Finish What We Started (5 page)

Lee lifted one shoulder and let it drop. “Eh, you know. You’ve got to play up your strengths.”

Candace let her gaze linger on Lee’s long legs while he messed with the dog’s fashion accessory. He was wearing cargo shorts that came to just above his knee and leather flip-flops. Hard work made him lean. Nice, square knees and big feet.

Good Lord. She was getting turned on looking at his feet. This was precisely why she’d wanted to avoid face-to-face meetings. Thinking of him as a sexual being was a really bad idea, but that’s where her mind went every time.

“What else do I need to know besides the barfing and the baldness?” He ran his fingers through his own hair, making it stand up in the front.

She remembered running her fingers through it while they were in bed. “Toy breeds are fragile, especially the knees. Make sure he doesn’t fall or jump from anything too high.”

“Got it. So he shouldn’t play in grass, eat yummy food, or jump.” He ticked the items off on long fingers. “No peanut butter and banana sandwiches for you, dude.”

“Oh, wow. I haven’t had one of those in—” She snapped her mouth shut. She wasn’t going to reminisce with him about sandwiches or anything else. “That’s about right. I’d like to draw a bit of blood when I give him his shots.”

“Shots?”

She nodded. “Shots. You know, vaccines against parvo, distemper and others.”

Lee squinched up his chin. “What if he’s already had his shots? Could that be bad?”

“Maybe, but you said he hadn’t been to another vet.”

“Yeah, let’s hold off on the shots.” He scooped Milo off the table and tucked him under his chin.

“You could be putting him in danger.” She could see the wheels whirring in his head.

“Uh, I think the breeder did them. I’ll check and make another appointment if he still needs them.”

She shrugged and noted his chart. “Well then, just the blood work and I’ll give you the vial for a fecal test.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Fecal test. That better not mean what I think it does.”

She smiled. This was a stroke of genius. “Yes. Poop.”

“And why would I need a vial?”

“To collect it in. Surely you’ve dealt with puppy poop, being a dog owner and all.” The astonished look on his face was delicious. She had no idea whose dog this was, but it sure as hell wasn’t Lee’s.

“Umm, okay.” He narrowed his gaze at Milo.

She paused at the door back to the lab area. “I’ll be right back.” She was able to contain her giggles until the door slid closed behind her, but the entire time she was noting Milo’s chart and gathering the fecal vial and the stuff for the blood draw she didn’t stop laughing.

When she got back to the exam room, Lee was discussing the poop test with the dog. “Sorry to interrupt, this sounds important.” She smirked at him. “I can come back later.”

“No. Let’s get this over with.”

“Put Milo on the table and hold him steady.” Lee flinched at the same time Milo made a little whine. The blood draw only took a couple of seconds. “Good boy.” She patted the dog.

“You’re okay, dude. Just a little bit of blood. No biggie.” He scratched under the puppy’s chin.

“Don’t worry, he’ll recover.” She pulled the fecal vial from her lab coat pocket. “Just open it here, insert this part in a bit of feces, then seal it back in here. All done. You’re not even going to get icky.”

Lee looked doubtful, but he took the vial and dropped it in pocket. He placed Milo on the floor and hooked his sparkly leash. “Is that everything?”

“I’d really like to give him some shots, but you can do it another time. Just don’t wait too long if it turns out he’s due.” She closed the chart and laid it on the exam table. “So we’re all done here. He seems like a very healthy boy.”

They stood there in silence for a heartbeat, another one. She didn’t know what Lee had thought coming here today would accomplish. She swallowed and lowered her gaze. They had never really talked after their breakup. There had only been nastiness, and no opportunity for recovery. There were things she would have said back then, if given the chance. Not anymore. She’d tried then, and she was content in the knowledge she’d attempted to make it right. What he’d expected—demanded, really—had been more than she could give. She didn’t have anything to say to him now.

He saved her by speaking first. His voice was soft and intimate. Tender. “You look really beautiful, Candy.” Even the way he said her nickname bordered on sentimental. “I’m glad everything worked out like you wanted.”

She’d thought she had nothing to say. “How is Sarah?” She’d wanted to ask so many times, but her own pain had been too raw to keep that wound open.

“She’s doing really well.” He paused and wrinkled his nose. “Sidney’s in a wheelchair. Will be for the rest of his life.”

The ball of sorrow that had settled in her stomach was now a lead weight. “Oh my God.”

His dark brows came together. “Yeah. He’s a really cool kid. He’s seven now. Loves everything superhero. In fact, they gave me this shirt for my birthday.” He plucked at his tee with the Hulk on it. Another pause, then he changed the subject to something less painful. “Mark got married.”

