“Come on, Harlow. All you have to do is show up, sit with us at a booth, and sell some raffle tickets. We’ll have so much fun,” Lucy continued. “Did I tell you that all proceeds benefit the Free Library of Mistletoe?”
Harlow knew that Lucy was head librarian at the library. She deeply cared about it and all of her beloved patrons. She wasn’t surprised that Lucy was hustling to raise funds to support the local institution.
“No, you didn’t, Lucy. But knowing that it supports your library, how can I say no?” Harlow watched as a huge grin broke out on Lucy’s face. Stella sent Harlow an appreciative smile.
Lucy let out a squeal. “Yay, Harlow. We’re going to raise so much money. I also recruited Dante, who might be our moneymaker.” Lucy winked at Harlow. “He has a lot of fans in Mistletoe.”
Stella leaned across the table. “All age groups fawn over him. From the elementary school crowd to the retirement home folks.”
“Well, the Inferno is a household name,” Harlow said, using the moniker Dante had been given by the public. She hadn’t gotten over the fact that Lucy was married to the famous action star. Meeting him still felt surreal.
“He is,” Lucy said, beaming. “Oh, and we’ve also signed up Nick and Luke. The ladies love the two of them, so they’ll sell lots of tickets.”
Harlow wasn’t surprised to hear about Nick’s appeal here in town. He was smart and sexy and really easy to talk to. And despite having been through a hellish loss, Nick had a great attitude about life. He was devoted to his son, and it was obvious everything he did was for Miles’s benefit. There wasn’t anything not to love about the man. She shook off the thought. There would be absolutely no falling for Nick Keegan!
Lucy turned to Harlow. “Now that we’ve settled the fall festival issue, give us the scoop about you and Nick.” She held up her fingers. “Just a tiny morsel.”
“Stop begging, Lucy,” Stella scolded. “Leave Harlow alone.”
“It’s okay, Stella,” Harlow said. “Lucy, I’m not one to kiss and tell.” She put her finger on her chin. “But I will say that Nick’s kisses made me weak in the knees.” Harlow ducked her head.
Stella and Lucy instantly reacted by letting out screams that carried to other tables. Several customers turned in their direction with questioning gazes. Harlow squirmed in her seat.
“You two are such a bad influence on me,” Harlow said, shaking her head. “I’m usually very private about my love life.”
“Uh-oh. We woke Jade up,” Stella said, reaching down and rocking the carrier from side to side as her baby began making fussy sounds. Moments later, the cries stopped as Jade went back to sleep.
“She’s such a good baby,” Lucy said. “I really hope Dante and I get lucky with a sweet-natured infant who’s easy to put down to sleep. She’s like a baby doll, Stella. You take her everywhere and she just goes with the flow.”
Stella chuckled. “She’s pretty chill, but Jade has her moments. Come over to our house in the wee hours of the morning or when she has a diaper explosion. Just ask Luke. He’ll tell you.”
Harlow watched her two friends dishing over the wonders of babies, all the while asking herself how she felt about infants in general. The idea of having a little one scared Harlow. She wasn’t anywhere near ready to have a baby. Harlow wasn’t even sure if she had a single maternal bone in her body. Jade was a cutie, though. But looking at her didn’t swarm Harlow with maternal feelings. She didn’t know why, but she felt slightly deflated. Maybe it meant she wasn’t cut out for motherhood. Or the traditional storybook ending most women envisioned for themselves.
Perhaps it was a good thing that she’d come to this realization about herself. Knowing she wasn’t looking for hearth, home, and a house full of babies would make life easier for her. She wouldn’t have to go through all the rituals and jumping through hoops. If she wanted to see someone, she’d keep things light and casual. Like with Nick. She would make it clear to him that her time in Mistletoe had an expiration stamp on it and she wasn’t looking to settle down in a cottage by the lake.
That way, she figured, neither one of them would get their feelings hurt. When she left Mistletoe, she would be just as single and fancy-free as when she had arrived.
***
By the time Harlow got back to Paws, several patients were seated in the waiting room. She’d barely taken her allotted forty-five minutes for lunch, yet she still felt guilty about the backlog. Had an emergency cropped up while she was gone?
So far she found herself enjoying the practice, the other vets and the support staff. The pace was steady yet not overwhelming, which was different from back home. She felt as if she was actually getting to know the owners and their pets on a more intimate level. Most of the clients had been coming to Paws for quite some time, so there was a strong comfort level and connection. If she was being honest with herself, back in Seattle there had been a high turnover in clients. Because of veterinary shortages in Maine, she truly felt needed here.
Harlow discreetly approached her coworker Jon Silver at the front desk. He had worked at Paws for more than a decade, serving as the clinic’s eyes and ears. He was super friendly and knowledgeable. With his buzz cut, bow ties, and blue glasses, Jon was the type of person who marched to the beat of his own drum.
“Hi, Harlow. How was lunch? What did you think of the Starlight?” Jon asked, his features animated as he spoke.
“Hey, Jon. The diner might be my favorite new spot. I loved it.” She looked around the crowded room. “What’s going on here?”
“There was an emergency with Violet Stewart’s dog,” Jon said, lowering his voice. “Another pup attacked her, and she was slashed to ribbons. Dr. Hart’s been in with her for over an hour.” Julian was one of the other veterinarians, a top-notch professional who was at the top of his craft.
“That’s terrible. Have the next patient sent into room four. I’ll be right there,” Harlow said, reaching for the file Jon held out to her.
“So glad to have you here, Harlow,” Jon said with a nod. “We needed another vet like nobody’s business. Mistletoe has a lot of pet owners.”
“Happy to help out,” Harlow said. From what she’d seen, Paws did a bristling business. That’s what every veterinarian wanted to see. It meant Paws was growing. Harlow’s dream was to open up her own vet clinic, so she was taking notes on how to be successful.
A few minutes later, Harlow entered the examination room, pet file in hand. A petite, auburn-haired woman stood holding a black-and-white bulldog in her arms.
