Page 16 of Perfect

Marcus shifted the weight of the bag he carried to his other hand. I imagined it contained his medical tools.

“You haven’t missed much. All they do is eat. Eat and crap of course,” the vet added, chuckling at his own words. “When did you get here?”

Cocking my head thoughtfully I replied. “A couple of hours ago.”

“Well, I bet Mike is relieved you’re here at last, he’s done nothing but talk about you for months.”

Tom echoed his words. “Yeah, months.”

Warmth bloomed in my tummy. I liked it when Dad talked about me.

“It’s great to finally see the place. I’d seen a few pictures, but it’s nothing like I expected.”

“That’s the country for you. It isn’t the same unless you experience it in person,” Marcus said proudly, taking a swift glance around.

“Mike said you may be going to Uni here. Tom is at Scarborough, so you’d have one friendly face.”

I moved my focus to Tom who was still grinning widely. He was soaking up the banter, but his eyes were literally pinned to my face. It felt good to have some handsome boy's attention again. And from a clever one too. He’d have to be super smart if he was training to be a vet.

“Yes, possibly,” I replied, pushing my hands into the pockets of my dress. I felt extra feminine in their company. Country guys, rough to my smooth.

Marcus nodded thoughtfully. “Cool. What do you fancy studying?”

“I’m interested in the Early Years course they offer. Maybe to go into teaching or something. Dad sent me the prospectus.”

Marcus nodded thoughtfully. “I can imagine he did, he’d get to see you more then. Dad’s and their ulterior movies.”

“That’d be cool Harlow, you’ll love the campus. Maybe I could take you on one of my afternoons off?” Tom offered brightly. His expression had altered to a similar look that the guy on the train had worn. He was now in contemplation mode.

“That would be great.”

Marcus cast Tom a knowing smile before saying.

“Anyways, I’m sure we’ll see lots of each other. We’ve just finished our rounds and I better get back to the Mrs. I’ll be in bother if I’m late for supper.” Marcus chimed, giving me one of those ‘I’m a hen-pecked man and I love it’ looks. He turned briefly to his apprentice with a meatier grin and patted him on the shoulder. “I’ll see you at the car, Tom. Bye, Harlow.”

I gave him a finger-tipped wave. He looked like he belonged on the set of Emmerdale.

Tom straightened and watched Marcus depart before glancing back at me. I felt heat sneak into my cheeks as he shamelessly checked me out. I wasn’t offended, not after the way Connor had treated me. I needed a bit of male attention to soothe those seriously ruffled feathers.

I pursed my lips, suddenly curious. “So, you’re training to be a vet? That’s cool,” I said.

My words seemed to shake him out of his stupor and he had the intelligence to look embarrassed.

“Sorry—er—for staring. Yes, I’m trying to be. A vet that is. The hours are mind-numbingly long but it gets you out and about,” he blurted in response. “When would you apply if you did decide on Scarborough?”

“I have one more year of exams, so next year, ready for September I think.”

Tom’s face lit up further. “I’m in my second of five years at Scarborough, so I’ll still be there. Probably ground down by stress, if I even make it that far,” he explained with a boyish grin.

He had chocolate brown eyes and brown hair that looked like he ran his hands through it, a lot. He was cute in a boyish way but wore enough aftershave to drown an otter.

As he spoke, he’d moved further towards me. He was still taller, but I would say of average height for a boy his age. He certainly didn’t tower over me as Connordid. A cow mooed, masking my reply which made me grin and shoot a glance behind me.

“Cool,” I answered.

“So, teaching? Don’t you fancy following in your dad’s footsteps”.

I grinned as we both knew I was no farmer. “I don’t know for definite, how are you supposed to know what you want to do with your life at sixteen. It’s crazy really.”

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