I growled. The sound reminded me of Macon. Damn him. “Nothing happened. He showed up as my blind date because our friends were tired of us fighting and wanted us to have a let’s-be-friends date. Now, I’m done and never have to go on a date again.”
Pop’s expression fell. “Really? That’s it?”
“That’s it. Nothing more.” At least, I thought so. I didn’t trust Paris or Myra, though. I’d probably end up on another blind date if I weren’t careful. “Macon and I are going to try to be a little friendlier for our group’s sake.” And I would ignore any tingly feelings that arose when it came to him. “Because if we start fighting with each other again, they will force us into another awkward situation, and I don’t need that. As for Blue Eyes? If he shows up again, I’ll try not to run.” I sighed. “And now, after spending far too much time and energy on this, I need to get back to work.”
Pop nodded. “Okay. I can go up front and help Jason if you need some time by yourself.”
I winced. “Just until Blue Eyes leaves. Because I am embarrassed.”
“No problem. We stick together.” A pause. “Dakota?”
“Yes, Pop?” I asked cautiously.
“You don’t have to date anybody if you don’t want to. You don’t even have to pretend that you want to. You are welcome to be who you need to be. However,” she said before I could add anything, “I like Macon. And I like that you guys are going to be friends. I think you could use a friend.” She shrugged before I could say anything, then walked out with a bounce in her step.
I sighed and got to work. I couldn’t stand around talking about my feelings or my lack of love life. I got busy finishing Pop’s dough, began making brownies, and then did another turn on my pastry for a few tarts. I loved my job. I adored baking, and I craved coffee even more. The Boulder Bean was precisely what I needed. Maybe one day I’d be able to branch out into sandwiches and the like, but I didn’t think so. There were enough of those kinds of places near me. We would only be competing for the same customers. It worked out better if we each had our particular niche.
My phone buzzed, and I looked down and held back a curse.
Constance: Sorry, bad news. Valerie was just offered another full-time job. She’s not going to be able to take Nancy’s position. But I’m still on the hunt. I know you are, too.
“Crap,” I mumbled. Constance had been trying to get her friend, Valerie—someone I liked and trusted—to take over Nancy’s position. However, it seemed like that wouldn’t happen.
I grumbled a bit and then texted back.
Me: No worries. Thank you so much for trying. We will find someone.
Constance: You know it. Our little man is amazing. We will find him the perfect person to work with him. It’s just weird timing with the semester.
I nodded, even though I knew she couldn’t see me. “This whole thing just sucks,” I mumbled.
“What sucks?” Macon asked from the doorway. I turned, my heart racing, and dropped my phone to the floor.
The sound of it hitting the tile echoed, and I winced. I crouched to pick it up. Unfortunately, Macon did at the same time, and we smashed our heads together. I fell on my butt, and Macon reached out, grabbing for me.
“Fuck. I’m sorry. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I said, rubbing my head. I picked up my phone. “The screen didn’t shatter, and I think my skull is okay. But…ow.”
“I’m sorry, Pop told me to come on back because she figured you were in your office. And then Jason led the way. I didn’t mean to scare the crap out of you.”
“I wasn’t expecting you today.” I swallowed hard.
He looked so good in his casual jeans and shirt, his face cleanly shaven—though I missed the beard.
“You shaved,” I blurted.
He grinned, his eyes twinkling. “Yeah, I had surgery this morning, and it was interfering with my mask. It’s why I don’t keep a long beard all the time.”
Worry filled me. “Surgery? Is whoever you’re working on okay?”
He nodded. “Just a spay. Though I can’t say just about surgery. Our lovely golden retriever, Riley, made her way through easily and is now home with her parents. She is the most adorable golden in the world, at least according to her five-year-old owner.”
That made me smile. “Joshua wants a dog so bad.”
“Really?”
I narrowed my eyes at his tone. “You knew that, didn’t you?”
He winced as we both stood up, and I slid my phone into the pocket of my apron. I was grateful to put some distance between us since it was hard to think with him around.
