THE PATIENTS IN THE CLINIC barked when Nelly and Erik entered, their hearty greetings mingling with the scent of damp fur.
Nelly cooed at as many dogs as she could while fast-walking to Max’s cage.
The sign that bore her baby’s name was the last in the line of kennels and sat next to a tall cabinet of newborn puppies.
“Cutie doggies!” Nelly cried, drawn to the wiggling mass of adorableness in the carriers.
Cutie doggies!“Nelly, focus.” Erik drew her down to Max’s stall. He stretched his hand out and petted the dog’s head. “Hey, dude. How are you feeling?”
“He’s doing much better,” a voice said. Both Nelly and Erik rose to greet Dominic Rivera.
Heat flashed in Nelly’s chest as she stared at the doctor standing in all his veterinarian glory. Besides his usual fare of pressed shirt and
