Concealed Attractions (Cedar Island Tales) Read Online Free

checked his calendar, and picked up the phone when Bronnie locked the front door of the clinic after the last client of the day had departed .
    “Angela, you gorgeous hunk of womanhood. Pencil me in for dinner on Wednesday, will you?”
    “Excuse me? Who is this?”
    “You know damn well who this is. Joel Taylor , your ex-boyfriend, ex-fiancé , almost-husband, the best- looking vet on Cedar I sland.”
    “ The only vet on Cedar I sland, you mean. You have to stop assuming I’m g oing to jump when you call me . W hat makes you think I’m free on Wednesday?”
    Angela’s voice remained cool , like refreshing water, water Joel wanted to warm even as he mentally lapped it up, preferably off her bare skin .
    “I was just hoping, Angie. You’ve been here two months already—wo rking down the hill in that old doc ’s office, a nd I’m dying to—you know— pick up where we left off.”
    “ Another assumption , Joel.”
    “Tell me you’ll have dinner with me on Wednesday and I’ll stop making assumptions .” He drummed his fingers on the desk.
    “ Okay . Dinner . On Wednesday. Where and when?”
    “You pick the place. How about seven , and , as further incentive, I’ll pay .”
    “ Of course you will.” S he laughed. “ Bye .”
    He grinned. A date with Angela and an extern who was fitting in nicely, who seemed interested in helping him build his practice . A great way to end the day .
    “Enough wool gathering,” he admonished himself after look ing over the activities planned for the week . “Time to get ready.” He had scheduled a visit to one of the dairy farms to introduce Ben and to take care of the minor injuries the farmer had mentioned .  That old yellow cab Ben was driving, with the back seat removed , w ould be perfect for visiting the farms .
     
    “Benjamin the T all, it’s you,” Bron nie announced when Ben arrived the next morning , his hair tousled and damp . “Just get up , did you?” She laughed. “Another minute and you’d be late. Joel’s waiting for you.”
    “As a matt er of fact—” H e looked around to make sure no one overheard them. “My alarm didn’t go off. I’m goin g to have to get a new one. And could you please stop calling me that? ”
    “Why? I think it’s cute . I hear Danni christened you.” She turned away to grab the phone. “ Good morning. New Harbor Animal Hospital. How may I help you?”
    An hour later, Bronnie went into the back room and waved at Ben.  “After you’re done in surgery, gird your loins. Mrs. Learman is coming in and it’s time you met darling Schotsie.”
    “What so special about Schotsie?” He finished washing his hands.
    “You’ll see, ” she chuckled.
    Minutes later, Ben held the door open for the white-haired matron , her arms reminding him of well-filled sausages, her hips ample . “Come on in, Mrs. Learman. Let’s see Schotsie.”
    She pulled an equally plump d achsund into the exam room. Ben kne eled down to the dog, who sniffed at his hands after he ran them over its body.
    “W hat seems to be the problem here ?”
    “Schotsie isn’t eating well ,” Mrs. Learman complained. “I’ve tried everything, including different foods and heating them up and treats , too .”
    “ What are you giving her, and h ow much?”
    “The usual.” She demonstrated the size of Schotsie’s portions. “My, you have such lovely green eyes, Doctor Edwards, and you’re so tall.” She smiled at him, as he picked up Schotsie.
    He backed out of the exam room. “I’ll be right back, Mrs. Learman.” After weighing the dog in the back room, Ben returned .
    “I’m afraid the problem is—that is, Dachsunds are supposed to weigh between sixteen and thirty-two pounds. Schotsie is tipping the scales at nearly fifty !  She needs to go on a diet. ” He p laced the dog on the examining table. “Otherwise, her back and her hips are going to start giving her trouble. You don’t want that to happen, do you?”
    “ Well now, that