Defending Hayden (Second Chances #7)(11)

I opened the cage and carefully picked one up, kissing him on the nose. He was the cutest one, with a white patch of fur around his left eye. “I’m going to call you Patch,” I said sweetly to him. The other puppies started moving around, but they were so small they couldn’t get very far. “I’ll be back,” I told them.

I kept Patch close to my chest as I walked next door. Kellie’s shelter was basically a paradise for animals. In the summer, she had a pool designed for dogs so they could swim. When I opened the door, one of Kellie’s helpers, Courtney Tucker, dropped the bag of food she was carrying and rushed over. “Oh my goodness, he’s adorable,” she squealed. “Can I hold him?”

I passed him to her, and she gently took him. “Where’s Kellie?” I inquired.

She nodded toward the door that led to the amazing swimming pool. “She’s outside with the big dogs. It’s their turn in the pool. She’ll be drenched when she comes back in.”

I walked over to the glass door and peered outside, giggling when Courtney started singing to Patch. Kellie sat by the edge of the pool, laughing as the dogs continuously jumped in and out of the water. I opened the door and stepped out but didn’t get near the water. “Looks like the danger zone over there,” I called out.

Her head jerked my way, and she smiled. “You got that right. How are you, Dr. Hunter?”

“Good. I wanted to see if you had any room available for six little pups. They’re the cutest things ever. I’m almost tempted to take one home myself.” If I did, it would definitely be Patch.

Kellie got to her feet, her blond hair drenched. “Of course. I just adopted out a cocker spaniel today, so I have that whole kennel free.”

“Great! As soon as they’re ready, I’ll have them brought over. I want to monitor them for a few more days.”

She waved me off. “Take your time. I’ll be ready when you are.”

“Thank you.” I waved at her and retreated back inside.

Courtney was talking to Patch and groaned when she saw me. “Do you have to take him back?”

She passed him to me, and I snuggled him. “Don’t worry, you’ll have six of them in a few days. Just make sure you find them good homes.”

“We always do,” she promised wholeheartedly.

Back in the clinic, I returned Patch to his kennel and rubbed each and every one of his brothers and sisters before running my hand down his back. “You’ve won my heart, Patch. Soon you’ll be living with me.”

—

“How long are you staying tonight?” Michael asked. He sat down in front of my desk with a wide grin.

“Not long, why?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. I thought maybe you’d have another date with Jeremiah.”

Grabbing an eraser, I threw it at his head. “That’s not funny. You know it’s not like that.”

“I know,” he replied with a chuckle. “I’m just giving you a hard time.” He stood and stretched. “It’s getting late. I think I’m going to head out.”

“Has everyone else left?” I asked.

“Yep. You and I are the only ones. Do you want me to wait with you while you finish your charts?”

I waved him off. “No, I’ll be fine. Thanks, though.”

“You’re welcome. I’ll see you in the morning.” He smiled at me one more time and then disappeared down the hall. Once I’d finished writing in all of my charts, I took them to the front and filed each and every one of them. I was the only doctor in the practice who didn’t mind doing it. It wasn’t like I had anyone to go home to.

By the time I locked up and got out to my car, the sun had started to go down. There were couples here and there, walking hand in hand on the streets of downtown. They were probably enjoying a summer evening after eating dinner. I was just going to go home, cook me some dinner, and turn on the Food Network so I could watch Chopped.

The air was humid, so I cranked the air conditioner to full blast and started on my way home. Though I didn’t live far, I had to go down several country roads. I turned on the music and danced to the beat, but then something way up ahead on the road caught my attention. It was a dog. The car in front of me was paying the animal no mind and continued its fast track down the road, clearly not caring about the poor dog. My gut clenched, and my fear became a reality when the dog ran across the street and the car struck him. His yelp of pain echoed in my ears.

“No,” I screamed. The old beat-up truck stopped for a second, then sped off. The dog hobbled into the grass and collapsed. Anger boiled in my veins. I understood that things happened and sometimes animals were killed by drivers, but the dog was clearly alive. Even a simple few seconds could change a fate from life to death.

I pulled over to the side of the road and got out. I rushed to the injured dog and knelt down in the grass. It was a golden retriever, covered in blood, with two broken legs and a gash across the stomach. His chest rose and fell with his rapid breaths, and he whimpered when I rubbed his head.

“It’s okay, boy. I’m not going to leave you.”





Chapter 5





Derek


“Good practice today, D. You play like you haven’t missed a day,” Evan called out. He slapped me on the shoulder as we headed into the training facility. It felt good to be back. Being on the field with the guys was exactly what I needed.