“That’s great.” She’d always liked Lee’s younger brother. “You like the girl?”

“Oh yeah.” He looked down at the dog. “She’s great. Really fun. She totally kicks Mark’s ass. We love her.”

“When you see him, tell him I said congratulations.”

“Sure.” His expression turned serious. “Look, could we talk about—”

Oh hell no.
She was not having heart-to-heart talks with him. “Find out about Milo’s shots sooner rather than later.”

He nodded. “I’m glad you’re home. It’s great to see you.”

She sensed he wanted to hug her. She stepped backward to increase the distance between them, then crossed her arms over her chest. She needed to remember that behind the good guy exterior, Lee could be hurtful and mean. Their breakup was like nothing she ever wanted to experience again. She’d learned a lot while she was away and not just from her expensive education.

He nodded again, then led Milo out of the exam room.

“Bye, Milo. It was a pleasure to meet you,” she called after them.

She watched him walk down the hallway. He waved when he got to the exterior door. She didn’t have time for this. What did he want from her? Whatever it was, she wasn’t giving it to him. Once the clinic was complete, she wouldn’t have anything to do with him.

Chapter Five

Lee hopped down from his truck and yanked a sports bag from the bed. Baseball bats clanged inside it as he hurried to the field. It had been the kind of day where no matter how fast he moved he was always running late. Most of the guys were already there, milling around the grass, their raucous laughter carrying all the way to the parking lot. The other team was doing the same on the far side of the field.

“There he is,” Mark hollered and saluted with a soda can.

“It’s been one of those days,” Lee explained as he tossed the bag to the ground near the dugout. “Sorry, guys.” Lee had been the manager of the Elson Spartans for the last three years. Playing on the team was really the only thing he did that wasn’t work related. Running a rapidly growing construction company required a lot of time and attention to detail.

Like today, for instance. He’d had two bids to finish and turn in, there were invoices to write up and billing to send out, and he needed to find a new drywall subcontractor. He’d dealt with all of that, visited his job sites and answered a million phone calls from freaked-out customers, bickering subs, and postponing suppliers. It had actually been a pretty typical day, but he’d been off his game ever since he’d taken Milo to see Candy, and it pissed him off. He didn’t know if he’d made any headway with her at all, and he couldn’t stop thinking about it. Obviously, she wasn’t going to make it easy on him. He was going to have to work up to the apology. His mother was always babbling about “closure” and other pop-psychology nonsense she got from Oprah and Dr. Phil. But maybe there was some truth to it. All of his life was in order except his love life. His family was happy, his business was doing great. Getting her to forgive him would give him that closure thing and then everything would fall into place.

None of that mattered at three in the morning when sleep was elusive and the tactile memory of her blonde hair brushing his cheek and the feel of her pressing against him ran on an endless loop through his head.

He adjusted his ball cap and dragged his mind back to the present for the zillionth time. The Fremont Giants were the home team and they were a tough one. He’d led the Spartans to a good record so far this season, and he’d need to pay attention to the game if they were going to come out on top this time, too.

“Look who’s here.” Mark pointed behind the first base line.

For one delusional moment he thought his brother was referring to Candy and that when he looked over to the sidelines he’d see her sitting on a blanket on the grass, textbooks scattered around, ready to cheer him on when he came to bat, just like old times. Instead he saw his sister-in-law, his nephew and Milo. He waved and Sidney let out a whoop. The dog danced. He couldn’t believe it, but he was coming to think the dog was pretty cute, also. When he’d brought Milo home from the vet, Holly had inspected him from head to toe.

He’d handed off the vial for the poop collection. “Your dog is fine. Tell her, Milo. Tell her you’re fine.”

“I’m sure he is,” she said, but she still picked him up and held him to her chest like he’d been gone for days.

“I didn’t take him for a tattoo or get him drunk or anything.”

Holly smiled at that. “What did the vet say?”

“He’s good. She wanted to give him shots but I didn’t know if he needed any. Also she did some blood test.”

“His shots are all good. Are you hungry, little man?” Holly headed off to the kitchen, kissing the dog’s head.

Lee trailed behind. “Speaking of food and other disturbing things about your dog, did you know he’s probably going to be allergic to grass, lose all his hair and barf when you feed him?”

She stopped and turned back to him. “What?”

“Also, don’t let him jump anywhere. He’s got bad knees.”

Rolling her eyes, she continued to the kitchen. “Okay.”

She hadn’t seemed nearly as horrified as he had been, so he’d left Holly with her precious puppy and had gone home to launch his “What If” pity party in solitude.

“Where’s Sarah,” Lee asked Mark, wondering why Sid wasn’t with his mom.

