“Just friends” is just perfect

...until love finds her at Willow’s Haven

Her dreams of love haven’t worked out, but veterinarian Haley Calhoun intends to grant an orphaned boy’s wish. She’ll heal Eli’s injured puppy—while resisting his charming counselor, Gavin Thomason, at the children’s home. Still mourning the loss of his wife and baby, Gavin believes he can’t commit again. But in losing their hearts to Eli, will Haley and Gavin discover they’ve found the family they need?

RENEE ANDREWS spends a lot of time in the gym. No, she isn’t working out. Her husband, a former All-American gymnast, owns a gym and coaches gymnastics. Renee is a kidney donor and actively supports organ donation. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys traveling with her husband and bragging about their sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren. For more info on her books or on living donors, visit her website at reneeandrews.com.

Also By Renee Andrews

Love Inspired

Willow’s Haven

Family Wanted

Second Chance Father

Child Wanted

Finally a Bride

Healing Autumn’s Heart

Picture Perfect Family

Love Reunited

Heart of a Rancher

Bride Wanted

Yuletide Twins

Mommy Wanted

Small-Town Billionaire

Daddy Wanted

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

Finally a Bride

Renee Andrews

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-08243-3

FINALLY A BRIDE

© 2018 Renee Andrews

Published in Great Britain 2018

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

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Delight thyself also in the Lord:

and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

—Psalms 37:4

“I need to get back.”

She knew better. He didn’t need to get back; he needed to get away.

But she wasn’t giving up that easily.

“Today, you were an entirely different person when we drove to the farm, like someone I’d actually like to have as a friend. But then you were downright rude, and for the life of me, I can’t figure out why.”

If possible, his jaw clenched tighter. Then he closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the seat.

Haley had no idea if he was praying...or counting to ten.

Either way, he’d made her angry.

“Gavin, I’m volunteering my time for this program, and it’s going to be a lot of time, from what I can tell. Maybe I should ask if they can get someone else to work with me. If you don’t want to...”

“No, I want to do this. And what happened at the barn had nothing to do with you,” he growled, his tone filled with heated emotion.

How could she work with this bear of a man?

Dear Reader,

I’ve wanted to write Haley’s story for quite some time, from the moment she was introduced in Bride Wanted and again in Yuletide Twins. She was the classic “always a bridesmaid, never a bride.” I hope you enjoyed seeing her dream finally come true.

My goal for this story was to portray how much we need God in all of life’s circumstances, not only when people exceed our expectations, but also when they let us down. Haley had been hurt in the past. Gavin, too, losing everything he cared about in the span of a few hours. But life often disappoints. God never does.

As always, I welcome prayer requests from my readers. Write to me at Renee Andrews, P.O. Box 8, Gadsden, AL, 35902 or through my email at renee@reneeandrews.com and I will gladly lift your requests to our Heavenly Father in prayer.

If you would like to keep up with me, my family, my books and my devotions online, please sign up for my newsletter and join my Facebook page: www.Facebook.com/AuthorReneeAndrews.

Blessings in Christ,

Renee

This book is dedicated to

our youngest son, Kaleb Zeringue, and

his beautiful wife, Kaiyla Zeringue. May God

bless each and every day of your life together.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Bible Verse

Introduction

Dear Reader

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Epilogue

Extract

Chapter One

“Is he going to die?”

The little boy’s wailing question echoed down the hallway of Claremont Veterinary Services.

Her first day flying solo as Claremont, Alabama’s resident vet, and Haley Calhoun feared she was about to witness a little boy losing his best friend.

Why hadn’t Doc Sheridan waited one more day to retire?

She’d pray to God for guidance, but they weren’t exactly on speaking terms so she held that thought in check.

“Oh, dear, that doesn’t sound good, does it?” Mae Martin petted Snowflake, her finicky Turkish Angora, who was curled up on the exam table. The huge cat’s green eyes grew wide, as if she were extremely annoyed by the little boy’s cries.

“No, it doesn’t.” Haley hoped her sole employee, Aaliyah Smith, could assess and handle the situation long enough for her to complete Snowflake’s annual checkup. “Mrs. Martin, Snowflake is doing fine, other than the dry-skin issue. Aaliyah has the omega fatty acid supplement I recommended up front if you want to purchase that when you check out.” She delivered the statement as quickly as possible, since the cries from the lobby had turned into pitiful, sucking whimpers.

Mae nodded before Haley completed the sentence. “Yes, dear, that’s fine.” Her silver charm bracelet and heavy bangle jingled as she waved a hand toward the door of the exam room. “You go tend to that baby out front. I’ll talk to Aaliyah about those supplements.” She reached for Snowflake’s pink floral carrier and prepared to coax her contrary pet inside.

“Thanks, Mrs. Martin.” Haley moved toward the steel sink in the exam room to wash her hands.

“And I’ll be praying for you. I know you’re bound to be a little nervous handling things on your own around here with Doc Sheridan moving to Florida, but I can tell you’re going to do just fine.”

Mrs. Martin had no way of knowing how desperately Haley wanted to do “just fine.” She’d always dreamed of having her own veterinary practice, and she’d moved to this tiny Alabama town six years ago specifically because Doc Sheridan had assured her he was on the verge of retirement and ready to turn over his practice to “young blood.” But now that he was gone, she felt overwhelmed.

“And the fact that you’re starting that new program for the Willow’s Haven children to work with animals...well, I admire you greatly for that. Those kids need so much, don’t they?”

“Yes, they do.” Haley had been so busy getting ready for Doc Sheridan’s retirement and learning the details of running the place on her own that she hadn’t even visited the children’s home yet. But she planned to get the program started this week.

“It’s beautiful out there, isn’t it, at Willow’s Haven? At least the children have a nice place to live,” Mae continued.

Haley washed her hands, dried them and then grabbed three tissues out of the box on the counter. “I haven’t actually seen it yet. I’ve only talked to Brodie and Savvy Evans on the phone.” She kept her voice calm as she gathered her courage to face what could be a very bad first day as the only vet in town.

She’d only recently made the decision to help the orphaned and abandoned children cope with their losses by giving them animals to care for, but listening to the cries in her lobby made her wonder if it might not always be a positive experience.

“Oh, you’re in for a treat. Willow’s Haven is beautiful, and so peaceful. The church put an announcement about the upcoming program in our bulletin last week. By the way, we’ve missed you there, dear,” Mae called out, bringing up yet another uncomfortable topic while Haley strode down the hall toward the lobby.

“Thanks,” she answered, not making any promises about seeing her there any time soon. Instead she made a beeline toward the wailing boy.

“I found him—” his watery hazel eyes focused on Aaliyah, who was leaning down to look at the teeny ball of fur cradled in his arms “—in the woods behind our cabin. I think he’s scared. I thought he was hungry, but he wouldn’t eat my snack. And Mr. Gavin said I shouldn’t try to feed him anything else until he sees the doctor.”

Haley noted that the boy was wearing a puffy blue winter coat and red mittens, even though it was merely late October. A light dusting of dirt coated his face, barring the tear streaks striping both full cheeks. More dirt was missing beneath his nose, which dripped from crying. He looked around six or seven years old, best Haley could tell, but with worry lines as intense as her grandfather’s currently creasing his forehead.

She should have grabbed more tissues.

Wasting no time in crouching to his eye level, she performed a perfunctory scan of the quivering puppy in his arms. A mixed breed, brown and black, with quite a bit of Yorkie in him. Bones were visible beneath his thin coat but, at first glance, none appeared to be broken. Probably dropped off on the side of the road, poor thing.

“He wouldn’t eat my snack. I tried to feed him, but he wouldn’t eat it.”

Haley took one of the tissues and tenderly wiped beneath the boy’s left eye, then followed suit with the right. Doubling up the last two tissues, she asked, “Can you blow your nose for me?”

He nodded, placed his nose in the center and proceeded to make a sound like something she’d expect to hear from one of her animals instead of a darling little boy. Sniffing, he completed by rubbing his nose against the tissues before glancing at Haley. “Sorry. I blow loud.”

She smiled. “Yes, you do, but that’s okay.” She wiped the wadded tissues beneath his nose again, then tossed them in a small trash can in the lobby. “What’s your name?”

