Page 4 of Justice Denied

She rubbed the dog’s silky ear. “I didn’t even know ibuprofen was so dangerous for dogs.”

“The Pet Poison Helpline receives more than four thousand calls a year about dogs being exposed to the pain reliever. Even small doses can trigger adverse effects in dogs and cats.” Dr. Williams must have clocked Jetta’s increasing distress because she hurriedly went on. “But we caught it quick enough in Bingley, and he should make a full recovery.”

Jetta tightened her hand on the counter as relief turned her legs into cooked spaghetti. “Thank God.” And Seth for his strength in getting Bingley to the clinic.

“We would like to keep him overnight for observation and to replace some of the fluids he lost due to vomiting.”

“Okay, if you think it’s necessary.”

The vet leveled her with a stern look reminiscent of her mother when she caught Jetta disobeying instructions. “This will also give you time to check your house and yard to see where Bingley might have gotten the pills. His system might not recover if he eats any more so soon.”

“Oh, I will.” She would scour every inch of her mother’s house and property to ensure her dog didn’t come in contact with those drugs again.

The back door opened, and another tech tugged a stainless-steel trolley into the examining room. “We’re ready to move Bingley to the kennel.”

Dr. Williams nodded. “Someone will call you in the morning when he’s ready to be released, probably around ten, after the morning checks.”

“Okay.” She patted Bingley’s head again and stepped back as Nolan and the other tech prepared to transport Bingley.

Nolan added, “The front desk will have the paperwork for his overnight stay.”

Jetta took that as a hint to move out of their way and exited the room. She paused by the reception desk to wait for the person in front of her to finish and drew in a deep breath to steady her nerves. She’d nearly lost Bingley, who had somehow managed to get hold of ibuprofen pills. The baby kicked her ribs, the movement a reminder of why she was sure she didn’t have any of that over-the-counter medicine, since it wasn’t advisable for pregnant women to take ibuprofen. So how had Bingley gotten access to those pills?

“Is Bingley okay?”

She stifled a gasp as she spun to see Seth. For a big man, he moved with the stealth of a cat. “You startled me.”

He ducked his head. “Sorry about that.”

His chastised posture chided Jetta to consider her tone probably had been harsher than she’d meant. “No, I’m sorry.” She laid a hand on his arm briefly, then recounted the vet’s diagnosis. “Bingley’s going to be fine, but they’re keeping him overnight to pump more fluids into him.”

“I’m glad he’ll recover.” He shifted on his feet, reminding her she was keeping him from whatever plans he had for a Tuesday evening.

“Let me check in with the front desk and we can go.”

He returned to his chair, the faint whiff of bergamot orange teasing her nostrils. It was a scent she’d begun to exclusively associate with Seth. At the counter, the perky receptionist presented her with an iPad to sign her permission for Bingley’s overnight stay.

“That will be $1,437 for the exam, treatment, and overnight stay. How would you like to pay?”

Jetta swallowed her protest at the high bill, which would put a dint in her bank account. Staying at Mom’s house saved on rent, but not working meant her balance wasn’t increasing. Eventually, she would need to land a job, but with the baby’s due date in six weeks, she’d decided to wait until she’d figured out whether she would keep the infant or give it up for adoption. She handed over her credit card and waited while the receptionist ran the card. After signing the receipt, she folded a copy of the bill and turned to find Seth.

“I’m ready,” she told him. Worry for Bingley and her mother’s recovery nibbled at her nerves, making her itchy with unease.

“Have you eaten dinner?”

Seth’s question triggered an answering growl from her stomach. “No.” She mentally reviewed the contents of her fridge and bit back a groan. She recalled finishing the eggs last night and meaning to make a trip to the supermarket today, which hadn’t happened. A nap had derailed her afternoon. “Maybe we could grab dinner on the way home?”

As soon as the words left her mouth, she wished they hadn’t. Seth was a nice guy, one she suspected had a crush on her, if his frequent blushes around her were any indication. She had vowed yesterday to be kind but distant in order not to lead him on. She most certainly was not in a good place to fall in love, not when the last man she’d been involved with had led to her current state. She shot him a glance to gauge his reaction to her question.

“Since you must be tired, we could hit the drive-thru at McDonald’s, Taco Bell, or Chick-fil-A on our way home.”

Relief poured through her like hot fudge on soft serve ice cream at his suggestion. “I never turn down the chance for a cookies-and-cream milkshake and chicken nuggets from Chick-fil-A.”

His eyes crinkled as he smiled. “I’m partial to their chicken strips with sriracha sauce myself.”

As he moved to open the door, Jetta caught the receptionist, a young woman around her age, eyeing Seth while she spoke on the phone. She couldn’t blame the other woman, as he was a fine specimen for someone in the market for a man, which Jetta most certainly wasn’t. With full lips, chiseled cheekbones, and a strong jawline, he was, in a word, gorgeous. Long dark eyelashes framed chocolate-brown eyes. The word brawny came to mind when describing his build. Not over-the-top sculpted like a serious body builder, but definitely a lot more muscles than the average man. If she had to guess, the man had not an ounce of fat on him anywhere. A man who would make any woman feel safe and protected. Not like her ex, Kyle Franklin.

The efficiency of Chick-fil-A’s drive-thru had them on their way, and before long, he was pulling into his driveway. She grabbed the food bags and waited for him to open her door. She had been surprised when he’d asked her to wait for him the first time they’d ridden together, but she soon learned being courteous came second-nature to Seth.

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