Page 81 of Between Us

She grabs it out of his hand in a dramatic manner and moves toward the door. Right as she’s stepping through the threshold, she looks over her shoulder at me and throws me a quick wink.

Biting back my smile and shaking my head, I look back at my dad and Adrian. There’s that familiar expression of adoration plastered on Adrian’s face—the one I’ve grown far too accustomed to in the last few weeks. However, my dad’s expression is more conflicted.

Seeming to pick up on the tension, Adrian softly knocks his knee against my leg before excusing himself. Once he’s pushed through the back doors, it’s just my dad and I in the lobby.

Looking up at him, I suddenly feel like a little girl again—that nostalgic cocktail of feeling like he’s the best person to ever walk this earth and wanting nothing more than for him to be proud of me.

And knowing, in my gut, he wouldn’t be after some of my recent decisions.

“Are you okay?” he asks. His tone is mostly paternal, caring.

“I’m okay,” I promise.

He looks at me for a long moment, letting his eyes sweep across my features—an even split of his and my mom’s—and try not to fidget.

He then asks, “You’re sure?” I hear that rare undertone of true authority, when he completely shuts the door onDad Modeand moves intoBoss Mode.

It’s not often, but it’s happening now.

“I’m sure,” I answer with more attitude than I intend. “I don’t see you asking anyone else that.”

We’ve never had a real fight. I’ve been grounded, lectured, and had the ‘I’mverydisappointed in you’ guilt trips. But truthfully, I deserved all of those. He’s calm and fair, and a lot more patient than me.

Right now though, I can’t see those great traits of his.

Making a show of it, he looks around the room. “Don’t see anyone else about to cry because anow healthypet is goinghome.”

Mimicking his gesture, I sweep my gaze across the room and shrug. “Don’t see anyone else here at all.”

With a deep sigh, which tells me he’s done with this day, he rubs his eyes for a minute before looking at me.Reallylooking at me. “I know it can be overwhelming—even when the results are good. But you have to separate yourself from the emotions. Even when you know someone as more than a client.”

Pushing past the guilt, I tell him, “I don’t plan on being a vet.”

Nodding slowly, he seems to be thinking through his next words. He’s always known that I had no desire to follow in his or my mom’s professional footsteps. “Are you planning on quitting this job sometime soon?” He gestures to the seat and desk.

“What?” I ask, clearly offended. “No?”

“Good. I love having you here, honey. Even in this role, there are certain boundaries you can’t cross.” His eyes bounce between mine. “I don’t want you to lose that heart of yours, Blake, but I also need you to hear what I’m saying.”

“Okay,” I insist. “I do.”

After another long moment of silence, he lets out a breath and some of the tension from his shoulders leaves. I knowDad Modeis back on before he even opens his mouth. “I love you, honey. And Iamso proud of you.”

“I love you too, Dad.”

We both can tell that the conversation is done, though he’s reluctant to walk away. As soon as he’s out of sight, I can’t help but roll my eyes. It’s annoying that he’s lecturing me because I let out a few tears when Polly and Benji were officially reunited. I’ve seen all of his employees—and him—cry over a variety of cases, good and bad.

Except just as quickly, that annoyance is washed away and guilt bleeds into the cracks. Because maybe I wasn’t out of linethistime… but that wasn’t the case with Zippy. And he was nicer than he needed to be when I came to the clinic after he asked me not to forChispa’ssurgery.

Not to mention I’ve gotten his new favorite employee mixed into the chaos created by my inability to say no sometimes.

With a heavy weight in my stomach, I start closing down the front and cleaning up for the night. Later in bed, after talking on the phone with Adrian and texting with my friends, it lingers—more potent—to the point that I feel that nausea of anxiety taking over again.

Chapter Forty

Adrian

Onehandcarryingabag of food and the other holding Luke’s small hand, I lead us back to the table where Blake’s currently waiting with the older two Paulson boys. We had plans to come to the Loop for dinner tonight, since we haven’t had a chance all week, and it’s become our thing over the last couple of months.

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