I strip off my gloves. “Tomorrow, if he’s strong enough, I’ll give him a bath. Warm water, mild soap, lots of towels. He’ll feel brand new.”
Evie’s eyes go wide. “Can I be there?”
“If your father agrees,” I say gently, bracing for Cade’s reaction, “and only if you promise not to soak yourself more than the dog.”
“He’ll agree,” she gushes.
The drowsy pup tries to lift his head, ears twitching at the sound of her voice.
“See?” I whisper, brushing damp fur from his face. “He knows he’s safe now.”
When Evie looks up at me, her eyes shining, it hits me sharp and deep, like a wound I’ll never fully mend. I don’t deserve her hero worship—but I want it so much.
“You saved him, Dr. K.”
“No, sweet pea.” I crouch beside her. “We all did. You, me, and Joy.”
Joy grins, flicking her braid. “That’sright. Team effort. And don’t forget, you bribed him out from under the dumpster with beef jerky.”
Evie laughs, a bubbling, belly-deep sound that fills the room and my heart.
CHAPTER 15
cade
Evie usually spends Thursday afternoons after kindergarten with Joy at her store. She loves it there, and Joy’s a saint for taking her. Tillie takes Thursdays off to drive her mother to dialysis, so she and Joy worked out this setup.
I’m grateful. Being a single parent is hard, and every bit of help matters. I feel damn lucky to have people like Joy in my corner.
The bell over Joy’s boutique door jingles when I walk in. Racks of denim and dresses give off a faint cedar-and-lavender scent, but the place is empty.
“Evie? Joy?” I call. Usually, they’re up front with Evie “helping” with inventory.
Joy pops out of the stockroom. “Hey.”
“Hey.”
Where’s Evie? Normally, she’s sprinting at me by now, talking a mile a minute about whatever mischief sheand Joy got up to, confessing to ice cream or cake like it’s a federal crime.
“Evie isn’t here—but I’m just about to get her.”
I lift an eyebrow. I trust Joy. If she left my girl somewhere, she had a reason—and it’s safe.
“We found a hurt dog.” She locks the stockroom and heads toward me. “Gonna close up for a bit.”
I set a hand on her shoulder. “Where is she?” I’ve got a guess, especially after she mentioned a dog.
Joy gives me a sheepish smile. “Now, don’t blow a gasket. The dog was hurt…and underweight.”
“And?”
She steps outside, waits for me, locks the door, and grins sheepishly. “We took him to the vet.”
My stomach tightens. “She’s at Sarah’s clinic?”
Joy flinches just a fraction. “She got attached to the dog and?—”
“I don’t trust her,” I snap.
