Unsung by Shannon Richard Page A

caffeine fix.” A deep voice—along with boots walking across the hardwood floor—echoed down the hall behind the desk.
    Harper looked over just as Finn Shepherd walked into the reception area.
    Until about a year ago, her father had not only owned the sole practice in Mirabelle, but he’d been the only vet. When Finn had graduated from veterinary school and moved back, he’d been hired onto the practice. The additional doctor had been more than needed. The workload having increased significantly over the years, and as her father was getting older it was a bit of a worry for Harper.
    As it turned out, her father was adjusting just fine to sharing the practice. But as Finn was pretty much the son Paul never had, it wasn’t all that surprising. Harper had grown up with Finn. Not only were they in the same year in school, but he’d been in and out of the practice learning everything he could since he was sixteen.
    Before Brad had been in the picture, Harper’s mother had always wanted her to end up with Finn. Though there was no denying that the man was attractive beyond words—what with his sapphire blue eyes, thick black wavy hair, and black-framed glasses that only added another layer of sexy—she’d always looked at him like a brother. And he’d always looked at her like a sister.
    Besides, these days the only man she was thinking about had green-gold eyes and a deep, rich voice that set every part of her on fire. A man that she knew almost nothing about…except that she was in love with him. Oh, and she was carrying his child.
    God, when had her life gotten so complicated?
    Well, there was no time to focus on that because five seconds after Finn came into the room, another set of shoes echoed down the hallway. These were definitely heels as opposed to work boots.
    “Ohhh, do my ears deceive me or is that one of my favorite girls?” The kind face and gray-haired head of Janet Peterson popped through the doorway, her own steaming cup of coffee in hand.
    Harper was only slightly bitter that she couldn’t join in with her own cup. She was exhausted and really wishing she could get a little pick-me-up, too. Even with her limited coffee intake over the last couple of weeks, she was still a caffeine junkie. Admitting it was half the battle.
    But as Janet’s coffee was usually strong enough for a spoon to stand up straight, Harper wasn’t going to tempt fate or mess with the delicate balance of her stomach. Besides, she shouldn’t be drinking the stuff now anyway.
    Janet was pretty much the backbone of the clinic, and it ran on more than just her coffee-making skills. She’d been working the receptionist desk for the last thirty years, and was still going strong in her sixties.
    Before Harper could even respond to the question Janet asked, the woman had set down the coffee mug and pulled her into one of those soul-affirming hugs. Really, Harper should stop by every day just for one of these.
    When Janet pulled back, Paul walked into the room, his mouth splitting into that customary grin when he laid eyes—the exact same shade as Harper’s—on his daughter.
    No matter what was going on, at least some things hadn’t changed.
    “Hey, sweet pea.” He pulled Harper into his arms, giving her a kiss on the temple like he always did, before he let go and took a step back.
    “Hey, Daddy.”
    “You get off early?” he asked, checking his watch.
    “Yeah, my last appointment canceled. And it was a bit of a slow day.”
    “It’s been slow here, too,” Janet said as she reached for her coffee and took a sip. But the words were barely out of her mouth when the door behind them opened.
    Gabby squawked again—no need for a bell over the door when they had this bird—as Tripp Black walked into the building. Tripp was Mirabelle’s resident fire chief, a job he’d had for the last two and half years ever since he’d moved to the area. He was another insanely attractive man with thick brown hair, and warm chocolate