Another sniff. “Eli.”

“That’s a nice name.”

“It’s from the Bible.” His eyes blinked overtime to battle more tears.

Haley nodded, not wanting to stir the pot by acknowledging she knew the story about Eli and Samuel. Mrs. Martin would enter the lobby soon, and Haley didn’t want any additional reminders that she should be at church. Therefore, she changed her focus from the boy’s name to the quivering animal and held her palm in front of the puppy’s nose. He made no attempt to move toward her to get a better scent, which should have come from mere instinct. “And what is this little guy’s name?”

“Mr. Gavin called him Buddy when we found him in the woods.”

Haley glanced toward the opposite side of the lobby, where a man had his back turned to her and talked quietly on his phone. Mr. Gavin, she presumed. He didn’t seem overly concerned with the little boy’s dilemma, which didn’t earn him any brownie points in Haley’s book. Was he the boy’s stepdad? A teacher? Mom’s apathetic boyfriend?

It bothered her tremendously to see adults neglecting a child. Her own parents had been amazing at supporting her growing up, attending every activity and encouraging her through every step of her veterinary dreams.

A shame that, after being the model husband to her mother and perfect dad to Haley, her father had turned his back on them completely.

She winced, not wanting to go there again.

The truth was, in spite of her dad eventually letting her down, she’d wanted to be the kind of parent and have the kind of family she’d had growing up. She’d wanted children desperately and had planned to have at least one by the time she was thirty.

That milestone birthday had passed last month and since she’d now decided against all dating and relationships, children certainly weren’t in the picture. But she could still be around them and show them that someone cared. That’d been her main reason for wanting to start the new Adopt-an-Animal program for Willow’s Haven.

Mr. Gavin continued talking on his phone and Haley all but snarled toward his back.

She returned her attention to the one who needed it. “Buddy—that’s a great name.” She scanned the puppy. His fur was dull and brittle, eyes opened marginally then closed again, as if he didn’t have the energy to look at who held him. Running a finger along his back, she easily felt his spine, which would have been visible had it not been for a thin layer of scruffy, dry hair.

“He wouldn’t eat my fruit snacks,” Eli said, anxious to provide insight as to what was wrong with his new friend. He’d made this statement a couple of times already, obviously wanting her to know he’d done his best to assist the little pup.

Haley nodded. “He hasn’t eaten a lot of food in a while, so he’ll have to take his time learning to eat normally again. But it was very thoughtful of you to try to feed him.”

Eli’s top teeth tugged his lower lip, his eyes blinking as he soaked up every word.

“Think about when you’re sick. When you aren’t feeling well, do you eat a lot?”

“Just soup. And maybe Sprite.” He was absolutely adorable, with his dirty little face and pleading eyes, and so concerned for the puppy in his arms.

“Right. Well, he will need to work up to eating again, too, like you do after you’ve been sick.” She’d continued probing and performing a preexam on the tiny dog while talking to the boy, and she was now fairly certain that no bones were broken. The pup didn’t show signs of distemper, and though his breathing was shallow, he wasn’t struggling for breath. Even so, he wasn’t out of the woods yet. She would need to keep him for treatment, and she hoped the boy would understand.

“He doesn’t eat soup, does he?” Eli asked. “’Cause I could get him some if that’ll make him better.”

“No, he doesn’t, but I can try some other things that his tummy should be okay with, until he can work his way up to eating normal food again.” She placed a finger under Eli’s chin. “Would that be okay, for me to take care of him here for a little while? To help him feel better?” Haley knew the puppy wouldn’t have made it very long in the woods on his own. This little boy, whether he realized it or not, had potentially saved him.

“Do I have to leave him here?” The panic in his voice pierced her heart and his grip on the puppy increased, so that the little animal let out a squeaky yelp.

Haley barely noticed the man on the other side of the lobby turn to face them, because she was too intent on capturing the boy’s attention. “Eli, calm down, honey. I am going to do my best to get him well. I promise.”

He stared at the puppy, still whimpering. “Did I hurt him?”

“You just don’t need to squeeze him so much,” she said. “But I can tell that you aren’t trying to hurt him, and he knows that, too.”

“He does?” Eli looked imploringly to Haley. “Are you sure?”

She nodded. “Of course. Puppies can tell when someone cares about them, just like people can tell when someone cares about them.” She fought the impulse to glare at the man who had shifted his stance and was now undoubtedly watching their interaction.

“I want to keep him.” Eli took a small step away from Haley. “He doesn’t have anyone to love him, and he’s scared.”

A muffled clearing of a throat caused Haley to finally glance up at Mr. Gavin and, for a moment, her breath caught in her chest. Not what she’d expected. She’d anticipated an older, grumpy, stern-faced gentleman who wouldn’t show concern for the brokenhearted boy. But this man was young, around Haley’s age, she’d guess, with one of the most strikingly masculine faces she’d ever seen.

Haley swallowed, forcing herself to get a grip on the awareness flooding through her. She wouldn’t be swayed by his gorgeous good looks and rugged presence.

The bottom line was that he didn’t seem to care about this little boy’s pain.

And that was reason enough for Haley to dislike the man.

So when he glared at Haley, she glared right back.

* * *

Gavin Thomason had thought taking the seven-year-olds from his cabin for an adventure hike would be a great way to enjoy the crisp October afternoon.

The Claremont Community Church had bought the kids new coats, hats and gloves this afternoon for the upcoming winter months. Knowing the boys had been eager to try out their new things, he’d thought the hike had seemed like a great idea.

So, after assisting all of them with their homework, he’d given each boy a sheet with photos of leaves to find and told them they could don their new winter duds for the adventure, even though the temperature was in the midsixties. He’d planned to talk to them about the different trees God created, about the leaves changing color and about how God gave us seasonal weather to enjoy throughout the year. He’d anticipated this leading into the afternoon devotional, focusing on how, in God’s world, things change. And, more importantly, on how change didn’t always mean something bad.

Since all the kids at the children’s home had gone through tremendous life changes, he’d thought the devotional would be well received. That it would help them deal with their unique circumstances, whether they’d been orphaned, abandoned or neglected by their families.

But once Eli had heard that puppy’s cry, all Gavin’s plans for the afternoon had flown out the window.

Mark Laverty, one of Gavin’s fellow cabin counselors, had taken over today’s activity so Gavin could take Eli and what appeared to be a dying puppy to the vet. Gavin had prayed the whole way here because, of all the boys in his cabin, none had been through as much pain as Eli. And none had touched Gavin’s heart like he had, because he’d lost everything that had mattered in his world...

Just like Gavin.

“Do I have to leave him here?” Eli turned away from the vet to direct the question to his cabin counselor. “I don’t want to leave him, Mr. Gavin. He’s scared.”

The vet, whom Gavin had barely acknowledged until this point, glanced up from where she crouched next to the boy. Gavin focused on the woman who, at this moment, could hurt the child more than anyone else if she didn’t help this pitiful dog. And he wasn’t all that certain of her ability to do so. She certainly didn’t look like any vet he’d ever seen before. She was young, probably a little younger than Gavin’s thirty-one, with vivid green eyes amid a pixie face, pale pink gloss on heart-shaped lips and long blond hair that hung well past her shoulders.

How hadn’t he noticed her before now? And why had he picked today, of all days, to become even remotely aware of an attractive female?

Regardless, he wasn’t ready, or willing, to let his mind start noticing such things as green eyes, glossy lips or silky hair.

Not yet. Maybe not ever.

God, help me.

“Buddy needs to stay here, if you want him to have the best chance...” Her voice drifted off, but Gavin knew where the statement had been headed.

...for survival.

Then his mind honed in on the fact that she’d called the dog by name.

“Buddy?” he asked. Was she familiar with the pup? Did she know the owner? Or whoever had abandoned him?

Eli sniffed. “That’s his name. That’s what you called him when we found him.”

Well, what do you know? Gavin had unintentionally named the pup. He’d merely told the little tuft of fur, whining in a pile of leaves and pine straw, We’ll take care of you, buddy.

And now, thanks to Gavin, they had a “Buddy,” and one that Eli didn’t want to leave behind.

