Authors: Tymber Dalton
Tags: #Romance
She stared at him. “That’s why I heard a dog barking.”
“Yes, we were at the vet’s office.”
“I see you already bought him a collar and leash.”
“Yes, this morning. And puppy food.” He pointed at the bag he’d brought back from the vet’s office. “And they gave me a new puppy information kit.”
She started to ask another question when they heard Adam screaming for them from outside. “Mommy! Daddy! Harley’s sick!”
Nevvie and Tyler stared at each other before bolting for the door.
Outside, Adam was crying. He held Harley’s leash. The puppy seemed to be acting fine and wagged his tail at them when they rushed outside. Andrew wore a squicky expression.
Adam pointed at a…truly gross looking pile of dog poo.
Tyler recoiled. “Oh…my.”
“Mommy,” Adam cried, “his poops haven’t looked like that before. He’s sick! Something’s wrong with him!”
Nevvie leaned forward for a closer look. It certainly didn’t look like any pile of dog poop she’d ever seen. “Tyler, get me a zippy bag. And bring me a baby wipe and a plastic trash bag. Where’s the vet’s office?”
“Just a few blocks away.” He headed inside and reappeared a moment later. Nevvie turned the baggy inside out, picked up the squishy pile of dog pooh, flipped it right side out, then zipped it shut. She dropped it into the trash bag, wiped her hands with the wipe, and handed the wipe to Tyler. “Get my purse from inside, please, and lock the door.”
“Where are we going?” He held the wipe pinched by a corner with two fingers.
“To the vet.” She hefted the bag. “With this.”
* * * *
Nevvie tried not to angrily mutter under her breath the entire way. It took every ounce of her being not to kick Tyler in the rear end once or twice. At the vet’s, the receptionist took the bag from Nevvie, looked inside, then laughed.
“This is from Harley?”
Tyler looked indignant. “Yes. I just had him in here, and he was pronounced healthy, aside from a few intestinal parasites. Which I was assured he was treated for. Now, this.” He pointed at the bag.
She smiled. “We gave Harley a dewormer.”
Nevvie caught on first and started laughing. “Oh.” She smacked Tyler on the arm. “You dumbass.”
“Mommy,” Adam said, holding Harley clutched to his chest and looking forlorn. “Is he going to be okay? Can they fix him?”
Harley’s tail wagged nonstop.
“Your puppy is fine,” the receptionist reassured him. “We gave him medicine to get rid of his worms.” She held up the bag. “It did his job. He’ll be fine. This is a normal reaction. His tummy is getting rid of the worms.”
Tyler looked stunned, then started laughing. “Oh. Right.” He looked at Nevvie with a sheepish smile. “Sorry, love.”
Nevvie shook her head. “I’m sorry we bothered you.”
The receptionist laughed. “Don’t worry. You’re not the first customer to freak out like that. Been a while since you had a dog, huh?”
She nodded. “He’s our first.” She looked at Tyler and smacked his arm again. “Idiot.” She looked down at Adam. “And someone will be doing a lot of chores to make up for sneaking him into the RV.”
Adam nodded eagerly as he hugged Harley to him. “I promise, Mommy.”
“Did you find a crate?” the receptionist asked.
“A what?” Nevvie asked.
“Oh,” Tyler said, “that’s right. We need to purchase a crate. They said the feed store might have them.”
“Crap, Ty. I was just in Livingston. I could have got one there.” She was quickly wanting to strangle him again.
“Sorry, love. I thought it best to wait to tell you.”
Nevvie got directions to the feed store. Fortunately, they had crates for sale. Unfortunately, the smallest one they had was for a larger dog. Nevvie paid for it and pointed at Tyler. “You get to carry it. Lucky for you it’s collapsible.”
Andrew laughed. She looked at him. “You couldn’t have called me and given me a heads-up, Dad?”
He smiled and shifted Mikey on his hip. “No. I wasn’t about to get in the middle of this. I’m trying to stay on your good side.”
