“Hi there, Marshall family,” Harlow greeted them. “Who do we have here?”
“This is Vera,” Tess said. “The best bunny in the world.”
“She’s a beauty,” Harlow said, admiring the white Satin rabbit. “A lovely breed too. What’s going on with her?”
Tess made a sad face. “She’s been acting funny. She’s been ravenously hungry and really tired. And she doesn’t want to play with me like she usually does.”
“Hmm, let me take a look,” Harlow said, picking Vera up and putting her on the exam table. Harlow busied herself examining the rabbit as her owners watched her every move. After a few minutes, Harlow was done.
“Tess. Vera is going to have babies. She’s pregnant,” Harlow announced.
“Pregnant?” Mrs. Marshall asked while Tess let out a gasp.
“How did that happen?” Tess asked, her mouth hanging open.
Harlow tried not to laugh, but the sides of her lips were twitching. The news had thrown Tess for a loop. Harlow could see it stamped all over her face.
Harlow smiled. “I need to confirm with an ultrasound, so I’ll get that started.” She took Vera down the hall, where she performed an ultrasound that confirmed the rabbit’s pregnancy. She walked back to the exam room and handed Vera over to Tess.
“So? Is she preggers?” Tess asked bluntly.
“Yep. She sure is,” Harlow confirmed with a bob of her head. “Umm…congratulations.” Harlow wasn’t sure if this was a good outcome or not for the Marshalls. No one was smiling at the news.
Tess slapped her hand to her forehead. “What’s in the water in Mistletoe? Stella just had a baby, Lucy’s pregnant…and now Vera.”
“How long until she delivers?” Mrs. Marshall asked. “I knew getting a rabbit was going to get complicated,” she muttered.
“She’s set to deliver within the week, I believe. Rabbits only gestate for roughly thirty-one days,” Harlow explained. “Clearly this is coming as a surprise, so I’d like to offer my assistance finding homes for Vera’s babies. I can put out some feelers, and Tess, you can make some fliers and hang them up around town.” Harlow placed her arm around Mrs. Marshall, who seemed a bit shell-shocked. “Don’t worry. People will be lining up for bunny babies.”
“I sure hope so,” she said, scrunching up her face.
“I like that idea. How many babies is she having?” Tess asked.
“I’m not sure, but typically rabbits deliver five or six, but it could be more or less.” Harlow didn’t want to frighten them by saying it could be fourteen or fifteen.
“I still don’t understand how she wound up getting pregnant,” Tess said in an awestruck voice.
“We’ll talk about that later,” Mrs. Marshall said. “Something tells me it’s tied to that bunny playdate you had at your friend’s house with her rabbit. Remember?” Tess’s mouth formed an O shape as a lightbulb went off in her head.
“It was nice seeing both of you,” Harlow said. “Keep me posted on Vera’s delivery. And let me know if you need anything or have any further questions.”
Harlow walked Tess and her mother to the front desk, where Jon could check them out.
“Harlow, someone is here to see you,” Jon said with a smirk. Harlow followed his gaze, drinking in the sight of Nick wearing a navy blazer with a pair of dark jeans. Harlow sucked in a steadying breath at the sight of him. His brown skin gleamed as he advanced toward her, his stride full of swagger. All eyes in the waiting room were trained on Nick, who was clutching a vibrant bouquet of flowers in his hand. Something told her this detail would be all over town in no time flat.
He held the bouquet out to her. “These are for you.”
“Thank you,” she said, accepting the flowers. She was a bit speechless that Nick had shown up out of the blue at her place of business. Was this beautiful assortment of flowers his way of apologizing?
“Can we talk somewhere in private?” Nick asked, looking around him at all of the prying eyes. Clients weren’t even pretending to mind their business. Everyone was all up in their conversation.
“Okay, people,” Tess called out. “Nothing to see here. Just a smoking-hot guy bringing a girl he digs some flowers.”
Harlow didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at Tess’s gumption. If she laughed, according to Stella, it would only encourage her little sister’s boldness. The town of Mistletoe surely didn’t need that. “Come on, Nick. Follow me,” Harlow said, leading Nick toward her office. She could feel numerous pairs of eyes trailing after them. Once they were inside the small space, Harlow closed the door behind her.
“I know flowers aren’t exactly a creative way of saying I’m sorry, but I figured it was better than chocolates,” Nick said, looking sheepish as well as adorable.
“I love chocolate,” Harlow said. “Especially Reese’s.”
