Page 8 of A Much Younger Man
I cleared my throat. “Right. Let me know when he comes back with that sample. If I’m not here, give him whatever he needs for the dog.”
Travis frowned at me. “What about him?”
“Beck? What about him?”
“Jesus, Lindy. Oblivious much?”
“What did I miss?”
He sighed. “You’re a good vet, but where people are concerned, you miss the point sometimes.”
“Well, tell me. I know you’re dying to.”
“You looked at that Beck dude like he was the last chocolate mousse at Bêtise. And he was right there with you. You totally dig each other.”
“So what? He’s a baby.” I pumped soap into my palm. “He’s a fetus. Do I look like Cher to you?”
“He’s old enough to date.”
“Is not.” I washed my hands furiously. “And even if he were, I’m nobody’s romantic ideal, least of all for someone his age.”
No one believes me when I say I’m no good at relationships even though I prove it all the time.
“All right, then, if you’re going to be a stubborn ass.” Travis shrugged. “What Beck really needs is a job.”
“You think so?” Would he want that? “I guess I could find a paying project or two around here.”
“You could also ask around and see if anyone else needs a hand.” Travis brightened. “Does Jim still have that room over the bar?”
Did he? “I should drop by the cantina and ask him, huh?”
“That’s the spirit.” He thumped my arm. “We’ll make a real boy out of you yet.”
“Thanks.” I rubbed where it smarted. “But don’t you think it’s weird to do all this without asking Beck if it’s what he wants?”
“It seems to me he might be happy to have somebody looking out for him.”
“He has a friend he travels with. I think that’s his job.”
“Beck can always say no.”
Animals gave clear signals, unobfuscated by subtext and subterfuge. People? Not so much.
Beck wasn’t the first guy with a dog in need I’d pulled off the beach. He probably wasn’t the twenty-first. I didn’t begrudge anyone the love of a pet—even in dire circumstances. Life is hard, and the love of an animal companion could literally stand between a human and soul crushing despair. I’d never take that away from someone in need, so I did the next best thing. I stepped in on behalf of the animal.
If Beck came back with that sample, I could offer him something. If he came back. I’d given him plenty of incentive, but I’d never been good at knowing what people were going to do.
I wished I knew Beck’s plans, and at the same time, I wished I didn’t care so much. In my experience, caring too much led to trouble.