“He’s mentioned it a couple of times, but only in passing. Not like he was trying to get something from me,” he added quickly, and I was grateful.
“He isn’t a little schemer, at least not yet. Thankfully. But I don’t have time to take care of a dog right now. And while he says he wants a puppy, I know he also wants to go to a pound and find an older dog that needs a home. That comes with its own set of problems. And, frankly, I’m not home enough to entertain a puppy or a dog.”
“That makes total sense. Pets are a big responsibility, and I’m glad that you’re thinking that far ahead, rather than wanting to make Joshua happy or thinking about cute little puppies. Animals are exhausting. It’s why I don’t have one of my own,” he said.
“I always wondered why you didn’t.”
Macon shrugged. “Between my family and setting up the practice as I have been for the past couple of years? It didn’t make sense for me to have a pet of my own, even though I love them. I wanted to be a vet for a reason. My house is pet-friendly, though, because sometimes I need to take an animal home for the night. But the office has a couple of cats, and even Jeremy’s family dog comes in most days. I keep thinking about getting a dog that I can bring in to work, but the timing hasn’t been right yet. And then, after the shooting, while I recovered, well…I was kind of glad I didn’t have an animal at home.”
I froze, and so did he. That was the first time he had mentioned the shooting in front of me. I didn’t know if he had with anyone else. I wasn’t sure what I should say or if I should just move on.
Macon, however, continued speaking, deciding for me. “Anyway, when and if you’re ready for a puppy or an older dog, let me know. I’ll help you out.”
“Thank you, I appreciate it. I just don’t see it happening,” I said honestly.
“I get you. When Joshua’s older, or even now if you want, you can bring him in. I can show him around and let him meet Jeremy’s dog. It’ll either make it worse for you—and if so, I’m sorry—or it’ll give him his animal interaction.”
“I don’t know if that will be good for him.” I hoped he assumed I was talking about introducing my son to animals and not the idea of him spending more time with Macon. Yet when I looked at his face, I saw the hurt there.
“I’m sorry,” I said quickly.
Macon shook his head. “No. I get it.” I didn’t think he did. I didn’t. “Anyway, I came back to see what you were up to because we’re friends now, right?” he asked, sticking his hands into his pockets.
I nodded, swallowing hard. “We are.”
“Then great. Anyway, sorry for crashing your head, and possibly breaking your phone.”
“It’s okay. I drop the thing more often than not, hence why it has such a thick case.”
“I think we have the same one,” he added dryly.
Oh, boy. Why did that smile do things to me? There were reasons I pushed him away. I just couldn’t think of them right now. “Okay, I need to get back to work.”
“So do I. I was just taking my lunch break and figured I’d stop by. Hence why I’m not in scrubs.”
“I like the jeans,” I blurted. He raised a single brow. “Shut up,” I mumbled.
“I didn’t say a damn thing,” he said and then shook his head. “Anyway, I’m heading out. Jason and Pop shoved me back here, by the way. I didn’t just make myself at home
.”
“Ah, makes much more sense.” I laughed.
“Jason’s surprisingly strong for a man half my size. Anyway, I should go.”
“Right. Say hi to the puppies for me.”
“I can do that. I’ll see you around.”
“Yes. See you.” He turned on his heel and left, leaving me standing there like an idiot.
I wasn’t good at this. Not good with men—or anyone. This was the second time today I had been left standing around like an idiot. Though I was grateful I hadn’t run this time. And this was why I didn’t date. The only time I had ever been good at dealing with men was with Adam, and that was because he only wanted one thing from me.
Well, I wasn’t going to let that happen again.
My phone rang, and I answered without looking. “Hello?” I asked.
“Hello, Miss Bristol. I just wanted to give you a courtesy call to inform you that Mr. Dodson has been released early on account of good behavior. He’s on parole, but as his parole is in the city of Boulder, you may see him around. The restraining order is still in effect, but Mr. Dodson is free.”
