“Animal drugs?” Wen asked.
“I have to keep some pretty potent pain pills and tranquilizers on hand for large farm animals. People who are desperate to get high will use anything they can get their hands on. Sadly, it kills them more often than not. They take things meant for animals four times their weight, and it stops their hearts,” I explained. “One of the first things I did when I took over this practice was to install the large safe in the back that houses the heavy-duty narcotics.” I saw the scratches and gouges where someone tried to pry the door open with something like a crowbar. “The only things the vandals had access to were topical solutions used to clean and treat wounds plus flea and heartworm medicine.” I gestured to where the items remained in the cabinets even though the vandals smashed the glass doors to hell.
“It doesn’t look like it, but we will do an inventory count and check it against our software to see what it says. Is it okay if I call you with that information tomorrow?” I asked the officer. “I’d like to get this put back in order the best I can before we reopen.”
“Absolutely,” he said agreeably. “I think I have everything I need. I took pictures for your insurance agent to go with the incident report. I’ll call you if something else pops up.”
“Thanks,” I said, shaking his hand. “Will you let my staff know it’s okay to come in?”
“You bet.”
I stared at the mess around me, feeling overwhelmed. In the grand scheme of things, I was looking at minor damage that a few hours of sweeping, mopping, and cleaning would erase. It wasn’t like they tagged my walls with spray paint or ruined the computer equipment. It could’ve been so much worse than it was, but it still felt like a violation.
“Oh my,” Alyssa exclaimed when she saw the mess.
“Alyssa, watch where you step,” I said, pointing to her open-toed heels. “I don’t want you to cut yourself on this glass.” I could tell she’d just come from church since she was in her Sunday finest.
“Honey, I have a change of clothes and a pair of sneakers in the car. Let me grab them and change so we can clean up this mess.”
Molly and Terry stood in the middle of the reception area and looked around in shock. It looked like the vandal went berzerk when they couldn’t get the drugs. The furniture was upended, the flower and plant pots that Molly lovingly tended lay busted, spilling soil, flowers, and plants all over the tile floor.
“I think I can save them all,” Molly said tearfully. “Don’t know why the punk had to take out his anger on innocent plants and flowers.”
“Are you okay?” Terry asked, stepping up to me. “This had to be a huge shock.”
“Yeah, but I’ll be okay. I appreciate you gals running to my aid, but if you have better—”
“There’s no way we’re leaving you here to clean up this mess on your own,” Terry said emphatically. “Jake is with my mom, so I have all day to help you.”
“Okay,” I replied. Only a fool would refuse that kind of help when offered. With any luck, we’d have it done in a few hours and could get on with our day.
An hour into the cleanup, my mom and dad showed up with sandwiches and chips. They didn’t hesitate to pick up a broom and clean either. It still took the six of us more than two hours to clean up the mess and take inventory. By the time we finished, I was jonesing for an Oreo Blizzard really bad, but I wouldn’t let myself eat one. I had low-fat ice cream in my freezer at home, and it would just have to do. I would allow myself a rare treat on occasion, but not as a reward. I also never gave into emotional eating urges, which was the case after I drove away from my animal hospital.
My oldest sister, Jenna, and her husband, Brett, dog sat for me while I was away. My mood improved greatly when I saw how excited Sadie was to see me when I arrived to pick her up. Of course, Jenna and Brett wanted to hear about what happened at the animal hospital. They’d heard bits and pieces through the rumor mill, of course.
“I heard they stole all of your narcotics,” Jenna said.
“All of your computer equipment too,” Brett added.
“The vandals didn’t take anything,” I told them. “It appears that they just trashed the place when they couldn’t access the drugs in the safe. They didn’t mess with any of the expensive equipment either. It was strange.”
“Sounds like teenagers looking for a quick score,” Brett said.
“Could be,” I agreed. “I’m going to invest in a security system that sounds an alarm at the hosptial and also dials directly to the police and fire departments. This time I got lucky, but I might not be next time.”
