If you like this online read you'll enjoy Dianne Drake's books!

Found: A Mother for His Son
 £2.71
 £2.71

The Baby Who Stole the Doctor's Heart
 £2.80

Dr Velascos' Unexpected Baby
 £0.99
 £0.99

Three glorious weeks later...

“I thought you’d like to see Lucky. He’s loving it here.”

Judi stepped out of Mike’s truck and right into his arms. Her favorite place in the world to be now. Even better than her kitchen. No, their schedules hadn’t suddenly opened up and given them oodles of time together, time to fall in love the way most people did it. Mostly it happened on the fly, when he was on his way to an animal emergency and she was going with him, or when she was busy trying a new vegetarian recipe and he was standing in as the guinea pig.

Not exactly a traditional lifestyle, but with a little help from his parents stepping into Mike’s practice to pinch-hit for him from time to time, and Larenz — who’d just popped the question to Deb - with his newly-discovered culinary prowess stepping into her kitchen to pinch-hit for her from time to time, it was working out. It was their life, such as it was. And it was all she’d ever wanted, even if she hadn’t known that until she’d met Mike.

“So when are you moving in?” he asked.

“Moving in? We haven’t even talked about that yet,” Judi said, stepping around the pygmy goat wandering down Mike’s driveway. It was a typical farmhouse, two stories, barn out back. Nice. Cozy. With an abundance of animals everywhere. And she fit there. More than that, she was happy there.

“Well, the way I see it, you’ve been busy night and day getting the mayor’s daughter’s wedding in order.” Yep, she’d won the contract after all. “And I’ve been busy night and day with my practice. So if we ever expect to find time for that real first date, or anything else, you’re going to have to move in with me. You know, the whole theory behind catch as catch can. And I definitely want to do some catching pretty soon. So, I think the practical thing to do would be to have you move in, and just for good measure I’m throwing a marriage proposal into the offer. Marry me, Judi, and all this will be yours.”

He swept his arms open, gesturing to his farm. “This way, you get to expand your business into the whole building since I’m betting that after the wedding you’re going to start seeing a lot more business. Meaning, if nothing else, it’s a practical business decision.”

“You’re trying way too hard, Jericho.” Judi glanced at the cow wandering in their direction. “So by everything, do you mean the cow, too?”

“Especially the cow.”

“And if I say yes?”

“For starters, you’d make me the happiest man in the world.” Grabbing Judi by the hand, he pulled her around to the side of the house, to a small barnyard. “And he’d be pretty happy, too.”

“Bo,” Judi gasped, tears springing to her eyes. “He’s yours?”

“No, he’s yours.”

“But how?” she asked, sniffling.

“Eating disorder. We couldn’t maintain it in the police stable with the other horses, so they let me buy him. And just so you’ll know, it was either him or an engagement ring.”

“An engagement horse? Oh, Mike. I always wanted...”

“I know you did, sweetheart.”

“Not him, silly. You. From the first time I saw you. I mean, it’s probably dumb, but I’ve sort of thought Lucky might have been Fate messing around with me. With us. You know, his showing up at my place like he did, from out of nowhere. Then throwing himself at my tire, then me having to bring him to you... It was almost like he planned the whole thing.”

They both glanced over at Lucky, who was busy chewing down one of Mike’s pussy willow bushes. According to the allergy tests, better that than crab cakes.

“Nah,” Judi said, falling into Mike’s arms. “Couldn’t happen.”

As they sealed their engagement with a kiss, Lucky glanced over at Bo, and shook his head skeptically. Boy, they sure have a lot to learn.

Bo nodded his agreement, then Lucky went back to the stick.

“I love you, Mike,” Judi whispered.

“And I love you,” he returned.

Lucky glanced over at them. You guys didn’t stand a chance! Wag, wag.

The End



chapter: 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20