How was that possible?Dom had gone his entire life thinking he was alone. The man he’d thought was his father split when he was just a baby, and the woman who was supposed to be his mother had been a complete nightmare. Dom had grown up knowing from a very early age that he only had himself to rely on.
Until a couple of months ago when Gabriel came into his life and Dom discovered that the people he thought had given him life hadn’t. His parents were murdered by an insane maniac wanting to wipe out the royal line so he could take over. Only Dom, his brothers, and their guardians had escaped the carnage. They still weren’t sure what happened to the guardians.
Well, except for Gabriel’s guardian, Aldrik. He was still around and always had been, even if Gabriel hadn’t known it. To keep Gabriel safe from those who wanted their family obliterated, Aldrik had watched over Gabriel from afar. Dom wished his guardian had done the same. Maybe his childhood wouldn’t have sucked so damn much.
“Why don’t we get some of this work done?” Chay held up a clipboard that listed the bikes needing work in the shop. “Then you go have your picnic with your veterinarian, and then you can come over to the house and see what Gabriel’s found so far. After that, we can brainstorm how to win this guy for you.”
Dom breathed out slowly. “Yeah, that sounds good.”
He was pretty sure he'd need all the help he could get.
By the time the clock read a quarter to eleven, Dom was ready to climb the walls. He was so ready to go. He grabbed Henrietta out of his office and stuck her into his jacket, then grabbed the picnic basket.
“Chay, I’m headed out for lunch. I’ll be back in a little while.”
“Good luck,” Chay called from the back of the shop.
Dom knew he was going to need every damn bit of it. He grabbed the picnic basket and headed for the door. The veterinarian clinic was just a couple blocks away, so he decided to walk. The fresh air would probably do him some good. He waved to a few people he knew as he walked, smiling here and there. It never hurt to make nice with the townspeople.
He felt as if he could breathe again by the time the clinic came into view. He spotted Keeland’s truck parked around the side, and grimaced when he saw a couple of cars parked in front of the clinic. He really hoped that didn’t mean Keeland would have to skip lunch.
Dom had plans.
He smiled at the receptionist when he stepped through the front door. “Hello, I’m here to see Dr. Fagon. Can you tell him Henrietta is here?” Dom nodded to the furry little head sticking out of his jacket.
The receptionist smiled back. “Dr. Fagon is with a client right now. Would you like to have a seat and I’ll tell him you’re here for a checkup?”
“Yes, thank you.”
He hadn’t mentioned a checkup, but he’d take what he could get.
Dom walked over to the waiting area and sat down in one of the chairs against the wall. He stared around the brightly lit room for a few minutes until he realized the receptionist was paying him an undue amount of attention. He grabbed a magazine and started flipping through the pages.
When a door opened and Dom heard footsteps coming toward him, he glanced up. He frowned when two men in dark suits came into view. They didn’t seem like the pet type. That idea was kind of backed up by the fact that they didn’t have a pet with them.
Maybe they were suppliers or something. He watched them walk out of the clinic, get into one of the cars out front, and drive away.
Okay, that was weird.
Dom stood when Keeland came out of the back. The man walked to the counter and set down a file before turning to stare out the front window. Dom smiled at the pucker that appeared between his eyes, an obvious sign that he was thinking hard.
Dom grabbed the picnic basket and headed toward his prey. When Keeland turned toward him and his eyes widened, Dom gave his sexiest grin and held up the basket. “I brought you lunch.”
A look of total disbelief crossing Keeland's face. “You brought me lunch?”
Dom pulled the zipper of his jacket down a little more so Henrietta could stick her head out. “Henrietta missed you.”
Keeland’s brow lifted. “Henrietta missed me?”
“Oh yes. She insisted that we bring you lunch so she could see you.”
“Just Henrietta?”
Dom shrugged. “I might have missed you too.”
Keeland stared for a moment before laughing as he turned to the receptionist. “Jarrod, I’m going to take lunch now. Call me if we have any emergencies.”
“Sure thing, Dr. Fagon.”
