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“What I did to them?” Joe said in outrage. “What I did to them?” But he pulled back from the doghouse and staggered to his feet, groaning as his knees protested the abuse they’d taken.
“I’ll have you know this is the finest delivery the canine world has ever seen,” Joe said. “And you’re going to pay well for it too. But I’ll swap you my exorbitant bill for the whelping bed you made, once your little brood here is through with it.”
“Huh? You want the — ”
Van didn’t have the chance to complete the question. As he’d been speaking, he’d been lunging into the doghouse. Or trying to. His head crashed against the top of the door.
“Mary!” Joe called. “More towels and hot water. This time it’s to clean the mess your boyfriend is making. His blood is mucking up my clean delivery room.”
Van finally persuaded Mary to stop dabbing at the cut on his forehead and managed to ask some of his questions. “You said six? How are they? How big are they? Are they all figuring out how to eat or drink or whatever I should call it?”
“Whoa,” Joe said. “One question at a time. Mary, see if it’s okay with Guinevere if I pick up one of the babies for Van to hold.”
Guinevere whined in worry, but did let Mary reach in and lift out a pup. “Oh, you’re so cute,” she burbled. “Here, Van, but be careful.”
“No, you hold him. He’s too tiny. I’ll break him.”
“Barely a pound, I think.” Mary looked up at Van with shining eyes. “He’s amazing. I’m calling him Pepe. He’s the runt of the litter, but he got to mom’s milk first, tripping and climbing all over his brothers and sisters to do it. This little fellow will go far.”
“Okay, give him to me, just for a minute.”
Heheldthesmallbundleofwarmthcuppedinboth hands, just in case. He blinked rapidly. That pesky dust that had made his eyes water in Mary’s office must be blowing around out here too.
He raised the tiny face to within an inch of his own and looked the mite in the eye. “Hello there, Pepe. Take a look around here. With your mind’s eye, I guess, until your eyes open. Your Uncle Joe over there ushered you safely into the world. You’ve got your mom and your dad down here at my feet, and your Grandma Mary right here, and we’re all going to make sure you’re warm and protected and very happy you were born.”
Marythrewherarmsaroundhiswaistfrombehind. “Aw, Van. Have I told you lately how much I love you?”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Things Change
W
EEKS LATER,MARY WASstill finding it hard to drag Van away from the dogs long enough for food or sleep. Not to mention long enough to get him into party gear.
“Hold still. I can’t get this bow tie right if you keep fidgeting.”
“I knew I should have bought the pre-made one,” Van grumbled.
“Over my dead body. I will not go to a party this importantwithamaninapre-tiedbowtie.Especially when I’m working.”
“Oh. You’re on assignment tonight? As well as trying out a husband candidate for Aunt Cynthia?”
“Wait for it. I just got the call five minutes ago. I’m covering this charity party for — USA Tonight.”
Van whooped. “Even I know that’s an important — what do you call it? — an important gig.”
He picked her up and twirled her. She’d have to start his bow tie all over again. As though she cared under the circumstances.
“What I wouldn’t give to watch Pete Santini’s face when he sees your byline in USA Tonight. That’ll teach him to fire his best reporter.”
Finally, he set her down. “They want an interview with our crooner candidate, I guess.”
“Yup. They’re sending a photographer over for videos and stills. They plan to splash Buzz Cauldron all over their local entertainment segment. I might even get the lead story in their local web magazine, depending.”
“Where would it go if you could tell Toronado its favorite singer and my Aunt Cynthia were shaping up to be an item?”
“Cover, definitely, if I wrote it right. Cyn and Buzz are both big deals in this town.”
