Million Dollar Cowboy (Cupid, Texas #5)(82)

"Sweet," Kaia said. "Romantic. Adorable. I'm glad it's over."

"That taxing?" Dr. Cheri chuckled, joining Kaia at the scrub sink, where she picked up a scrub brush and turned the water on with her elbow. "I barely remember my wedding. It was such a hubbub."



       
         
       
        

"It was a nonstop blur, so much going on and so many out-of-town guests. I've barely slept in three days." Kaia suppressed a yawn.

She didn't mention that Ridge was the main reason why she hadn't slept. He'd texted her when he arrived in El Paso, saying Duke's condition was touch and go, and they were taking him into surgery. She hadn't heard another word since. She thought about calling or texting, but didn't want to pester. No news was good news, right?

"Are you good to go?" the vet asked, the safety of the animals her top concern.

It was Kaia's top concern, as well. "I've rallied. Two cups of coffee and I've got my second wind."

"If you want to leave after we finish the surgery," Dr. Cheri said, "just let me know. I can get Brenda to fill in."

"Maybe." As a part-time employee, Kaia didn't accrue comp time or benefits. "I'll see how busy the office is when we get done. Right now, I'm happy to be here."

"You might change your mind when you see what we've got on the docket this morning. A mastiff just came in through emergency with a bellyache, and the X-rays show the poor thing has three tennis balls in his intestines."

Thirty minutes later, over the dog on the surgery table, the satellite radio tuned to Cheri's favored rock station. Sense Field was playing "Save Yourself."

"So," Dr. Cheri asked as she meticulously made the midline incision on the anesthetized mastiff. "How was he?"

"How was who?"

"Ridge Lockhart."

Kaia peeked at Cheri. The doctor was focused on her work, but Kaia didn't miss the telltale flush spreading up the top of her mask to her temples and forehead. "Dr. Cheri, are you blushing?"

"What? Me? No. It's hot in here." Cheri's voice sounded funny, as if she had something caught in her windpipe and was trying to talk around it.

"Want me to move the light back?" Kaia reached for the handle on the big surgical light directly over their heads that generated a lot of heat.

"No worries. I'll be all right. I need the light close to see."

"I could ask Finny to turn down the temperature," she said, referring to the office manager.

"No really. It's okay."

They were silent for a while as they worked, and then Cheri said, "We were in the same grade in high school."

"You and Ridge?"

"Yes."

"You had a crush on him."

"Oh, didn't everyone?"

Yes. It was a sharp reminder that her infatuation with Ridge was nothing special. 

"We dated a few times, and I'm a happily married woman now, and I am crazy for my Mason. But there's just something about your first crush that never quite leaves you. Know what I mean?"

She did indeed. Ridge was her first crush. Her last, come to think of it.

"Retractor." Cheri put out her gloved hand.

Kaia slapped the retractor into the doctor's palm. One day, she would be the one asking for the retractor, but right now, that day seemed very far away.

"Is Ridge still single?" Dr. Cheri asked nonchalantly.

"He is."

"I wonder if he'll ever slow down long enough to let any woman catch him," she mused. "Is he still sexy as sin?"

"Sexier," Kaia admitted.

Cheri looked up and met Kaia's eyes over her mask. "You had a crush on him too?"

Kaia lifted one shoulder.

"Huh. Imagine that."

"Imagine what?"

"I always thought you two were like brother and sister."

"We were raised that way," Kaia said, fighting against a sudden tightness pressing against her chest.

"But you have unsisterly feelings for him?"

"You've got a bleeder there." Kaia pointed and reached for the suction.

Cheri swung into action, cauterizing the bleeding vessel, and thankfully shutting up about Ridge. At least until three slimy tennis balls later when they'd finished the surgery and were closing up the mastiff.

"How long is Ridge going to be in Cupid? I'd love to invite him to dinner. Mason grills a mean sirloin," Cheri asked, after the mastiff had been transferred to the recovery area and they were stripping off their scrub gowns and gloves.

"He was planning on leaving this morning," Kaia said vaguely, leaving it at that. It wasn't her place to tell the vet about Duke's heart attack. Soon enough the gossip would make the rounds, but she wouldn't be the start of it.