Read Online Taber by Aliyah Burke and Taige Crenshaw - Free Book Online Page B

took him out too, but I really don’t have the room to keep them much longer. I could manage a month though.”
    She pulled up her calendar on her computer and stared at it. “I’ll be there for them personally in four days, Dr Mitchem.”
    His sigh of relief told her just how much he cared for the animals. “Thank you so much. I’ll make sure to have them and their records ready.”
    “I’m glad we could help out, Dr Mitchem.”
    “You have no idea, Ms Mercer, how much I am too. I really hated the alternative.”
    “That’s not necessary anymore. I’ll see you in a few days.”
    “Have a good day, and thank you, again.”
    “Goodbye, Dr Mitchem.”
    She ended the call and stared at the file by her hand. Grabbing it up, she shoved back from the desk and left her office. She didn’t have to go far, really. Not for whom she needed to see. She knocked and waited for the deep voice to say ‘enter’. Then she walked in. Taber sat at his desk, frowning at something before him. She brushed that away, not allowing herself to care.
    He looked up and she melted a bit at the heat in his eyes. God, it would be so easy to run to him and press her lips to his. She swallowed and walked up to the desk and dropped the file on it.
    “They’re coming here. I’m going to get their new enclosure ready. They’ll have to be kept over in holding for a few days if I can’t get it done. I’m picking them up in four days and taking the plane to do so.”
    She waited for him to say something. He opened the file and stared at the picture before returning his gaze to her. “Okay.”
    Honestly she’d expected a bit more reaction from him, but she took it. Giving him a nod of thanks, she spun on her heel and headed out of the door.
    “Lainey,” he said.
    She turned back. “Yes?”
    The expression on his face scared her. She wasn’t in a place right now to deal with feelings, emotions—or anything like that.
    “I have to go get this rolling.” She turned and left, hurrying out of the building and into the bright sunlight. After calling over two of the men, she gave them instructions on where they needed to start working and advised them of the deadline.
    “I don’t know if we can do that by then,” one said. Not in a complaining tone, just matter-of-factly.
    “I know,” she replied. “We just need to do the best we can. If necessary they can go in the holding area for a short time until it’s finished.”
    “We’ll do our best.”
    She smiled gratefully at them. “I know. I’ll be out here too, as long as I can be.” She gestured over her shoulder. “Let’s get to it. I’ll meet you there after I send someone to fix up holding.”
    “Right.”
    They separated and it didn’t take long for her to be back with them working away in the hot sun. Sweat dripped from her and she paused to wipe it away. The moment she had known they were coming, this was the enclosure she had envisioned for the duo. It was only amplified when Dr Mitchem had made mention of Allie only having three legs.
    With a sigh she got back to work. At the end of the day, she said farewell to the others and kept working. Tall lights illuminated her space as she continued going over each inch, ensuring that there was nothing there that would hurt them. It was past ten at night when she called it quits. She left and made her way home where she collapsed, exhausted, in her bed.
     
    * * * *
     
    That was how her next three and a half days went. They were close, but as she got ready to board the plane, it hadn’t been finished. She thanked the guys and told them to take the rest of the day.
    “We’ll get it again later. The holding area is ready and it won’t take that much more to fix it up.” She waved and hopped in the Jeep with Sean, who was taking her down to the airstrip.
    “How’s it going?” she asked, grateful to feel the wind on her skin.
    “Good,” he said. “You look exhausted.”
    She gave him a tired smile. “Kind of am. But