To Catch a Treat Read Free Page A

bad enough that dogs didn’t live as long as their human family members—a fact I was all too conscious of as a veterinary technician.
    I noticed that Janelle had quickly caught up with Neal. As we started walking along the waterfront, she stayed with him. Apparently she didn’t want to discuss her lost dog with me.
    Or maybe she was as smitten with my bro as he seemed to be with her and wanted to get to know him better. After all, best as I could tell, they’d met only a couple of days ago.
    The sand was dry and the air was cool here along the lake. I was glad I’d worn a sweatshirt—one I’d had specially made. Like some T-shirts I’d acquired, it had a Barkery and Biscuits logo on the front. This one was blue. I’d obtained a variety of colors, and I gave them out to my shops’ staff, as well as some particularly good customers now and then. Not to discriminate against my other store, I’d also had shirts made up for Icing on the Cake.
    The craggy cliffs at our left side were tall, and the Knobcone Heights resort was not the only hotel, nor home, to grace their top. Fencing ran all along the upper areas in the interest of safety, which seemed a good idea to me.
    On our right was the lake, wide and fairly calm, with a hint of waves caressing the shoreline. I believed the waves were caused not only by wind but also by the many boats that traveled back and forth. Although there were often swimmers and sometimes sunbathers along the shore, here on the side of the dock where boats were frequently moored, I didn’t see any now—but of course the evening was getting late.
    I did, however, see a flock of ducks splashing in the water. Overhead a large bird soared—a falcon, I believed. And beyond the far side of the lake, more mountaintops were visible.
    I shrugged away my concerns about Janelle’s dog, at least for now, and smiled as I lifted my chin and inhaled the fresh air. Reed and Hugo walked on my right side and Biscuit on my left.
    Reed was a great-looking guy, with what I’d call “a ruggedly handsome face,” as they say in romance novels. He had thick, wavy black hair, and a hint of five o’clock shadow that I’d come to realize he always got this late in the day.
    The walk was utterly enjoyable. I was glad I’d accepted my brother’s invitation this time.
    â€œSo how are things going at your shops?” Reed glanced down at me in the fading daylight with his dark brown eyes. He asked me this often, usually when we had a moment to talk when I was at the clinic on a shift. But Reed and I had coffee together fairly often. Dinner sometimes, too.
    I liked the guy. A lot. But I didn’t think I was ready to really dive into a relationship. Besides, there were a couple of other men who’d expressed interest in me lately, and I’d decided not to commit to anyone, just let things take their course.
    â€œThings are going very well,” I said. “As always, I could use some more help, but Dinah’s doing great as a full-time assistant. And my new part-timers are learning things just fine.” I’d previously employed another part-time assistant, inherited from my friend Brenda when she’d sold me Icing on the Cake and moved away. But that assistant, Judy, was no longer with me.
    â€œIf you find someone else, can you schedule more time at the clinic?”
    This was a long-standing issue. I’d been told that the veterinary hospital was looking for at least one more vet tech. I had even been warned—by Reed—that I’d better concentrate more on that part of my career if I wanted to have any time at all scheduled there. But that had been partly due to a terrible mix-up that had since been resolved. The head vet there, Dr. Arvus—Arvie—Kline, had always remained on my side, as Reed seemed to be now. And they had hired only one more vet tech, not a bunch.
    That was another reason why I was