Small Town Girl: Small Town Brides, #2

By Ava Catori

Anna York didn't ask for the inheritance. In fact, it was more a hindrance than a help. Why would somebody she didn't know leave her everything they had?  Confusion and curiosity gnaw at her as she's forced to unravel the mystery and clean out an old lady's bakery and home.

Dr. Sam Spencer is the key to the puzzle, but Anna and Sam are going to have to find a way to communicate that doesn't involve butting heads like a pair of mountain goats. With fiercely different ideas, they want nothing to do with the other. Unfortunately, a magnetic attraction pulls them together as their personalities push them apart.
When an answer comes to light, it's not one that either expected or is ready to accept.

Can two stubborn people find common ground and work together? Or will they spin off in different directions in an attempt to resist fate?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ava Catori Books
• Release date: Sep 30, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386313991

Book preview

Chapter 1

Anna struggled to get her dog Grace to the back of the SUV. Come on, girl.

The confused dog stumbled to the side. Her head tilted to the right as she looked at Anna.

You can do it, she encouraged. She slipped her hands beneath Grace’s underbelly to help her stay steady on her feet. Something happened overnight. She couldn’t be sure of what. It’s not like Grace had eaten anything different than normal, though they’d been traveling. Maybe it was too much.

Grace stopped and stood in place. With just a few more steps, Anna would be able to help lift her dog’s front paws into the back of the truck. She nudged her again, urging the large dog to take another step forward.

Grace eventually moved.

Anna scrambled to open the hatch, then scooped her arms around Grace’s torso again. She awkwardly slid her hands beneath Grace’s front legs, trying to lift and brace her paws onto the cargo space in the back of the SUV. Okay, girl, let’s see if we can get the rest of you up there.

Normally, Grace would make the leap herself. She was usually hardy and strong, but being a German Shepherd and Malamute mix also meant that she was heavy! At almost one hundred pounds, Anna wrangled her into the vehicle the best she was able.

With a final push, she gave Grace a boost. Her bangs dropped across her face. Anna groaned, then blew them out of her eyes and heaved as she scooped up the dog’s back legs. Finally, Grace was inside. Anna leaned against the bumper, caught her breath, and huffed and puffed. What’s going on, sweetheart?

The dog slumped down in the back of the vehicle, relieved to be still. She dropped her head and closed her eyes.

Hang in there, baby. Anna closed the hatch and ran to the driver’s seat. She’d searched for local help online and found a veterinarian in town. Thankfully, he wasn’t far away and there was an after-hours phone number to reach him. Dr. Spencer agreed to meet her at the animal hospital just down the way.

Grace meant the world to Anna. If anything happened to her she’d be crushed beyond belief.

With her dog loaded safely in the back of her car, she gunned the accelerator.

She found the barn-red building with cream shutters easily enough. It housed a small, humble sign near the front that read Branchburg Animal Hospital. It was a good thing that she had the address. A bigger sign would make it more obvious but being in a small town most people probably knew where the office was located.

Anna pulled into the gravel parking lot and parked, grateful to see another truck already there. A tall, blond man came out to help. He was dressed as if he’d been somewhere fancier than the office. The man rolled his sleeves up as he came over and had something draped over his shoulder.

You must be Anna. What’s going on?

Dr. Spencer? she asked. Thank you for meeting me. Grace is having trouble with her balance. Also, her head is tilted to the side. It’s like she can’t straighten it.

He nodded at the description. Yes, I’ve seen that before. Let’s get her inside and have a look, shall we? I’m pretty sure from what you told me on the phone I know what’s going on.

Anna opened the SUV hatch. Under normal circumstances, Grace would have jumped down on her own. Now, she looked squarely at her owner and didn’t move.

Dr. Sam Spencer chimed in and pulled the contraption off his shoulder. I’ve got a sling support here that we can slip in front of her back legs. It will help her feel more secure. Do you want to slide this into place? She might be more comfortable with you right now.

Anna nodded. Her fingers trembled as she worked the sling beneath her dog’s belly, then slipped it up on the other side. It’s okay, sweetheart. We’re going to help you.

