Chapter 1

Mission: Don't bail on auction. We really need you.

Alex stared at the text, wondering why he'd agreed to the auction. He'd been at a weak point, thinking no one in this town knew him, when Indigo, the owner of the dress shop next door, stopped by asking for help. The charity wasn't for animals—that he would do without hesitation—but still he'd agreed to help Indigo out by signing up as a bachelor offering a date for the auction.

This was what he got for trying to be neighborly and outgoing. Alex clicked reply on the text, telling Indigo he would be there on Saturday. Great, he had only a few days to mentally prepare himself for the event. He should have pulled out last week, but guilt had overruled his good senses.

Another text came through, this one from Mrs. Bannif, an elderly lady in town who owned an older cat. Jorts, the cat, kept sleeping the days away, and Mrs. Bannif thought the extra naps meant he had a myriad of problems. Alex had explained that the cat was slowing down, but that didn't stop Mrs. Bannif from being concerned. He didn't want to tell her Jorts might just outlive her because he thought it would be rude, but the cat was very healthy, just aging.

After telling Mrs. Bannif it was normal for Jorts to sleep in the afternoon, he stepped out into the hallway, thinking about getting another cup of coffee. He probably shouldn't. Sleeping was becoming a thing now, and he wanted more than just a few hours of rest tonight.

"Dr. Engle, looks like we have an emergency visit coming in," Gina called out from the reception area.

The fact that she yelled out to him instead of sending a message bothered him. She was a good employee, but she was a little rough around the edges.

He waited for Gina to say what the problem was, but she stayed silent. Since coming to Foggy Basin, he'd learned that some people, mainly Gina, expected him to read minds. Trying to stay positive, he stepped out to the reception area and saw that Gina was currently reading a book while she ate a muffin and sipped a latte.

"So, who is bringing their pet in?" Alex asked.

Gina turned and narrowed her gaze. "It's not a pet. Mr. Edgecliff hit a deer."

Words formed on his tongue, but he held them in. Most people who hit a deer didn't bring the animal into the vet clinic. They usually wanted the meat and took them home to dress or to a butcher.

"Oh, okay. That's a new one."

Gina shrugged and went back to her book. He eyed her coffee, which didn't help his craving one bit.

Sadly, by the time Mr. Edgecliff arrived, the deer wasn't alive. He broke the news as gently as he could because the man's five-year-old son was on the edge of losing it. Having the kid in the car explained why Mr. Edgecliff brought the deer to him instead of taking it home or to the butcher.

Right after the deer incident, a man with a Golden Retriever came in. The Golden's name was Pockets, and he was incredibly excited to see everyone. Alex worked his fingers through Pocket's thick fur, inspecting the tender skin beneath. Pockets gave him another lick before looking up at his owner.

Alex chuckled. "I know, Pockets, it feels good."

He met the owners gaze and smiled. It was easy to remember the dogs' names, but the people stumped him. He glanced at the paperwork to see the guy's name was Roy.

"Looks like Pockets will be chasing squirrels again in no time," Alex said as he ruffled the dog's fur. "The rash is almost gone, but he needs a few more days in the cone of shame. He can go without it in five days."

"Oh no, Pockets. More cone of shame," Roy said before hugging his dog. "Thank you, Doctor. So I heard you were part of the auction. Lots of single ladies in the audience. You should have no trouble raising money.

A nervous laugh escaped Alex. What would this guy think if he admitted he was gay and didn't want a date with a woman?

"Oh, yeah. Should be fun."

"It's one of the better attended charity events of the year. They tried doing a dance, but no one wanted to do that. The auction gives the town plenty to gossip about."

"Oh." Alex wanted to pull out now more than ever. He wanted to be known, but not gossiped about. But this was a small town, and he guessed gossip should be expected.

He finished up with Pockets and said goodbye to the dog and Roy, wishing he had the courage to tell this stranger he only dated guys.

Once back in his office, he checked his schedule and saw he was done for the day. Tonight, he should stay late and do paperwork. He wanted to stop by the bar and maybe find someone to chat with. It would be nice to meet a few more people in town. Maybe he should join a book club or something.

The clinic door chimed, and he glanced up, seeing Mrs. Bannif shuffle in, her arms cradling a bundle of sable fur. Worry lines etched deep in her face as she peered over the top of her glasses at Alex.

"Dr. Engle," she began, her voice quivering like leaves in a gentle breeze, "it's Jorts. He's just not himself."

Jorts blinked languidly from his owner's embrace, as oblivious to her concern as he was to the sterile environment that surrounded him.

"Come on back," Alex said. He washed his hands, before he turned to look at Jorts.

"Let's have a look at him, shall we?" Alex said, as he patted Jorts. "Still eating well?" Alex asked, his fingers probing with practiced care along Jorts' abdomen, feeling for anything out of the ordinary.

"Like a horse," Mrs. Bannif replied, her hand fluttering to her chest. "But he's been sleeping so much, and I thought..."