He did his best not to notice that the vet was even lovelier when she looked at the puppy and boy with such compassion. Steeling his heart for her answer, he asked her directly, “Are you able to heal him?” He didn’t want to get Eli’s hopes up if she knew the tiny dog’s chances were slim to nil.

Her cheeks twitched slightly, eyes narrowing the slightest bit.

Gavin noticed.

But he didn’t care.

He wanted an honest answer about the dog’s chances, because he wouldn’t lie to Eli, not about this puppy or anything else. The little guy already had enough tough blows to last a lifetime, and Gavin wouldn’t allow this young doctor to cause him more unnecessary pain.

She looked away from Gavin, her features softening as she placed a hand beneath the puppy’s scruffy chin. “He’s severely malnourished, and it’ll take time to get him back to a healthy condition. He’s undoubtedly been on his own for a few days.” She looked like she wanted to explain further, but Eli emitted another sucking whimper that made her pause and drape an arm around him.

“But, yes, I do know what to do to try and make him better.” The last sentence was delivered to the little boy beside her rather than the man who had asked the question.

Gavin prayed that the woman who sounded so convincing...hadn’t just lied to the kid.

“But I have to leave him here?” Eli repeated, this time his lip quivering through the words.

“So I can take extra good care of him.” She tenderly brushed a tear from his cheek. “Is that okay, Eli?”

“But what if—what if he dies? What if he goes to Heaven, too?” He looked toward Gavin and then back at the doctor. “What if I was too late—again? Like I was too late when Mommy and Daddy died?”

Gavin felt punched in the gut. Last year, the kid, at only six years old, had tried earnestly to save his parents, even after all the adults around him had given up.

The vet bit down on her lower lip and Gavin could tell that she was trying to control the emotions pressing forward at the hint of Eli’s tragic past. And he recognized the same deep sorrow that he felt every time he thought of the way this little boy had been left, all alone, with no one to care for him.

Much like that little dog in the woods.

“I’m going to do my very best to make sure that doesn’t happen,” she promised.

“Can I come see him, though? Like, every day?” Eli shifted the quivering dog to one arm and wiped the opposite red mitten across his cheek to knock the tears away before returning it to cradle the pup. “Can I come after school? He needs to know that I love him. It’s important. I’ll need to show him.”

She blinked twice, held on to that lower lip a long beat before finally speaking. “That would be very nice, and I know it would comfort him to know you care.”

Eli nuzzled the puppy, who had fallen asleep in his arms. “Can I, Mr. Gavin? Can I come see him every day until he’s better?”

“Yes,” he said gruffly, as if any other answer would escape his lips. “I’ll bring you after school, after you finish your homework. But you need to give the puppy—Buddy—to Dr....” He’d noticed her name embroidered on her white jacket, but from this angle, he couldn’t read the script.

“Calhoun,” she supplied, and then she softened that clear, lyrical voice, looked at Eli and said, “or you can call me Miss Haley.”

Haley Calhoun. The name sparked a hint of a memory, something he’d overheard recently, but he couldn’t recall what was said.

Gavin shook the scattered thought away and nodded to Eli. “Now give Buddy to Dr. Calhoun, so she can take care of him and help him get better.”

Eli eased the lifeless animal toward the doctor. “O-kay.”

Her eyebrows dropped, fingers probing gently as she took the puppy.

Trying to divert the boy’s attention from the doctor’s sudden look of concern, Gavin pointed to the schoolbag Eli had dropped near a chair by the door. “Eli, why don’t you grab your backpack and get ready to go? We’ll come see Buddy again tomorrow.”

Gavin’s phone rang and he saw that Savvy Evans, who ran the children’s home with her husband, Brodie, was on the other end. No doubt she wanted an update on the mistreated puppy. He answered, “Hey Savvy, we’re still at the vet.”

Eli halted his pace toward the backpack. “Can I tell Miss Savvy about Buddy?”

Gavin nodded. “Savvy, Eli wants to talk to you.” He gave him the phone and listened as the boy recited every detail, from holding the puppy on the way to the vet to everything Haley—Dr. Calhoun—had said since they’d arrived.

While Eli was occupied talking, Gavin took the opportunity to approach the doctor, now quietly instructing her assistant about Buddy’s initial course of treatment. The assistant left for a moment and then returned with a blue blanket in her arms.

“It’s warm?” Haley asked, and the other woman, who looked around twenty, nodded. Then the doctor tenderly transferred the pup, as though he were extremely fragile, to the blanket in the assistant’s arms.

“Hello, Mr. Thomason,” the younger blonde said.

Gavin was clueless and apparently showed it.

“Aaliyah Smith. I go to church with you,” she offered, “at Claremont Community Church.”

“Right.” He hated the fact that he was so often preoccupied with his own world that he rarely noticed others, even during religious services. Or maybe, he was so often preoccupied with his past that he rarely noticed the present.

But he noticed the children in his care, and most everyone else who was involved with helping the boys in his cabin.

Aaliyah gave him a soft smile, presumably not offended that he hadn’t recognized her, and then hurried to the back with the dog. Observing her haste, Gavin feared the worst. So while Eli continued telling Savvy about Buddy, he moved toward the doctor and touched her shoulder. “You can’t let that puppy die.”

Unfortunately his words came out brusquely, more like a command than a request.

The vet’s eyes widened, her mouth formed a small O and then she stole a glance at Eli, still talking, before lowering her voice to match his. “I can promise you I will do my best to bring him back to good health. That’s my job, and I take my job very seriously.”

Gavin wasn’t influenced by the fact that he’d irritated her. He needed answers, pure and simple.

“Okay, what does that involve? What’s wrong with the dog, and what are you planning to do?” He hated the accusatory tone, but he also couldn’t control it. Whether she liked it or not, she’d become a key factor in whether Eli lost something else he cared about, and Gavin wasn’t about to let that happen. Not on his watch.

She narrowed those green eyes again. He’d offended her. That hadn’t been his intention, but if it got him the information he needed, so be it.

“Buddy has been on his own for at least three or four days. He is dehydrated and needs to be treated for parasites.” Her voice had taken on a clinical tone that he knew all too well. It’d been the same one the doctor had used when Gavin received the news that his wife—the true love of his life—died giving birth to their son. And then, merely an hour later...that their baby boy had died, too.

Two years ago today.

Gritting his teeth to combat the pain of the past, he forced himself to listen while the doctor continued.

“We will start by putting him in a quiet, safe area away from other animals, lights and activity. We want to keep him as calm as possible. Aaliyah is taking his temperature now, but he felt cool, so we’ve wrapped him in a warm blanket and will regulate his temperature slowly. If this is done too quickly, it could harm his delicate nervous system.”

Gavin kept an eye on Eli while he took advantage of his preoccupation to learn more about what the doctor planned for Buddy’s treatment. “And then what?”

Still in that clinical tone he loathed, she explained in detail the steps planned to help the pup.

She paused when a white-haired woman carrying a pink floral bag walked toward the lobby from one of the exam rooms. The bag mewed continually as she crossed the floor. White fur and green eyes pushed against the mesh end.

“Why, Mr. Thomason, what brings you here?” Mae Martin asked. Then she saw Eli, his back facing her as he talked on the phone on the other side of the lobby. “Oh, my, was that crying child I heard one of your darling boys?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Mae was a regular visitor to Willow’s Haven, one of the volunteers who read library books to the children. The readers had become a part of the kids’ world, so that, even though they didn’t have a real family, they still had a family of sorts through Willow’s Haven and the small Claremont community. Mae had been assigned to Gavin’s cabin, so she knew each child. Her eyes moved to Eli, who’d turned in her direction but was still too focused on his conversation to notice Mae.

She shook her head. “Bless his little heart. Those children have already been through so much. I could tell he was upset when I heard him crying, but I didn’t realize when I was in the back that it was Eli. Such a tenderhearted child. Is everything going to be okay?”

“It will be.” He looked pointedly to the doctor. “Right?”

“That’s. My. Goal,” she said, her words clipped.

