Page 17 of Family Jewels

I spun around to see who it was, shocked to see Dr. Levi Romano, the new vet in town. Neely Kate and I had met him a few weeks ago. We’d gone looking for a lost dog, but we’d found another animal first. “Dr. Romano. I’m surprised you remember me.”

He grinned, his blue eyes dancing. “It’s hard to forget a woman who brings in a lost pig.”

I self-consciously reached my hand up to my hair. “And I look even worse today than I did then.” I’d been just as drenched and mud-logged the day I’d visited his practice.

Oh, mercy. What had prompted me to comment on my looks? Perhaps it was the way his gaze had swept over my face, his grin staying put. Or maybe it was because Dr. Romano was even cuter out of his doctor’s coat. He was wearing well-fitting jeans and a light-blue button-down shirt that made his eyes look even bluer. His light brown hair was a little more unkempt than when I’d met him in his office. He’d been battling the rain too, only it had made him more attractive rather than less.

“You look just fine,” he said.

“I look like a drowned rat.”

“As someone who’s been through veterinarian school and seen an assortment of animals in a wide variety of situations, I can assure you that you look nothing like a drowned rat.”

I laughed. “What are you doing here on a weekday morning? I thought you’d be at your office.”

He pointed behind him. “I need wading boots, but since they seem to be out of stock, I’m picking out rain boots instead.”

“Are you going fishing?” I asked.

“In a manner of speaking. I’m headed out to the Baxter farm to deliver a calf, but I can’t find my boots, and I really don’t want to destroy another pair of shoes.”

“You’re delivering a calf?” I asked in awe. “That must be so amazing.”

“I can’t lie,” he said with a grin, “it’s a little messy, but it’s a wonderful experience.” He paused, looking like he wanted to say something but couldn’t figure out how to start.

“Well, I should let you get going.”

He took a step backward. “Actually, I could use your help.”

“I don’t know the first thing about birthing a calf,” I said.

He laughed. “Well then, it’s a good thing I was going to ask you to help me pick out which boots to get.”

I felt my cheeks go hot. “Sure. Which ones are you lookin’ at?”

He held up two pairs. “This green pair seems to fit better, but the navy pair will do a better job of hiding the mud.”

I glanced up at him. “Do you really care if the boots blend in well with mud?”

“Good point.”

“The green pair, obviously,” I said. “If you’re gonna be standing around helping deliver a cow, your feet should at least be comfortable.”

He set the blue pair on the shelf. “Excellent advice. And it doesn’t hurt that the green pair matches your eyes.”

My face, which had felt hot anyway, was fixing to combust.

He laughed. “You’re even prettier when you blush. And if you ever want to learn how to birth a calf, you let me know. I’m your man.”

I couldn’t think of a single blessed thing to say.

“You have a good day, Rose.”

“You too, Dr. Romano.”

As he brushed past me, he winked and said, “Call me Levi.” Then he headed toward the front of the store.

“Oh my word,” said Neely Kate. Levi had me so out of sorts I hadn’t even noticed she was heading toward me. There was a pile of shopping in her cart. “Was that the new vet?”

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