Josh's Challenge Read online

  “I only like anchovies in my Caesar dressing,” she stated.

  “Agreed.” He rummaged through a paper sack and retrieved a carton of hot wings and some soda pop.

  “I don’t think I have any paper plates,” she grimaced.

  “No worries, we’ll eat right out of the box. They supplied us with napkins, red pepper packets, and parmesan cheese. Oh, and I found your glasses…here,” he said as he set two on the counter and began to pour some fizzy brown liquid into each one.

  Watching him move about her kitchen, Missy was overcome with the strangest feeling of…comfort. She’d never felt anything like it, not even with her roommate. It was like he belonged in her kitchen. Josh’s reputation as a ladies’ man around Timbisha should’ve been enough to warn her away, but tonight she felt strangely at ease with him. Maybe it’s Ginger’s fault, Missy wondered as the kitten continued to weave in between Josh’s feet. She giggled when Josh stumbled for the third time while doing the cat waltz. Ginger seemed to be leading the dance.

  Without permission, she heard herself ask, “Who are you dating these days?”

  Holy hell, where did that come from?

  Of course, the cad smiled at her as if pleased by her question. “No one at the moment. How about you?”

  She shook her head. “Not enough time to date.” She had a career to focus on and her mom to worry about.

  Men to avoid, she thought with chagrin. She had no time for romance.

  “There’s always time to make friends, Melissa,” he said quietly before taking another bite of pizza. She stared while he chewed, fascinated by the small muscles working in his jaw and then in his throat as he swallowed.

  She hadn’t realized she was staring until he said, “Like what you see, honey?”

  Embarrassment took control and sweat beaded on her forehead as the telltale blush bloomed from her neck to her hairline. She quickly turned away, not wanting him to see how flustered he was making her. Anger wasn’t far behind as she realized that she had no clue what she was doing socializing with Timbisha’s most sought-after bachelor.

  “Hey,” he said, concern in his voice, “Melissa, I’m just teasing. I didn’t mean to offend you.”

  Honest to God, he sounded like he meant it. Of course, she was being silly, which embarrassed her more. Why couldn’t she be more like Marguerite, or her ex-roommate who had helped her through so much while being away from home? She fought the uncontrolled tears forming in her eyes and used a napkin to buy her some time to get a grip. Mustering up confidence that she didn’t have, she whispered, “You didn’t offend me.”

  He briefly patted her shoulder, making things worse because his touch sent her body into an electrified spiral. “Are you sure?”

  “Mm-hmm,” was all she could get out.

  He studied her for a second until he finally asked, “How’s the food?”

  Grateful that he’d changed the subject, she smiled and said, “Pizza Factory is always good. Thank you for thinking of it.”

  There was a loud meow from the other side of the bar, followed by the sound of a bowl being swatted around on the linoleum. “I guess Ginger’s hungry, too,” Josh said with a laugh. The kitten limped around the empty bowl, swatting it every few seconds. Missy chuckled at her before putting a scoop of dry food in the dish. The purring began immediately, only stopping when Ginger dug into her dinner.

  “She’ll be right as rain in no time with an appetite like that,” Josh said.

  “Do you have pets?”

  “Not in town,” he said. “We had lots of animals growing up. There’s more room on the estate and someone’s always around. It wouldn’t be right to keep a pet here. I’m not home enough to care for it properly. It wouldn’t be right to keep one with the hours I work.”

  “No, it wouldn’t, would it?” she murmured to herself while staring at Ginger. Maybe she should find a good home for the kitten, but it had been lovely having another soul in the house at night, and Ginger was really good in the car. Maybe she should to talk to Doc about bringing the kitten to work with her on a daily basis.

  “Don’t worry about her, Melissa. Between me, you, and the clinic, she’s going to have lots of company. I’m sure Doc would let her hang out there once she’s had all her shots.” Not only was Josh a mind reader, but he seemed confident that it would work out. She hoped so.

  “Well!” Josh suddenly clapped his hands, rubbing them together. “These boxes aren’t going to empty themselves, are they?”