“I hope there won’t be a next time,” Jenna said softly. She let out a big yawn then nestled her head against Brett’s shoulder.
“Sadie keep you up late?” I asked. It wasn’t like my firecracker of a sister to be ready for bed so early.
A sheepish smile spread slowly across her face. “Sadie was a perfect angel, Ky. Can I tell you a secret?”
“Of course. You know that you can tell me anything,” I told her.
“We just found out that we’re pregnant,” Jenna said. She and Brett looked at each other and smiled happily. “We are waiting until my second trimester before we tell everyone.”
“Oh, Jenn,” I said. “That’s so amazing. I’m going to be an uncle?”
“You’re going to be an amazing uncle,” she amended tearfully.
I hugged both my sister and brother-in-law. Sadie sensed the excitement and bounced around between the three of us. “How will you keep something like this from Mom?” I asked.
“We probably won’t,” Brett said with a rueful smile. “It’s going to be too hard to keep it a secret much longer.”
“Mom and Dad are going to be over the moon about their first grandbaby,” I told them. “I can’t wait either.”
“You look as tired as I feel,” Jenna said. “Why don’t you and Sadie stay for dinner. We’ll grill some chicken and veggies.”
“That sounds so much better than the frozen dinner I have waiting for me at home, but I should get back to Otis,” I told them. “I’m sure he’s missing Sadie really bad by now.” My two pets were inseparable, and I thought it was the cutest thing ever. If it wasn’t for Brett’s allergy to cats, Jenna would’ve kept them both.
“You of all people should know how independent cats are, big brother,” Jenna replied.
“I know, but I still feel guilty,” I admitted.
Brett rose up from the couch and said, “I’ll get dinner started while you tell your sister all about your bachelor weekend.”
There were several parts that I had no intention of sharing with anyone, let alone my sister. Instead of delving too deep into my personal activities, I told her about the group outing I went on. She laughed at the funny stories I shared, but I could tell she wasn’t happy with my stinginess.
“I assume Chaz Hamilton was there also,” she said, steering me toward the topic she wanted to discuss all along.
“Of course, he was there. Chaz is Josh’s best friend and wouldn’t miss his bachelor weekend for the world.” Go ahead, Jenna. Ask me what you really want to know.
She didn’t disappoint me either. “Did you make any progress with Chaz?”
I laughed because she sounded like she was addressing one of her students. “Progress? He’s not a book report, Mrs. Davis.”
Jenna leaned forward, put her elbow on her knee, and rested her chin on top of her fist. She narrowed her shrewd eyes and looked at me suspiciously. “I expected you to be more stressed than you appear.”
“The bed was extremely comfortable,” I replied. “I slept hard.” The bed had been comfortable, and I had slept hard for a few hours. She didn’t need to know the activities that led up to that moment.
“Uh huh,” Jenna said. Laughter glinted in her eyes, which meant she didn’t buy my story for a second. “You’re entitled to your privacy, big brother.”
I didn’t know if there was anything to tell her even if I was inclined to d
o so. What I shared with Chaz felt like the beginning of something amazing, but I couldn’t be sure. He was still hesitant around me, and I couldn’t figure out why. He was battling something strong enough that he felt guilty for not telling me about it before we had sex. Maybe that should’ve bothered me, but it didn’t. I knew that Chaz was a good guy with a big heart and a lot of love for his friends and family. He didn’t strike me as someone who lived a nefarious double life or anything else that would turn me away from him. I didn’t see manipulation or scheming in his light blue eyes; I saw yearning. Damn, I wanted to give him everything he wanted.
“Kyle,” Jenna said, pulling me from my thoughts.
“Huh?”
“Where’d you go? I called your name three times.” She was practically standing over me, and I hadn’t realized that she got up from the couch, let alone spoke to me. The smug smile on her face said she knew exactly where my mind had gone. “Dinner is ready.”
I stood up and stretched. “Smells delicious,” I said.
“Pregnant ladies go to the front of the line,” Jenna told me.
