“I—” My mouth clamps shut. Where do I begin? “I knew him in college. He’s a big-time real estate investor now, right?”
I’ve done some googling, and I know the answer.
“Yes,” she says.
“I just—I have concerns. About whether or not he’s right for Pawsome Hearts. His local track record seems pretty cutthroat.” I looked into him the second I got home. It’s no surprise Harry made a splash in the years since he smashed my heart—and not in a good way.
Not if you have a moral compass in good working order. If you have no standards, then Harry’s record of pure rat fuckery in business probably seems like a good thing.
Cutthroatcan be code forefficient.
With him, it proves his cruelty to the core.
That’s not just my personal experience talking. That’s every reason why I need to warn my boss before it’s too late.
“Look, I know it’s not my business. You can yell at me for that.” I raise my hands defensively. “And I know things are crazy tight and you have a ton on your mind, but ... I feel like getting him involved won’t end well for us. Surely, there must be better options more aligned with our values, if you’re looking to inject some cash?”
Dr. Ezzie’s face looks so sad my heart lurches.
“I hear you, Lena,” she whispers. All I can hear isBut it’s not enough to convince me.
No, of course not.
If she’s at the point of bringing Harry in, doesn’t that mean she’s seen his reputation?
“Have a seat,” she says kindly. “I appreciate your concerns. Unfortunately, we’re at a crossroads where we can’t be too choosy.”
“... Is itthatbad?” I whisper.
“Worse. Our position is dire, Lena. I don’t mean to scare you, but even if I didn’t have to take care of my parents, we’d still be in a tough place. With them, I’ve had to take out personal loans for their care, and the clinic counts as collateral.”
My heart spirals.
“The truth is, you know the boarding staff was downsized last year and kennel capacity reduced. We just don’t have the clients anymore, never mind the repairs coming up to keep everything in working order. We can’t keep up with all the shiny corporate places that have exploded over the past ten years. We certainly don’t have ball pits and pools for dogs to splash around in.”
“But they’re not the same, Doc! We have people whocare.” I have to bite back the wordsWe’re better than them.
We are, though.
The big corporate places are understaffed and usually can’t keep up with individual dogs, even if they have better toys and entertainment. But Dr. Ezzie needs me to stay calm.
I can’t lose my shit, no matter how tempting.
“It’s a matter of style, perhaps. People want sleek and fun,” she continues. “They also want the full package, groomers and special play options, but we just don’t have the funds to hire more staff or renovate. It’s a pipe dream. Plus, we own a bigger piece of property than the other places around. I’ve had this practice since before the real estate boom. The property taxes on our land just keep ballooning, and without the clients to bring in enough bacon to make it financially viable ... You’re a smart girl. You can figure it out.”
Oh, I know what she’s saying, but it still makes my heart implode.
My priority has always been animals and clients first. Making their experience as good as possible.Helpingas many people as possible.
But I’m not stupid. Every word she says holds true in a shifting business where boarding can pad your revenue a lot.
Numbers are ugly things. They’re real, merciless, and they have teeth.
“And that’s not even getting into the roofing and insulation work due on the old building.” She sighs, looking down gravely. “Frankly, it makes me sweat just thinking about it. We’ll have to shut down for that, at least for a few weeks.”
Unfortunately, she’s right, and we know what that means.
Money dries up fast.