I blinked slowly, bile filling my throat. “How can he be free?” I gasped.
“He served his time.”
“Not enough,” I snapped.
“Ma’am, he served the time for his offenses. You have the restraining order, so call if you see him anywhere near. But there’s nothing else you can do. I’m sorry.”
The man kept speaking, and I said a few things, though I wasn’t sure what. After, I hung up, my hands shaking as I looked down at my phone.
My son’s father was out of prison.
Drugs and beating me hadn’t kept him behind bars for long.
Another reason I didn’t date. Why I stayed away. I had made a horrible mistake before. My judgment wasn’t sound.
And now, I wasn’t safe.
My son wasn’t safe.
And I didn’t know how to protect him.
Chapter 6
Macon
* * *
I finished my examination, my hands gently probing Rusty’s side as my aide helped me keep the cat steady. “Hips feel great.”
“Oh, thank God. I’m always worried since he grew so fast. I don’t want him to be in pain.”
I looked over at the worried mother of three-year-old Rusty before sliding my hand down the cat’s back and enjoying the purr. I scratched under his chin, and he leaned into my hand, all happy and healthy despite my prodding a few moments ago.
“Rusty’s a big boy, a large Bengal who will get into everything for a long time to come if we have anything to say about it.”
Rusty’s owner laughed, wiping a tear from her face.
“It’s okay, Miss Thomas. He’s going to jump from high places and try to get into things. His legs are a little longer than they should be for his body; it’s a genetic quirk. So, when he runs, his back legs sometimes get there before the rest of him. It happens to many cats. He’s just going to gallop a little more hilariously for you than your other cats do.”
“As long as I’m not a bad mom. I mean, he’s my baby.”
“I understand how you feel,” I said, being candid with her.
After talking with Dakota about not having a pet and spending the week helping other people’s animals, I knew it was time to be on the lookout for my next foster or adoption. It had been a while since I’d had a pet of my own. It was time. I thought of a cat and a dog, maybe ones that were already bonded so that I didn’t have to deal with constant fighting or territorial issues. I didn’t always go for puppies or kittens. I generally went for the older animals that people didn’t want. They needed homes, too, and I wanted to be that person for them. As long as they didn’t mind hanging out at the vet office, they were the perfect animals for me.
Yeah, it was time. Maybe having an animal would be good for me. Because coming home to an empty house every night wasn’t my favorite thing in the world.
“Okay, I’m going to enter a few more things in the chart for Rusty, and then we’ll be all set. It was a great checkup.”
“Oh, good. My baby boy got a gold star!” She leaned down, and Rusty butted his head into her chin before reaching up to practically hug her.
I met my aide’s gaze, and she just smiled, warmth filling her eyes. The family in front of us were perfect for each other, and I was glad that Miss Thomas had Rusty. And I was really glad that Rusty had Miss Thomas.
I finished the paperwork, said my goodbyes, and then headed to my office, rubbing the back of my neck after I washed my hands. I hadn’t slept well the night before. Nightmares again. They weren’t as bad as usual, though, so I counted that as a win. But I still needed to get some sleep. I’d had another fight two nights before. Thankfully, my knuckles weren’t bruised, but my ribs hurt.
I had gone to see my doctor that morning, grateful that I hadn’t broken or bruised anything. I knew the man wasn’t happy with me fighting, but he understood that it was just boxing and nothing else.
As long as I didn’t hurt my hands, those that helped to heal the animals I loved, I would be fine. I just had to keep reminding myself of that.
“Miss Thomas do okay?” Jeremy asked as he made his way in.
“Yes,” I said. “Rusty’s doing great.”
Jeremy nodded. “He gets into so much, but that’s Bengals for you.”
“I know. If you see him next before I do, just keep an eye on his hips. I made a note in his chart, but with the way he gets into things, those will likely be what he hurts.”
“My thoughts were along those same lines. Thanks for the heads-up.” Jeremy met my gaze.