He barely kept from rolling his eyes. She'd texted him earlier that day, and yet here she was in his office. Somehow, he would have to find a way to convince Mrs. Bannif that her cat was fine. "Sometimes they just need a little more rest," Alex interjected smoothly, meeting her gaze with a calm stare that he hoped reassured her. "Especially at his age. Animals age, and they need more sleep."

He continued his examination as he sought to reassure not only the feline under his care but also the woman who loved Jorts so much. Mrs. Bannif watched him, the tension easing from her shoulders as Alex smiled and talked to the cat. There was nothing wrong with this cat, but he was getting the feeling Mrs. Bannif would never see that.

"He's going to be sleeping a lot more. I know you're worried about him, but he really is doing fine. He's a very healthy senior cat. And that is the key, he is getting older. Jorts is no longer a kitten."

Mrs. Bannif exhaled heavily, and he swore there were tears in her eyes as she wrung her hands. "Thank you, Dr. Engle. After losing Mitzi, I just can't take another loss."

He tilted his head to the side. He didn't think Mrs. Bannif had another pet. "Mitzi? I don't think I know a Mitzi."

Mrs. Bannif shook her head. "No, she went to high school with my older sister. She was ninety-five. She passed a few weeks ago, and she was so young. I just can't lose Jorts." She gathered Jorts back into her arms and sniffed against his neck. "Thank you, Doctor," she said as she turned to leave.

The worry now made sense. Maybe he should find some support group for Mrs. Bannif. Not that he knew of any here in Foggy Basin, but maybe someone did. He could ask around.

"Anytime, Mrs. Bannif." Alex walked her out and watched as she loaded the cat into her car, thinking she must be lonely.

"Dr. Engle," Indigo called to him as she stepped out from her shop and waved, her dress full of lively colors that made her look like she was going to the tropics, and not living in Foggy Basin.

His lips spread into a broad smile as she approached. "Hey, how are you?" he asked as he shook her hand.

"Do you have any plans tonight?" Her eyes sparkled with mischief, a clear prelude to the favor she was about to ask.

"Um, just some paperwork," Alex admitted, feeling the weight of the evening ahead, filled with numbers and notes instead of laughter and company.

"Perfect! You can do paperwork any night. How about you join me at the bar across the street to drum up excitement for the auction? We need plenty of people at this auction, and if we can get some social media shots to go viral—well, as viral as this town can get—we'll have more people attending.

"I don't know. I'm not?—"

"Please," Indigo said with a smile. "Just one drink, a little dancing, and some fun to entice people to come to the auction."

Alex blew out a breath, knowing his protests were weak against her resolve. Plus he didn't really want to spend the night doing paperwork.

"Come on, Alex. It's for the kids," she coaxed as she stepped closer, her presence filling the space. "We need someone like you. Someone new, someone fresh. The people will love it. Also, it could get you some business because there will be a write up in the paper."

It was a conundrum. No question, he had to get out to make more friends in this town, but he also didn't want to be the center of attention. It was the usual argument that happened inside his head. Being included meant people had to know he wanted to be included. If only he could balance his need for community with his need for alone time.

Indigo's smile flashed broader. "You're perfect for this."

He hesitated, caught in the crossfire of Indigo's enthusiasm and his own trepidations. Then there was the other issue. His desire to contribute warred with the fear of exposure, of standing on display to be judged.

"Fine. I'll be there tonight." Should he tell her that he was gay? His stomach churned at the idea of having her advertise to the whole town that he dated guys. He didn't mind some people knowing but telling the town after only moving here a few months ago seemed a little weird.

"Fantastic!" Indigo beamed as if she had never doubted the outcome. "You won't regret it. Be there at seven. That's when the ball will get rolling."

She skipped her way back to her shop, laughter trailing behind her. Regret twisted through his belly. The paperwork could wait until next week, but going out and getting involved took so much energy. It was true he wanted to get to know people, but that meant he would have to interact with them. It was the usual argument he had with himself. He craved consistency in his routine, but he also wanted fun and excitement. Balancing the two was difficult. He usually ended up with some weird guilt and desire mix that left him wanting to go out, but anxious about the event or outing as it approached, leaving him unable to enjoy the occasion.

Alex entered the clinic and saw Gina gathering her things. He checked his phone, seeing it was time for her to leave.

"I'm out, boss man." Gina waved as she headed out to the parking lot.

"Have a good evening," he called after her.

His gaze landed on the parking lot for the bar across the street. Few cars sat in the lot, and it didn't look like many people were there. He wished they were over there now doing the fun photos, but they needed more people in the space so it looked like they really were having fun.

One advantage to waiting was he had time to start on some of the paperwork. Silence settled in the clinic as he made his way back to the office, glad he'd made this move to Foggy Basin. Escaping his last bad relationship had been hard. His ex had his number and used manipulation to control him. He'd been blamed for so many things he really thought they all were his fault.

Was he setting himself up again? It had been almost a year since he'd ended it with his ex. Was he ready to date? Maybe he shouldn't do the auction. But this wouldn't be a real date, just a community event to raise money. The desire to text Indigo and tell her he couldn't make it hit hard, but he stuffed the feelings down. This wasn't the same at all. He didn't have to be afraid of retribution for trying to get out there and make a life for himself.