Читать книгу Shelter of Hope - Margaret Daley - Страница 6

Chapter Three

Story:

Biting on her thumbnail, Susan paced outside the small building next to the barn where Nathan cared for the animals when they needed medical help. She checked her watch for probably the twentieth time in the past hour. Still no word if the dog would make it or not.

Lord, she’s in Your hands. Please heal her.

That was all she could do, because she was too chicken to go in and look for herself. She was thankful Nathan had insisted she stay in the waiting room while he did what he could to fix the dog. She’d readily agreed because she couldn’t stand seeing an animal hurting. The dog’s whimpers from the backseat on the way to the farm had produced so many tears that she’d nearly missed the turn into the place.

“Daddy is the best. He’ll take care of her.” The girl who’d introduced herself as Carly, the vet’s daughter, sat on a bale of hay stacked against the barn, holding a white cat and stroking it.

“Her hind leg was messed up bad.” Susan glanced down at her shirt and slacks, stained with the dog’s blood.

“That happened with another dog we had, but Daddy fixed her right up. He can heal anything.”

The door opened, and Nathan stepped outside. Nothing in his expression gave away the prognosis of the animal until his dark-chocolate eyes connected with hers. A softening in them eased the tension in Susan, and she came to a stop a few feet from him.

“She’ll be okay?” Susan asked, unable to look away from the kindness in his gaze. It lit his whole face, especially when his eyes fell on his daughter.

“I think so. I’ll know more after twenty-four hours. I’ve set her leg. Now we wait.”

“I’m not very good at waiting.”

“I’m not, either.” Carly hopped off the hay bale and placed the cat on the ground. “Can I see her now?”

“Sure, pumpkin. I’ve given her something, so she’s sleeping.” As his daughter hurried inside, he swung his attention to Susan. “You can see her, too. It won’t be as hard on you now. She’s been cleaned up.”

In that second, a connection that surprised her formed between them; he understood how she felt about being around hurting animals. “I don’t know how you do your job.”

“There have been times it’s gotten to me, but someone needs to help them when they’re in pain.” He quirked a smile. “I decided to be one of those someones. Taking in strays has been a great way to use the family farm, since I couldn’t see me being a farmer. I can’t keep a house plant alive.”

“Now, that I can do. My apartment is like stepping into a greenhouse.” Susan studied Nathan, sensing a sadness about him, as if he’d forgotten how to enjoy life. Maybe it was time to talk to Kim. Find out a little about her cousin.

He backed up and opened the door. “I promise she isn’t hurting right now. Do you have a pet?”

“I did. A cat. He went missing in the hurricane. I never found him. I tried…” Susan’s throat closed. Memories of searching for Harley—short for Harlequin, because he was black and white—inundated her.

“And you haven’t gotten a new pet yet? I’m always looking for new owners.”

She shook her head, and suddenly she couldn’t keep the tears back.