Page 117 of Mistletoe and Mischief

“The local vet... He said he’d stop by this afternoon and I need to be there.”

“Give him a call,” Kent muttered, as if it was of little concern.

“I will.” She reached across for her handbag and grabbed her cell, pushing the button that would connect her with him.

“You have him on speed dial?” Kent asked with raised eyebrows.

Beth ignored the question and waited impatiently for Ted to answer. After four long rings, the phone went to voice mail. She exhaled loudly, then carefully put the car in Reverse and turned around.

“Where are you going now?” Kent asked.

She would’ve thought the answer was obvious. “To Ted’s place. He’s probably with an animal, so he couldn’t get the phone.”

“You could’ve left a message.”

He was right, she could have, but that seemed rather unfriendly. Besides, she wanted to explain. “His place isn’t far from here,” she said, instead of responding to his comment.

The silence returned.

Again it was Kent who broke it. “Do you see a lot of this Tim fellow?”

“Ted,” she corrected. “About once or twice a week, I guess.” She downplayed the veterinarian’s role in her life, which had taken on more significance in the past three or four months. There’d been a shift in their relationship, beginning in late September, when he’d come over after caring for a sick goat nearby. He’d stayed for a glass of wine, followed by a leisurely dinner.

A week later they’d met in town, and Ted had insisted he owed her dinner. That was how it had started, almost innocently. Recently, however, it’d become more. Ted had kissed her, and that had been a turning point. Lately, Ted had taken to dropping in during the evenings, and Beth looked forward to his visits.

“Any particular reason Ted was coming to the house?” Kent asked nonchalantly.

“Nothing formal, if that’s what you mean. To wish us a merry Christmas. And I want him to meet the girls. He has a line on someone who wants a puppy, too.”

“So it’s serious? Between you and him?”

“We have a lot in common,” she said, well aware that she hadn’t really answered the question.

Ted’s driveway came into view, and she signaled, then drove down the long gravel road that led to his home and his veterinary clinic.

Ted was in the yard clearing snow. When he saw her car, he smiled and waved, then leaned his shovel against a tree.

Beth parked and turned off the engine, slipping out of the car.

Walking over to meet her, Ted grinned from ear to ear. “Good to see you, Beth,” he said. He didn’t kiss her, no doubt because he’d noticed there was a man with her.

Beth tried to see the veterinarian as Kent might. Ted was a few years older, a big man with large, strong hands and an easy smile. He had a receding hairline, visible despite his wool hat. His gentle nature comforted animals—and people.

“Kent Morehouse,” Kent said, stepping forward, his hand extended.

Ted pulled off his glove to shake hands but his gaze immediately shot to Beth.

“Kent is my ex-husband. He’s here to spend Christmas with the girls,” Beth said, feeling uncomfortable saying anything more.

“Oh, yes. You mentioned that Kent was planning to visit,” Ted commented.

“I was just driving to the Hardings’ to drop off a puppy when I recalled that you were coming over today,” she said quickly.

“Well, seeing that you’ve got visitors, perhaps I shouldn’t—”

“No, please, I want you to,” Beth said, eager to reassure him. “In fact, I was hoping you’d stay for dinner.”

“Dinner?” Kent repeated, frowning.

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