Page 41 of Wayward

“Yes, but you’re allergic to anything with fur,” her mother reminded her just as she sneezed, and then did it again.

The girl obediently if reluctantly handed him over to the waiting tech.

“He’s super cute,” the girl said, and sneezed again.

“Yes, he is,” Connie agreed, glancing at her mother.

“She’s okay as long as she doesn’t touch them,” she said, likely feeling compelled to explain to all of us in the vicinity why her daughter had come with her and their two bearded dragons.

I smiled at her, then returned my attention to Connie. “Do you want a card for Mrs. Berry’s dogs, or do you just want to call me when they’re ready to go home and—”

“Oh no. We’ll take care of the bill for the dogs, Maks. You took care of all of us, and we appreciate you. I will take a payment for registering Misha’s microchip, though.”

So I paid for that because she wasn’t about to take my money for anything else.

Misha was howling again until the vet tech gave him to me, and then he licked my nose and settled, looking at Gale, who reached over and petted him.

“He’s gonna be a handful.”

“Oh, I know,” I grumbled.

Gale coughed softly. “Maybe don’t have lunch with Dr. Coleman.”

I looked up from my dog to his face. “No?”

He shook his head. “I’ll take you to lunch. Don’t bother the nice vet.”

“Okay,” I said, smiling at him.

“I’ll come get your number when I see you at home.”

I waited for what he’d said to sink in.

“I mean,” he amended, “I’ll come by your place when I get home.”

“Sounds good,” I assured him.

It was funny how when he walked out with the rifle, he misjudged the door and walked into the glass. Correcting, he gave me an awkward wave and left.

“He’s right, you know,” Connie said, looking up at me over the rim of her glasses.

“What’s that?”

“Don’t have lunch with Dr. Coleman. Have it with him instead. Dr. Coleman’s an amazing vet but a terrible flirt. The deputy chief is a fine man.”

I nodded.

“And very easy on the eyes.”

He was that.

“All right, now to Misha.”

Suddenly she was all business, and I did a slow pan and looked at her. “What about him?”

“We have things to go over.”

“Like what?”