God, I was pulling at straws.If I limited my dating options based on whose pet I took care of, I’d be lucky if there were three single women left in the county.But my immediate needs outweighed logic.
“The water’s already muddy, Remi,” she purred.
I straightened, ignoring Rocko’s protest, and crossed my arms over my chest.I resisted rolling my eyes, but just barely.Pulling on every ounce of patience I had, I searched for the kindest way to let Lily down.
A few minutes later, Lily pulled her dog toward the employee entrance yelling, “Someday you’re going to realize what a mistake you’ve made!”
Rocko’s claws scraped on the tile.He jumped and barked around her with his tail wagging.Fighting against him, she struggled for every foot she gained toward the back door.
“I’m sure I will.”I grimaced at the floor under my no-slip shoes.Letting her down hadn’t gone well, no matter how gentle I tried to be.
“And I won’t be waiting around for you.”
Leaping, Rocko bumped into her hip, pushing her into the wall.“Jesus Christ on a cross, Rocko!”
I took a half step toward her.“Are you okay?”
The glare she sliced my way stopped me in my tracks.“This is going to be the biggest mistake of your life.”
Lily pulled an excited Rocko through the back door, her phone pressed to her ear.
I scraped a palm down my face, offering up a thank you to the universe that my appointments were done for the day.With my head hanging, and my heart thudding dully in my chest, I turned for the front office and fell back against the doorjamb—my weight a bit too heavy to bear at the moment.
There was a fist clenched around my chest.Something in the past few minutes, or maybe it was residual from my glimpse of my new neighbor from the morning, but a memory I hated revisiting fought for the surface of my mind.Rain dripping from the russet strands of Alicia’s hair.
A door closing, severing the worn threads that tied us together.
I was still standing on the other side of it.
Nora half-stood, half-leaned on the desk behind her, an apologetic twist to her mouth when I walked into the front office.“That was rough.”
“I think she’s done making unnecessary appointments ...or using us for veterinary care.”
“Meh.”Shrugging, Nora said, “She’ll chill out in a day or two.Your last appointment is in exam room one.”
I looked up with wide eyes.“No.I thought that was my last appointment.”
“Remember the emergency?The allergic cocker spaniel.”
“Shit.”My arms hung limp at my side.I rescinded my thank you to the universe.“Right.Cool.”
“I sent her chart to your tablet.”
“Thanks.”With my thumb and index, I rubbed circles at the tension above my eyebrows.“I guess it’s a vet visit and a show.”
She patted my arm.“Sometimes our embarrassment is public.”
I snorted.“That’s comforting.”
“Oh, your friend Owen commented ‘groovy’to your picture I posted earlier.”
A smile broke across my face.“You’re really driving home your ‘sometimes embarrassment is public’ point, aren’t you?”
“Seems to be the theme.”
“Reply a middle finger emoji, will you?”
“Sure thing.”
