Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 100277 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100277 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
I swore I saw the man frown before he turned his back on me. “You look great, baby. You always do.”
Pamela had noted my outfit with approval and my response was almost as lukewarm as Rafe’s had been.
There was gratitude in me, I promise. I knew that without Pippa’s connections, there was no way I’d have gotten this job. I was making more than what I’d made with my two jobs combined and I had great health insurance.
Yet I missed not knowing what the day would bring. I missed reading a handful of books a week. The conversations I had with strangers while I waited in line. The smiles on kids’ faces when they thought their favorite Disney princess had really turned up to their party.
I missed my friends.
Now I scheduled Pamela’s meetings and managed her calendar. I answered phone calls and emails and relayed messages to my boss. I’d even booked flights and accommodation for her because she was visiting a client out of state. Then there were the many coffee runs. The upside to that was the office was close to Rafe’s clinic, and I often had time to swing by with coffee for him and his staff too.
The most interesting part of my job was the meetings with clients. Pamela liked me in on a lot of them to take notes, and I enjoyed watching her ask clever questions that helped her figure out her clients’ tastes.
I reminded myself of the positives because I wasn’t sure that the almost claustrophobic feeling that came over me every time I stepped into the office wasn’t just me being a spoiled brat who needed to grow up.
By midmorning the coffee run came around and as I waited in line for my boss’s order and coffee for Rafe and his colleagues, I stared at my phone. I hadn’t heard from Dawn, but I didn’t expect to ever. Honestly, I was part convinced she had a narcissistic personality, because nothing was ever her fault. There was no miraculous numbness to the pain Dawn could inflict, but I felt free of her, finally, and I was holding on to that feeling.
Kendall, however, hadn’t replied to my text yesterday, and that did bother me. It wasn’t like her, so I’d shot her a text this morning asking if she was okay and she’d replied, All good. Rain check, definitely. But there were no kisses, and she usually left me kisses at the end.
Maybe I was just reading too much into an “x,” but I worried I was neglecting my friendships in all the new changes I was making. Deciding I needed to make time for them this weekend, I texted back, The three of us, this Sunday, lunch? Xx.
Kendall responded immediately. I’ll ask the guys if they’re free but I’m in xx.
I relaxed at the return of the kisses and nodded to myself. Effort. I just needed to make an effort to see them.
Feeling lighter, I strolled into Rafe’s clinic five minutes later with all the coffee and a big smile on my face. Finn’s eyes lit up at the sight of me, and without even saying hello he announced, “I’ll let Rafe know you’re here.” Then he hurried out of the reception area to do just that.
I dropped the coffees on the counter and turned to see a woman, maybe a few years older than me, dressed chicly in cigarette pants, a short-sleeved silk blouse, and stilettos that would break my ankles. Attached to the lead in her hand was the cutest Pomeranian I’d ever seen. “Can I say hello?” My eyes trained on the groomed-to-perfection white fur ball.
“Yes, she’s friendly,” the woman replied.
Lowering to my haunches, I held out my hand so the pom could sniff my fingers. She did so and, after a few seconds, gave my fingers a swipe with her little tongue. “Oh, hello there, aren’t you beautiful?” I scratched gently behind her ears and she panted happily up at me. “What’s her name?”
“Diana.”
My lips twitched at the name. “Of course. Hello, Diana, aren’t you just the cutest? Look at you,” I cooed over her as she lapped up my attention.
“I see you’ve met Diana.”
I was so busy with the dog that I hadn’t heard Rafe approach. Looking up, I found him towering over me in a nice shirt and suit pants, white coat on. My sexy vet. I gave Diana one last scratch and stood up to greet him. “She’s kind of irresistible.”
“Hmm.” He wore a small smile as he leaned in to brush his lips over mine. “You’d know all about that.”
I grinned, pleased. Rafe pressed his hand to my lower back as he turned me to Diana’s owner. “Ms. Prescott, this is my girlfriend, Star.”
At first, I didn’t understand why he was introducing me to a patient’s owner until I saw the look on her face. She was not happy. In fact, she appeared as if she’d just eaten something really, really sour.