“How many puppies is she going to have?” she asked.
“With a dog her size, it’s usually between four and seven.”
“And how long does labor last?”
“We should see the first puppy within an hour. If not, we’ll call the vet to decide if we should bring her in. After that, it goes fairly quickly.”
“Mav’s helped several mamas, so I doubt we’ll be going anywhere,” Hunter said. “Mind if I grab a drink?”
“Go ahead,” Maverick said.
“Anyone else want one?”
“No, thanks,” she and Maverick answered.
“I never get nervous in the ER, but I’m nervous now,” she admitted. “I don’t want anything to go wrong for Barley or her puppies.”
Maverick peeked at her out of the corner of his eye. “It’s hard when you’re not in control, huh?”
“Exactly. I’ve delivered many babies and never worried.” She wrung her hands in her lap. “But this is completely foreign. I don’t like it.”
“Here we go,” Maverick said suddenly, crawling into the enclosure. He petted Barley’s back as she quietly squirmed, then licked herself—or rather the first puppy that popped out.
“I’m here,” Hunter said, kneeling and leaning over the edge of the whelping box.
Kennedy watched in awe as Maverick described everything that happened. She wanted to kiss him for explaining the process.
“Puppies are born in a thin membrane,” he said. “Barley is removing it as the puppy comes out… It’s done.” He showed her what looked like plastic wrap before discarding it. “Now she’s licking the pup, which stimulates it to breathe and cry.” A whine sounded.
“Music to my ears,” Kennedy said, and Maverick looked up at her and grinned.
Grinned!
She almost fell backward at the shock of seeing his straight white teeth on full display, along with a pair of dimples that made her stomach quiver like a schoolgirl experiencing her first crush.
“You want to cut the umbilical cord?” he asked next, and come on, who was this sexy man letting her in on the action?
“Yes!” She crawled on her hands and knees to get closer to them.
Maverick instructed her on where to cut the cord, to crush it, rather than make a clean cut to reduce bleeding, and then he tied the cord off with heavy thread. His big, strong hands were a sight to see. He handed the puppy to Hunter, who put the little thing in the laundry basket.
“Newborn pups want to nurse immediately,” Maverick said, “but that can’t happen until whelping is finished. As long as Mama can see her puppies, all is well.”
Kennedy stared at the newborn pup. So amazing.
Barley chewed through the umbilical cords of the remaining puppies, but on the last one, after she’d removed the membrane, she sagged in exhaustion rather than lick the pup.
“Shortcake, you’re up again. I need you to rub the puppy vigorously with a towel until it starts breathing on its own.”
For the first time ever—it must be the heat of the moment—she didn’t mind the nickname and jumped right in to rub the little animal until its perfect whimpers filled the room. The sweet sound almost brought her to tears. Her eyes met Maverick’s, and for a moment, time stopped. Sharing this with him…
“The number of placentas matches the number of puppies,” Hunter said as Barley discharged one final placenta. Maverick had explained that sometimes the afterbirth didn’t come out with the puppy, but for this litter, everything lined up.
“I’m going to take Barley outside to urinate. Be right back,” Maverick said, breaking their connection.
Kennedy sat back on her haunches and watched him go. He’d remained incredibly calm and in control throughout the birthing process, and she wondered what had happened to prevent him from finishing veterinary school. He was a natural with animals.
As soon as they returned, Barley got comfortable with her babies so they could nurse.
“What happens next?” she asked from outside the whelping box.
“Barley will keep the pups warm and fed. I’ll keep a close eye on them tonight in case she can’t supply enough milk or rejects any of the puppies.”
“That happens?”
“Our mom tried to reject Maverick, but it didn’t take,” Hunter teased.
“Maybe now’s the time to tell you, you were adopted,” Maverick deadpanned.
“Is that all you got?” Hunter fired back with a grin. He had dimples, too, but they didn’t do a thing to her stomach.
Maverick ignored his brother this time and said to her, “Yes, that can happen. If it does, I’ve got nursing bottles and supplements I can give them. I’ll take Barley to the vet tomorrow to check her for any injuries or complications we can’t see.”
“They’re so cute,” Kennedy crooned, staring at the new family. Three boys and three girls. “Thanks for letting me be a part of it. I enjoyed every second.”
“It’s pretty special. I’m glad you got to see it,” Maverick said sincerely. “And participate, too. It’s one more thing to add to your list of accomplishments.”
If he’d been closer, she would have hugged him. “Watching you in action was pretty great, too.” She put her hand over her chest. “My heart is still racing.” Possibly for more reasons than she’d care to admit. Maverick Owens did things to her. Good things.
“It’s getting late,” he said, clearing his throat. “I’ll drive you guys back now.”
“I’m gonna walk,” Hunter said. “Need to stretch my legs. I’ll see you tomorrow. Thank you for the assist, Kennedy.”
“Sure thing.”
Hunter closed the front door behind him, leaving her and Maverick alone. With the birthing complete, she took a minute to look around. Wood-burning fireplace, full kitchen, dining area, all decorated in neutral tones with a masculine slant. A picture of the entire Owens family sat on an end table next to a sectional couch.
“Nice place,” she said, wanting to drag her feet. She wasn’t ready to go back to the inn. She was wide awake, energized. In Nancy Drew mode, interested in knowing more about her college nemesis.
“Thanks. You ready?” Apparently his feet were already out the door. All the more reason to stay put.
“Could I trouble you for a glass of water?” She really did need something to wet her dry throat.
“Sure.” He ran a hand along the back of his neck. “Sorry I didn’t offer sooner.”