Page 10

Edeen peered into his bathroom. “Ooh, I love your bathroom. Nice big whirlpool bathtub with jets for two.”

“Um, for getting the kinks out when I have to pull a calf during a difficult delivery and my back needs some extra loving care.”

“I sure love it. I’ve told Lachlan several times about your tub, though seeing it when it’s installed and surrounded by tile is really beautiful.” She laughed. “I’m hoping we do a bathroom remodel so we can put one in also. After a day of hauling babies around, I could see relaxing in a tub like that.”

“Yeah, I agree. If you want me to help convince Lachlan you need one, just let me know.”

“I’m sure when he sees yours, he’ll feel the same way as me. Do you want me to go with you when you buy your new phone?”

“Sure, if you need to pick up some groceries also, I wouldwelcome the company. I need to buy a lot of staples.”

“Absolutely.” She looked over the other bedrooms, though only one other had been furnished as a bedroom. One had been turned into an office, and the other he would furnish when he knew what he needed it for. “Everything is so homey and just lovely.”

“Thanks. I’m really pleased with it. I never thought you would end up buying the property from our great uncle, mate a wolf next door, and I would end up opening a practice here.”

“Are you ready for lunch?” she asked.

“Yeah. I’m starving.” They got into her car and parked it at her place, then they went inside to make lunch. They were greeted by a menagerie of pets. “Mittens is going to miss all the company she has had for the last couple of weeks.” Robert joined Edeen in the kitchen to help his sister make lunch.

“You can always take the other animals with you, and they would be happy to keep you and Mittens company,” Edeen said.

“If you need me to take the three dogs for a while to help simplify your life a bit once the twins are born, I can do that.”

“Sure, that would be good for a couple of weeks. I can see all the dogs getting underfoot while we’re trying to manage two babies at the same time.” She began making cheese toasties while Robert fixed a salad. “I kept thinking you were going to get together with Lana more often.”

Lana Cameron was Heather’s baker at the pie shop and really sweet, but they just hadn’t really connected in a waythat said he wanted to have more of a relationship with her.

“We had a great time at last year’s Christmas party. But I think she and I just don’t have what it takes to make it for a long-term relationship.”

“What about Veronica?” Edeen asked.

Robert was amused. His sister had asked him repeatedly why he wasn’t dating either of the women. “Even though Veronica is with the MacQuarrie pack, she is always running off to England to visit her friends. I think she might be seeing someone there.”

“Hmm, that may be so.”

After lunch, they went shopping and Robert purchased a replacement phone. Even though he wasn’t taking calls for new pet patients yet, if the MacQuarrie or MacNeill clans needed his help, they would call on him to take care of them, which meant he really needed a phone.

His contacts were all added, and Edeen made sure to add Maisie’s phone number too. He called her as Edeen drove them to the grocery store.

Immediately, she answered. “Robert,” she said as a greeting. “You have a new phone already.”

“Yeah. I wanted to make sure you knew you could call me now, in case you were feeling bad.”

“I’m fine. I don’t have any headaches, nausea, or blurring vision. And my arm is already healing up nicely, courtesy of our faster healing abilities.”

“You don’t know how glad I am to hear it. Uh, I’ll be having an open house on Saturday once I can coordinate it with the MacQuarries. Everyone who wants to can checkout the vet clinic also. I would love to have both you and your sister come to it too.”

“Sure, that will be lovely. We’ll have to make arrangements for someone to watch the inn while we’re both there, but we look forward to it. How are you feeling?”

“Great, thanks. About your wet suit—”

“Don’t worry about it. Anne and I already fixed it. Are you going to the castle for lunch tomorrow?” Maisie asked.

“Aye, and weapons training. I’m not really that great at it.”

“My sister and I have done some Highland demonstrations at our inn. If you ever need any tips, let me know.”

“Certainly.” He wasn’t too proud to accept tips from anyone who knew how to fight properly, though he did worry he might hurt her accidentally if they practiced together.