There had been a time when he’d saved up all his allowance and most of what he made at his after-school job to buy her perfume. Not the expensive one she was wearing. Come to think of it, he didn’t remember her ever wearing the perfume he had bought her. His bulb had been dim, blind and deaf. “How’s the appointment book looking, Angie?”
“Good news on that front. We’re caught up. Just had a cancellation for our last appointment. Except for our resident menagerie, we can pack it in for today.”
Rubbing the back of his neck, he listened with only half an ear. “Go on home, Angie. I’ll take care of the stock.”
“But what about the kennel and—”
“I can use the time with our patients.”
She studied him for a moment. “And I can use the time to catch up at home. See you tomorrow.”
“Right.” His mind full, he wandered outside, stopping first at the brooder. Olivia immediately came to mind. She’d been something, chasing down that flock of scattering chicks. Checking, he saw the brooder’s temperature was high enough for the baby chickens. There weren’t as many chicks as usual, since he’d taken the infamous batch to the 4-H club. Vehemently opposed to the sickening conditions of many commercial chicken-and-egg producers, he had a small operation of free-range chickens. And the chicks were always in demand by the locals.
Hearing a pickup truck traveling up the long driveway, he poked his head outside and recognized his father’s old Chevy. Robert Harrison could afford a new one but claimed it wouldn’t have the personality of his well-worn vehicle.
Zeke carefully secured the brooder, then raised a hand in greeting, always glad to see his father.
Robert climbed from the cab of the truck, still agile and active although he was in his late sixties now. “You in the middle of something?”
“Nope. Just checking on the residents. And I was thinking I ought to make a fresh pot of coffee.”
“Reminds me.” Robert reached back into the cab of the truck. “Your mother sent some stew and half a chocolate-fudge cake. Says I’ll finish off the cake if it’s in our kitchen.”
Zeke grinned, much of his Belinda-induced fatigue fading. “Good thing I’m hungry. Might just have to eat some of that cake. Only polite to share.”
It didn’t take long to get the coffee brewing and pull out plates for cake. He stuck the plastic bowl of stew in the microwave.
“You are hungry.”
“Just one of those days, Dad. Playing catch-up on some missed appointments.” His father knew the nature of the business made that fairly common. After he sliced a hefty chunk of cake for his father and emptied his now-warm stew into a stoneware bowl, Zeke filled him in on Olivia and the chick debacle.
Robert was laughing before Zeke finished the story. “Too bad you didn’t get that on video.”
Zeke speared a wedge of potato. “They were moving too fast for me to think about anything except catching them.”
“Coffee’s done.” Robert got up and filled the two mugs sitting on the counter. He put the mugs on the table and then grabbed a carton of cream from the fridge. “Now I can dig into that cake.”
Concentrating on the stew, Zeke finished it before lifting his own mug.
“You’d better eat at least as much cake as I do. Beats me how, but your mother will know if I get the lion’s share.”
“Don’t have to twist my arm.” Zeke cut a healthy piece for himself and started eating it with the same enthusiasm he’d had for the stew.
Robert watched him for a few moments. “How long since you’ve eaten?”
“Breakfast. Like I said, really crammed schedule.”
“From the chicken woman,” Robert noted. “Which messed up yesterday’s appointments. Nothing serious while you were gone?”
“Nope.”
“Doesn’t sound like she meant to cause any trouble.”
“Nah. It was an accident. Good thing.” Remembering, he shook his head, unable to suppress a grin. “Hate to think what she could have done if she was trying.”
Chuckling, Robert reached for another bite of cake. “Sounds like someone worth getting to know.”
Zeke remembered the look in her eyes before she left with Joey. “Why?”
“She sure wouldn’t be dull.”
“And with my track record, I need someone more like the chicken woman?”
“Son, you’ve got to let go of the past. You were a kid when you met Belinda. And by college she’d... I’ll be kind and say changed. It’s best that you found out her true colors before marriage.”
Zeke snorted. “You forgetting that she refused to marry me? Wasn’t my choice.”
“Doesn’t matter. You’re still better off.” Robert paused, his fork midair. “You don’t still have feelings for Belinda, do you?”
“No. Can’t see now why I ever did.”
Robert exhaled. “That’s a relief. I was beginning to think I’d never see you get married.”
“Well, don’t get out the rice just yet. Still don’t trust my judgment enough to marry someone. Look at Penny—I couldn’t figure out she was still in love with her ex-husband.”
Frowning, Robert put his fork down. “You loved Penny’s kids more than her.”
“You just made my case, Dad. I don’t have good sense when it comes to women.”
“But, son, you’re going to be wind up lonely—”
Zeke held up one hand. “First off, with a family our size, I’ll never be lonely. And I date, Dad. You married the best woman on the planet and now the pickings are way too slim.”
“You telling me that of all the women you’ve dated since college, you haven’t been tempted?”
Just with Penny. Considering the children, going back with her ex was the best outcome for her. But it had reinforced his certainty that when it came to relationships, his judgment was flat-out bad. Otherwise, he would have realized that she’d still loved her ex. Zeke shook his head. “Just not in the cards for me, Dad. I’ll leave marriage to the experts like you and Mom.”
“We’d like to see you settled with a woman who has a heart as good as yours.”
Embarrassed at the praise, Zeke pushed it aside. “One who wants to take in every stray like I do?” Remembering, he softened his voice. “Like you and Mom when you took me in?”
“Best thing we ever did.” Robert cleared his throat. “We want to make sure you stay happy.”
Those first months as their foster kid, he’d driven his new family well beyond the edge of their patience and then some, but they never gave up on him. “Dad, I’m happy.” He gestured out the window at the acres of land his small ranch encompassed, the well-kept outbuildings and barn that allowed him to practice as he wanted. “Look at all I have. Wouldn’t have happened without your guidance.”
“And your hard work,” his father insisted. “We still got the best end of the deal.” Robert swallowed the last bite of his cake. “You think any of your brothers or sisters would have shared this?”
“Mom’s cake is worth tussling over.”
“So, you haven’t told me.”
Puzzled, Zeke looked at him in question.
“About