Mark shook his head. “I don’t know. She had something going on so Holly volunteered to bring him to the game. He was over-the-moon excited about coming.”

While the Giants headed out to the field and his team went over the batting order, Lee sauntered over to see his family.

“Hey, Sid. What’s goin’ on?”

Sidney pulled a baseball glove out from the side of his wheelchair. “I’m ready to catch foul balls.”

He ruffled the kid’s hair. “Cool. If you don’t have any luck, we’ll play catch after, okay?” Milo hopped around his feet. “Hello, pooch. Fully recovered, I see.”

“I didn’t get a chance to ask you how it went with
you
and the vet.” Holly stood and gave him a quick hug. “Is there reconciliation in the future?”

“Hardly.” That was too much to contemplate. All he wanted was for her to accept his apology for the nasty things he’d said.

“Was she as pretty as before? Mark told me she was gorgeous.”

Was she as pretty? Sweet Jesus, the woman was more beautiful than she’d been five years ago, and back then, Lee would have said that was impossible. “Yeah. She was sort of a model back then.”

“Who are you talking about?” Sidney asked.

“Your Uncle Lee’s old girlfriend.”

Sidney rolled his eyes. “Oh. Big deal. Let’s get to the game, okay?”

Yep. Big deal. The kid had the right attitude. Old girlfriends should not be allowed to distract a guy from the importance of fly balls, homeruns, and a cold beer. Except, for a week Candy had been flitting around in the back of his mind. Even though she’d been prickly and difficult, in unguarded moments she’d let a smile slip or say something dry and witty and he’d remember all the reasons he’d fallen for her in the first place. The time he spent with her made him wistful, and that made
him
sound like he’d been listening to Oprah. He didn’t want to date her. He’d never be able to trust her again. But he wanted her for sure. His body remembered lots of things about her body that didn’t require trust or forgiveness. Still, there was a sad, needy part of him that wanted to pretend that she’d never walked away.

His team held their own until the bottom of the eighth when two errors gave the Giants the runs that won them the game. Lee had been distracted at short stop when a tall girl with a long blonde ponytail had jogged by the field. The sun was in his eyes and it took a split second too long to realize it wasn’t Candy running past. By then the ball was coming fast and he didn’t have time to react before it went past him.

After the game, the rest of the guys and their wives and girlfriends all agreed to meet up at their favorite pub. Lee couldn’t think of anything he wanted less than to sit around and pretend to have a good time, unless it was being alone. He offered to take Sidney back with him so Holly and Mark could go have fun. That also meant he was saddled with Milo.

“I told Mom I want a dog for my birthday,” Sidney said from the back seat.

“Really.” Sidney’s birthday was in a month and Lee still had no idea what to get him. “What did she say?”

“You know Mom. She said maybe, but I’m going to keep working on her, though. I told her a dog would be a great idea and that he could protect the house. She didn’t seem very convinced.”

Right, a dog would be great for protection, then Lee could stop worrying about his sister and nephew living alone. “
Maybe
doesn’t mean
no.
”

“Usually it does.”

His sister was probably concerned about the expense of a dog. Based on what that one trip to the vet cost, he could see how that could rack up. Along with food and grooming—jeez. He’d never owned a dog, so this was sheer speculation, but it seemed like a lot. Still, Sidney had lost the use of his legs in the same accident that had killed his father. The kid deserved a great childhood—the Norman Rockwell kind—and that always involved a dog.

“Well, let’s wait and see what happens. You never know what surprises birthdays will bring.”

* * *

When the foreman on the plumbing crew started talking about getting a pet for his daughter’s birthday, Lee’s ears perked up.

“What are you thinking of?” he asked Ray. “Puppy? Kitten?”

“I don’t know. Something small that she can take care of.” Ray took a swig from a gallon jug of water. “My wife was thinking of a guinea pig or something.”

“Uh, yeah.” Lee shook his head as if he had an opinion on guinea pigs. “Make sure you get the animal checked out by a vet to see that it’s healthy.”

Ray motioned with his head at the slab and struts. “This is gonna be a vet’s office, yeah?” When Lee nodded, the other man continued. “Are they any good, do you know?”

Lee had a decidedly dirty thought about one of the many things Candy had been good at. “Yeah, they’re great. I’ve known the family for a long time.”

A week later, Ray approached him again.

“So you’ll never guess what my wife bought my kid for her birthday.”

“A platypus?”

“Yeah, that’s what she got her. Man, you’re weird.” Ray laughed. “No, a rat.”

“A rat?” Lee said in disbelief. “For a little girl?”

Ray shrugged. “Cindy’s actually ten, and we did all kinds of research on the internet. Believe it or not, rats are really popular pets.”

