Chapter Twenty Six

Through in the back part of the hospital, Carrie gingerly cracked open a door and peered inside. Almost immediately there came a loud, deep woof, followed by a pathetic whimpering. When she pushed the door fully open and Deke saw Billie he went crazy, yelping and whining, pawing at the bars of the cage.

“Deke!” Billie exclaimed, pushing past her friend and going to the cage, pushing a hand through the bars so Deke could lick her fingers ecstatically.

Rolling her eyes, Carrie turned to her friend’s companion, trying to check him out without being too obvious about it. Unfortunately for her, Jon had ample experience of women’s reactions to him, and he gave her a broad grin, his eyes dancing with mischief. Seemed like the crooked little boy grin dynamited them even if they didn’t know who he was. Rescuing her from potential embarrassment, he took a step forward into the room, gesturing at the dog.

“I can’t believe he’s back to normal.” He said. “I didn’t think he was gonna make it.”

“He’s a tough li’l guy.” Carrie smiled. “And Mike’s a great vet. Not sure I’d ever call Deke ‘normal’ though…..”

“They do say dogs take after their owners.” Jon smirked, and Carrie faked an angry look.

“Hey! That’s my friend you’re talking about!” She grinned. “So I can vouch for the fact she’s anything but normal.”

“If you two are quite finished talking about me like I’m not here.” Billie interrupted without looking away from Deke. “Can I get him out of this cage?”

“Sure.” Carrie grinned at Jon again. There was something about him that was bugging her. Something in the wide smile and those insanely blue eyes. Something that told her she knew him, or should know who he was.

Her attention was distracted from the thoughts of who this guy was when Billie opened the cage, immediately landing on her ass when Deke shot out like a greyhound from it’s trap, bowling her over. He stood beside her, tail wagging madly as he licked her face.

“Okay, okay baby.” She gasped, sitting up. “S’okay, Deke. Calm down.”

He gave her another sloppy dog-style kiss, then looked suddenly past her to Jon, twisting his body ingratiatingly as he crossed the room.

“Hey buddy.” Jon grinned, dropping into a crouch.

Deke wagged his tail again, sniffing carefully at Jon’s hands then his face, licking Jon’s cheek gently as the two girls watched.

“Oh my God.” Billie breathed. “Jon - that’s the first time I’ve ever seen him ‘kiss’ someone other than me. Even Craig, he never…..”

Carrie looked at her in surprise. Sure, she knew that Deke’s affections were solely reserved for Billie, but her surprise was at hearing her mention the love of her life. The lost love of her life, and she was talking about him casually - to another man. Whatever was going on with Billie and this Jon, it could only be a good thing.

“Really?” Jon couldn’t help feeling pleased, somehow, that the dog obviously remembered he’d helped when he was hurt. “Guess he remembers last night, huh?” He lightly ruffled the thick black hair at the back of Deke’s neck.

“Yeah.” Billie let Carrie pull her to her feet. “Can we get him out of here, then?”

“Yep. Mike left some pills for him - just antibiotics. Just in case the coyote had anything nasty. Damned animals - one killed Mrs Benson’s little cat last week.”

“Well, this one won’t be doing any more damage.” Billie grinned. “Deke may have got beat up - but he killed the coyote.”

“Really?” Carrie leaned down to pat him. “Good for you Dekey.”

The four of them walked out to the front office, where Carrie produced a bundle of paperwork for Billie to sign off to get Deke released from Mike’s care. While she quickly read over the details before scrawling her signature onto the relevant lines.

“Don’t let me see you here again, Mister Kelsall.” She said sternly, and the dog wagged his tail as Bilie and Jon laughed.

“Goin’ home, Deke?” Billie asked, and he woofed once before heading for the door. “That’ll be yes, then. I’ll see you later, Carrie.”

“Yeah. We need to catch up. Real soon.” She replied, a definite emphasis on the last two words. “Nice to meet you….Jon.”

“You too, Carrie.” He winked. “Would’ve been nice if Billie here had introduced us properly, but, y’know…..”

“Yeah, I know.” Carrie giggled. “No manners. These damned cowgirls, whatchya gonna do with ‘em?”

Jon opened his mouth, then thought better of answering that one and just shrugged. “Takin’ the Fifth on that one, Carrie. Bye.”

“Yeah, bye.” She echoed, watching them leave before she murmured softly. “If you’re not doin’ it with her, you could do it with me, any day of the week.”

Deke was still too stiff from his wounds to jump up into the pickup, so Jon lifted him up into the front seat before climbing in beside him. They drove back to the ranch with Deke’s head on Billie’s thigh, then Jon lifted the dog out again. As they watched, he made a bee-line for the bloody carcass of the coyote, sniffing it thoroughly before cocking his leg over it disdainfully. That done, he trotted slowly to the house, easing under the porch and lying down contentedly.

Jon and Billie went indoors, Billie opening the fridge then looking at Jon.

“Coffee or beer?”

“Uh - coffee, actually.” He said, so she nodded, closing the fridge and starting a pot of coffee instead.

When it was ready, they took it out onto the porch, slouching down onto a pair of chairs. Billie sipped coffee, then something occurred to her.

“Aw hell!” She exclaimed, startling Jon.

“What’s wrong?”

“I was so pleased to get Deke back - we never went to the feed store!”

Jon laughed. “I’m just as bad - I forgot, too.”

“Shit.” Billie shook her head ruefully, then twisted her wrist, looking at her watch. “We can head back down after we finish our coffee.”

“Don’t put yourself out for me.” Jon protested, getting a dirty chuckle from Billie.

“I thought I’d already ‘put out’ for you?!”

“Yeah - you have - repeatedly.” Jon grinned. “But that’s not what I meant!”

“I know. I need to get some feed anyway, so it’s no biggie.” She grinned. “Anyway, I don’t need much of an excuse to shop. I’m sure I must need…….something.”

“Typical woman. Under the cowgirl there’s a shopping addict.”

“And what would you rather was under the cowgirl?”

Soon as she said it, Billie cursed inwardly. That wasn’t how she’d meant it, but she knew the kind of answer she could expect. Jon didn’t disappoint.

“Me.” He said simply.