Page 18 of His Fresh Start Cowboy
“Sure.” Hugo shifted into park and rummaged around until he found the cheap wool blanket. He helped Brand situate it around Brutus as best they could to stanch some of the bleeding, and then he was driving again. Way over the speed limit, but Brand didn’t care. He’d pay the ticket gladly as long as they got to Dr. Joe’s on time.
His house/practice was on Main Street and easy enough to find. Once Hugo parked, he ran around the front of the truck to help Brand get out. Hugo supported Brutus’s head with surprising care on the short journey up a sidewalk to the main office door. They burst inside, surprising a small dog in a carrier into yipping at them. Brutus barely twitched.
“Please, I need help,” Brand bellowed. “Dr. Joe!”
His receptionist, a young woman named Lucy, took one look at them and indicated they should follow her behind a closed door that led to a few exam rooms. Every single one of Brutus’s checkups had been in this office, by this doctor. Now that he was here, Brutus would be okay. He had to be.
Brand gently put Brutus on a shiny metal exam table, hating the way his boy whined in agony. It speared his soul. While they’d always had dogs on the ranch, Brutus’s sire, Champ, had been the first dog Brand remembered being just his. Brutus had to be fine.
Dr. Joe rushed in with a vet tech Brand didn’t recognize. “Do you know what did this?” Dr. Joe asked.
“No, Jackson found him,” Brand replied, not really recognizing his own voice. “He didn’t know either, didn’t see another animal. Could have been a coyote or a wild dog after the herd.”
“All right, well his rabies vaccines are up to date, so we’ll see about getting these wounds tended to. You two wait outside.”
Lucy shooed Brand and Hugo out. Led them back to the waiting room. The yippy dog and its owner were gone, probably sensing their appointment was going to be postponed for quite some time. Hugo planted Brand into a chair, then went over to speak with Lucy. Brand just stared at the wall, numb all over, until Hugo returned with a wet towel that he used to wipe at Brand’s arms and hands. Brand looked down at the blood smears and choked.
“Hey,” Hugo said, with an unusual amount of steel in his voice. The voice of the man who’d first showed up to the ranch and challenged him. “He’ll be fine. Believe that, okay?”
Brand tried to nod but all he could do was gulp in air.
“Jesus, come here.” Hugo stood and pulled Brand up into a hug. Wiry arms wrapped around Brand’s shoulders, a pleasant weight that simply held without demanding. Warmth seeped into his skin and he let himself be held. So much of Brand wanted to let go and sob out his fear, but he couldn’t do that. Not in front of an employee, and not in front of Lucy. He did let himself hug Hugo back, though, arms around his waist. Hugo’s own grip tightened a fraction, and Brand sagged against the strong, capable man, soaking in the comfort, grateful for the support. For holding him so Brand didn’t fall apart while his dog’s life hung in the balance.
He rested his head on Hugo’s shoulder and tried to remember how to breathe.
“He’ll be okay, babe,” Hugo whispered right into his ear. “He will.”
“Please,” was all Brand could manage. A prayer to God but for what exactly? For sure, he wanted Brutus to be all right. Forgiveness for how rude he’d been to Hugo his first day at the ranch? Maybe. Another minute in this steady, supportive hug? Definitely.
Once Brand knew he could stand without topping over, he gently untangled himself from Hugo’s hug and pulled back, noting the smears of blood now on Hugo’s shirt. “Thanks. It’s just...he’s my best friend.”
“I get it.” Hugo tugged him down and sat in the chair beside him, his expression all concern and sympathy. “Think positive, man. We got him here fast.”
“Yeah.” His phone buzzed with a text but Brand couldn’t think to answer it. He didn’t even flinch when Hugo dug into his jeans pocket to find his phone.
“It’s from your father, asking if we know anything.”
“We don’t but at least we’re here, right?”
Hugo’s fingers flew across the screen, much faster than Brand could text, and he assumed Hugo was sending along a similar message. “I also added we’ll text when we know something.”
“Thank you. For all of this.”
“I wouldn’t be anywhere else while you’re hurting.”
Brand glanced over, but Hugo had gone bright red and looked down at his lap. Had these last two weeks of professionalism been some sort of act? And for what? Whatever. Lucy was busy at her desk, so Brand risked reaching out and quickly squeezing Hugo’s wrist. “That means more than you know, Hugo. I mean it.”
Hugo tilted his head, barely meeting Brand’s eyes, and something new burned there. Something protective that spoke to Brand deep inside. The part of Brand who’d responded to a kiss all those years ago. The lizard part of Brand’s brain wanted him to lean over and kiss Hugo, but his logical side held back. This wasn’t the time or place. The comfort meant the world to him, but until Brutus was out of the woods, Brand couldn’t divide his attention.
“You’re welcome,” Hugo said in a raspy voice.
They sat together, side by side, without touching for what felt like an eternity. Brand was silently grateful for Hugo’s steady presence, which was the only thing that kept him grounded until Dr. Joe came into the waiting room. His expression was serious, but not grim, which gave Brand a flash of hope that he’d get good news.
“You got Brutus here at just the right time,” Dr. Joe said. “He’s lost quite a bit of blood, and has some deep lacerations, which I was able to suture. He’ll be in some pain and have to be fitted for a cone so he doesn’t mess with my handiwork. I administered an antibiotic and I’ll send you home with oral painkillers to help him along, but I expect he’ll pull through.”
Brand nearly doubled over with relief. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”
“Of course. He put up a valiant fight against whatever attacked him. I’d like to keep him here overnight in a kennel for observation and to watch for infection.”
