Chapter Eight
Nothing had gone right today for Angie. The steriliser in the surgery had given up the ghost, but the supplier had said it would be at least three days before they could send a replacement. So all surgery had to be put on hold until it arrived. She would have to send any urgent cases to Coonamble or Narrabri. There had been a spate of sick dogs over the past couple of days, and she suspected they had been poisoned. The strange thing was, it was domestic pets from town, as well as a couple of kelpies from farms that were a long way out. Maybe it was a virus.
Cissy had taken ill after lunch, and the casual vet nurse had been unavailable, so Angie had worked alone in the surgery and was run off her feet. The last patient left and she was about to pull the blind down and turn the closed sign around when a ute turned into the car park.
Oh, just fine and dandy. What did he want? Being so busy, she’d managed to put Liam out of her mind all day. Spending time with him yesterday—and helping him cook that damned cake—had led to a sleepless night. And seeing him with his family had made her feel extra lonely. She had vowed to herself to stay away from him, and then she would be able to survive until he left town to go back to his career.
She ignored the little shaft of pleasure that lodged in her chest when he got out of his ute. Obviously freshly showered, and wearing clean jeans and a white T-shirt, he oozed manliness. Damn him.
She quickly turned the closed sign around and went behind the counter. Maybe he’d think she’d gone home already.
Coward.
All thoughts of not answering the door disappeared when Liam called out and she peered through the gap in the sign. He cradled a limp little brown pup in his arms.
“Ange, are you in there?”
She flipped over the lock.
“Liam, come in. You just caught me. Oh no, don’t tell me Willow is sick, too?”
He nodded and his face was strained. “Yes, she was quiet when I came in from the paddock for smoko, and she’s gone downhill quickly. I tried to ring but the phone didn’t pick up.”
“Sorry. I’ve been frantically busy. Cissy’s sick”—she lifted her gaze to meet his—“and I’ve had a load of sick dogs coming in all day.”
She took Willow from his arms and went into the examination room, Liam close behind her. Angie reached for a thermometer on the way.
“Her temp is up, and she’s beginning to show signs of dehydration.” Angie held up the thermometer and frowned. She checked the puppy’s heart and respiration, looked in Willow’s mouth, palpated the abdomen, checked for dehydration, and performed a rectal exam.
Liam stood beside her silently, clenching his baseball cap in his hands.
“I’ll get her on a drip, and I’ll take some bloods. I don’t think it’s parvovirus but given that we don’t know her history, or if she’s already had her vaccinations, we have to consider it.”
“That’s bad, isn’t it? For a little puppy like Willow?” Liam’s voice was low, as if the pup could understand what he was saying.
“It is, but I don’t think it’s parvo. The outbreak in all the dogs today makes me think it’s another virus they’ve all picked up. Or they’ve been poisoned. The others have all been vaccinated against parvo, and they’re all displaying the same symptoms as Willow. Has she been outside at all where she could have taken bait?”
Liam shook his head. “No, not at all. So probably not parvo?”
“Probably not, but she’s still a very sick little girl.” Angie sighed. She was reluctant to put tiny Willow out back with the other sick dogs and anyway, the cages were all taken. “I’ll take her home with me and put her on a drip at my place.” She handed Willow back to Liam and quickly cleaned down the examination table. “Come on, it’s only a short walk. I live two houses away.”
…
Angie held the door open for Liam as he stepped through with Willow, and he followed her as she headed down the footpath to the last house on the street. Willow was limp and panting in his arms. Angie smoothed her hand over the pup’s head as they walked quickly to her house.
So much for my plan of staying away from her. It looked like Willow had other plans for him. He wondered how long it would have been before he had known that Angie was in town, if Willow hadn’t appeared at his front gate. Maybe he wouldn’t have seen her again before he went back to Sydney. Maybe that would have been best. Certainly best for his peace of mind, and certainly for his ability to sleep at night.
Half an hour later, Willow was asleep in a dog enclosure and being rehydrated.
“Thanks, Angie.” He couldn’t help himself; he reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. It was just like old habits coming back. “You look exhausted.”
“I am. It’s been a big day. I’ll have to call in one of the nurses from Coonamble if Cissy is still sick tomorrow.”
“Why don’t you go take a shower and I’ll sit with Willow. And I’ll order in some Chinese for us.”
“Chinese again?” Angie smiled and her whole face glowed with life. Liam clenched his hands by his side as his heart warmed. All he wanted to do was take her in his arms and hold her close but that didn’t seem right anymore. She belonged to someone else now.
“Or does a hamburger hold more appeal?” He looked at his watch. “The milk bar will still be taking orders but we’ll have to be quick.”
“Liam. You don’t have to feed me.”
“Yes, I do.” He folded his arms. “You have to eat. I have to eat. Someone has to watch Willow for a while.”
“All right,” she said, but Liam sensed her hesitation. “A hamburger would be good. Thank you.”
He reached out and gently held the top of her arms, and then looked at his hands on her bare skin and quickly dropped them. He turned around and ran his hand through his hair in frustration. “I’m sorry. That just came naturally.”
