Chapter Six

Idris

I eyed my upside-down rubber boots wedged in between cab of the truck and the bed, sending thanks to the gods that I'd remembered them. On one call, I'd forgotten them and had to throw that set of scrubs and shoes out and my socks. Mud and cow manure penetrated everything.

This call was for a cow—again. She was having trouble birthing. Usually this particular farmer would handle things himself but today, he called for help. I didn't know what I was walking into, but this job never failed to surprise me.

I jumped out of the truck, medical bag in tow, and landed right in a puddle. All I could do was laugh. Eugene ran over, waving his arms.

"Where?" I yelled out, trying to save him some steps but he arrived in front of me. "Where is the cow?"

"She's good. We got the twins out. Had to get rowdy and use the four-wheeler, but it worked."

I sighed. I'd seen the method more than once over the years but it seemed like such a barbaric way of giving birth. Still, sometimes even nature and Fate needed a little help.

"Why didn't you call me and let me know it was taken care of?" I asked, ankle-deep in brown water.

"I did. You know there's a dead zone out by Kleinpeter's Dairy. You must have been in that area."

He wasn't wrong.

"I guess I'll head back, then." I threw my bag back into the truck and turned, ready to get in.

"Wait. We are about to have dinner. Why don't you join us?"

I hadn't been out to Eugene's farm since last year's vaccination rounds but, back then, there was no we. Only Eugene and the farm handed down to him by his late father. "We?"

"Oh, didn't you hear the gossip? I'm married now. Two wolf shifters."

I hadn't heard, which was surprising considering town gossip flowed faster than the local river rapids. "Congratulations. I'm really in a hurry though. There are always patients waiting."

Eugene threw his arms in the air. "At least come in and get a plate to go. Those wives of mine make a mean meat loaf. Before they came along, I thought meat loaf was that mystery meat you got in a frozen dinner. Come on. It's the least I can do after you came all this way for nothin'."

I laughed. "Not for nothing. I'm still charging you for the visit."

I wouldn't, but I could joke about it. He knew it, too.

"That's fine. Take me to the cleaners. But come in and get something to eat."

We laughed all the way up to his large farmhouse and, even from a distance, I could see the feminine touches to the place. Curtains blew in the breeze where before there had been bare windows. Baskets of flowers hung on either side of the porch steps. A new welcome mat lay in front of the door.

The wives' thing, surprised me a bit. We were in a modern world where there were all different kinds of relationships, but you didn't see much of that around here.

Maybe we should. Eugene's smile was a mile wide and, once we got into the house, I knew why. His wives were beautiful, each in her own way. Not my types but clearly they were his. The smells of baked meat loaf, mashed potatoes, and some kind of pie reached my nose and, despite not being hungry, I found my mouth watering.

They prepared me more than a plate. They gave me enough to take back to the clinic and share with Hale and Lachlan. As Eugene walked me to the truck, I turned, the need to ask overtaking my manners. "Tell me, Eugene, how did you manage to find two wives? I must know."

He laughed. "It was one of those apps. Mail-Order Matings. I thought it was only for shifters, but it's for everyone. Even us plain ol' human men."

"Is that right? And they don't mind sharing you?"

He shrugged. "Some days are a work in progress, but we decided this was right for all of us."

I thought about Eugene and the app all the way back to the clinic. Hale and Lachlan both raised their brows when I announced the food was from Eugene's wives.

"Wives? I didn't know he had even one."

I shrugged one shoulder. "Found each other on some app. These days, plenty of people are polyamorous."

Hale chuckled. "The way we work and live on the same property, wouldn't sharing a wife be something?"

Lachlan and I didn't laugh.

"Are you seriously thinking about this?" Hale asked, peeking inside the foil-wrapped dinner.

"I am. I think we should all consider it," I prompted. "No pressure, but Eugene's got something special."

Silence filled the break room.

Eventually, we all got back to work and intended to leave, when an out-of-towner brought in an iguana, his pet, that was feeling green. He was green, but he was refusing food and not being very active.

"I'll stay," I said to Lachlan who looked dead on his feet.

"Me too," Hale called out.

"Alright, Griswold, what's going on with you?" I asked, pulling on my exam gloves. Never had an iguana come in. There was a first time for everything, I supposed.