  She chuckled despite everything. “No, they’re not,” she said as she opened up a box and began handing him some pots and pans.

  MISSY AND GINGER rode in silence to the Timbisha County Animal Hospital, both enjoying the warm breeze and warmer sunshine, a routine they’d formed in the past week. Doc had declared Ginger to be in relatively good health considering her abandonment. She was treated for parasites and dosed with a round of vaccines. She seemed to be functioning fine with the deformed leg, so surgery wasn’t a priority at this point. Both girls were satisfied with life.

  And then there was Josh, she thought. He had also become a part of Missy’s daily routine. She could count on seeing his handsome face daily for their morning jog. He made their runs seem coincidental, but Missy knew otherwise.

  Missy parked her Jeep in her usual spot behind the animal hospital. She struggled to unlock the back door while holding Ginger and not letting her bags drop from her shoulder to her elbow. She finally got the door open and stepped into the kennels. She said hello to the newest patient, a Rottweiler who’d gotten into a tussle with a porcupine. Luckily, the owner had intervened before there was too much damage, but the poor beast had needed some stitches placed in his sweet face.

  The dog wiggled his tailless butt and panted happily at her in greeting. Ginger became mute in her arms, pressing herself closer to Missy’s body. “Don’t you like dogs, Ginger?” The kitten blinked wide eyes at Missy before her motorboat purr started up again.

  “Good morning, Missy.”

  “Good morning, Gale,” she answered, feeling more comfortable with the staff every day.

  “Doc’s got a couple of appointments lined up this afternoon at nearby ranches. He’d like you to join him,” Gale informed her as she took Ginger from her arms and placed the kitten in a playpen behind the counter. Missy barely contained her grin as Ginger sniffed around the contraption and finally gave a meow of approval.

  “Gale, you know she can get out of there, right?”

  Gale stared at the kitten for a moment before saying, “Ginger and I have an agreement. She stays in the pen, and I give her attention…and a little bit of catnip.”

  Appalled, Missy said, “You do not.”

  Gale giggled, “No, I don’t, but she hasn’t tried to escape yet, either. I think she feels safe in there.”

  “Probably.” Missy gave her a grateful smile before grabbing a chart from the counter. “Beelzebub?” she called out to the waiting room.

  “It’s Bebe for short,” an elderly woman said, picking up a pet carrier from her feet. As she drew closer, a sinister hiss could be heard from the cage, followed by a deep yowl.

  Missy looked at the chart again. “Is this Bebe’s first time here, ma’am?”

  She could hear Gale snickering behind her computer screen. Missy raised her eyebrows, wary now of Gale’s behavior.

  “Oh, no, dear. We’ve been seeing Doc since he was a kitten.”

  “Huh. Well, what can we do for you today?”

  Gale looked up from her computer, all traces of mirth erased from her face. “Vaccinations,” was all she said.

  “Oh, well, all right. Then come this way and we’ll get your Bebe all fixed up,” Missy said, leading the way to an exam room.

  “Aren’t you going to suit up, dear?” the woman asked.

  “Suit up?”

  “Yes, dear. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt like the last newbie Doc hired,” she explained as she entered the exam room, leaving Missy horrifie
d in the corridor.

  “WHAT’S WITH THE bandages, Melissa?” Josh asked with concern as he opened her driver’s side door.

  Missy rolled her eyes. “Hazards of the job, I’m afraid.” Bebe had turned out to be a true spawn of the devil. After Missy emptied the first-aid cabinet, she’d seen to the rest of her morning appointments. Doc had absconded with her at lunchtime, and they’d been visiting area ranches for the past few hours. She was relieved that the last call of the day was at the King estate.

  Josh gave her a puzzled smile before lifting Ginger from her crate on the passenger seat. “I’m glad you brought the kitten. Jessica has been dying to meet her.” Then he turned to Doc, who was sitting in the backseat after having insisted that Missy drive to their various calls this afternoon.

  “We’ve got the heifer prepared as best we can,” Josh told Doc.

  Missy was impressed. Josh and Jason had prepared the pen where a cow was laboring. Not all of their calls had been this organized. Doc made his way over to check on things before he said, “Looks like we’re just in time, Missy. We need to perform a cesarean or else they’ll lose both cow and calf.”

