Chapter Three
There was something to be said for the quiet, small-town life, except quiet was not what Savannah was experiencing. She’d seen more clients in the last two days than she had in a month when working at the Baltimore practice.
She knew everyone meant well, but very few were bringing in their pets for ailments, injuries, and even well-checks. The clinic had been inundated with the Lady Busy Bees welcoming her to the town and reminiscing with stories of her when she was young visiting her grandfather.
And just when she thought she’d get a break for lunch, another chance to grab a meal at the diner, an actual emergency showed up. Both days she’d missed all of her meals, forcing down a peanut butter and jelly sandwich right before bed.
No wonder her grandfather needed that vacation. It hadn’t even been a week and she was completely worn out.
Savannah could only hope that the newness of her temporary return would eventually die off.
Determination fueled her onward as the clock approached 5:00 p.m. Cassidy Connelly had texted to remind her about their plans that night. They were meeting at a bar in town that had just opened.
When she left her embarrassing apology with Beau, Savannah wandered the town and enjoyed seeing all of the new shops. There were so many things that she wanted to explore. Even Cassidy had opened a store that sold her designer clothes. And from what she could see through the darkened windows of the bar Cassidy mentioned, it looked a bit more contemporary than Horizon’s, the other bar in town.
Conner, the other veterinary technician that worked at the clinic, stepped into the small office with a frown.
“Hey, Dr. Monroe. I have another walk-in.”
Savannah groaned as the digital clock on her computer showed 4:58p.
“Is it an emergency?”
“The sheriff found a box of kittens near the highway. Brought them in to have them checked out.”
“Damn. Okay, let me send a message real quick and I will be out there.”
Reaching for her bag tucked in the file cabinet under the desk, Savannah dug into the leather mass and twisted her hand around until she felt the plastic cover that encased her phone.
Savannah: Last minute client. Running late. Will be there as soon as I can.
Cassidy: No problem. I’ll save you a seat.
Savannah: Thanks
She knew there was little chance of showering and refreshing her makeup before meeting with Cassidy. If she was lucky, she would have time to change out of her scrubs.
Famous last words.
By the time Savannah finished deworming and bathing the twelve kittens, it was already well passed 7:00 p.m. She sighed as she placed the last little black and white bundle in the cage, watching how it snuggled with its siblings as they rested against the warm towel.
Tomorrow meant she was going to have to file paperwork with the local shelter about the abandoned kittens and put them up for adoption in a few weeks. They’d be bottle-fed until they were ready to try food.
“Sorry about the late night, Dr. Monroe,” Conner said with a heavy sigh. The poor kid was taking classes at the local community college an hour away and she knew he had a test to study for. Except he refused to leave when she mentioned that he took off.
“That’s ok, Conner. These things happen. I hope it didn’t ruin your night.”
“Naw, it’s still early. I’ll get some study time in.”
“Good. Well, I’ll lock up. See you tomorrow.”
“See you.”
She waited for Conner to leave as she did a final run-through of the kennels and crates. Trisha had already begun her task list after the last two nights off. She didn’t know how her grandfather managed to have three helpers that traded night shifts for the animals. At her old job, they ran a twenty-four-hour clinic and they couldn’t keep overnight staff for longer than a month or two. The demand was cruel.
With a heavy sigh, Savannah removed her badge and made her way back to her office. Well, temporary office. Her grandfather would return some time. Though after their call this morning, he seemed to be enjoying his time away and was thinking of tacking on an additional week of vacation. The man deserved it for sure, but it left Savannah with a case of the unknowns.
She was a planner. She liked to know the next course, the path she needed to take to reach her goals, and the expectations following those aspirations. It’s what guided her. But perhaps something could be said for winging it.
Maybe while she was in Carson, Savannah would throw caution to the wind and take each day as it comes. The idea of spontaneity had her thinking about Beau. He was a little rough around the edges, but he’d already proven that he had a kind heart. She had always been attracted to men that had a soft spot for animals.
Savannah was afraid to check her phone. She was sure there would be a missed message or two from Cassidy wondering her whereabouts. But to find twenty-eight missed messages from said friend and an apt threat to come to drag her from the clinic on the tail end.
“Welp, guess I’m not getting out of it,” she said to herself in the empty room.
Grabbing her bag, Savannah hefted herself from the desk chair and made her way out of the office and back toward the entrance to the house. She said goodbyes to Trisha as she passed her on the way.
She quickly chucked off her scrubs in the bedroom and yanked her hair free from its messy bun. Thankfully her mess of hair fell into soft waves down her back. She was unsure of the attire for the bar. In the big city, she had her options, from a honky-tonk all the way to a sex club. The options were endless.
To be cautious, Savannah pulled down a black jumpsuit with the slightest of vertical white pinstripes. The outfit was very forgiving and she could wear her most comfortable heeled sandals.
Glancing at herself in the mirror, Savannah pushed up her breasts to give ample cleavage in the deep-V neck. She didn’t have time for a full face of makeup, but she dashed to the bathroom to swipe on a coat of mascara and pink lip-gloss.
She wasn’t anything to write home about, but she figured she’d do. After all, Cassidy would pull the attention of anyone with a wandering eye. The woman not only designed clothes, but she could model them if she desired. She and her sister were stunning.