Chapter One
A bit wide-eyed, Nando Tate stared into the puppy enclosure at Cute Cuddles Pet Emporium where he worked. He was still trying to figure out if he was seeing things right.
“I know, it’s a bit strange,” Trey said. “Someone will want him.”
“But…” Nando scratched his head. “That’s a miniature goat in with the puppies.”
“It’s called a pigmy goat,” Trey corrected. “I didn’t know where else to put him. It’s not like we have a pen for him, and the store isn’t big enough to build one.”
The little goat was white, except for the areas around his eyes and ears, which were black, and he had the cutest horns. Small, compact, and stocky, the thing looked up at Nando and bleated, causing the puppies to yap like crazy.
Trey sighed as he looked toward the ceiling and placed his hands on his hips. “Look, we both know I’m trying real hard here. I never expected to own this place, to become your boss, and Elijah is helping me as much as he can about the business side of things. I would greatly appreciate any input you have.”
“Here’s a tip. Stick with the animals we already have. I don’t know too many people who want exotic animals, and if we can’t sell him, we lose money.”
Nando hadn’t meant to sound so bitter, and he cringed, even though Trey wasn’t looking at him. A while ago Nando had suggested they become roommates, and he thought Trey would go for the idea, but he’d hooked up with Bennett Kincaid, and Nando been left to move back in with his dad.
Their relationship? It sucked. His father still thought of Nando as some snot-nosed kid who needed bossing around. He drank too much and, if you asked Nando, was doing some kind of drugs on the side. Why did he think that? Because Nando knew the signs. You didn’t live in a small town without drug problems, and a few of the friends he used to have had done drugs.
That was why they were former friends. It wasn’t his thing, and you always surrounded yourself with like minds. Nando’s dad also screwed anything that wasn’t nailed down, and Nando hated the parade of women his old man brought home to screw. They automatically tried to be like a parent to him, giving him unwanted advice, telling Nando what they thought he should do with his life, as if theirs were any better.
“I think we should name him,” Trey said, his voice breaking into Nando’s thoughts.
“Bad idea. If you name him, you’ll want to keep him, and the purpose of this store is to sell the animals.” Nando looked a little more closely at the goat. “Is he supposed to be shivering like that?”
Trey squinted as he hunkered down, almost getting nose to nose with the goat. “I have no idea. Maybe he’s cold or he’s afraid of the puppies.”
Nando highly doubted the goat was afraid of puppies, and it was a warm day, so the goat shouldn’t have been cold. “I think you should take him to the vet.”
“You should come with me,” Trey said. “I’ll need help handling him, and I freak out around sick animals.” Trey glanced toward the snake enclosures. Nando knew his boss hated those things, but Nando found them fascinating and couldn’t understand why anyone would be frightened of them.
He’d named the yellow boa constrictor Daisy because of her coloring. Yes, he was contradicting what he’d just told Trey about naming animals, but secretly, Nando had named them all.
The animals in the store were his only friends, and that was why he loved working there so much. And now he would befriend the dang goat, because it was too freaking cute not to.
“Let’s get Shoeshine into your car.”
Trey furrowed his brows. “Shoeshine? First, what kind of name is that? Second, I thought you said it was a bad idea to name him.”
“That’s the first name that popped into my head.” Nando shrugged. “Or do you want to call him Billy? Or, because he’s a pygmy, we can call him Piggy.”
“You’re a very strange man.” Trey reached for Shoeshine, but the goat backed away, bleating like crazy.
“Here, let me try.” Nando crawled into the enclosure and held out his hand. “Come here, boy. No one is going to hurt you.”
Nando didn’t move, allowing the tiny goat to come to him, instead of the other way around.
“What kind of snacks do they eat?” Trey asked. “I could lure him to you with a treat.”
Nando looked over his shoulder, feeling his frustrations mounting. “You didn’t do any research before you bought him, did you?”
When something hit his hand, Nando turned back around. The goat had come closer and had started licking his fingers.
“Okay, so I suck at this. I tell you what,” Trey said. “You help me with Shoeshine, and we’ll talk about being partners in this business. Lord knows I need as much help as I can get.”
That was what happened when you slept with the guy who had bought the business instead of getting it the hard way. Trey was clueless, and if Cute Cuddles was going to succeed, Nando needed to step in.
“Okay, let’s get him to the vet.” He scooped the little goat into his arms and stepped over the side of the enclosure. “Go get your car while I try and calm Shoeshine down.”
The goat was still shaking like crazy, but he’d tucked his head into the crook of Nando’s arm. The poor little thing. Nando rubbed its back, making soothing sounds while Trey pulled out front.
“Lock up,” Nando said when he came outside. “My arms are full.”
Trey jumped out and locked the door as Nando tucked the goat into the backseat, putting the seat belt around him. “If we’re going to be transporting animals to the vet, we need to invest in a company van.”
The previous owner, Mr. Chesnee, had transported the animals in his car, which Nando always thought was unsafe. Nando had been an animal lover for as far back as he could remember, and their health and safety was his top priority.
Trey chuckled. “I should have bought a car seat for this trip.”
“Or a booster seat.” Nando grinned. Seriously, did they make car seats for tiny goats? He’d have to look that up on the internet, if for nothing else but to satisfy his curiosity.
“Do you think he’ll potty on the seat?” Trey frowned. “Ben just bought me this car, and it still smells brand-new. I don’t want the goat peeing or pooping back there.”
“If you stop yapping and get going, maybe he won’t.” Nando decided to ride in the back with Shoeshine. The goat was still shaky and bleating. His eyes were too dang wide, and Nando suspected the goat was terrified of the car.
“It’s okay, buddy.” Nando stroked Shoeshine’s head as Trey pulled away from the curb and drove to the veterinarian’s office. Since Mr. Chesnee always took the animals to the vet, Nando had no clue who the town vet even was.
Clearly Trey knew where they were going, because he pulled into the back of the small brick building and parked. Nando eased Shoeshine out of his restraints and carried him to the back door.
When they entered, Nando saw they were in a waiting room. The back must have been the front. The walls were a pale yellow and decorated with patterns of dog prints. There was even a large container on the reception counter filled with dog treats.