  Missy had practiced the procedure before and knew what to expect. It would be performed while the heifer stood upright in a squeeze chute; numbing agents were administered to the incision site before the surgical incision was made. The tricky part would be getting the calf out safely. Josh and Jason would serve as the muscle needed to remove the calf from its mother when the time came.

  “How many of these procedures have you participated in, Missy?” Doc asked while he began to prepare the instruments. The heifer had already been shaved.

  “This will be my third.”

  “Great. Show me where you’ll make your incision,” he instructed. She pointed out the area. Doc nodded his agreement before he injected the numbing agent and discussed variables to the procedure while she gloved up. He was going to let her perform the caesarean. Missy nodded, trying not to show too much glee at the prospect.

  Josh helped her put on her apron while she and Doc conversed, and Jason readied the chains for the calf. Everyone seemed to understand what was about to happen.

  When it was time, Doc handed her the scalpel. With little fanfare, she made her cuts, first through the dermis, and then the uterine wall, careful not to damage the calf inside. Completing her incisions, she reached inside to find a hoof. Jason was ready with the chain while Doc guided them through the procedure as they went.

  Jason stepped onto the rail of the chute for leverage, ready to pull the calf up and out of its womb. Josh stood behind Jason, ready to catch the baby after it cleared the mother’s body. When Missy had secured the chain, Jason asked, “Ready?”

  “Go,” Missy said, and the brothers pulled. The poor calf hit the ground with a thud, and Josh immediately dragged it to the front of the chute, where its mother could get a bond. The brothers patted the calf, encouraging it to get up.

  Meanwhile, Missy had begun her triage of the incision by first closing the uterus with dissolving stitches, then running a long suture down the mother’s hide. Within twenty-five minutes of Missy and Doc’s arrival, the calf finally stood up on all fours, and both mother and calf were secured in a freshly prepared pen in the barn.

  “Well done, Missy,” Doc said.

  “Thank you,” she replied as she removed her gloves and plastic apron. She was on a high, feeling the confidence that only came when she was helping animals. It wasn’t until Jarod approached with his daughter, Jessica, that the familiar anxiety began to form.

  “Looks like it went well,” Jarod said. “Come see the new calf, Darlin’.” He set his daughter, who was carrying Ginger, down and led the little dark-haired beauty to the pen.

  “What’s on Bella’s side, Daddy?”

  Doc knelt down and began to explain to Jessica, in children’s terms, how the calf had needed to be born. Missy listened to his very simple explanation while she rinsed her apron and began storing the medical instruments back in their cases.

  “That was some good work, Dr. Theroux,” Jason said, surprising her.

  “Thank you,” she answered in a shaky voice while Josh helped her store her things. Now that she thought about it, he’d been assisting her the entire time, except for when he was helping Jason with the calf.

  “She’s a natural,” Doc answered from across the barn. Missy tried hard not to blush, but some things were impossible to control.

  Jarod made his way over to them, looking serious. “Have you received anymore gifts from your stalker?”

  “I don’t have a stalker,” Missy mumbled as she loaded Doc’s bags into the back of her CRV. Her high had officially been buzz-killed.

  “We figured out the jumbled letters. Do you want the message?”

  “Quit screwing around with her, Jarod, and just tell us.” This from Josh, who looked ready to punch his brother in the face.

  Missy stepped between them and sighed. Her need to stop potential violence overshadowed her social anxiety issues. “Yes, please, Sheriff. I want to hear the message.” It had been in the back of her mind since she’d found that stupid box.

  “‘You can never hide from me, Missy,’” Jarod quoted.

  “So the chocolates were definitely meant for her,” Josh mumbled. She heard him curse vehemently under his breath.

  “Who would send you that message? Who are you hiding from?” Jarod asked, acting as if she’d done something wrong, and it made her mad.

  “I’m not hiding from anyone!” she shouted, losing her temper. Josh put a hand on her shoulder and she moved out of his reach. She didn’t appreciate the sheriff’s accusatory questions, as if it were somehow her fault that someone had tried to poison her. She jerkily finished putting everything away before storming back to the barn for her kitten.

