Page 105 of Recklessly Rogue

“Well, you would if you thought it was being mistreated,” Charlie says, patting her husband’s arm.

“That’s not really helpful,” Zander mutters to her.

“I didn’t know it was being mistreated until it showed up here,” Griffin says.

“It wasn’t being mistreated!” Brandon protests.

“Neglect is mistreatment,” Griffin snaps.

“And when the lamb showed up here with the goats, Griffin didn’t really have a choice,” Knox says. “He simply did the right thing by taking care of an animal in need. As everyone would expect him to do.” Knox looks at Griffin. “You’re a veterinarian. It’s probably in some ethical code for you to take care of the lamb, right? Do you have Hippocratic oath?”

“It’s not called that, but there’s something like it,” Griffin says.

Knox looks at Brandon. “Seems to me hehadto take the lamb in.”

“I could…sue the petting zoo for letting the goats out,” Brandon says. “If they weren’t out roaming all over, they wouldn’t have kidnapped my lamb.”

“Kidnapped!” Charlie laughs. She looks at everyone. “Get it? Baby goats are called kids? The goats might have thought she was a goat so ‘kidnapped’ her?”

Griffin actually cracks a smile. Ruby giggles. I grin.

Brandon doesn’t. “So you admit thatyour goatsstole my lamb!”

“Well, that won’t matter,” Knox says. “The town passed a declaration about a year ago that no one could hold the Boys of the Bayou Gone Wild responsible for anything the goats do while they were out around town.”

“What?” Brandon demands.

Knox shrugs. “I was surprised, too. It’s ridiculous. But the town knows the animal park brings a lot of money into town,so they let them get away with a lot. And the only other option was to get rid of the goats. No one wanted that. They find the goats entertaining. Besides, the Boys of the Bayou Gone Wild is great about rebuilding fences, replanting gardens, and cleaning up after the goats, so no one really cares that they get out. In fact, a few peoplewantthe goats to dig up their flower beds because the replanted flower beds are always gorgeous. Anyway, you’re not going to be able to hold the business responsible.”

“Huh,” Zander says. “Maybe you do need to be here.”

Knox shrugs.

“So they just get to make money off a lamb that belongs tous?” Brandon asks.

“They get to make money off a lamb that they rescued from a terrible situation,” Zander says. “And you get to avoid being prosecuted for animal neglect and cruelty. I also won’t come check out your farm to be sure no other animals are at risk.”

“Are you sure you shouldn’t do that?” Griffin asks.

“How about this?” Charlie asks. “YouletZander and Griffin come look around your farm and?—”

“No fucking way,” Brandon says.

“Ooh, not a great way to seem totally innocent,” Knox says.

“As I was saying,” Charlie goes on. “Youletthem come look around, you leave Splenda here and?—”

“Splenda?” Knox asks.

Charlie points at the goat with the pink bow. “Sugar.” She points to the lamb. “Thinks she’s a goat like Sugar. So…Splenda. The sweet, white stuff that’s kind of like sugar, but not really.”

Ruby giggles again, and I hug her against my side. I knew she’d love this place.

“Anyway,” Charlie says. “You do that, reassure the guys that you messed up thisonetime and never will again, then we’ll do a joint interview with the news station out of New Orleans that loves to cover the animal park. We’ll tell them that Splenda isfrom your farm. We’ll leave out the part about you neglecting her. We’ll just let you link your name to the feel-good story and you can even plug your…what do you make again, Jackie?”

“Candles.”

“Your candles,” Charlie says. “Maybe you can name a new scent Sugar and Splenda. Make it white. Put a little lamb and a goat on the label. I’ll bet people will buy that.”

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