Hi from hot and sunny Arizona. I am finally settled in my new place. Here's the first in hopefully a lot more chapters.

Happy reading

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Mark ran his hand through his hair before climbing out of his truck. He held the door open as he stared nervously at the building in front of him. He could hear the barking of numerous dogs coming from the back, and spotted a couple horses standing in a corral to the side.

Realizing he was standing there in the middle of the parking lot like an idiot he shut the door of his truck, pushing the button on his keys to engage the locks. Determinedly he put one foot in front of the other, heading for the front door of veterinary hospital, where he greeted the receptionist with a smile. He turned his back on the curious stares of the waiting pet owners.

"Is Sammie Hagan in?" He asked quietly.

Shrinking back a little from his sheer size she clicked a button on her computer. "Dr. Hagan's on a house call." The young girl answered.

Mark frowned. "Oh, um well she brought in my dog yesterday, um well the dog I decided to keep anyway and…" He trailed off flustered.

His embarrassment having eased her fear the receptionist leaned forward. "You're wondering if everything's okay?" At his nod she turned back to the computer. "What's the dog's name?"

"Umm Dusty."

"And your name?" She asked typing quickly.

"Mark Calloway." He supplied.

"Okay. He's in A4. Lisa was the tech that worked on him. I'll take you back and send her over. She can answer your questions." She stood up and walked to toward a door at the door at the back of the room.

Mark smiled his thanks, swallowing his disappointment. He followed her down a long hallway, past a room full of squalling cats, past a nursery where he stopped to gaze at new born puppies, and then into a room full of large ground level kennels.

She led him to the 4th cage down. "He's in here. Normally we would let you take him to a playroom but he's hocked to an IV for his antibiotics so he has to stay put."

Mark waited until she had left the room before kneeling down in front of the open door of the kennel. "Hey boy." He called quietly, reaching in to rub the dog behind his ears. The animal gave a soft woof before laying his head back down , his eyes already half closed.

"Looks like they fixed you up pretty good." Mark continued as he looked the dog over. There was a large white cast covering the left hind leg. The groves in his hindquarters were coated in some sort of gel, several had sutures placed. Mark was reaching in to pet the animal again when a voice spoke up behind him.

"You know, you really aren't supposed to pet an animal who's on rabies watch."

He jumped as the melodious tones washed over him. Turning he gazed up at the grinning vet. "I thought you were out on a call." He said frowning.

Sammie's eyebrows went up. "So you asked about me, did you?" She burst out laughing when he blushed.

Mark stood up, using his height to gain some control. HE shrugged. "You are the one that brought him in." He said trying to appear nonchalant.

She nodded knowingly. "Ok then. I'll just go finish my paperwork." She turned to go.

He reached out and grabbed her arm gently to keep her there, cursing himself silently while doing so. "Since you're here you might as well tell me what's go on with him."

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"So when are you going back home?" Randy asked as he pulled up in front of Shawn's house.

"My flight leaves in a couple hours. You?" Jayden asked reaching for the door handle.

He shook his head. "I've got an autograph signing in Tennessee." He turned to look at her. "Are you going to tell him about me coming down here?"

"What? That you talked to me about his health? I think he expected that." She gave a small grin. "Or that you flew down here and kidnapped me to demand answers?"

Randy winced. "Yeah, that part."

"I don't think he needs to know about that. He's got enough to worry about." She said sadly.

The younger man nodded somberly. "You're sure you can't tell me anything?"'

Jayden shook her head. "I promised him I wouldn't. But ask him again, keep on him about it." She instructed him before climbing out of the car.

Waving goodbye she watched him drive off before turning to enter the house. Finding the living room empty she walked toward the kitchen. There she found Mandy standing at the window with her arm's wrapped around herself.

"Are you okay?" The redhead asked as she crossed the room to her friend.

"Shawn's been in his work shop since we came home." Mandy said in a monotone.

"He's probably busy with some project." Jayden tried to reassure her.

Mandy shook her head. "The door's locked and when I tried, he wouldn't answer the door." She turned worried eyes on the older girl.

"I think he's a little hurt and probably confused right now." Jayden confessed as she looked out at the work shed.

The bride to be gave her a confused look. "He's not the one that had to face down that monster yesterday."

"He heard what you said to Laney." Jayden told her gently. "About not caring about the wedding."

Mandy groaned. "I was upset and she wouldn't stop chattering and I just wanted her to go away." She rubbed at her eyes.

"He probably has some questions about where we were yesterday, seeing as how we didn't buy anything for the wedding." The older girl prompted.

"Damn it." Mandy swore. "Can this day get any worse?" She turned back to her friend. "Would you go talk to him, make him understand?" She pleaded.

Jayden shook her head. "I don't think that would be a good idea. I'm the one that took his place when I went with you yesterday."

"But you would be able to make him understand everything." Mandy cried, slumping into a chair and hanging her head.

Jayden gave in, unwilling to see her friend to through anymore stress. "I'll have him take me to the airport." She agreed grudgingly. "I can only do so much with out telling him what happened." She warned.

Mandy nodded miserably.

