Page 25 of Doc Showmance
“If it’s that bad, I want to know.”
“Oh, it worse than bad. It’s probably the absolute worst person you could possibly imagine. Here he comes. Act like you’re having fun. Flirt or whatever.”
“I can’t flirt.”
“What do you mean you can’t flirt? Bat your eyelashes or giggle or something.”
“That’s a part of this meeting I wanted to put out there. I’m not good at flirting.” I wasn’t sure what prompted me to trust him, but my mind replayed that moment of horror when the producer talked about Mac dying. There was a soul somewhere inside that swimsuit model body.
9
Ian
Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm myself. Didn’t help in the least.
I swallowed hard and clutched my cell phone like it was some sort of protective talisman.
Why, of all people in the universe, did the dirtbag who kicked off all this shit between Amber and me have to be walking in right now? This was beyond small world weirdness. It was a mind-blowing impossibility.
I needed another five minutes alone with her to explain what happened back then in school, that I’d been an ass but meant what I’d said about wanting to go out with her, and then I would’ve apologized like I’d rehearsed in my head.
Recognition of us by the world’s biggest douchebag was about to happen in seconds.
Will Vanderson’s eyes bulged. He beelined our way with a snarky smirk. His brown hairline had receded a bit more since vet school, and he’d softened a little around the middle, but there was no mistaking the calculating glint in his gaze.
Didn’t look like he recognized Amber. Yet.
Will yelled as he closed in, “Ian Todd? Holy shit? That really you, Ian?”
I tried to shoot an apology Amber’s way, but I was smiling, which doesn’t work for a solidI’m sorry. I wished I could stop my grin. It was what happened to me when I got riled up or nervous. “Small world seeing you here, Will.”
Will threw out his hand to shake, which I took. “You haven’t aged a day. You might even be better looking than back in school, if that’s possible, asshole. You’re a huge celeb now, Mr. Sexiest Vet Alive.” He accented this by punching me twice in the shoulder a little harder than a playful hit. “I saw your TV show, you know. And your vlogs and TikToks. They’re all great.” All had been said with a disingenuous tone. Jealousy made Will snarky.
“Thanks.” I swallowed and watched Amber closely.
A muffled choking sound came out of her. Her face blanched and eyebrows lowered. I honestly wasn’t sure I’d stop her if she started swinging power fists at Will. Love to place a one-two punch into his nuts myself.
Will took her in for an instant and glanced back to me as if expecting an intro. Then he did a double take. “Amber? Amber Hardin? Is that you?” He whooped and jigged a ridiculous little dance in place. “Wow. I’m in the company of TV royalty.”
She didn’t move. As in, she looked cast in stone and wasn’t even breathing. She didn’t reply.
Will practically shouted, “Oh my God! I’m in the presence of two TV stars. Ian, no offense, your show is cute and all, but Amber’s show is addictive and real. We have a work group that gets together to watch each new episode when they come out on Saturdays. I thought I’d hate watching more vet shit after hours, but to see you in action is worth every minute, Amber.”
“Kovac is his own kind of insane. That’s for sure,” she said in an uncharacteristically unsteady voice.
“Who? Oh, the old European guy? Yeah, he’s all right. His medicine sucks. No one watches the show for him. We all watch it to see what you’re going to do. You’re the hot, bad-bitch fireball of the vet ER world. So unpredictable. And the things you say…” He fisted and pumped both hands as if so excited he couldn’t contain himself. “As a vet—I only do daytime GP stuff over in Oceanside, which compared to you is boring. The things you say to clients… You’re a goddess. I’d never have the balls to lay it out there like you do. That time you chastised a woman for believing Dr. Google over you? Loved. I’ve actually used what you said on my own clients, and it worked.” He lowered his voice and spoke conspiratorially to her. “Backfired once with a lady who said I was only copying you. She was a fan, too. I had a client the other day who you treated her dog at the ER. You helped him with some bloody diarrhea.”
Who the hell was this fanboy, and where had the schmucky Will from school gone?
“Uh, thanks, I guess. Glad I could be helpful to your client.” She pulled at one of the four hoops along the edge of her left ear.
Will looked between the two of them. “What’re you two doing? You in town, Ian, and thought you’d do a little memory lane visit with the other hot TV star in town?”
“Actually, I just started at Amber’s clinic.” My face felt hot, and my cheeks hurt from smiling.
“Whaaaat? A collision of two veterinary worlds?” He mimed a mind-blown with his hands. He lowered his voice and cupped it over his mouth to whisper to Amber, “He always had a boner for you in school, you know. Watch out, or he might try to get into your pants.”
And there was the dickwad I remembered. Always ready to drop a load of rocks to cockblock me. I’d never been clear if Will behaved this way on purpose or was wired clueless. Right now, I gauged it as unintentional denseness.