  Jarod gently took her arm and spun her around. “The preliminary lab report found animal tranquilizers in the candy, Missy. The fact is, you do have a stalker. It’s someone who obviously knows your occupation, and that person possibly works around animals or, at the very least, has access to animal medicines.”

  She remained mute, afraid to say anything. Her mind raced. She didn’t know anyone who would do this. “If I had a stalker, why would he leave the syringe inside the box, guaranteeing that I wouldn’t eat the candy?”

  Josh and Jarod shared a look. “We don’t know,” was all Jarod said. “But most stalkers get off on terrorizing their victims. The unsub wants you to be afraid.”

  “He’s succeeding,” she whispered.

  Jason suddenly appeared with Jessica and Ginger in his arms, and Doc following along. Missy felt a little overwhelmed surrounded by all three brothers at once.

  “Hunkle Jase let me pet Ruby,” the child announced.

  The men laughed. “She’s named the calf already,” Jason said unnecessarily before a rumbling purr was heard from the kitten. “And she’s made a new friend.”

  Ginger was nestled in Jessica’s arms, eyelids heavy. “I kept ’er safe,” Jessica explained. “That’s why she likes me so much.”

  The gentlemen chuckled at the child’s pronouncement, putting an end to the dark cloud that had formed around Missy a moment ago.

  “Ginger likes to be loved because she didn’t get any when she was born,” Missy explained. “I think you’re very good at giving out love, Jessica.”

  “She sure is,” Jarod said softly. “Let’s give the kitten back to her owner, Darlin’.”

  Jason kissed Jessica’s temple, then gently handed over Ginger. Jessica’s empty hands went around her Uncle Jason’s neck, looking comfortable in the big man’s arms. Missy barely contained her sigh. There was just something about a big man holding a child.

  “Why all the serious faces?” Doc asked. “Missy did very well, and mother and baby are doing fine.”

  “You should know that Missy has a stalker, Doc. I’d appreciate it if you could accompany her to any visits requested by unfamiliar callers,” said Jaro
d. “I’ll also need to ask you and your staff a few questions.”

  “Now, wait a minute,” she argued as all of her recent soft feelings vanished into thin air.

  Doc held up a hand. “Yes, of course, Jarod.” Then he put an arm around Missy’s shoulders. “Get used to it. Once these boys take to you, you’re in the family for life.”

  He’d barely finished that shocking sentence when Charlie arrived.

  “Chah-lee!” Jessica squealed, putting her arms out for the handsome young man.

  “Jess-eee,” Charlie replied, scooping her from Jason’s arms.

  “Where did you come from?” Josh asked.

  “Camille sent me out to invite Missy and Doc for dinner. Plus, I wanted to check on the heifer.”

  “She’s officially a cow,” Jason said with a smart aleck grin.

  “Ruby’s budahful,” Jessica explained as she led Charlie, who’d set the child on the ground, by the hand back into the barn.

  “I need to get going,” Missy said, walking back to her Jeep.

  “Please stay,” Josh said. “Jason’s putting on some steaks, and I’m sure Julie’s got something yummy to go along with it.”

  “Quit making my wife cook for you, asshole. She needs to stay off her feet,” Jason yelled as he sauntered back to the house.

  Josh relaxed when his best friend, now sister-in-law, looped her arm through the crook of his arm. Lauren struggled to whisper in his ear because her baby bump pushed into his side, preventing her from getting too close.

  “You know, I’ve always liked Missy,” she whispered conspiratorially.

  “Don’t get cute,” Josh warned. “Melissa is skittish enough. I don’t want you scaring her off.”

  Lauren leaned back to get a good look at Josh’s face. “You do realize that you are the only person in this town who uses her given name.”

  Josh narrowed his eyes. “So?”

  Lauren, being the sassy-pants that she was, narrowed her eyes back. “So…either you don’t know her well enough to call her Missy, or you’re trying to get her attention. Which is it?” She raised her eyebrow for effect.