Page 37 of Code Mages & Empty Pages
“I agree.” Perky beamed at us. “Right, I am off. We have a cleaning emergency in the dog house.” He winked at us and left.
We gaped past him for a long moment, then the alarm I’d set went off. “Our appointment! We need to go,” I told Luc who grabbed Ruffles’ basket from the back seat. My heart did a little somersault in my chest when he apologised to our cat for making him wait.
“Hi, Dawn, Luc,” the vet greeted us when she opened the door to her office to let us in.
“Hi Cass,” I greeted her, but her focus had already shifted to Ruffles.
“Hey, Ruffmaster? How is my boy?” she crooned and scratched his chin through the bars. “Let’s get you out of that mean basket, okay?”
Luc caught my eye and pressed his lips together.
He slipped his arm around my back to pull me close for a moment.
“Don’t say it, Comte,” I whispered. He knew exactly what I meant. Cass McGregor used the same sickly sweet voice with Ruffles as I did.
Our vet glanced back at us, narrowing her eyes as if surprised to see us so close together. I took a step to the side.
Maybe public displays of affection make her uncomfortable?
“He’s been settling in so well, right, Luc?”
The tension she’d carried in her shoulders eased.
“Yeah, he’s great. We love him.” He closed the gap between us again, unable to keep his distance.
Oh, Comte. What are you doing to me?
“It makes me so happy to hear that.” She smiled at us, then quickly checked Ruff’s eyes, ears, and maw. “I’m just checking if he’s fit enough for his shots,” she explained. “But you’re good, aren’t you, pretty boy? Could you make sure he stays on the table while I grab my things? I’m a pair of hands short. My assistant is sick so it’s just me.”
Luc left my side and stroked Ruffles’ fur so he would stay put. He also held him steady while Cass gave him the injections.
“Are you okay?” He asked me when he caught my eye.
“Yeah, just a bit queasy. I’m not a fan of needles unless they’re for knitting.”
“That was it, anyway. You can put him back into his basket.” She gave us some instructions for the rest of the day, to keep Ruffles inside and to wait for a bit before he eats.
“If you need anything, you can always call us. I work here every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, but I have an office in Kirkmuir, too.”
She handed us her card, we paid, said our goodbyes, and left.
On the way back to the car, Luc grinned down at me. “You know, you totally chickened out on telling Perky we weren’t actually here to sign up as volunteers.”
I rolled my eyes, but couldn’t help grinning, too. “He’s very persuasive. I thought you were going to say something!”
Luc laughed, shaking his head. “Maybe next time. Still, I get it. Makes you feel bad for all the pets. Maybe it’s not the worst thing if we pitch in now and then. Could be a little side quest for us.”
His tone was casual, but I could tell it had gotten to him too. He glanced in the rearview mirror at Ruffles, now sleeping in his basket, and then turned to me. “By the way, I’ll be working from home next week. I don’t want to leave Ruffles alone just yet.”
My heart squeezed in my chest. “That’s really sweet of you.”
He just shrugged, brushing it off, but his ears twitched the way they always did when he was flustered.
Or when I suck him off, one of the two.
Monday morning came, and true to his word, Luc set up camp at the kitchen table with his laptop and a collection of half-empty coffee mugs. The house felt cosy with him working from home, but I still had to head into the office alone. Everything felt more overwhelming without him there.
All week, Luc kept me updated about Ruffles, sending texts every few hours. I got photos of him curled up in a sunbeam or updates about what he’d managed to eat that day. Each message made me feel just a little more tethered, and I found myself checking my phone more often than I cared to admit.