Lee made a face. “But there’s diseases and stuff.” He was having visions of bubonic plague breaking out.

“Nah, but I do need a vet, and I need one really quick. Cindy’s birthday is tomorrow.”

“I can probably help you with that.” Lee’s mind was going fifty million miles an hour. He hadn’t spoken to Candy now in almost a week. There’d been messages and a rogue email, but no actual speaking. It was time to make another appointment. Now if he could just finagle a way to get Ray’s kid’s rat. Maybe he should just get a rat. He shivered. Ick.

“Do you have the animal now?” He was trying to be subtle. He looked down at his clipboard and tried to sound blasé. “I’m gonna see the vet today about the construction. I could take the thing with me and have her check it out.”

And that’s how Lee found himself sitting in the exam room staring at a rat, waiting for Candy. The animal was kinda cute once he got past the tail. That long, hairless tail sort of freaked him out a bit. The funniest thing was, the animal seemed smart.

Tinkerbell. That was the name Ray’s wife had given it.

Tinkerbell was dark brown and tan with a long snoot and a pink nose. Serious whiskers fluttered around her face while she peered at him. Her fur looked soft, but he hadn’t been brave enough to stick his finger in there. He didn’t care what Ray said, rats had killed half of Europe. It just seemed stupid to court fate like that. Her little fingers held on to the wire cage and soft brown eyes took in the room, him, and then Candy when she entered.

“And now you have a rat?” Candy said by way of greeting, sliding the pocket door closed behind her.

“Yep.” He extended a hand with a large cup of coffee to her. “I’m betting you still like mochas?”

She took the coffee with a look of surprise and blinked at it for several seconds without saying a word. He handed her a straw.

“You still drink it with a straw, right?”

She nodded. “Thank you.” She tucked the straw into the sipping hole in the top and took a drink.

“Nah, you’re welcome. Thanks for fitting me in so quickly.”

Candy bent at the waist and looked at Tinkerbell. A long blonde lock of hair came loose from her braid. She tucked it behind her ear before he did it for her. “So you have a rat.” She raised her eyebrows and looked at him though the wire. It was a speculative look. One that suggested she didn’t believe it was possible. “How long have you had this little cutie?”

“Just got her. Want to make sure she’s healthy.”

Candy stuck her finger into the cage and Tinkerbell sniffed it then unbelievably nuzzled it with her head. “Did you buy her from a pet store or a breeder?”

Ray had said something about a breeder, which he’d thought insane at the time. There were rat breeders? That was a thing? “Breeder.”

Tinkerbell scampered right onto her hand when Candy stuck it inside the cage. She checked the animal over and pronounced her in good health. He watched her work, carefully handling Tinkerbell, gently probing her and listening with the stethoscope.

Scratching underneath Tinkerbell’s chin, she raised her gaze to where Lee leaned against the wall. “Do you really want me to give you the rundown on all the possible dangers of rat ownership like I did with the Yorkie?”

He knit his eyebrows together. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“’Cause Tinkerbell here isn’t your rat.”

He tried to seem taken aback. “Why would you say that?”

She tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. “Maybe because you won’t touch her.”

“I touch her.” But he didn’t put out his hand.

Her eyebrow went higher. “Okay then. You’ll need to keep an eye out for respiratory infections. They’re quite common. Keep her cage very clean to minimize risk of injury, which can also cause an infection. Keep her feet clean and check them frequently so she doesn’t get bumblefoot.”

“You’re making that up.”

She shook her head. “Nope.” She approached with the rat who wiggled her whiskers at him. “Hold out your hand.”

“No. I’m all right.” He tucked his hands in his jeans pockets.

“Don’t scream.”

“Why would I scream?” He inched along the wall toward the door. Tinkerbell wasn’t menacing, but she was still a rat. He turned his head when Candy allowed the rat to crawl onto his shoulder. Tinkerbell’s whiskers tickled his neck and inside his ear. He wanted it noted for the record that he didn’t screech. Or flinch. Very much.

“I don’t know what you’re doing, Lee.” She took a step toward the inner door. “I’m not sure if you’re randomly adopting animals or what. I certainly hope you’re not abandoning them afterward.”

“What? No.” He didn’t want to protest too vehemently with the cute little plague carrier on his shoulder. “That’s awful. Why would I do that?”

“Honestly, I don’t have any idea what you’re doing. Are you borrowing them, then? Whatever.” She shook her head. “You need to stop bringing other people’s animals in here. You’re building an office for me. That’s all. I don’t know what you think you’re going to make happen, but it’s not going to work. We have a business relationship and that’s all it will ever be.”