Page 18 of Doc Showmance
“My God, you’re sensitive.” Marianna rolled her eyes.
I chanced a quick scan of Ian. He wasn’t smiling now. In fact, he looked stricken. In this, even in school, we’d always agreed. The patient came first. His look proved that perhaps a genuine veterinarian’s soul still hid inside his black heart. He wasn’t a complete jerk when it came to the patients.
Ian said, “She’s right. No matter what happens interpersonally between us on this show, we respect the patients and their owners. We’re here to improve all the lives we can.”
For a single moment, I softened toward him at those genuine words. That wasn’t an Ilike-like him softening. Not by a long shot. I might hold back from kicking him in the balls the first chance I got. This was a colleague-to-colleague respect. And it lasted about two seconds.
Until he caught me staring and baby smirked.
Dillweed,I mouth.
Goth Girl, he mouthed my vet school nickname. He grinned and winked at me. Then mouthed to me,Lighten up.
“What else?” the producer asked me.
I shook myself out of our stare down. “That thing I said about my sister. Can we please get rid of it? I have to live with her. That’ll hurt her.”
“No. You can give her the heads-up. Apologize ahead of time, suck up, do whatever you need on your end, but that came out of your mouth when you knew you were on camera.”
“Kovac can sue me for slander. He can get called in front of the medical board again for not meeting standard of care. That surgery alone was… For God’s sake, he wasn’t even wearing a gown, nor did he put a catheter in the patient.” I sighed and covered my face with a hand. Kovac was a vindictive asshole and who knew what he’d come up with to get back at me on camera.
“He won’t be a problem. We’ve got him and the California Veterinary Board handled. Anything else?”
I didn’t like the sound of that. Pushing David Kovac onto night shift wasn’t going to stop him. Kovac lived for the TV spotlight. Taking that away from him and forcing him off day shift meant he’d be on the warpath for revenge. “I looked like a raging bitch,” I said. “No one wants to see their vet behave like that. Dr. Morris might have second thoughts about me working here.” I chanced a glance at my boss.
“Total badass on your part, Amber. If Mac was my dog, I’d be thanking my lucky stars to have you on his side,” Dr. Morris said. “She’s right about Kovac, though. This can spell big trouble for his license. Maybe this is enough leverage to get him to retire and sell his shares of the practice.”
Marianna said. “We’re going to make you a hero, Amber. Veterinarians will love you. People will want you to be their pet’s doctor. That was total badassery.” She gave me a hard smile.
“What are we going to tell the rest of the staff is going on in this meeting since our possible romance is to be a secret?” I asked.
“They don’t need to know the reason for this meeting.” Marianna shrugged and scrolled on her cell phone as if all problems were solved and she’d moved on.
With raised eyebrows I met the gaze of my boss. “I beg to differ. This is a veterinary hospital filled with ladies who live for gossip. The second they get a whiff of something between Ian and myself I guarantee there will be questions.”
Marianna shrugged. “Dodge them. Don’t dodge. I don’t care.”
“What about why we’re in here today? Why the two of us were singled out?” None of this was going to look good to the staff. Susan would be all over me for answers the second I left this meeting.
“How about we say we were brought in today to discuss behaving while at work given our rocky past?” Ian proposed.
That worked for my proposed storyline. “So we’re doing this as enemies now?” My turn to smirk. “Works for me. Watch your back, Dillweed.”
That got Marianna’s attention. Something sly passed through her eyes that I didn’t like. “We’re going with it. Enemies for now, and we’ll plot out how it changes.”
I felt my life slipping out of my hands. “I need to discuss the specifics of the contract before I sign anything. Can we do that in private?” I glanced to Ian. “Since I prefer mynemesisdoesn’t hear what I have to say.”
“Sure. Everyone other than Dr. Morris and Paige, please step out.” Marianna turned to her assistant. “Keep notes, Paige.”
I didn’t watch Ian leave, but I felt his gaze on me.
I said, “I need to be sure it’s in the contract none of my three siblings will be on camera. Ever. I want it in writing. You’re also not filming at my house. I don’t want creeps figuring out my address.”
Marianna shrugged. “Sure. But can’t they google you?”
True, they could, but that was my private space.
“I do not agree to have the cameras follow me outside the hospital. Never home.”