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"So" Sammie grinned up at the big man as she walked him out to his truck. "I told you everything you need to know about your dog. We discussed my job, your job, the fact that you're a widow and I'm divorced. So when're you going to ask me out?" She asked, leaning on the side of the truck.

Mark had to grin at her spunk. "Haven't you ever heard that men like to do the asking?"

"Haven't you heard of woman's lib?" She shot back.

"Well now maybe I'm old fashioned." He drawled.

"And maybe I find that very sexy."

Mark grinned and was about to respond when his cell phone rang. "It's my daughter's ringtone." He said in way of explanation as he walked away.

"Is she okay?" She asked when he returned.

Mark shrugged as he shook his head. "She's having some kind of crisis." He answered as he leaned back against the truck.

"Shouldn't you be going to her?" Sammie asked in concern.

"She's 15, everything's a crisis now a days." He told her dryly.

She suppressed a laugh at the look on his face. "I don't know which is worse, a drama queen or my son who's so sullen I'm lucky if I get one word out of him a week."

"He's 14 right?"

"Yeah, and he eats, sleeps, and breathes video games." She grumbled.

"Are you free tomorrow night?" Mark asked abruptly.

Sammie's eyes began twinkling as she gazed up at him. "I'm on call for the Dorsey's mare so I might have to go deliver a foul at any time."

Mark shrugged. "Then we'll keep it simple and I'll cook you dinner."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "You can cook?"

"Won't you be surprised." He teased as his phone started ringing.

"You better go before she decides the only thing that'd fix her is a shopping spree." Sammie laughed at the look on his face.

Mark rolled his eyes. "I know something else that would fix her." He climbed in to the cab of his truck. "Tomorrow, seven o'clock." He called out the window as he backed out.

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John rang the doorbell of the big house before sticking his hands in his pockets self-consciously. Tapping his foot impatiently he waited for the door to open.

"You better only be here if you're willing to help." A harried voice called out as the door opened.

John looked up to see a disheveled Steph carrying one squalling toddler while the second clung to her leg. "I'm always willing to help." He said reaching down and swinging one of the twins into his arms.

"We had a little incident in the kitchen." She explained as she soothed her other child.

"Booboo." The little boy held up his burned finger.

"I see." John said gravely. "Did mama kiss it and make it better?"

"Many, many times." She assured him. She tilted her head. "Now while I appreciate your help I know you didn't come over here to baby sit."

John grinned unrepentenly as he handed the child he was holding over. "I need to see Paul.

"He's in his office." She jerked her head in the general direction as she juggled her kids.

Knocking on the afore mentioned door John walked in without waiting for an answer.

Paul held up his hand as he finished his phone conversation. Hanging up the phone he looked up to see John slumped into one of the chairs facing his desk. "What's wrong?" He barked.

"Now why do you assume something's wrong?" John asked playing innocent.

"Because you're here and you don't have Journey or Ari her to play with the boys. I would have heard the noise even in here." He explained at the younger man's look.

"We have a problem." John answered.

"We as in everyone or just you and Randy?" Paul asked dryly.

"Everyone, but Randy and I are the only ones that are aware of it." John admitted.

Paul just waited.

"Have you seen Dave lately?" He continued.

Paul frowned as he thought about it. "With the boys the days seem to blend together." He shook his head. "It's been awhile." He admitted.

"There's something more going on than rehab. He's sick, really ,really sick." John told him bluntly.

"He told you this?" The older man questioned.

"Nah, He's denied it, but it's obvious. He's pale, weak, and he's lost at east 20 pounds."

"He's not been able to work out. He's going to loose some of his muscle mass." Paul informed him.

John shook his head. "This is more than muscle mass. His eyes are sunk into his head, his cheekbones stand out. He's as pale as a ghost."

"Have you talked to Jayden?" Paul asked, sitting forward with concern written on his face.

"Randy went to go talk to her. She's in Texas right now." At Paul's expression he continued. "Don't blame Randy for anything. I encouraged him to fly down there." He said gruffly.

Paul decided to let it pass. "When did you see Dave?"

"Yesterday." John answered. "He'd been avoiding our calls. We finally got him to go out to lunch with us but he didn't eat anything." John shifted impatiently when Paul remained quiet. "So what are you going to do?" He burst out.

Paul shrugged thoughtfully. "What can we do? He obviously does not want us involved."

John stared at the older man in bewilderment. "How can you say that? If it was one of you'd beat us until we confessed." In his agitation he stood up and leaned over the desk threateningly.

"You're fixing to get a beating right now." Paul drawled.

John pressed his lips together to keep from voicing the words he had running through his head. Very deliberately he lifted his hands off the desk and, after giving the other man one more cold glare , stomped from the room.

Steph appeared in the doorway a couple minutes later.

"He didn't look happy." She commented.

"He's worried." Paul answered pensively. "Has Jayden said anything to you? About Dave?"

Steph hesitated. "She's worried about something but doesn't want to talk about it." She hedged.

"But…" Her husband prompted.

'She called me one night bawling. I could barely understand her but one word did stand out." She stopped unsure if she should go on.

"Steph." Paul growled.

"Cancer."