“Well, you won’t find a better vet than our Haley, that’s for sure,” Mae said. “She and Doc Sheridan have been taking care of Snowflake for five years now.” She pointed a finger at the vet. “And, like I told you, don’t you worry about being on your own now that he’s retired. You’re going to do a great job here.” She smiled at Gavin. “Today’s her first day on her own, you know.”

Not what Gavin wanted to hear. His face must’ve shown it because those green eyes grew sharper, daring him to comment. He held his words.

“Thank you, Mrs. Martin,” Haley said as Aaliyah returned to the front counter.

Gavin knew better than to say anything else to the doctor about his fears, so he turned to Aaliyah. “The puppy—he’s doing okay?”

“He is,” she answered with a smile. “Temperature is coming up. I have him under the warmer while he’s waiting to be seen by Dr. Calhoun.”

“Great.” Gavin nodded once toward her then returned his focus to the veterinarian while Aaliyah spoke to Mrs. Martin. “How long do you expect the treatment to take?”

Again, looking incredulously at him but answering calmly, she explained, “There is no way to know, but the minimum amount of time I’d anticipate to stabilize him is around seventy-two hours. That wouldn’t be when he’s ready to be released, but stable enough to begin eating and hydrating normally.” Glancing toward Eli, she added softly, “He could be here awhile.”

Gavin couldn’t control his frown. Eli wouldn’t be happy about that, but if it was necessary, then that’s what would have to happen. “As long as you keep him alive and get him better, that’s fine.”

One eyebrow lifted slightly. “I’m so glad that’s fine for you.”

Gavin hadn’t been much of a people person over the past couple of years. He had a big heart for children and had always interacted with them well, but the ability to communicate effectively with adults, particularly attractive females, no longer fell into his list of finer attributes. Clearly that was still the case with this vet.

Which was fine. He didn’t want anything beyond a surface acquaintance with any woman. “We’ll stop by tomorrow then, after school, so Eli can see for himself that Buddy is getting better.” Then, without giving her a chance to respond, he turned to the boy clicking the end button on the cell. “Come on, Eli. We’ll come back tomorrow.”

“Okay, Mr. Gavin,” he said, handing him the phone. Then he rushed into the arms of Haley Calhoun. “And please get him well for me, Miss Haley. Okay?”

Gavin waited for her to give the correct response.

“I will do my best.”

The little boy who held Gavin’s heart in his hands turned and gave him the first semblance of a smile since finding the puppy. He truly believed the vet could save Buddy.

Gavin forced a smile and prayed for God to heal the pup, because he didn’t want to be there if Eli’s heart was shattered again. He had a feeling it would take God’s intervention, too, for the animal to pull through.

Mae Martin turned from the counter toward Eli. “Why, Miss Haley will take the absolute best care of your little Buddy.”

The memory Gavin had sensed earlier clicked into place and he recalled exiting the cabin to find Mrs. Martin speaking to Savvy about her concern for a former church member. Haley Calhoun.

What a shame, she’d said, that such a beautiful young lady who’d been so involved in the congregation seems to have given up on God when she gave up on men.

Chapter Two

Even though her office would close in five minutes, Haley still sat at the computer behind the front counter entering notes from her last patient.

She couldn’t focus. Instead of thinking about the details pertaining to Abi Cutter’s accident-prone chocolate Lab, Roscoe, who’d pried the lid off a bin of horse feed and eaten more than his share, she continued dwelling on her earlier interaction with Gavin Thomason.

She hadn’t missed the fact that he’d been talking to Savvy Evans, who ran Willow’s Haven with her husband. That, coupled with Eli’s statement that his parents were in Heaven, told her this little boy would be one of the children she could help with her new program.

Did it also mean she’d be dealing with Mr. Gavin, too?

She cringed at the thought.

“Roscoe seems to be doing better now,” Aaliyah told her, returning from checking on their “overnighters.” Today they had four animals currently in their long-term care: Buddy; two golden retrievers, Honey and Sugar, currently boarded while their owners were on vacation in Tennessee; and Roscoe.

“I’m glad to hear that.” Haley clicked a few keys on the computer. “We probably would’ve been fine letting Roscoe go home with the Cutters, but I’d like to watch him overnight.” She was also glad Aaliyah’s presence helped her to focus on the task at hand—documenting their most frequent customer—instead of dwelling on the man who had gotten under her skin like a burr beneath a saddle blanket.

“Honestly, Roscoe probably sees this place as his home away from home.” Aaliyah smirked. “Isn’t this his third time in the past month?”

Haley scrolled through Roscoe’s file. “Fourth, if you count when I treated him on-site.”

“Oh, yeah, when he got his head stuck in that fence rail. I forgot all about that.” Aaliyah sprayed the counter with disinfectant and began wiping it down. “You should start using the bigger office now that Doc Sheridan is gone.”

“I’m comfortable here.” Haley liked being visible to clients as much as possible. Plus, Aaliyah only worked two days per week so, most of the time, Haley would be the only one to greet customers, maintain files and treat patients. Before, she’d had Doc Sheridan to share in that burden. But she didn’t mind staying busy. Beyond talking to her mother and grandfather on an almost-daily basis, the animals provided her primary semblance of family now.

And she was okay with that. Really.

She completed the notes on Roscoe and closed his file, which brought Buddy’s to the forefront of her computer. “How did Buddy handle that bit of liquids?”

“Kept everything down so far. He’s sleeping again.”

“Poor little thing.” He’d been covered in almost as much dirt as Eli when he’d arrived and was just as cute. She looked forward to seeing the boy again tomorrow when he came to visit the puppy and anticipated Buddy might be a little more responsive after twenty-four hours of hydration.

The alarm went off on Aaliyah’s cell. “Closing time. Ready to call it a day?” She lifted her brow. “Until you come back to check on the animals before bed, that is. Why don’t you come to the ladies’ Bible study tonight at Mandy Brantley’s house? You seemed to enjoy it that one time you came.”

“Did I?” Haley kept her eyes on the computer screen while silently willing her assistant to drop the subject. But after waiting a couple of beats, she glanced up to see Aaliyah’s frown.

“Okay, so you didn’t. But we enjoyed having you there. Have you had a chance to look at the new study we’re doing on forgiveness?” She tapped the thin blue book she’d given Haley last week, still sitting on the desk where Haley had put it that day.

“No, not yet. And I think I’ll pass, but thanks for the invitation.” She saved Buddy’s file and shut down the computer.

Before Aaliyah could plead her case further, like she did each week, the office door burst open. Mae Martin entered, bracelets jangling as she waved off her apologies.

“I’m so sorry, Haley. I know you’re about to close up shop for the day, but I realized after I started getting Snowflake’s dinner ready that I left those supplements here. I’m beginning to believe I’d lose my head if it weren’t attached.” She laughed and crossed the lobby to where Aaliyah had already reached beneath the counter and pulled out the white bottle.

“You must have placed them behind the computer when you were writing your check,” Aaliyah said. “I found them after you left.” She placed the bottle in a brown paper bag this time, probably so Mrs. Martin would have a better chance of keeping up with it.

Mae leaned over the counter toward Haley. “Tell me, how’s that little puppy doing? I could tell Gavin was concerned about him.”

“He’s doing better,” Haley said, frustrated that Gavin’s lack of confidence had been so easily visible.

“Good. That little boy has been through so much already.” She looked knowingly toward Haley. “I’m sure that’s why Gavin was intent on making sure the little pup would be okay.”

“He isn’t always so full of sunshine?” Haley didn’t disguise her sarcasm.

Mae put a hand to her chest, laughing deeply. “Oh, my, you’ve got his number already, don’t you? Actually he’s always like that around adults. But when you see him around those kids at Willow’s Haven, especially Eli, you get a glimpse of the heart hiding beneath the surface. Both Brodie and Savvy will tell you that he’s one of the best cabin counselors they have.” She tilted her head and lifted one corner of her mouth in a smile. “Gavin’s a good guy. He’s just a pro at hiding it.”

Haley wondered why that was. And why, if he was so good with kids, he didn’t have an equal affinity toward adults.

Then she shook those questions away. She didn’t need to be wondering anything about the devastatingly handsome and undeniably annoying man. Plus, they were already fifteen minutes past closing and she had no desire to prolong this discussion.

