Bonnie Winn - Forever a Family

“I guess.”

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

Olivia indicated the empty chairs in the reception room. “Slow time?”

“Large-animal time. I reserve two mornings a week for owners who need to bring in their domestic stock but don’t need me to come to their places. Less expensive for them that way.”

Thoughtful. Olivia glanced down at her son. “Joey hasn’t been around...” She drew her eyebrows together in concern. “Exactly what types of large animals do you treat?”

Zeke looked at her in mild amusement. “Not too many elephants and giraffes in these parts. Mostly cattle and horses, donkeys, pigs, llamas, some sheep and goats.”

Flushing, she felt as silly as she had on their first encounter.

“My mom’s never lived in the country,” Joey explained.

Great. Even her sullen child was taking pity on her.

“Of course. I wasn’t thinking. So you treat regular pets, too?”

Zeke raised his eyebrows, his amusement still present. “Depends on your definition of regular. Dogs, cats, birds, pygmy hedgehogs, ferrets, lizards, snakes...”

Olivia gasped. “Joey won’t have to handle snakes, will he?”

“Mom!”

At that precarious age of twelve, poised between childhood and puberty, Joey was utterly horrified.

Belatedly realizing that, Olivia tried to cover her mistake. “I confess, I’m the one who’s scared of snakes. Joey’s pretty tough.”

Joey rolled his eyes, which told her her recovery attempt had been lame at best.

“It’s a nice place you have here,” Olivia remarked, hoping to change the subject.

“We like it.”

“We?” The instant the question was out, Olivia wished she could snatch it back.

“My tech—Angie—the animals, me.”

Olivia tucked away the information that he wasn’t married. “That’s good.”

“Well, Joey. What do you say?” Zeke asked. “Want to start today?”

Joey shrugged. “I guess.”

“Sounds good,” Olivia agreed, looking relieved. “He’s out of school for two weeks on suspension, but the time’s counted in community-service hours. The sooner he can start and accumulate his service hours, the less school he misses.”

Zeke glanced into her memorable violet eyes, recognizing her anxiety. But anxious or not, pretty or not, he had a practice to run and couldn’t ease her mind by overloading his own schedule. “Let’s just see how the morning goes.”

A quick flash of disappointment crossed her face. Then she smiled, her delicate features aligning to match.

“We appreciate you giving Joey an opportunity to do his community-service work here. I’m sure it’ll be good for him to interact with the animals.” Olivia squeezed her son’s shoulder in encouragement. “Well, I should go and let you get to it. Um, what time should I pick him up?”

“How about Joey calls you when he’s ready to leave?”

“Sure.” She bit down on her lip. “I’ll be at work some of the day. I’m an inventory clerk. It’s just a small part-time job at the pharmacy, about ten hours a week. But I’ll have my cell phone with me. Do you need any emergency contact numbers or—”

“The school gave them to me.”

“Oh, of course.” For a moment Olivia looked uncertain. “See you later, then.”

She turned and he let his gaze stray over her as she left. Being a widowed mother, Olivia probably wouldn’t be interested in casual dating, which was all he allowed himself. Belinda had about cured him of any wish for a more serious relationship. Then his previous relationship with Penny had convinced him he wasn’t capable of making good decisions when it came to women. Not that Olivia seemed anything like Belinda. At least on the surface.

Joey wandered over to the large aquarium and thumped on the glass, recapturing his attention.

“No tapping on the glass.”

The boy furrowed his brow, looking puzzled. “How come?”

“They don’t like it.”

“Oh.”

Could the kid really not know that? “Have you ever had any pets?”

Joey’s expression remained sullen. “Just a turtle. He mostly sits in his box and eats. My mom didn’t ever have any real pets and my dad...”

Zeke didn’t make him discuss the painful subject. “It would be like having a tree fall on your garage for the fish when you hit the tank. Pretty jarring.”

Joey looked again at the tank with an instant spark of understanding but didn’t reply.

“Is your mom allergic to cats and dogs?” Zeke questioned casually.

“No.”

“Just doesn’t want a pet?”

“Grandpa was in the army, so they couldn’t take a pet when he got transferred, so she never had any.”

“Your grandfather must have been in the army a long time.”

“Forever, until he retired here.”

A new picture was emerging. So the violet-eyed beauty was an army brat. He would never have guessed it. But then, his insight into women hovered between zero and none.

His tech, Angie, rushed through the open door, her dark brown hair messy from the breeze. Despite being four months pregnant, the spring in her step hadn’t diminished. “Morning!”

“You sound extra chipper today.”

She laughed and patted her stomach. “Probably because there’s extra me.” She turned toward the boy. “I’m guessing you’re Joey. I’m Angie.”

“Hey.”

The unenthusiastic greeting didn’t faze her. Angie’s glass wasn’t just half-full; it was always overflowing. “Welcome. Later I’ll show you where we stash the snacks and soda.”

Joey still didn’t show any interest. Swallowing, Zeke remembered how he had felt at that age. It was a tough place to travel even in his thoughts.

* * *

Exhausted, Olivia closed the front door and tossed her purse on the small table close by. Pressing fingers to her temples, she wandered first to the window, then over to the bookcase. She picked up a picture of her late husband. “Oh, Ted. It isn’t getting any easier.” Holding the picture close, she remembered how he had been there one day, gone the next. “Joey’s gotten into even more trouble. A lot worse than talking back to his teachers, and the fights.”

Olivia stared into Ted’s steady brown eyes. Joey looked so much like him, down to what had once been a wide, frequent smile.

The empty house echoed in the silence.

“Now Joey’s actually stolen. A headset, of all things.” Shrugging, she traced Ted’s smile. “And he acts like it’s nothing.”

The doorbell rang, startling her. Fumbling, she replaced Ted’s picture. She pulled open the door and was surprised to see Kate... She couldn’t place her last name. “Hi.” Trying to compose herself, Olivia opened the door wider. “Please, come in.”

“I hope I haven’t come at a bad time,” Kate replied, surreptitiously looking into the living room.

Olivia shook her head. “It’s...it’s fine.”

“You don’t have company?”

Olivia flushed, realizing Kate must have seen her talking to Ted’s photo while standing in front of the picture window. “No one alive.”

Since Kate’s husband, Tucker Grey, was Rosewood’s sheriff, she had been one of the first to learn about Ted’s death. She had made efforts to reach out, but Olivia’s parents had circled the wagons. And Kate had tactfully withdrawn. Until today.

Olivia pulled herself together. “Don’t mind me. One of those days. Please, sit down. Can I offer you some iced tea?”

“You read my mind. Need any help?”

More than she could voice. “No, it’s all made. Do you take yours sweet?”

“Just plain. I save my calories for cookies and candy.” Barely having landed on a chair, Kate stood up. Trailing Olivia, her sandals clicked on the wooden floor. “When I’m antsy, I eat extra goodies, so it’s good I like my tea without sugar.”