Page 31 of Puck and Prejudice

ChapterFourteen

IZZIE

It’s quiet at the clinic, and I’m eating a late dinner with Flora, the vet technician, and watching a nineties Mexican soap opera,La Usurpadora. Flora is obsessed with Gabriela Spanic, the lead actress, and she’s got me hooked. The plot is ridiculous but so addictive.

I usually don’t work twice in a row at this location. They mostly take care of small animals, but one of the residents is sick, and Dr. Bustamante asked if I could cover. I’m happy to help him out because that means I get more opportunities at the other clinic out west, which caters to the horse ranches in the area.

Dr. Bustamante went out to dinner with his wife, and unless we get super busy or I find myself in over my head, I’m running the show until he returns. I’m supposed to work under the supervision of a board-certified vet, but we bend the rules a lot here at the clinic. I’m confident that I can handle any situation. I’m in the final months of my residency, after all.

The bell rings—we keep the door locked at this hour for safety. Both Flora and I glance at the security monitor, and I almost choke on my food when I see Jackson standing outside our building.

“Son of a bitch,” I blurt out.

“What’s wrong? Do you know that man?”

“Unfortunately, I do.”

Flora furrows her brows. “Should I not let him in?”

I stand up. “Oh no. Let him in. I’ve been looking forward to speaking with him.”

She narrows her eyes. “How come I have the feeling that by ‘speaking’ you mean stabbing him with the fork in your hand?”

I glance at the utensil I didn’t realize I was still holding. “Right. I’d better set it down.”

I walk around the reception counter and wait for Flora to buzz Jackson in. The door opens a moment later, and there’s the man I loathe more than anything right now.

“Hello,” he says, as if we weren’t on opposite sides of a conflict he started.

“Hello?” I laugh in derision.

He frowns. “What’s wrong with hello? It’s a form of greeting, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, among friends. I’m assuming you’re looking for me.”

He smirks. “I don’t have a pet in need of medical care with me, do I?”

I watch him through narrowed eyes. “How did you find me?”

“I swung by Triana, and your coworker pointed me this way.”

The only person at Triana who would know this address is Manuel. I took care of his cat once. “That’s surprising.”

“Why? Because he hates my guts?”

“Yeah.” I cross my arms. “I have to give it to you, you have cojones. I’m the last person you should be visiting right now.”

“I get that you’re angry with me.”

“Angry?” I take a step forward. “I’m not angry. I’mfurious. Do you have any idea the type of hurt your meddling caused? No, of course you don’t. Or maybe you do, but you don’t care.”

“I—”

“No, you don’t get to talk. It’s my turn. You’ve shown nothing but contempt toward me and my family since we’ve met. You pretended to be friendly when you came to visit us, but you were secretly plotting to break Jane and Chad up. I can’t believe you hired a PI. You’re vile, Jackson Darcy.”

His jaw tenses, and anger seems to burn in his blue eyes. “I was perhaps overcautious, but I’m not vile. I never had malicious intentions toward you or your family. I hoped the PI wouldn’t find anything.”

“Right. I believe you.”

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