The gelding from Kim Walker’s place is in the first stall. The poor horse not only is incredibly thin, but is battling a pretty bad case of pneumonia as well. But the horse has fire inside and is fighting to heal.

“My god,” Henry mumbles under his breath when he sees the horse. The kid usually stays in the clinic, working with the small animals. “How is it even alive?”

“He’s still got some fight in him,” I reply and make a clicking sound with my tongue to get the gelding’s attention before I go into his stall. I give him a thorough check, redress a bandage on one of his wounds, and give him more hay. There’s a look in the gelding’s eyes that says he understands. It’s pleading, as if he wants me to know he’s trying. That he doesn’t want me to give up on him.

“I won’t,” I say softly, pulling a soft treat from my pocket. He sniffs but doesn’t take it. In time, he’ll get used to being spoiled and loved on, I’m sure.

Henry’s mother arrives right as we’re locking up the barn for the night. She waves and I wait until Henry walks down the long driveway and gets into the car before walking the short distance from the clinic to my house.

The house is much bigger than anything I need for just myself, but it was already on the property when I bought it a few years ago. I took over the previous vet clinic in Silver Ridge not long after I graduated from vet school. The building was small, old, and crumbling beyond repair. But it was in a good location right in town with a view of the lake, and the money I got from selling the land was enough to buy my own property and build a new clinic. It was the biggest risk I’ll probably ever take, but it’s not like we have a shortage of clients around here.

“Hey, guys,” I say to my dogs, greeting them as soon as I’m in the house. I currently have three dogs and four cats, along with an African Grey parrot that got dumped off at the clinic with a broken wing. I said I was going to find homes for the dogs, but Pluto became mine the second he stepped foot in the house.

Axel, a French Bulldog, has all the health issues the breed is notorious for and it makes sense for him to stay with me. Piper, a young German Shepherd, has no reason not to find a new home, but I’ve grown rather fond of her. Same with the cats, and compared to special needs dogs, they’re all pretty easy.

When I’m gone during the day, I take the dogs to the clinic and let them hangout with the staff in the break room or in my office. They get let out and are always given plenty of treats. After feeding all my animals, showering, and changing into sweatpants and a t-shirt, I heat up leftovers Mom made me take home and sit on the couch.

I’m exhausted yet feel restless and don’t know exactly what I need to do to quell that feeling. If I don’t, it’s going to consume me, growing from just a bit of unease to a heavy feeling of emptiness. I’ve felt it before and burying myself in work has helped. I have a fulfilling job. It’s hard as hell, but I like what I do and I’m proud of the work I put in. Reminding myself of that has always worked in the past. It’s made those unsettling feelings go away.

So why isn’t working now?

Chapter Eleven

JOSIE

“Night, Ev,” I say and step out of her room, closing the door behind me. Yawning, I go down the narrow hall into my room, waiting a beat for Mr. Meowester to run in ahead of me before going in and closing my own door. My body is sore and exhausted from all the physical work I’ve done today, and I’m ready to crash into bed, listening to the peaceful chorus of crickets outside my window.

I go to pull off my shirt and my fingers sweep over my sides, right where the handsome stranger gripped on to me to keep me from falling. It sends a jolt through me, and I quickly shake my head, not wanting to admit how pathetic it is. But it’s been so long since I’ve felt the touch of a man, and there was something about said handsome stranger. It wasn’t just the fact that he was incredibly good-looking.

Because he is.

He’s tall and muscular, with stubble covering his sharp jaw. His eyes were a gorgeous shade of light blue, contrasting with his dark hair. He was wearing a simple t-shirt and jeans, and the fact that he was carrying a bunch of treats means he not only has animals, but he must care about them, which instantly makes someone more attractive in my eyes.

Tags: Emily Goodwin Boys of Silver Ridge Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net