Mae started toward the door, then stopped and pointed beneath one of the lobby chairs. “Oh, dear. That’s Eli’s backpack. I’m sure he’ll need it for school tomorrow. I hope he isn’t upset at leaving it. He’s already had such a bad day, being worried about the puppy and all.” She turned and frowned. “I’d take it to him, but I need to get back and feed Snowflake.”

“And I need to get home to see Cierrah,” Aaliyah said, referring to her adorable four-year-old daughter.

Mae’s smile widened. “Looks like you’ll probably need to take this out to the children’s home, hmm? You wouldn’t want Eli to be sad about leaving it, and you’ll definitely want to make sure he has it for school tomorrow.”

Haley stared at the red-and-blue backpack then stole a glance at the two women, smiling and nodding at each other as though thrilled with this predicament. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say one of you left it there so I’d have to go see that bear of a man.”

“You are good with animals.” Aaliyah barely stifled her giggle.

Mae winked at her, charm bracelet clanging as she pointed a pink-tipped finger her way. “Oh, that was good.”

Haley did her best to ignore any additional remarks, because both ladies were obviously on a roll.

With a heavy sigh, she headed for the door.

* * *

“Eli is really taken with that dog, isn’t he?” Mark asked while he and Gavin rode in the front seats of the Willow’s Haven bus with some of the other cabin counselors. Most of the kids behind them chattered about this evening’s soccer practice. But Eli, who sat a couple of rows back and had a voice a little louder than the average seven-year-old, couldn’t stop talking about Buddy.

Gavin glanced over his shoulder at the boy. “Yeah, he is.”

“So, does the vet think the dog will be okay with treatment? Because I’m not sure how Eli will take it if he isn’t.”

Gavin wasn’t surprised the other man’s thoughts mirrored his own. “She said she would do her best.”

“She? You didn’t take him to Doc Sheridan?”

“From what I gather, he retired, and this was the new vet’s first day on the job.”

“Aw, man, that doesn’t sound good for Eli’s puppy.” Mark propped his arm on the back of the seat and ran his hand across his mouth in a that’s-too-bad move.

Gavin felt the same way. “Yeah. Well, according to Mrs. Martin, she’s been there for a while working as his assistant, so I’m praying she’ll be able to help.”

“Wait a minute. Doc Sheridan’s assistant? Haley? Haley Calhoun?” Mark asked, his tone livening with every syllable. “She’s the vet taking care of the puppy?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“I didn’t realize you were talking about Haley. She’s awesome. I’m surprised you haven’t seen her around town already. She’ll be coming to Willow’s Haven on a regular basis soon, since she’s the one running the new Adopt-an-Animal program, where she’ll bring animals to Willow’s Haven.” He smiled broadly. “We’ll also be taking the kids out to the Cutter Ranch to spend time with the horses, hiking and all of that, and I’m sure she’ll be part of that, as well. It was Haley’s idea, actually, and she’s donating her time. Pretty cool.”

Gavin wasn’t certain how “cool” it’d be. He hadn’t liked that niggling attraction he’d felt when he’d seen the pretty lady, and he certainly didn’t want to experience it on a regular basis. Especially when he had no desire for any relationship again. He’d had the perfect relationship, with Selah, and he didn’t want—or need—another.

Maybe he wouldn’t have to see the good doctor when she worked with the kids.

Yeah, right. His cabin would undoubtedly be involved with the Adopt-an-Animal program, so he’d be interacting, in some manner, with Haley Calhoun. Even after they finished seeing each other because of Eli’s puppy.

Gavin swallowed past the grumble in his throat.

Thankfully, Mark didn’t seem to notice. “She’ll do her best with the puppy,” he said, nodding, “I feel certain of that.”

And that’s what she’d told Gavin. That she’d do her best. He just hadn’t trusted her best to be good enough. Selah’s doctors had also said they would do their best. But Mark sure seemed to trust Dr. Haley Calhoun. “How do you know her?”

Mark shifted in his seat, scanned the group of boys behind them and answered, “When I first moved to Claremont, I had an English-American bulldog mix named Roman. When I took Roman to the vet, I’d typically see Haley. She did a great job. Roman was old already, lived a couple of years past his life expectancy, and Haley was so gentle with him. That dog loved her.” He shrugged. “I don’t see her that often anymore. Used to see her at the church, but she hasn’t been there in a while.”

Gavin recalled Mae’s comment that Haley’d given up on God when she’d given up on men and he wondered what had happened in the feisty vet’s world. He knew personally what it was like to give up on God. He’d given up on Him, gotten angry at Him, on this very day two years ago. But then, he’d felt so alone and eventually recognized that the One he blamed...was the only One who could heal his pain.

While Gavin contemplated what had happened to the lovely vet, Eli’s voice overpowered the others on the crowded bus. “And then Miss Haley told me that I could come and see him every day after school,” he told Ryan, the boy sitting beside him.

“I wish I could find a puppy in the woods,” Ryan said.

Mark grinned. “Some things never change. Every little boy wants a dog.”

Brodie Evans, sitting on the opposite bench seat, nodded. “Savvy and I were actually discussing that this afternoon. Dylan, Rose and Daisy have been asking for a dog and we think the new Adopt-an-Animal program might be good for all the children.”

“I can see how that could benefit the kids,” Gavin agreed, even if he wasn’t thrilled about the vet who would lead the program. She made him uncomfortable, set him off balance. However, he remembered how protective Eli had been of the puppy this afternoon. And how much he hadn’t wanted to leave him behind.

“We just want to make sure we can keep animals on site before we get them for our kids, because we wouldn’t want Dylan, Rose and Daisy to have pets if all of the other children couldn’t have animals, too.”

Brodie and Savvy were amazing at not only taking care of the needs of their own children but also those of the children in their care. In fact, after learning about the Christian environment and the way they provided for children, Gavin had moved from Memphis just to work at Willow’s Haven. He’d also considered an amazing children’s home in Oregon, but had decided that, while he wanted to get away from the town where he’d made a home with Selah, he hadn’t wanted to move clear across the country.

Mark leaned forward in his seat. “So we’d have to get it approved by the state before Eli could keep the pup?”

“Yeah, we need to cover our bases and make sure everything is okay before making any changes at the home,” Brodie said. “But Savvy is planning to give the social worker a call tomorrow and ask. I think the only hesitation is that the kids might bond with the animals and then, when they are placed in a permanent home, won’t want to leave them behind.”

“Maybe some of the adoptive parents would consider adopting a pet, too,” Mark said, grinning. “Sounds like a win-win to me.”

“That’s exactly what Savvy said.” Brodie tilted his head toward Gavin. “Eli could barely concentrate on kicking the soccer ball tonight because he kept wanting to tell the other kids about Buddy.”

Gavin, who had been attempting to coach Eli’s team, nodded. “Trust me, I noticed. He was so busy talking, he almost got pegged with the ball a couple of times.”

Brodie chuckled. “Well, maybe when Buddy is better and Eli gets more time with the dog, he’ll pay more attention at practice.”

“That’s assuming we get the okay to keep the dog at Willow’s Haven.” Gavin decided he would add that to his current prayer requests. Not only for Buddy to get better for Eli’s sake, but also that the boy would be allowed to keep the dog he cared so much about.

Mark laughed as Eli’s voice took on even more volume. “It’s good to see him excited about something, though, isn’t it?” he asked.

“Sure is.” In fact, Gavin was very glad for that. Seeing a kid who’d been through so much pain find hope again, even if it was directed toward a near-dying dog, gave him encouragement for himself. That maybe one day he wouldn’t feel that deep void inside. The one that had only grown since he’d walked out of that hospital—alone—two years ago, a diaper bag he no longer needed draped on one arm and Selah’s overnight bag, filled with clothes and items she’d never use again, on the other.

He thought of the blue blouse she’d planned to wear when they left the hospital. And the tiny matching blue coming-home outfit they’d purchased for their baby boy to wear when she carried him in her arms.

Gavin pinched the bridge of his nose and begged God to control the memories and get him through the remainder of this day...some way, somehow.

“Hey, there’s Miss Haley! Maybe she brought Buddy!” Eli bellowed.

