I puffed my cheeks and blew out a deep breath, pushing my glasses on my head to rub my eyes. Usually, I didn’t have an issue covering, but this was the third time he’d bailed on surgeries in two weeks. My production rate was almost double his, and since we were equal partners in the clinic, I was getting irritated.
“Sure, but is everything okay? I’ve been covering for you a lot lately.”
He walked into my office with his head down and his hands in his pockets, sitting down in the chair in front of my desk.
“I don’t appreciate your attitude, Dr. Crews,” he said, leaning across my desk close enough for me to see the dark purple smudges under his eyes and how his skin hung loosely over his face.
I wasn’t spiteful, but if something were going on that would affect the clinic, he needed to get off his high horse and share.
“It’s not an attitude, and I don’t appreciate you treating me like a child instead of your partner. What’s going on?” I bit back, pushing back my chair and crossing my arms.
“I’m not always going to be here, you know. I should be able to count on you to rearrange your schedule like you always do.”
“Maybe I’ll be the one that won’t always be here.” Forcing an impassive look on my face as I turned off my monitor and pushed back in my chair.
“What are you talking about?” He leaned forward on the desk. I wasn’t going to get in a pissing contest with him, not again. But if Wilmington was in the cards, he needed to know.
“I’m talking about this, us—our partnership. I don’t know what’s going on, and you won’t talk to me, Larry. I can’t keep coming to work every day and arguing with you. I’ve been offered the opportunity to take over a rescue.”
“You’re going to quit because things are hard? That’s not the tough as nails, bright-eyed veterinarian I brought on right out of school.”
For a second, when he looked at me from across my desk, his eyes twinkled like they used to and I saw my partner, my friend, my mentor. But a second later, the twinkle disappeared like a shooting star, and the tired, worn look was back.
“No. I’m not going to bail because things are hard. But I am prepared to reevaluate my choices when every single time I walk into this office, I cringe, thinking about what petty argument we’re going to have. I can’t keep bickering over raises and supplies. I have the clinic’s best interest at heart. As your partner and friend, it would help if you trusted me. If you can’t, then we need to have a very different conversation.”
Rubbing my temples as I forced a small smile, but he recoiled like I’d flicked him off. That’s when I realized my smile was more like a grimace with how uncomfortable my body was right now. I walked around my desk and reached out, hoping to grasp his hand, pat his shoulder, or do something to help repair whatever was wrong with us. But he shook his head, pursing his lips, and walked out without a goodbye.
Sheesh.
I made sure Chick and Duck’s food and water were filled for the night and gave them some snuggles before updating the evening vet techs and heading home. I wanted my heating pad, andI wanted my Mark.
18 - JENNA
Walking in the house, I heard his voice first, and Phoebe lifted her head from the pink cat bed in the living room like she was judging me for wearing a blue scrub top with purple pants. I stuck my head in the kitchen, but his voice was coming from the other direction, so I slipped off my shoes and padded down the hallway.
I was hoping he was down for some serious cuddling or copious amounts of ice cream. My body was going to be out of commission for a few days, and as much as I’d become a horn-dog these last weeks, I’d enjoyed the time I’d spent with Mark more.
“Good to hear it. Yeah, Jenna’s fine.”
I stopped short outside his partially opened door when I heard my name. I should have stuck my head in and waved, but I didn’t. I sneaked forward like a creeper and took it as a good omen because the floor didn’t squeak as I moved.
“No, man. It’s casual. She knows I don’t do relationships.”
My heart sunk a little as I tiptoed closer, holding my breath and leaning as far as I could without peeking through the door, waiting.
But…what was I waiting for from him?What did I want?
We’d known each other a little over a month and been living together for almost three weeks. It wasn’t like he’d admitted his undying love for me and told whoever he was talking to I made him believe in relationships. He commented last week something about being single because he was a cop. Unless you’re a monk, I didn’t see how your relationship status affected your job. But Mark had some bone-deep aversion to being in one.
Not that I was a fairy princess happily ever type, but a part of me hoped he’d want more. I guess it was because I’d finally admitted to myself I wanted more, but I wouldn’t push him. Honestly, hearing him say it out loud, again, was precisely what I needed. We’d been playing house, but it hadn’t been real. All too soon, he’d go back to his life, and I’d go back to mine.
It had been nice finding reasons not to work fifty hours.Mostly him,I scoffed at his door. He was the reason I hadn’t been pulling twelve-hour days and finding ways to occupy every spare moment of my free time.
“No, man. I can’t. I’m in hell here. I can’t fucking wait to get back to my place. There’s no connection.”
What?
I backed up and walked to my bedroom, my eyes glassy with unshed tears, as I stripped out of my scrubs and threw them in the general direction of the closet. It was my damn fault for eavesdropping on his conversation.
