Page 3 of That Time I Kissed The Groomsman Grump
Three thousand miles of continental US.
So. She’s determined to move even farther away, and I’ve promised to stay. And we both knew that the last time we saw each other. I’m already swallowing enough compromise to want something else I can’t have. Someoneelse.
Bzzzz.
BEAU:Hope you’re notstuck in a surgery. Call me when you’re free.
Yeah, I was stuck in surgery earlier. A miniature chihuahua named LuLu got in a dog fight. But surgery is the part of my job I actually don’t mind—assisting the doctor, administering anesthesia, monitoring the animals. I’m not some kind of masochist, I’m just better off when the patients are asleep. They’re peaceful then. Not in pain.
Man, I hate when they’re in pain.
When I took this job, I saw it as the first step toward my future as a veterinarian. Since then, I’ve been training with Doc Swanson. Saving up money. Preparing for vet school. They all cost an arm and a leg. Two arms, more realistically. And as much as I’ve scrimped for tuition, I’ll still have to take out half those limbs in loans.
But the worst part is I’m not cut out for the suffering. For either the humans or their pets.
This morning was especially hard. During our first appointment, we had to help an old cat over the rainbow bridge. Then there was LuLu, the chihuahua. She’s the reason I’m still here now, eating bologna and cheese.
Since I’ll be out of the clinic the rest of the week, I wanted to let the doc and his wife enjoy a final break. They’re having lunch next door at their place, and I’m here making sure LuLu is okay. But Beau must need me too, or he wouldn’t have texted me at work. Twice.
So I place the call.
“Dude,” he says. “Hold on.” In the background I hear him say, “It’s Brady,” but his voice is muffled, like he’s covering the phone. Then he gets back to me. “Where are you?”
“At the clinic.”
“Still working?”
“Nah.” I glance at my notebook and paperback. “Enjoying a bologna and cheese.”
“That’s disgusting.”
“Sorry you hate bologna.”
“It’s not that. I mean because you’re eating food with … animals.”
“They’re not on my lap.” I smirk. “And I sterilize the place all the time.” In fact, the tile floors still smell like the antibacterial soap I used to mop up before lunch. “Anyway, I can’t leave yet. I’m on post-surgical watch.”
“Hmm.” Beau takes a beat. “How long do you have to stay?”
I glance at the clock across the lobby. “Doc Swanson should be back any minute. What’s going on?”
Beau lowers his voice to a whisper. “Your sister’s freaking out.”
I frown.Freaking outdoesn’t sound like the sibling I know. “Kasey?”
“You have another sister?”
“I do not. But I saw Kase last night over at my parents’ place. She was on cloud nine. She’s been waiting for this wedding forever.” I guffaw. “What did you do to her, man?”
“It’s not me. It’s The Beachfront Inn. Apparently there’s a problem with the rooms we booked for the bachelor and bachelorette parties. Some flood or something, and Kasey can’t deal with it. She’s got an appointment for final fittings with the bridesmaids.”
“Right. Okay.” I straighten on the couch. “So … what do you needmefor?”
“I’ve gotta go to the inn to figure out a Plan B, but I’m also supposed to drive to the airport, and I can’t be at two places at the same time.”
“Yeah?” My stomach sinks.Oh no. He isn’t going to ask this, is he?
“You think you could pick Nat up for me?”