Gavin moved his hand from his face, took a deep breath and turned to see Willow’s Haven cabins come into view and the object of Eli’s excitement.

His chest constricted as his gaze rested on the pretty vet standing beside Savvy on Brodie and Savvy’s front porch, bright rays of the setting sun highlighting her white-blond hair. Even though she shielded her eyes from the light, Gavin knew that, if he could see them now, they’d shimmer the most vivid emerald green.

He’d thought of those eyes, the hair, the striking features of the woman, a couple of times—or more—since they’d left her office this afternoon. And hated that he hadn’t been able to completely get her off his mind.

That wasn’t like him.

And he didn’t like feeling this way.

Especially not today.

Chapter Three

“Here comes the bus now.” Savvy pointed toward the archway of trees that formed the lengthy driveway to the children’s home.

Haley shielded her eyes from the setting sun to spot the bright yellow bus coming into view. Her stomach fluttered. Not so much because of how anxious she was to make sure Eli received his schoolbag, but because seeing the boy would undoubtedly equate to also seeing the formidable man that’d brought him and Buddy to her office earlier.

She’d chatted with Savvy while waiting for the kids to return from soccer practice instead of merely leaving the backpack, partly because she’d wanted to fine-tune the details on the Adopt-an-Animal program and partly because she hadn’t stopped thinking about Eli and wanted to let him know how Buddy was doing. But now she second-guessed her decision to hang around. If she’d simply left the backpack, she’d have lessened the chance of seeing the grumpy man again.

Then again, maybe Gavin Thomason wasn’t on that bus.

“So who went with the kids to soccer practice? Like, which adults?” She tried not to make it sound as though she was referring to anyone in particular.

Savvy wasn’t fooled. “Gavin is on the bus.” She leaned one hip against the porch rail. “I’m guessing he wasn’t on his best behavior at your office today?”

“You mean he has a best behavior?” Haley, still shielding her eyes, turned away from the approaching bus to face her new friend. She had developed a huge respect and appreciation for Savvy over the past few weeks while they’d discussed the program over the phone and via emails. Even more so after seeing Willow’s Haven firsthand.

Mae Martin hadn’t lied. The circle of cabins nestled in the center of the woods was beautiful. Peaceful. And with the colorful fall foliage creating a kaleidoscope of reds, oranges and golds in the surrounding woods, the location felt extremely welcoming. Warm and inviting.

She was glad Doc Sheridan had encouraged her to use her experience to benefit the community and to let the town of Claremont truly get to know the newest veterinarian. He’d been the one who’d thought she should find a way to help the children at Willow’s Haven. However, he obviously hadn’t realized that one of the counselors she’d be working with would be such a ray of sunshine.

“Bless your heart.” Savvy moved one finger to her mouth in an effort to cover her smile. “But things aren’t always as they seem. Gavin has been through an awful lot in his past, and he really felt God leading him to work with the kids here. He’s one of our best counselors, even if he isn’t so much of a people person when it comes to adults sometimes.”

“And I managed to get on his bad side from the get-go? Just because I couldn’t guarantee that I could heal the puppy? I told him I would do my best, and I intend to, but to make that kind of promise...”

Savvy sighed heavily. “Bless his heart. He doesn’t want Eli to lose that puppy.”

“I don’t, either. Like I told him, I’m going to do everything I can to heal him, but I don’t see why he had to insinuate that I wasn’t capable.” Especially her first day on her own. She’d been nervous enough, but to add a customer who had no faith whatsoever in her abilities didn’t do anything for her confidence.

The brakes on the bus squeaked loudly as it eased to a stop at the far end of the cabins.

“They will be here soon, but you should know that any other day, Gavin might not have come across quite so grizzly.” Savvy frowned, looked as if she debated what else to say before adding, “Brodie thinks he’s got a tough personality. I think he’s merely protecting himself from getting too close to anyone again. But that’s me guessing. Only God knows for sure.”

“Protecting himself?” Why would he feel the need to shield himself from her?

“As I mentioned, he’s been through a lot, but having him here is a blessing for these kids. Particularly for Eli.”

Haley wondered what the man had been through to make him such a grouch and why her friend thought he was such a blessing for Eli, but Savvy didn’t elaborate.

“You’ll get a chance to see the good in Gavin, I’m sure, with the Adopt-an-Animal program. Brodie and I have decided he’d be great as your main point of contact at Willow’s Haven for the new program.”

“What did he have to say about that?”

“We plan to tell him in the morning.”

Haley winced. After their first meeting she didn’t imagine that would go over well at all.

A waving Brodie Evans caused them to look toward the bus. He wore a red T-shirt that matched those of the kids around him, scrambling eagerly as they exited the bus.

Savvy returned the wave with a grin. “Eli should be getting off soon.”

“That’s great,” Haley said, even if she knew that meant the bear would also arrive soon.

A group of boys in green T-shirts climbed off next, with a man in the center. No sign of Eli or Gavin.

Yet.

“Soccer went well,” Brodie said to his wife as he neared the porch. “A little better once we convinced them it wasn’t cold enough for their winter coats.”

Savvy laughed and then explained to Haley. “The church gave the boys their new winter clothing today. Most of them aren’t used to getting new things, so they wanted to wear it all immediately.”

Haley smiled. “Eli had on a jacket and mittens earlier. I thought it was a little much for the temperature outside, but I didn’t say anything.”

Brodie laughed. “Yeah, he was the last one to admit he was hot, but he ended up taking it off for practice.”

“So, how did the teams do?” Savvy asked.

“I don’t expect we’ll win a lot of games, but we’ll do okay. The guys are having fun.”

“That’s what matters.” She gave a reassuring smile to Haley and then also to her husband. “I’m not so sure the Willow’s Haven girls will win any games, either, but they had a good time at their practice last night. Rose and Daisy were excited about their new pink T-shirts. I think that’s all they cared about.”

Brodie tossed a mesh bag filled with black-and-white soccer balls toward the cabin door. “I figured as much.” He looked at Haley. “Speaking of excited, Eli got pretty excited when he saw you here. The guys from his cabin should be getting off the bus next. They were gathering their gear from the back. I’m sure he’ll make a beeline over here to find out how Buddy is doing. He hasn’t stopped talking about that puppy. I’m hoping you’re here with good news?”

Haley lifted the backpack. “I’m actually here to return this. But I wanted to give him an update on Buddy, too.”

“So, how is he?” Brodie asked, climbing the porch steps to stand next to his wife. He wrapped an arm around her and she smiled up at him.

Haley swallowed. They reminded her of her parents back when things were still good, and of the kind of relationship she’d always thought she’d have.

“Buddy?” Savvy asked him. “I didn’t realize we knew his name. Was he wearing a collar?”

“No,” Haley said, “but apparently Gavin named him when they found him.”

“Did he, now?” Savvy asked with a grin.

“From what he told me earlier, it wasn’t intentional,” Brodie said with a chuckle. “But, anyway, how’s he doing?”

“He’s doing...” Haley paused. She didn’t want to say something that wasn’t true, and the little dog was a far cry from being out of the woods. “He’s doing okay.”

Brodie’s mouth slid down and he gave her a single nod. “Well, we’ll just have to pray for him to be doing better than okay soon,” he said as Haley saw Eli hop off the bus, with Gavin right behind him. They wore bright blue T-shirts that matched those of the other boys currently climbing out of the bus.

Eli said something to Gavin and then took off running toward Haley. She smiled at the boy but kept an eye on the big man also making his way toward Brodie and Savvy’s front porch.

In addition to the bright blue T-shirt, Gavin Thomason wore well-worn jeans and tennis shoes. Nothing overly fancy, for sure, and similar to what Brodie and the other cabin counselors wore. But on Gavin, with the T-shirt accenting the firm, broad planes of his chest and shoulders, coupled with the jeans outlining lean hips and long legs, he looked more like a walking advertisement for an outdoor apparel store.

She caught herself staring, which really couldn’t be prevented. He was just so easy on the eyes. But she glanced away in time to see that Savvy hadn’t missed her reaction. One corner of her mouth had curved upward and Haley did her best to act like she hadn’t noticed.