Okay, great. I’m going to get a hold of the handles and help lift her down, he said. The large dog wasn’t too heavy for the strong vet with broad shoulders. The effort was in keeping her upright. She wanted to drop back to the ground. Come on, girl. Just a little farther.

Anna led Grace into the building with the leash, while Sam walked beside her supporting her back legs, taking most of the weight off them.

Once inside, Sam directed Anna to an examination room. He gently scooped Grace up and placed her on the stainless-steel table.

Anna was beside herself. She was fine. Nothing was wrong, then all of the sudden she started to act funny.

Dr. Spencer looked into Grace’s eyes, then examined the animal for other clues. It looks like she’s got something called Vestibular Disorder. See how her eyes are going back and forth quickly? That would make anyone dizzy. One of the common signs is the head tilt. We usually see this in older dogs. How old is Grace?

She’s ten, but still acts like a puppy most days.

An ear infection can trigger it, along with many other things like head trauma, but it throws off their equilibrium. She’s probably nauseous, too. I’ll give you something for that. Do you notice that she’s drooling more than usual?

Somewhat. I thought she was having a stroke or something. Is this... she trailed off.

She’ll be okay; don’t worry. This isn’t life-ending. Vestibular disorder can be peripheral or central. I’m going to look at her ears and run a little bloodwork to make sure we check all our bases. It usually resolves itself in a week or two, but the head tilt may remain so don’t be alarmed if that doesn’t correct, he added.

Anna sighed loudly with relief. Thank God. I can’t even imagine life without her. We can deal with a head tilt if that means she’s okay.

Sam gently placed his hand on her shoulder. She’s going to be just fine.

Anna visibly relaxed, unaware that the panic in her voice gave her away. The simple touch from the vet was exactly what she needed. To say she was scared was an understatement. Grace was her best friend and constant companion and had been since she was a pup. The thought of losing her wasn’t something she was ready to handle. And being on the road of all places...she was beyond grateful that the doctor met her at the office.

You’re not from around here, are you? I haven’t seen you before, he mentioned, trying to get Anna’s mind off the worst-case scenario she’d imagined.

No, not a regular client. I’m in the area for a few weeks but live in Vermont. I can’t thank you enough for agreeing to see me. I hope I didn’t interrupt anything. She feared that she might have. She doubted that he sat around the house dressed like that.

My brother’s wedding, he said with a laugh, but they’d already said their vows. I’ll go back and get some grub later.

Oh! I’m so sorry. Of all the things. She glanced at the floor and realized that her timing couldn’t have been any worse.

It’s fine. It was a last-minute thing. The couple are happily hitched. I’m going to give you some anti-nausea meds to help Grace. You’ll notice over the next few days her eyes should become steadier. That will make walking easier and she’ll feel better.

Thank you. It was like she couldn’t say it enough.

I’m glad I could be of assistance. I’ll give you a sling. When she goes outside, you’ll want to help support her weight until she regains her stability and confidence. Sam scratched behind Grace’s ears. Hang in there, girl. You’ll feel better in a couple of days.

Anna waited as Dr. Spencer gathered the medication and slipped the pills into a container. Instructions are on the bottle, and if you have any questions don’t hesitate to call me. What brings you to the Branchburg area? You mentioned being from Vermont.

Yes. I’m only here for a few weeks, though I suspect I’ll be back again soon. I’ve inherited some property, though to be quite honest I’m not sure why. I came to see what it was all about.

Family in the area? he asked, curious.

None at all. In fact, the woman that left the property to me was a complete stranger. I’ve no idea why she listed me as her benefactor. To be quite honest, this trip didn’t fit very well into my schedule, but the situation had to be handled. I’m baffled by the entire thing.

Interesting. Might I ask where about?

It’s a bakery not far from here. She shrugged. I’ve never been there, so it’s not like I have a connection to the woman. All I know about her is that she was an older woman without family. It’s all they’ve told me when I was notified of the inheritance.

Bakery? Was the woman Margery Millhouse, by chance?

Anna’s eyes went wide. Why, yes. You knew her?

Quite well, actually.