“It’s okay.” Angie lifted her head and held his gaze, her pale-blue eyes holding his. “It’s an awkward situation. We seem to be thrown together a lot recently. But it’s okay. We can be friends.”
That’s not what he wanted, but the offer of friendship would do, for a start. Maybe as friends, he would have the right to probe a bit more about this new man of hers. See how serious it was. See if he had a chance.
Damn fool. Even if he did have a chance, there was no point. He was leaving soon. Her life was here. His was not.
“Ironic, isn’t it?” The words were out before he could think. “Last time you had to leave. This time, it’s me.”
“Yes, it is.” Angie’s voice was hard to read as she turned away and checked on Willow. “You go and get some dinner. Willow will be fine while I take a shower. Then I’ll have to go back to the surgery and check on my other patients.”
“Would it help if I came, too?”
“It would, but I wouldn’t ask you to. It means cleaning out some nasty messes in the cages.”
Liam laughed. “You might get a surprise, Ange. Farmer Liam is a bit different to the bloke I was in London.”
This time, it was Angie who put a hand on his arm. He resisted the temptation to put his hand over hers.
“I like both Liams,” she said. “But if Farmer Liam”—her eyes crinkled in a smile—“is willing to hose out some smelly cages, I would be most grateful.”
“One condition.” He matched her smile. “We eat first, because I don’t think I’ll keep my appetite after doing that!”
A couple of hours later, as Angie locked the door of the surgery behind them, Liam wondered if he would be able to keep his hamburger and chips down. He’d had no idea what Angie’s job entailed. When they’d lived together in London, he’d been selfish. All the times that she’d asked him to come along and see where she worked, he’d always had an excuse at the ready. He guessed he’d thought that her work was like a doctor’s, and someone else did the messy stuff. He’d been too full of his career, and his own self-importance, to take the time to see what she did. No wonder she’d taken off when she had the chance.
The mess they had cleaned up tonight had made him gag a few times, but Angie had been patient and had spoken lovingly to each of the dogs after the cages were cleaned.
“I really do appreciate the hand you gave me tonight,” she said.
“I guess we’re even now. You helped me with the cake, and I returned the favour.”
“Yep, we’re square, and I think the dogs are all improving.” Angie shivered and rubbed her arms as they walked along the road to her house. “Still a bit of a chill in that spring wind.”
The night had come in quickly and a cool breeze was blowing from the north. Above them, the stars shone like diamonds, peppering the night sky with shards of brilliant light. Liam still couldn’t get over the difference in the night sky out here from the city.
“It’s fresh tonight. I hope Willow has improved.”
Angie pushed open her front door. “Me, too.”
“Don’t you lock your door?” Liam frowned.
“No need to out here.”
“I beg to disagree. Just because you’re in the bush doesn’t mean it’s suddenly safe.”
“Don’t start telling me what to do, Liam.” Her voice held a warning tone.
“Just looking out for you.”
“I’m quite capable of doing that myself. I’ve gotten used to being alone.”
Liam pulled back before she lost her cool. “Whatever. I’ll just take a look at Willow before I go home.”
The atmosphere was tense as they walked into the small enclosed veranda at the back of Angie’s house. The easy camaraderie that had been there as they’d eaten hamburgers and then worked together at the surgery had disappeared.
Willow was sitting up looking out through the cage. When she saw them, her little tail thumped and she tried to stand up.
“Well, that’s a lovely sight,” Liam said. He reached in through the cage, and Willow licked his hand. He felt her nose; it was cold and wet again.
“Definitely not parvo virus.” Angie’s voice was brisk and professional. “She would have gone downhill without medication. Looks like she’s got what the others have. Whatever it is.” She turned to Liam and folded her arms. “I’ll keep her here overnight, and if she’s still good in the morning you can take her back home. I meant to tell you, too, I’ve had no luck finding anyone who lost a pup. She must have been dumped.”
“It’s hard to understand how anyone would do that, isn’t it?” Liam felt as though he’d been dismissed so he quickly said, “Thanks. You’re a great vet.”
“Thank you.” It was hard to read her tone.
“I mean it. I’m sorry I didn’t appreciate what you did when we were in London.” He gave Willow one last tickle beneath her chin. “I’ll come in about lunchtime tomorrow, if that’s okay? I’ve got a cattle truck coming and I have to load a couple of dozen heifers.”
“I really can’t get used to this new you.” This time Angie smiled. “Whenever you can make it in is fine. If there’s any change in her condition, I’ll give you a call. Give me your number again. I think I got it wrong last time.” She shook her head as she pulled out her phone and updated Liam’s contact as he gave her the number again. Angie walked to the door with him.
“Bye, then.” A moment of awkwardness hovered as Liam shoved his hands in his pockets. He fought the automatic reflex to kiss her good-bye. You couldn’t live with someone for two years and not have little habits or rituals that came naturally.
“Good-bye,” she said. Before he could say anything more, the front door closed gently.
Liam walked back to the car park of the surgery to collect his car.