“Miss Haley! Did you bring Buddy? Is he better already?” Eli’s feet slid to a stop near the bottom of the porch steps, where he dropped his jacket, mittens and bright yellow shin guards that matched his soccer cleats. “Did you? Is he here?”

She was grateful the sweet boy interrupted the uncomfortable moment and, hearing the hope in his tone, almost hated showing him the backpack. “Buddy is still at my office so I can take care of him, but I did bring you this.” She held up the bag. “I thought you could use it for school tomorrow.”

His expression fell in one big swoop. “Oh. Okay.”

Gavin neared the porch, his jaw set firm and those intense blue eyes focusing on the little boy, barely acknowledging Haley or the other adults. “Eli, we talked about how it would take some time for Buddy to get better, right?”

“Yes, sir,” Eli said solemnly, climbing the steps toward Haley. “Thank you for bringing my backpack.”

“You’re welcome.” She couldn’t stand the sadness in his face, or his tone, so she added, “And I look forward to you coming tomorrow afternoon to visit Buddy. I know he’ll be happy to see you.”

As she’d hoped, his mouth eased into a slight smile, full cheeks lifting with the action. “I will be happy to see him, too.” Then his eyebrows inched up and he asked, “Hey, can you take him something for me, Miss Haley?”

“Take Buddy something?” She saw Brodie and Gavin exchange a look. “Um, sure. I’d be happy to. What do you have for him?”

Eli unzipped the backpack and rummaged through binders and papers until he found what he was looking for. A small library book. “I get to check out two books, ’cause I’m in the second grade. I can keep one for me to read, and you can take this one to read to him, if he wants to hear a story before he goes to bed.”

Haley squatted to be eye to eye with the little boy. “Eli, that’s so sweet. But I don’t want to mess up your library book.”

“You’ll be careful.” He put the book in her hand.

She glanced up to catch Savvy holding a hand to her chest. “You’re right... I will be careful. And I’ll read it to him tonight, when I go back to check on him.”

“You promise?”

No way could she let him down. “I promise.”

“It’s a chapter book. You might not be able to read it all to him tonight, but you can do your best.”

Haley was instantly reminded of her words to Gavin earlier, that she would do her best to heal the puppy. She glanced up to see his stern expression and assumed he recalled the same statement. “Yes, I will.”

“I’ll show you my favorite part.” He opened the book.

That’s when she noticed his hands, not moving as easily as she’d have expected for a boy his age. Then she saw the wrinkled skin across the top. When he turned the pages, she also noticed the fingers that weren’t quite complete, the skin and bone melded together to join digits that should have been separate.

Her breath caught in her throat and she looked up to see Gavin, those blue eyes staring directly at her, telling her without words that she should maintain her composure...for Eli’s sake.

Eli, swiftly moving through the pages despite his gnarled hands, smiled broadly when he got to the one he wanted. “This part. It’s about when the boy finds his dog, like when I found Buddy.”

Haley didn’t know how much more her heart could take. She forced a smile. “I’ll be sure to read that part to him.”

Eli handed over the book, wrapped both arms around her and gave her a hug. “Thank you, Miss Haley. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She inhaled the outdoorsy scent of a boy who’d been running on the soccer field, a combination of a little sweat, a lot of dirt and an abundance of...adorable. She squeezed a hug in return. “I can’t wait to see you again, Eli.”

And she meant every word.

“Okay, then—” Gavin ran a palm across the top of Eli’s head “—you should go get your shower and get ready for bed now.”

“You’ll come read some more to us before we go to bed, Mr. Gavin?”

“I always do.” Gavin reached out and ruffled Eli’s hair as he walked away. The boy grinned back at the man who undeniably held a special spot in his world.

Regardless of his gruffness, he had such a soft spot for that child.

“I should start getting the guys moving toward bed,” he said, nodding his goodbye and then turning to follow Eli toward the cabin.

But Haley couldn’t end her day without knowing what happened to that poor child. “Wait!”

* * *

Gavin didn’t need this, not today. But he’d seen the moment Haley Calhoun had noticed Eli’s hands and he’d prayed she wouldn’t want to discuss it.

But his heart had told him that she would.

Why hadn’t she asked Savvy or Brodie? And why hadn’t he made it to his cabin before she’d called out to stop his retreat from the attractive—and unnerving—woman?

Bracing himself as her footsteps approached, he stopped and turned to face her. “Yes?”

She glanced behind her toward Brodie and Savvy, now standing in front of their cabin speaking to several of the teen boys. “Can we talk in private for a moment?”

No. That was what he wanted to say. Not only because there weren’t a whole lot of private places to talk at Willow’s Haven—it was always saturated with kids and counselors, one of the things Gavin liked about working there—but also because he didn’t want to be anywhere private with Haley Calhoun.

Or any other woman, for that matter.

However, he also didn’t want to explain that, nor did he want to appear rude, when she was clearly concerned for Eli.

“We can sit at the fire pit for a moment,” he conceded. “But I’ll need to get my cabin ready for bed soon.” Without waiting for a response, he started toward the circle of wooden benches and stumps surrounding the devotion area. She walked in silence beside him, but in spite of the lack of communication, he could sense the tension, the undeniable anxiety in the way she moved, and he dreaded the upcoming conversation. Eli had hit his own heart hard, and it’d be difficult explaining the boy’s past without enlightening her to his own.

But he also knew she wouldn’t leave without knowing. That was the way women were. They cared too much. Needed to know too much. Pulled at a man’s heartstrings...too much.

Instead of taking a seat on one of the benches, which might have caused her to sit beside him, he selected one of the larger stumps. He watched as she took a bench nearby, sitting slowly and then rubbing her hands down the sides of her jeans.

Gavin waited for her to say something. But she merely sat there, looking nervous and like...she might cry.

No, God. I can’t handle this today and You know it. Help me out here, Lord. Let her say whatever she needs to say, learn whatever she needs to learn...and let me be.

He cleared his throat. “What did you need, Dr. Calhoun?” The abrupt tone returned, but he couldn’t help it. Maybe that would cause this conversation to end quickly.

She shivered, even though there wasn’t any sign of a chill in the air. “What...happened to Eli?” Her hands flattened over her knees, fingers tightening as though visibly steadying herself for his answer.

Gavin thought of the boy, so loving and trusting, regardless of every letdown in his past. He’d known what she would ask, but that didn’t make telling her any easier. He inhaled, let it out.

“He was at home with his parents, a little over a year ago, and they were all sleeping when their house caught fire.” His mind painted a picture of Eli amid those burning flames.

One of her hands moved to her throat and the other to her stomach. “They—didn’t make it out? His parents didn’t make it?”

He shook his head. “Neighbors called 9-1-1. The firemen were able to get to Eli, but the house started caving in and they couldn’t get to his parents.” He ran a hand across his mouth, hating the truth of Eli’s past. “From what we know, he somehow got free of his rescuers and ran back to the house, trying to get inside and save them.”

“That’s what happened to his hands?” Her voice was thick and raspy, filled with the same emotion Gavin experienced every time he thought about what Eli had been through at merely six years old. “He burned his hands trying to save his parents?”

He nodded, cleared his throat again and stood. “Eli needs that puppy to be okay. He can’t lose someone else he was trying to save.”

Gavin turned away before he saw her response. He hadn’t wanted to hear the soft sob that tore from her throat. But he did. She was hurting for Eli and he understood why. However, it wasn’t his place to comfort Haley Calhoun. Or any other female.

He couldn’t go there.

Not today.

Not ever.

Chapter Four

“We’d like you to head up the Adopt-an-Animal program, Gavin.” Brodie glanced up from the sheet of notes he held in front of his breakfast plate. “It makes sense, with you already establishing a rapport with Dr. Calhoun.”

Gavin had thought this morning’s staff planning breakfast would be like any other: going over the week’s activities, conveying issues concerning the children in their care and discussing current projects at Willow’s Haven.

Which, of course, was what Brodie was doing now. Gavin simply hadn’t realized he was on today’s agenda.

He swallowed the bite of scrambled eggs that had tasted good a moment ago but now moved past his throat in a thick lump.

