Groomed For Love

“What happened?” I gasp, gripping her arm so hard she has to take it off the wheel as she calms me down.

“Easy, easy!” she says. “I thought you knew? Parker and Moose got in a scrap with some shooters. They’re okay, just a little beat up,” she drawls, noting my frantic expression before she pats my knee.

“He asked for you before refusing an ambulance,” she adds. “That should answer any real questions you might have…” she smiles again with a knowing look.

I can’t speak though, and I feel myself sinking back into the seat, a whole universe of questions spiraling through my mind.

Please god, just let them be safe. Let them be alive.

We drive in silence and by the time we reach a 24-hour vet clinic, my driver has another call on her own radio.

“Hate to hi and bye, but…” she says. Friendly though.

“Hey?” she asks me, stopping me before I shut the cruiser’s door.

“You look out for him, won’t you, and Moose?” she adds. “We’re all gonna miss them.”

I have no idea what that means, but I have no time to think about it.

Once we’ve pulled up, Parker makes his way out of the clinic and has me in his arms as the police car pulls away, lights flashing before the sirens start to wail.

A job that never stops, no matter who’s behind the wheel.

“Are you okay?” I sob, wishing he’d never left in the first place, only wanting to take him back to bed and hold him for a thousand years.

“I’m better whenever I see you,” Parker whispers in my ear, kissing me so much, so hard I feel like I might crack.

“And Moose?” I ask. “That woman, she said you were both-”

“We’re both better now,” he sighs. “Come see him with me?”

Parker walks me back inside, his arm around me and both his hands stroking me the whole way.

He kisses my head and tells me he loves me. Tells me that tonight is the last night for any of us to worry about anything ever again, whatever that means.

It’s late and not much else seems to be happening in the vet clinic.

We’re let through to see Moose, who’s laid out on a green sheet with a couple of tubes in his leg and abdomen.

I let out a moan of shock and feel Parker tense up against me, but the vet in charge is there to explain everything.

“He’s a lucky dog, Parker. Don’t think I’m just saying that either,” he says seriously.

We’re walked over to a light box on the wall, and the vet shows us some x-rays, pointing out how close the bullet was to Moose’s heart, but passed through him without seriously injuring him.

“He’s sedated now, and that’s why he looks the way he does,” the vet adds, reading my thoughts and giving some comfort to Parker.

“He’ll have to stay here for a day or two. Antibiotics and plenty of sedation to make sure he gets the rest he needs while the wound heals up.”

Parker and I look at each other and then go back over to the table with Moose on it.

His eyes are half open and his tongue out, but he seems so… lifeless that it’s scary.

“He’s fine, once the main anesthetic wears off he’ll be more himself, don’t worry.” The vet reminds us both and before he leaves us for a minute with our friend he pauses in the doorway to ask something.

“Did you get whoever did this?” he asks, frowning.

Parker nods.

“Yeah. We have them in custody.” He says dryly.

“Good.” The vet says as he creases a smile that’s far from happy about any of this except Moose surviving. “Good,” he says again.

It’s hard to watch Moose like this and even harder to see the effect it has on Parker.

He runs his thick hands through his buddy’s fur and nuzzles his face into his neck.

There are tears in his eyes by the time they reach mine.

“I’m quitting the force, Naomi,” he tells me. “I can’t live another day wondering when some lunatic is gonna try to hurt me or Moose again. Since you’ve come along I’ve got a reason to care again. I’ve got something for us both to come home for.”

Hugging Parker again, I can’t disagree but I don’t want him to change everything just because of me.

“That cop who dropped me off, she told me to look after you both,” I tell him and he chuckles.

“I think a few of the guys and gals just know,” he says with a shrug.

“When a cop reaches the end of his service and he gets to go out with dignity and his life? It’s a win, especially after being shot twice” he reminds me. Making me worry all over again, making me wish we’d found each other sooner.

I’ve got so many questions, about everything but I know now isn’t the time.