His next meeting, with a real estate attorney, would tell him more about putting the estate on the market. He killed some time before the appointment, walking around the village. Every shop window he passed boasted a riot of red and green ribbons, evergreen boughs, wrapped presents, or fake snow and crystals suspended from the ceiling on nearly invisible fishing line. The colors and sparkles caught his gaze, but images of Caitlin with this Doctor Coates, the veterinarian, kept intruding.
The cold water yesterday and the Christmas decorations in the village today must have frozen his brain’s logic centers. That could be the only explanation for why he stood here longing for some fantasy full of colored lights, unwrapping presents— or undressing Caitlin— and happy endings.
It was too soon after the Helen debacle to take up with another woman, especially one he’d known for only two, no, three days. He had to stop thinking about Caitlin that way, but it didn’t stop him from wondering what kind of friend the doc was to her. Her enthusiasm, as she’d told him about the vet and his good works, made Holt’s blood pressure rise. In addition to apparently having a heart of gold, was he tall and handsome? No woman in her prime could resist that combination.
Caitlin was definitely a woman in her prime with curves in all the right places that felt like heaven in his arms. Her smile ranged from sweet to snarky, and she had a temperament to match. Intelligent. Dedicated, with a sterling reputation in her profession. If he had any sense, he’d go after her. Since their visit to the beach, the thought of her with another man made his jaw lock.
Was he jealous? And of someone he’d never met? Ridiculous. Impossible. He shouldn’t care. Before long, he would return to California, and she to Scotland. But the idea persisted.
After the meeting with the realtor, he reclaimed his car, then parked on the street in front of the vet’s office and took a breath. He saw only one way to put his wild imaginings to rest. Meet the man. Watch Caitlin interact with him. Accept whatever he observed and get on with his life back in California as quickly as possible.
A bell tinkled over the door as he entered. Tiny twinkling white lights framed the interior of every window. Construction paper ornaments shaped like dog biscuits, and kittens and puppies with wings were strung across the glass and embellished with names spelled out in glitter. Holt surmised they must be the names of peoples’ pets. Silver garland and shiny red and green balls draped the front of the reception desk. A small, decorated tree sat on a corner table. Holiday music played low in the background, almost covered by the occasional outraged feline yowl or canine whine. A whiff of animal urine and wet fur made him wrinkle his nose. A few people sat with animal carriers on their laps or larger dogs at their feet, the dogs’ tails thumping in excitement— or more likely, anxiety. He sympathized.
“I’m looking for Caitlin Paterson,” he told the girl at the desk. “I’m supposed to meet her here.”
“You must be Mr. Ridley,” the girl answered with a blazing white smile. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Rachel. Merry Christmas.”
“Um…Merry Christmas.” He summoned a smile.
The girl nodded. “Follow me.” She gestured to an adjoining hallway.
Holt followed her down a long hall lined with examination rooms. If Caitlin was alone with the vet in his office, Holt hoped he wouldn’t walk in on anything too friendly.
“Here we are,” the receptionist announced cheerily. “Caitlin, your friend Mr. Ridley is here.”
The receptionist moved out of the way, and Holt found himself looking into another exam room. Caitlin was stripping off gloves as she turned toward him. The vet, if that is who he was, was putting a puppy into a carrier, his back to Holt. The lab coat hid his build, but he appeared to be a little shorter than Holt.
“Thanks, Rachel. Holt Ridley,” Caitlin said as she walked forward, then took Holt’s arm. “Come meet Doc Coates.”
The vet turned around and pulled off his gloves, then held out a hand to Holt. “I’m pleased to meet you, Mr. Ridley. Caitlin has had a lot of nice things to say about you.”
Caitlin had nice things to say about him? Since when? “Good to meet you, too.” Holt shook his hand while he studied the man. He was older than Holt had imagined, with a little silver sprinkled in his hair, but his build was still trim and strong, as was his grip. He looked familiar, yet Holt was sure they’d never met. The vet seemed to consider him, too. Holt nearly asked, but Caitlin interrupted.
“I’ve told Holt what little I know about what you do here, Doc, but if you have a few minutes, I hoped you might show him more.”
“I don’t want to take up your time,” Holt objected, thinking of the crowded waiting room. “I’m sure you’re busy.”
“Not at the moment. My techs are dealing with the routine cases— vaccinations and so forth. This little guy,” he said, gesturing at the puppy in the carrier, “just finished his wellness check. He’s going to board with us while his foster family is out of town for the holidays. He’s also one of the potential search-and-rescue trainees.”
Caitlin beamed at the puppy, then at the vet.
Holt fought to keep a frown from his face. “That’s very interes?—”
“Doc Coates,” the receptionist called as she burst into the room, cheeks red against her suddenly pale face. “Someone just brought in a puppy that might have Parvo.”
“Put them in the nearest empty exam room. I’ll be right there.” He turned to include both Caitlin and Holt in his gaze. “I’m sorry, but this is dangerous for the other canine patients. I’ve got to go.” He gave Holt a quick nod. “Thanks for stopping by.”
“I still owe you a coffee,” Caitlin told him as he left, not quite at a run.
Holt heard him exchange a few words with his receptionist, then the hallway got quiet again, except for a faint Christmas melody that suddenly seemed out of place.
“I hope that puppy is all right,” Caitlin said, her gaze on the door. Then the puppy in the room with them whined, and Caitlin stepped over to its carrier. “Don’t yefash, ye wee lad. Ye’ll be fine. They’ll take good care of ye here.”
“We’d better go,” Holt said, suddenly eager to get away from this place. Caitlin’s interaction with the vet had been too brief for Holt to determine anything about their relationship, but at any rate, she seemed to be getting way too attached to the puppy. He couldn’t argue with its cuteness, but he did not need her to decide that fostering it over the holidays would make their Christmas complete.
* * *
After they left the veterinary office, Holt remained quiet, his gaze on the traffic that had appeared since their trip into town.
