Page 21 of Family Bonds: Carter & Avery

“Did you have fun today?” she asked Josie when they walked into their house a little after five.

“I did,” Josie said. “It was fun to watch all the action and see the animals. I can’t wait to get my own dog. Will you bring the dog to work with you every day?”

“Yes,” she said.

She’d told her staff if they had dogs they could bring them in as long as they were well behaved. Kendall didn’t because the apartment she was in didn’t allow it. Roseann had a cat that was ornery and best left at home. Melody didn’t have a pet but was seriously considering it now, she’d said.

“What’s for dinner?” Josie asked. “I’m hungry.”

“How about we make some burgers,” she said. “I’d like to pick up a grill this weekend if I can find one to have delivered.”

“I love grilled food,” Josie said.

Avery knew that, which was why she’d said it. She had an older grill at her old place but didn’t want to bring it with the move. Some things were better to buy here, but then she started to wonder if that was smart and maybe things like that weren’t on the island.

She should have asked Laine more questions, but there were too many other things she had to focus on.

“Can I see some of the pictures you drew today while I get dinner cooking?” she asked.

Josie ran and got her sketch pad out of her bag and brought it back to the kitchen, flipped through and showed her all the pets she’d drawn that she’d seen today.

“Those are great,” Avery said. “You know what? I think we need to put them in frames and hang them in my office and in the exam rooms too. Don’t you think?”

“Really?” Josie asked.

“Yes. I think we need to have rotating pictures all the time if you want to draw them for me.”

“Yay!” Josie said, doing a fist pump.

She didn’t know how she got so lucky to end up with such an easygoing child in her care. “Why don’t you go get washed up for dinner? It’s almost ready.”

Avery watched Josie run out of the room, her skinny legs eating up the space and her feet pounding on the stairs. She was glad Josie was okay spending time at the clinic this week and then this weekend she’d let her start on her murals too. Just so much going on. She was thrilled that Melody, Kendall and Roseann would be good on their own for a bit while she got more things squared away.

She found it funny that no one asked her about Josie. They didn’t even ask if it was her daughter or not or if she was married, divorced, or where Josie’s father was.

She expected those questions to come soon.

7

Dog Lover

Carter took a lunch break at one. He didn’t normally do that, but he needed to talk to Avery and didn’t have her contact information. He thought he’d take a chance that she’d be at the clinic since he’d heard she was filling up fast with appointments.

He was glad he already had Doc’s next appointment scheduled with Dr. Mullins, but he’d tell them they could put him anywhere as he didn’t care at this point.

Or maybe he’d let it go. He’d be bringing Doc in next week for the last of her shots for a while. No reason to say he’d rather see Avery when he didn’t have a problem with Dr. Mullins.

But he didn’t want to wait with what he had to say to her.

“Carter,” Roseann said when he walked in the front door. “Is everything okay with Dopey and Doc? I don’t have you on the schedule and Dr. Keegan has a few appointments today.”

Shit, he hadn’t thought of that. “No,” he said. “I was actually looking to talk to Dr. Keegan about something if she’s not with anyone.”

“She is with a patient,” Roseann said. “But she should be done soon.” Roseann turned and he could see two other women in the back office from where he was standing. Both were sitting at the desks that Bode had built in. “Melody and Kendall, come meet Carter Bond. He’s the one that pushed for a full-time vet here and then did a lot of rehab work and organized others. The place looks great.”

Both women stood up and rushed over. Or the younger one did. “Hi. I’m Kendall. Thank you so much for doing this. I’ve been dying to come to the island but had no reason to other than visit. There were no jobs here for me before and since I went to school for this and love animals I didn’t want to give up my dreams, but now they are coming true.”

Wow, that was a mouthful. “I’m glad,” he said.

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