“Oh, I can see how this is going to play out for the rest of your pregnancy,” I remarked, looping my arm around her neck and pulled her to me for a hug. “I’m so damn happy for you, Jenn.”
“I can’t wait for you to find this kind of happiness, Kyle,” she told me. “In fact, I think you’re already halfway there.”
Is Chaz the missing piece to my puzzle? Only time would tell.
My mom always said it was rude to eat and run, but I did need to get home, so I didn’t stay long after we finished dinner. I stuck around to help Brett clean the kitchen while Jenna rested on the couch with Sadie. Dogs instinctively knew when something physically or emotionally was going on inside our bodies. Sadie looked like she was protecting Jenna from potential threats while Jenn stroked Sadie’s velvety ears. My dog looked so happy that I worried she wouldn’t want to come home with me.
I let out a short, sharp whistle and she came to my side immediately. “Time to go home, girl.” Sadie acted like she understood what I said because she walked to Jenna and Brett for goodbye hugs.
Another benefit of small-town living is the short drive home from almost everywhere. Sadie seemed to enjoy the wind on her face when she stuck her head out the passenger side window. She danced excitedly on the front porch while she waited for me to unlock the door because she knew her best friend was on the other side.
“Otis, we’re home,” I hollered when I opened the door. Sadie rushed in and immediately went in search of her feline friend. “Where’s he hiding, Sadie?” I asked as she sprinted ahead. I followed the sound of her excited barks at a more leisurely pace. By the time I reached my bedroom, Sadie had already jumped on the bed and started giving Otis a bath.
I flopped down on my bed beside the kids. “Hi there, little fella,” I said to Otis, scratching his chin. “Have you been a good boy?” I knew my mom had been over a few times to check on him while I was away, but I still felt guilty. Otis loudly purred as he climbed my chest and rubbed the top of his head against my chin. “Not too mad at me, I see.”
The kids continued to reunite while I lay silently contemplating the weekend and everything I needed to do the following morning at the animal hospital. The first items on my list were reporting the claim to my insurance agent and the second was to get someone out there to replace the ruined front door. I covered the broken glass temporarily with sheets of plywood, but it looked horrible. I would take care of those two things bright and early so I could focus on my patients. Once I finished my game plan, my thoughts shifted back to Chaz.
I felt my body reacting to the memories of our night in the hotel room. I closed my eyes and pictured the way his body looked in the dim light. My dick started to harden when I recalled the way Chaz moved, the sounds he made, and the way he tasted. I craved him more than Oreo ice cream, and that said a lot. I didn’t want to wait minutes, let alone days, to touch and kiss him again. I decided not to let up on the thing we had brewing between us. If I gave him too much space he could talk himself right out of wanting to be with me, but I couldn’t be too aggressive, or I’d push him away. Like I most likely did with Drew. Why else would he just vanish into thin air?
I smiled as a compromise occurred to me. I had intended to put my plan into action immediately, but I must’ve been more tired that I thought because I drifted off to sleep. My bedroom was completely dark when I opened my eyes again.
I looked at my alarm clock and saw that it was two in the morning. My heart sank when I realized that I missed my opportunity to see or talk to Chaz that night. There wasn’t anything I could do about it, and pouting wouldn’t change a damn thing. I got out of bed long enough to make sure the house was locked tight and removed my clothes.
Tomorrow is a new day to put my plan into action.
I was out of sorts the next morning because Kyle didn’t call me the night before like he said he would. I moped about my kitchen making coffee and nuking a breakfast sandwich in the microwave before I returned to the land of Jamie and Gideon. I dreaded writing the scene where Jamie wakes up alone in his bed. He’d fallen asleep with so much hope in his heart and was ill-prepared for the reality that waited to greet him.
My gut reaction was to delay writing Jamie’s heartache until I had my emotions in check, but I learned to embrace and channel the feelings my characters brought out in me instead of turning away from them. If the characters moved me to joy, tears, or masturbation, then it stood to reason that my readers would experience the same emotions.
