make sure her mother didn't get jealous."
"Maggie is Patrick's wife," Joyce explained to Vane. "She's going to make me a grandmother in the springtime."
"Congratulations," Vane said to Patrick.
"Yeah, we'll see. I'm scared as hell. Personally, I don't think I'm ready to be someone's parent."
"Yeah," Bride said with a laugh. "You might have to share your toys."
Patrick grimaced at her before he launched a pea over the table at her head.
Vane caught it before it made contact, then zipped it right back at Patrick. It hit him straight between the eyes. Bride howled with laughter.
"Children!" Joyce snapped. "You behave or I'll make you eat in the corner."
"Nice reflexes, bud," Patrick said, wiping his brow good-naturedly. "I think we should recruit you for the team."
"I don't think so, Pat," Bride said. "I somehow think Vane would balk at wearing a shirt that says 'Snip It and Clip It If You Love It' on his back. He's kind of sensitive about dog neutering."
Vane arched a brow at that, but wisely kept his mouth shut.
Her father laughed hard. "I can appreciate his point of view. Not many men want to play for the Castrators. But we have a lot of female vets who strangely do."