By the time they returned to the RV, Nevvie reluctantly admitted she was already attached to the little dog. While Tyler and Adam figured out how to set the crate up, Nevvie went to change Mikey. Andrew joined her.
“Are you all right, love?”
She glared at him. “I suppose. I guess I should just be thankful he didn’t crash the RV or forget to put the awning up.”
Andrew coughed.
“Oh, no. What’d he do?”
“Well, fortunately, the nice man who helped him with the trailer pointed out that the awning was still down and helped him put it up. But he did fill the water tank and empty the dump tank.”
Nevvie didn’t want to think about it. She was worried about Pete, trying not to explode at Tyler worse than she already had, and thankful she didn’t find the RV a smoking pile of ash upon her return.
“It will get better, love,” he assured her.
“I hope so. It can’t get much worse.”
With the generator going to run the air-conditioner, and with Harley safely stowed in his new crate with a towel for bedding, Nevvie and her brood headed out to explore Park Street.
“You realize there’s some more retail therapy in my future, right, Ty?” she asked him. “I think the moose statue I just bought is only the tip of the iceberg.”
He nodded. “I totally understand, love. You’ve more than earned it.”
“Good. Glad we’re on the same page.”
They spent an hour browsing through the stores before settling on a restaurant to eat lunch. While they were waiting for their orders of buffalo burgers, Tyler consulted his phone, where he kept a copy of their itinerary. “It should take us less than an hour to get into the park and to the Mammoth campground. We’ll spend tonight there, then on to the campground at Fishing Bridge late tomorrow. From there, we will explore the park by car for the next week.”
“Thank god,” Nevvie said. “It’ll feel like settling down for a change. I’m so sick of being on the road.” At Tyler’s hurt look, she quickly added, “Yes, this has been fun, but even you have to admit it’s been grueling. Not to mention the unexpected surprise.” She tipped her head toward Adam.
“I will concede that point, love.”
Back at the RV, Nevvie took charge while Andrew took Adam outside so he could walk the puppy one more time before they departed. “Tyler, you are not driving this RV in Yellowstone. Do I make myself clear?”
He nodded. “Crystal, love.”
“Good. I don’t feel like loading the car again just to have to unload it inside the park. You’re going to follow me in the car.”
“Yes, love.”
She let out a sigh and reached to him for a hug. “I’m sorry I’m being a bitch,” she mumbled against his shoulder. “I’m just really worried about Pete.”
“You’re not being a bitch, darling. Believe me, I understand how stressful this all is. I’m worried about him, too. I’m sorry this trip hasn’t been perfect.”
She let out a harsh laugh. “That’s the understatement of the year.” She looked up at him. “And it doesn’t have to be perfect. All that matters is that we get you to Seattle one way or another so you make the book fair. Don’t worry about perfection.”
“I’ll do my best.”
Andrew returned with Adam. “I believe we’re all set.”
“Did he go?” Nevvie asked.
“Oh, yes. I disposed of it in the public garbage can out there.”
“I put it in the bag myself, Momma,” Adam proudly announced. “Grandpa showed me the trick you did with flipping the bag inside out.”
Nevvie took the puppy from him. “Good. Go wash your hands.” She put Harley in his crate and looked up at Tyler. “Add more hand sanitizer and baby wipes to the shopping list.”
“Right. As a matter of fact, I’ll go get them now and gas up the car before we head into the park.”
Nevvie crooked her finger at Tyler. When he approached, she kissed him. “Thank you.”
He smiled. “You’re welcome, love.”
* * * *
Tom called Eddie for an update on Pete’s condition during his layover at the Minneapolis airport. He was out of surgery and in recovery, but they expected him to be in the ICU for several days, at least.
Eddie sounded heartbroken. “I should have made him go to the doctor,” he said. “I feel so guilty.”
“Eddie, you know how Pete is,” Tom said, trying to soothe him. “He’s stubborn. You’re not psychic. Just hang on. I should be getting into Tampa around eight tonight local time.”