I had only intended to spend a few hours with Jamie before I went to Curl Up and Dye to take inventory, but the next thing I knew it was past noon. My heart beat painfully in my chest as Jamie’s heartbreak and disillusionment mixed with my fear of Kyle not forgiving me. It was a deadly combination that gave me an instant headache and increased my anxiety over Kyle not calling me. The night I spent with him was the most incredible experience of my life, and a nagging fear took root in my brain that perhaps it didn’t mean the same to him. Maybe I just scratched an itch for him while he waited for Drew to answer his messages. Stop it!
I shook myself out of my funk. First, the phone lines run both ways and it wasn’t only up to Kyle to do all the damn work. If I wanted to talk to him then I should’ve called him. Second, someone broke in and vandalized Kyle’s animal hospital, so he had his hands full. I realized that I probably wasn’t the best boyfriend material since I didn’t even try to find out how Kyle was doing. What kind of impression was I giving Kyle when I didn’t call or even send a text to see how things went. Instead, I did what I always do when I’m feeling stressed: I stuck my nose in a book. Lately, it just happened to be my own instead of someone else’s.
As much as I loved to create stories, I couldn’t allow it to consume me twenty-four hours a day unless I wanted to wake up someday to discover I was fifty years old and alone. When a story had me by the balls, I didn’t want to eat, sleep, or even socialize. I immersed myself into the fictional world I created and lost track of everything else. I madly loved writing, but I realized that it would never be enough to sustain me fully. I wanted to taste another man’s lips and feel his weight pushing me into the mattress as our bodies joined instead of writing about it. I needed a man to grab me by the ankles and yank me back down to reality. I hoped that man would be Kyle, but I couldn’t earn and keep his love if I didn’t make him a priority in my life.
For the first time in my life, I totally understood Josh’s obsession with balance. Josh constantly strived to find the right combination of work and pleasure in his life without burning out. I needed to channel my inner Josh and find that too. Thinking about my best friend since kindergarten always made me smile. He’d found the kind of love that most people only dreamed of or read about in books. He was living, breathing proof that we can all find the right person for us. I couldn’t wait to stand beside him at the altar when he exchanged vows with Gabe at their wedding
.
Gasp! Their wedding was only a few days away. I didn’t have spidey sense, but I did have bestie sense, and it was going off. I just knew that Josh was freaking the fuck out. I dialed Meredith’s number because I knew he would need both of us.
“Hey, gorgeous,” I said when she answered. “My bestie sense is tripping. Josh needs us. Will you meet me at Curl Up and Dye?”
“Baby, I’m already one step ahead of you.” Humor laced her words, and I understood why when I heard a car horn beeping in my driveway. “We’ll stop by Edson and Emma’s on the way to pick up our favorite diner foods. I’m starving, I bet you’ve only stepped away from your computer long enough to brush your teeth, and I know damn well that Josh’s nerves have the best of him right now. I think we all need to stop what we’re doing, eat lunch, and rejoice in our friendship.”
“You’re incredible, Mere.”
“Yeah, and if that doesn’t work then I’ll start smacking the piss out of you both! There’s no time for freaking out with a wedding five days away,” she said fiercely. “Let’s do this!”
Mere and I found Josh sitting on the floor in the supply room where we stored our inventory. It didn’t matter to Josh that our software system tracked our merchandise and updated the inventory count after each sale or incoming shipment. He also seemed to forget that he delegated keeping track of our supplies to me when he promoted me to salon manager.
I crossed my arms over my chest and smiled down at him. “I thought that was supposed to be my job now. Am I not doing it good enough?” I asked.
Josh jerked his head up and looked at me. “If you start sucking more in other areas of your life and less at your job,” he said, zinging me, “you could use those lips for something more satisfying than grinning at me like a lunatic.” His barb failed to get a rise out of me. I just smiled wider because I saw right through his snarktastic attitude.
Unscripted Love (Road to Blissville, #1) Page 10