“I don’t know that I’ve established a good rapport, necessarily.” He didn’t want to let Brodie and Savvy down if they’d selected him to run the program, but there had to be some other program he could run instead.

Unfortunately he couldn’t think of a decent alternative to recommend.

Brodie grabbed a corner of toast and pointed it toward Gavin. “Now that you have those daily visits with Eli lined up, to take care of the puppy and all, we thought you might as well go ahead and meet with Dr. Calhoun about the program. Be her key point of contact for the activities and keep us aware of what she has planned for us at Willow’s Haven, as well as at the Cutter farm.”

“She’d mentioned the kids going to the Cutter Ranch to hike and spend time with the horses there as part of the program,” Savvy added, “in addition to her bringing animals here for the children, and we think that’s a great idea.”

Obviously they’d put a lot of thought into this and Gavin should be happy to lead one of the programs. As a matter of fact, at last week’s staff breakfast meeting, he’d asked for more responsibility at the children’s home.

Now he was getting it.

But that meant spending additional time with Haley Calhoun.

“Sounds like a good idea to me,” Mark mumbled beside him. His grin said he didn’t mind Gavin’s discomfort with the notion.

Gavin leaned toward his fellow counselor. “Did you tell them they should put me in charge of this?”

Mark popped a couple of red grapes into his mouth, smiling as he chewed. “Not me—” he held up his hands, palms forward “—but it does seem like a good idea, given your good rapport with the pretty vet and all.”

“I don’t have a good—”

“Gavin? Can you do this for us?” Brodie said from the other end of the dining table, Savvy smiling reassuringly beside her husband.

As reluctant as he was to team up with Haley, Gavin couldn’t deny that he wanted to do whatever he could to help them succeed in their goals for the kids.

“I can,” he said at last.

“Great.” Brodie popped the rest of the toast in his mouth, chewed and swallowed. “We talked to Haley about it this morning, and we’d like you to go meet with her. She said she would be available most of the day.”

Not what Gavin wanted to hear, but since he had to see her later anyway... “I can speak with her when I take Eli to visit Buddy.”

“She wanted to spend a bit more time with you than that, I think,” Savvy said. “She mentioned y’all deciding which animals to bring, setting up the groups of kids, scheduling dates for traveling to the Cutter Ranch and so on. We were hoping you could meet during the day, while the kids are at school, so y’all could have more time to iron out all the details.”

More time with Haley Calhoun? Again, not what he wanted.

“I can call her. We can discuss it over the phone, I’m sure,” he offered. When he watched Brodie and Savvy exchange a disappointed look at his suggestion, he added, “Or I could ride over there after we get done with this meeting.”

Gavin knew that would be better, instead of him trying to cover the program information over the phone, but he wasn’t all that keen on more one-on-one time with Haley. Their brief interaction at the fire pit last night had left him more uncomfortable than he cared to admit. In fact, he’d awakened this morning thinking he should have turned around when he’d heard her crying.

But he’d walked away.

“That’d be great,” Brodie said, moving on to the next topic of discussion.

* * *

Haley gently pinched the skin behind Buddy’s neck between her thumb and forefinger and frowned as the tiny tuft stayed tented before gradually returning into place. She’d started him on a slow IV for fluid replacement therapy last night and had hoped for a better response by this morning.

“Come on, little guy.” She tenderly stroked the brittle fur on his back. “Eli needs you to be okay.”

Buddy squinted one eye to look at her, then closed it, as if he didn’t have the energy to respond. He hadn’t minded the IV, hadn’t squirmed when she’d checked his vitals, hadn’t done much of anything this morning.

Which didn’t do a thing to alleviate Haley’s concerns.

She’d even called Doc Sheridan to get his advice on how to handle the tiny puppy, and he’d concluded that she was doing everything he would’ve done. Which also didn’t sit well. She would have loved to have heard of something she’d forgotten, some minor detail that would cause Buddy to take a turn for the better, preferably before Eli came to visit.

She updated his chart, then glanced at the library book Eli had given her yesterday afternoon. As promised, she’d read the story to Buddy last night. Even though it was a “chapter book,” she’d finished the entire thing, not because she’d thought Buddy wanted to hear it, but because it made her feel good to know she was doing something Eli wanted.

Roscoe barked from the next room, which set off a string of happy yelps and barks from Honey and Sugar in the adjoining kennels. She’d placed Buddy away from the others to keep him in the quietest spot possible, but now she opened the door so the boarded animals could see they weren’t alone. As she suspected, the barking settled down to happy yips.

A bell dinged as the front door opened.

“Dr. Calhoun? It’s Gavin Thomason. Are you here? I need to speak to you.” The tone was stiff and sharp, as though he couldn’t wait to get the conversation over with...or as though hoping she wasn’t around.

“Bad news for him,” she said to Buddy. “I’m here.” She rubbed a finger beneath his chin then closed the gate to the kennel. “What could have gone so badly in his past to make him such a bear?”

She walked to the lobby and found the brooding grizzly looking as appealing as yesterday in a bright blue pullover, jeans and hiking boots. And while she’d thought she may have imagined how muscular he’d seemed before, now she easily verified she hadn’t missed the mark.

He was as fit as she’d thought.

And as handsome.

And as dark and broody.

Savvy had said he’d been through a lot in his past. Even though Haley had no idea what, she’d give him the benefit of the doubt and attempt to be cordial. She managed a smile. “Hello, Mr. Thomason. I was just checking on Buddy in the back.”

His brow furrowed. “Is he not doing well?”

And there was the doubt in her abilities once more.

Haley swallowed past the urge to snarl. “He’s a little better than yesterday. Still not great, but he’s only getting started absorbing liquids.”

He took a deep breath and let it out. “Okay, good.”

Haley waited a beat and, feeling awkward at the tension caused by his mere presence, asked, “Was there something else you needed?”

“Brodie and Savvy wanted me to meet with you about the new program.”

“Oh, right. She told me you would be my contact for Willow’s Haven. I’d hoped we could get everything organized today and start the program this week.”

His eyes widened slightly, brow furrowed again. “Right. Well, anyway, I made a list of kids in each cabin and divided them into groups that should be manageable when you bring the animals to the home and when they travel to the Cutter farm.” He pulled several folded pieces of paper from his back pocket.

A loud meow echoed down the hallway and she turned toward the sound. “Oh, that’s my phone.”

“Your phone?”

“I have animal ringtones. It probably isn’t important, but you never know. Do you mind if I take the call?”

Both eyebrows lifted, blue eyes studying her as though she was the most bizarre female on the planet simply because she had animal ringtones. But he nodded. “Go ahead.”

She held up a finger. “I’ll be right back.” She darted toward Doc Sheridan’s old office, where she kept her personal belongings, the meowing growing louder with every ring.

Most of her clients dialed the landline unless they had an emergency after hours, so she assumed this was probably either her mother checking in or her grandfather just wanting to chat. If so, she’d let them know she had someone in the office and that she’d call them back.

But when she looked at the Caller ID on the display, she saw Landon Cutter’s name.

“Hey, Landon, Roscoe will be ready to pick up anytime you like,” she said upon answering.

“Haley, it’s Georgiana. Landon dialed your number and then handed me the phone while he’s with Brownie in the barn. I’m sorry to bother you but...we’re...having a difficult time.”

Georgiana was Landon’s wife. Though she was quite capable of doing pretty much anything, she was blind, which explained his dialing the number and handing her the phone.

“What’s going on with Brownie?” Abi’s favorite horse was due to foal in two weeks.

Georgiana’s voice quivered as she spoke. “She’s dropping her foal now, Haley. It’s too early, so Landon’s worried. I am, too. Thankfully, Abi is at school, so she doesn’t know what’s happening. Can you get here? Soon?”

A swift kick of adrenaline swept through Haley’s veins while she pivoted and grabbed the emergency farm call bag. “I’m on my way.”

“Do you think the foal will be okay this time, Haley? I mean, it coming this early—that isn’t good, is it?”

“Mares can successfully foal outside of the typical gestation range,” Haley said, reciting what she knew to be true even if not always likely. She’d been with Doc Sheridan last year when Brownie had lost her first foal, and she’d seen Abi’s tears.

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