“I’m so sorry you had to cut your vacation short for us, Tom.”
“Stop it. You’re family, and that’s all there is to it.”
“I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this.”
“Don’t worry about it. Hang in there, and I’ll see you in a few hours.” Tom hung up and returned his phone to his pocket. He wouldn’t try calling Nevvie yet. No doubt she had her hands full with Tyler and the kids. If there was an emergency, she would have texted him.
He fingered the silver chain, with its matching lock, that he always wore around his neck. The one they’d put on him during his recovery, when he finally got his head wrenched on straight. He felt guilty leaving them in Yellowstone. He’d miss seeing the park with them, yes, but even more, he felt bad about shoveling the bulk of handling Tyler onto Nevvie’s shoulders.
He also felt guilty for not being there to protect Tyler from Nevvie when he invariably got on her last nerve and set her off. He smiled. Tyler would probably deserve it, the same way he deserved her ire over leaving her and Andrew behind in Mitchell.
They’ll be okay.
He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. His flight wasn’t in yet, wasn’t set to depart for over an hour. And his bad leg had already decided to chime in with its opinion of this unexpected trip. He didn’t want to take a pain pill, either, when he knew he’d have driving ahead of him back in Tampa.
It was going to be a long day.
* * * *
The trip into the park was uneventful. With Nevvie in the lead, they stopped to take pictures at the gate and the entrance sign, and again at the Wyoming-Montana state line. She white-knuckled the steering wheel around some hairpin turns during the last leg of the drive into Mammoth Hot Springs, but once there they found the campground and pulled in with no trouble.
Andrew yawned. “Loves, I’m totally knackered. Son, why don’t you and Nevvie go eat out and I’ll stay here with the boys and Harley.”
Adam bounced up and down where he was seated on the couch. “Please, Momma? Can we have dinner with Grandpa?”
Nevvie didn’t miss Andrew’s wink. “Sure, baby. That sounds like a plan.”
Tyler pulled her in for a hug. He kissed the side of her neck. “I get my beautiful sweetheart all to myself,” he murmured in her ear. “I won’t know what to do.”
“I do. I’m going to eat myself into a steak coma, followed by the most decadent dessert they have on the menu.”
He laughed. “Then shall we, love?”
* * * *
When Tom finally cleared baggage claim at Tampa International and stepped outside the arrivals doors, he breathed in familiar, muggy, warm evening Florida air. He made his first priority finding a taxi. Once underway to home, he leaned back and checked his phone.
He had calls from Nevvie, Tyler, and Eddie. Instead of wasting time with voice mail, he called Eddie first.
“Oh, thank goodness you called.” Eddie sounded beyond relieved.
“I just got into Tampa, and I’m heading back to the house. How’s Pete?”
“He’s still in ICU.” Eddie sniffled. “He’s still unconscious. They’re still saying it’s wait and see.”
“Are you at the hospital?”
“Yes. In the waiting room. I hate this damn place.”
Tom could sympathize. Between Nevvie, Tyler, and his own accident, Pete and Eddie had both spent a lot of time there. “I’ll see you soon, Eddie. Just hang tight. I’m going to grab a hot shower to loosen up my leg, jump in one of the cars, and head over.”
“Okay.”
Tom breathed a sigh of relief when the taxi pulled into their driveway. He paid the driver, gathered his bags, and slowly limped to the front door.
Once inside, he booted his laptop and let it start up while he crawled into a hot shower to help loosen his sore and stiff muscles.
It wasn’t until after he was out of his shower and dressed again that he called Nevvie. “Hey, baby girl. I’m at the house. Is Tyler still alive?”
“You are
not
going to believe this shit,” she said by way of greeting. “Guess what was waiting for me when I got back. Just guess. Go on, you’ll never guess.”
He closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead, a tension headache threatening. “I don’t want to guess. Just tell me.”
“No, you have to guess. Just guess! You’ll never freaking guess.”
From the sound of her voice, he knew it had to be a whopper. “Baby girl, please. Just tell me.”