“Everything okay?” I asked, a little worried.
My partner sighed. “Things are good here. Just a long day, I guess.”
I studied his face and couldn’t tell if I had missed something. “Tell me about it. I’m heading out soon. Family dinner.”
“No problem. You stayed late as it is. Thanks.”
“Hey, it’s our practice. I kind of like our job.”
Jeremy studied my face and then nodded. “Good. I was worried for a minute that you didn’t.”
I frowned. “What the hell does that mean?”
Jeremy stood up from his desk and put his hands in his pockets. “When you got hurt, I was afraid you were going to quit. That you were going to decide not to do this anymore. I know we didn’t talk about it, but you’re my friend, Macon. Not just my business partner. I might be an asshole most days, but I love you. I just wanted to get that out.”
I was so still for a moment that I didn’t know what to say. “Thanks. I guess.” I let out a sigh. “Really. I’m fine.”
“I’m sure you are. Now, go see your family. Tell them hi for me. I have one more appointment today, and then I’m heading home, too.”
I gave him a nod and headed out to the front. He had a family at home. I had one, too. They just didn’t live with me. I had my brothers and my sister and their families.
The fact that an image of Dakota and Joshua in my house filled my brain worried me. Dakota and I were not dating. We were never going to date. She clearly didn’t want me.
I needed to get over whatever the hell I was thinking.
I made my way into the front waiting room and nearly tripped over my feet as Nate stood there, a frown on his face.
“What’s wrong?” I asked. Considering how many times members of our family had been hurt recently, and with Arden in and out of hospitals, it wasn’t an out-of-the-blue or unreasonable question.
He shook his head. “Everything’s good, at least as I know it. I just came in to ask you a question. And see if you would drive me to the family thing.”
I frowned, grateful that we were alone. “Did you get a car service to drive you to my place of business before heading to Prior’s? Why didn’t you just have them take you there directly?”
“First, it was cheaper to come to you. Second, I wanted to talk about getting a puppy.”
&nb
sp; I knew Nate didn’t often drive because of his headaches, and the fact that my brother was currently rubbing his temple made me want to reach out and help. But Nate knew what meds he needed to take, so I wasn’t going to offer to get him anything. If Nate needed help, he would ask. Of all of the Brady family members, he was pretty much the only one who was good at asking for what he needed.
“I’ll drive you, no problem. You should’ve just called. I would have come out to pick you up.”
Nate shook his head and then winced. “I know, but I needed to get out of the house. And I wanted to see you at work. And…talk about a puppy.”
“You really want a puppy?” I asked, walking off to get my stuff as I listened.
“Yes, and I figured your place of business was a good place to start.”
I snorted. “We aren’t a shelter, Nate.”
“That’s true. But you can tell me where to find one.”
“So, you want a puppy? Not an older dog?”
“I want one I can grow with.”
I snorted. “You may be the baby brother, but you’re not a baby.”
“Fuck you,” he whispered, flipping me off.
I flipped him off right back.
Nate continued. “What I meant is that I want a puppy that can work with me and understand that sometimes I have bad days. I don’t know. I always thought about holding a little one and growing up with him or her. And it doesn’t have to be a purebred.”
“But you don’t want a breed that has too much energy and needs extra training you might not be able to handle. Or one that constantly barks at a decibel that will give you worse headaches.”
Nate winced again. “True. Maybe getting a dog isn’t a good idea.”
“No, I think you’d be a great dog parent. We can look into the shelters and see what’s going on. Who knows, you might fall in love with a dog that’s not a puppy.”
“I’m completely open to that. I know that shelters around here are usually filled with pit mixes, right?”
“These days, yes. Which is fucking annoying. We’d have to check with your neighborhood to see if there are any issues with certain breeds. I hate that there could be a problem. Some of the sweetest dogs I’ve ever met have been pits, but people are assholes. Not dogs.”
Far From Destined: A Promise Me Novel Page 5
