Page 86 of The Holiday Gift

“I think we’ll be better off staying put. I’m sure Dr. Caldwell won’t be long and the children are anxious to start settling into the house.”

She followed the low murmur of men’s voices and found them in the kitchen, setting the crate down in the small area she had arranged earlier, in hopes for this very moment.

“Caidy likes to keep her patients right here in the kitchen,” Ridge was saying. “This way her bedroom, right down the hall, is close enough to keep an eye on them.”

“It’s close to the back door for easy trips outside. That’s the important thing,” she said.

“This works. I like the enclosure,” he said. Years ago, she had purchased a small baby play yard that worked well when she was treating an animal whose physical activity needed to be limited.

“Come on out,” Ben coaxed the dog. Luke didn’t seem to want to move but with their encouragement and Dr. Caldwell helping him along, he rose slowly and hobbled out of the crate, then headed immediately for the soft bed of old blankets she had fashioned in the enclosure.

“What sort of special instructions do I need?”

“Our biggest fear right now is infection. We need to keep the injuries as clean as possible, especially that puncture wound from the bull.”

“You don’t have to worry about anything,” Ridge said. “Caidy’s an expert. She used to work at the clinic with Dr. Harris.”

“So I hear.”

“She should have become a veterinarian,” Ridge went on. “It’s all she ever wanted to do.”

Apparently blabbermouth syndrome ran in the family.

“Is that right?” Ben said, giving her a curious look. She could tell he was wondering why she hadn’t pursued her dreams. What was so wrong about a person’s life changing direction?

“Yes. I also wanted to be a ballerina when I was eight. And a famous movie star when I was eleven.”

And a singer. She decided not to mention she had once wanted to sing professionally. That was another dream she had pushed aside.

“I suppose you’re anxious to move into the house. The key is inside on the kitchen table. All the information, like the phone number to the house and the address, are on a paper I’ve also left for you there.”

“Thanks.”

One thing she had never anticipated doing with her life was being a landlord to an entirely too sexy veterinarian. Yet here she was. “Call if you have any problems or can’t figure out any of the appliances.”

“I’m sure we’ll be fine. Make sure you let me know if you have any problems with Luke. Here. Let me leave my cell number.”

He pulled a business card out of the inside pocket of his coat and left it on the kitchen counter. “If he starts to run a fever or has any other unusual symptoms that concern you, I want you to call me. Day or night.”

She doubted she ever would. Even after all her years of working with Doc Harris, she hadn’t felt comfortable calling the old veterinarian in the middle of the night.

“Thank you,” she answered.

“I’d better head out. The kids are anxious to start decorating their tree.”

“Oh. That reminds me. Destry and I dug through our old Christmas things earlier and found a few things we’re not using. You’re welcome to them.”

She picked up the box off the kitchen table and handed it to him. He looked a little disconcerted but then smiled.

“Thank you. I’m sure Mrs. Michaels and the children will find great use for them.”

“Not you?”

“I’m sure I’ll be roped into helping, like it or not.” He looked more resigned than truly reluctant.

“If you’d like, I can carry it out for you while you two get the crate.”

“That would be great. Thanks.” He smiled at her and she felt those ridiculous flutters again.

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