He wondered if he could get the cats to do it.
Now, that would be a sight to see.
Chapter
Twenty-Three
They pulled up to the vet’s office and hurried in, tiny D’Artagnan still shaking and worried.
“Don’t worry, baby. We’ll help.” He went to the counter, leaving the puppy with Laird. “Hi, I’m Devon. I called just a minute ago. Dr. Gray said that he could see this little one. We found him under the stairs.”
“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, so cute. Of course.” The young lady behind the counter hurried them back to a warm, if a little sterile, exam room.
Every vet’s office smelled like this weird disinfectant. He didn’t know why—his office didn’t smell like this. Human doctors didn’t smell like this.
But all veterinary offices did.
“I’m going to scan him for a microchip before anything else. He’s gorgeous, isn’t he?”
“He is. A sweet little baboo.”
“Aw, hi, sweetie.” The tech took the baby from them and scanned his little back and his butt too with the microchip scanner. “It’s okay, it’s not going to hurt you. You just need to relax and let us do this.”
He had to fight back a grin because he figured if he talked to his patients like vet techs and vets talked to dogs and cats, he would get his ass handed to him. It just made him laugh to notice the differences.
“Oh, that’s a shame. There’s no microchip. I would have at least known who dumped him.” The tech laid the microchip scanner aside. “Now I’m just going to take your temperature, baby. You’re not going to like that. Okay, I know, but we have to do it.”
“Aw, that sucks.” Devon reached for Laird’s hand because he didn’t like the way D’Artagnan cried when she stuck the thermometer where the sun didn’t shine.
“All done. It’s okay. You did so good.” She nuzzled the little guy, and then handed him back over to Devon and Laird. “All righty. I’m gonna go tell Dr. Jeremy you’re ready.”
“Thanks.”
“Of course.” She gave them one last little smile before heading out and closing the door behind her.
He looked at Laird. “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”
“Well, I guess it’s good that no one’s out there looking for him, but I feel bad that somebody just dumped him. I wonder what the vet’s going to say. I bet he’s not as perfect as he looks. Not as far as maybe a breeder is concerned.”
Devon held up D’Artagnan and peered at Laird with a frown. “I don’t care. He’s amazing.”
“I didn’t say anything about him not being amazing. He’s a cute little shit. I assume that this means you’re going to want to take him home.”
Devon gave his husband an arched eyebrow. “Yes, I mean if someone can prove that they lost him, I’ll totally let him go back home, but until that happens, you better get on your phone and start making orders. We need a dog bed,dog food, a dog bowl, a collar, toys, puppy pads, and other dog things that I don’t know we need yet.”
Laird pulled his phone out, teasing him. “I’m not sure that he’s big enough to even be called a dog. I think maybe we’ll just call him a rat.”
He was not listening to this baloney. “We’re going to call him D’Artagnan. I’ve already told you that. He is going to be your son’s bosom buddy.”
“He might be my son’s first chew toy. I’m pretty sure the baby is going to be three times his size when he’s born.”
“I would hope so given that he weighs a little less than three pounds.” Dr. Jeremy came in, the big man with a smile that lit up the room. “Look at this little beast, how you doing, buddy? His temperature was a little high, but that’s pretty normal.”
Jeremy took him, the little white fuzzy ball of joy almost disappearing in the man’s hands.
“So you say you found him under the porch?” Jeremy asked, checking the little pup’s eyeballs and teeth.
“Yeah, he was under there just crying away.” Laird slung an arm around Devon. “It was pretty wet, too.”
