Without waiting for either of them to interrogate her further, she charged out the door.
14
Capri pulled into the parking lot at the veterinary clinic and rammed her Dodge D150 Adventurer into park so fast, her tires spit gravel, not considering the rocks might nick the bright red paint on her prized truck. Or the shiny deep blue paint on the other pickup in the small parking area—the only vehicle in sight.
Nonplussed, she scrambled from the driver’s side and slammed her door closed, then marched to the entrance. Inside, she found the waiting room empty.
A sound coming from the back drew her past the check-in counter and down the short hall that led to an examination room. Before she could make her way fully to where the sound was coming from, a guy stepped into the hallway.
He frowned. “Can I help you?”
“Where’s Doc Tillman?” she demanded.
“Excuse me?” His frown deepened.
“Is he here?” Capri stepped around the guy and peered into the exam room. Finding it empty, she glared back at the stranger. “Where is he?”
She took a minute to assess the man before her. Clad in a simple, well-fitted black T-shirt and rugged blue jeans that hinted at many days spent in nature, his casual attire did nothing to hide his lean, muscular frame.
“And you are?” he asked, his tone as dry as the desert.
“Capri Jacobs,” she told him without breaking gaze. “Who are you?” The question answered itself. It didn’t matter. She needed a name.
She paused and waited for him to meet her stare.
The guy almost grinned as he stroked his right ear lobe. “Whit Calloway. I’m the new vet here at the clinic. But something tells me you knew that.”
She relented, but only slightly. “Yeah, small town. Word spreads fast.”
He held out his hand to shake.
Reluctantly, she took his hand. She’d like to welcome him, but that would be disingenuous. “So, you’re taking over here?”
Whit nodded. “That’s the plan.”
“The plan sucks,” she said, not caring how her tart remark might be received.
He appeared to momentarily stiffen but recovered quickly. “So, I take it you’re not happy with me being here?”
Capri leaned against the wall and folded her arms. “It’s not you exactly. It’s what you represent.”
He shook his head. “Sorry, I’m not following.”
She explained the situation. “One of my best friends, Lila Bellamy—well, she works here. Has for years.”
This caused him to nod. “Ah…”
“Yes, and few know how many hours she’s trained to become a veterinarian, with a large animal certificate. She always thought that if Doc Tillman decided to retire, he might offer the opportunity to buy this clinic and run it herself. So, understand when I tell you that you showing up on the scene isn’t exactly welcome—not to her, and likely, not to this community.” Her jaw set. “We take care of our own.” Her tone was challenging and not at all welcoming. She knew some might judge her behavior as harsh and reprimand her for not being more friendly, but she didn’t really care. Lila was heartbroken, and this guy was the reason why.
He rubbed at his lobe again. “Well, I hate hearing that. Really, I do. But you, and others here in town, can’t really blame me. If Doc Tillman hadn’t brought me on board, it would have been someone else. He told me he was anxious to move on with the next phase of his life after making the decision to retire. I’m not sure that he meant to hurt your friend.”
Why didn’t it surprise her that this new guy would take up for Doc and defend his decision? “Well, I guess you’ve never had your world ripped out from under you?” She glared at him. “And this isn’t the first time.” She explained Lila’s history and how she’d lost her husband to an illogical war that had not only robbed her of the love of her life but her baby daughter’s father. “She’s a single mom who has faced more barriers to happiness than most, and each time she’s climbed over the top of those walls and marched on, working hard and trying to find happiness.” Capri tried to blink back tears. “So, you must understand how devastated she feels right now. This was her dream. Years of hard work, late nights, and juggling this job with motherhood. Then you appeared on the scene, and all that was for nothing.”
To his credit, Whit’s eyes softened. “I—yeah, I didn’t know.”
“Well, now you do.” She straightened. “Question is, what are you going to do about it?”
15
