Chapter 22
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Donovan
I exit one of our exam rooms with Matilda Wolf on my heel. She’s an exemplary employee. Her commitment to doing her job as a vet assistant to the best of her ability is admirable and I’ve rewarded her handsomely for it with regular pay increases and added benefits.
I prefer working with her over the other assistants I’ve hired because she understands what I need when I need it. She proved that just now as I carried out an annual health check up on an adorable Corgi named Feline.
Feline’s owner couldn’t help but giggle when she introduced her dog to me even though we’d met twice before. The first time was mere weeks after Feline was adopted from the local shelter I volunteer with. The second time was the day of Feline’s surgery to be neutered.
Feline’s owner, Vienna Geibart, was inconsolable that day. I explained more than once that it was a routine procedure and Feline would be his normal self in no time flat.
Still, Vienna wept all over the front of my lab coat as she clung to me, looking up into my eyes.
Matt hasn’t let me forget that scene since he witnessed it in the main corridor of the clinic.
He swears she was trying to coax a kiss out of me. I know for a fact that she was more interested in what’s in my pants because the way she pressed up against me was all the proof I needed.
She didn’t score anything that day since I kept my lips to myself and my cock remained as calm as it could be.
“Add her to the list of women crushing all over you,” Matilda comments as we enter my office. “You do get that she likes you, right?”
“Who?” I ask as if I’m truly clueless.
“Oh, I don’t know.” She flings her hands into the air in mock frustration. “The woman who comes to water the plants once a week.”
“She likes me?” I perk a brow. “Seriously? I have a potted lily at home that could use some tender loving care.”
“You know I’m talking about Vienna.” She sighs heavily. “She’s single and ready to do a lot more than mingle.”
“And I’m not interested,” I shut down the conversation with those four words.
“Why not?” Matilda picks it right back up. “She’s pretty, Donovan. You can at least admit that.”
Weeks ago I may have seen it, but that was before I spent days on end with Delia Hawthorne. Those memories have been playing in my mind on repeat.
“I can admit that we have a lot of patients to see today.”
“I’ll second that,” Delia’s brother wanders into my office. “I’ll trade you an angry hamster for the sad tabby you’re supposed to see next.”
“Hard pass.” I toss him an exaggerated smile.
“Some boss you are,” he says with a muted chuckle. “I thought your time away from the clinic would soften you.”
I haven’t told Matthew that I was actually on a cruise with his sister. No one at this clinic knows where I took off to other than the other veterinarian on staff. Carolyn Gallo is my second in command and a hell of a great secret keeper so I clued her in and she assured me that she’d keep this ship running smoothly while I sailed away on a real ship for a few days.
“It hardened me,” I say, enjoying the pun that I have to keep to myself.
“Are you ever going to tell us where you went?” Matilda asks. “You’re still as tanned as you normally are, so I’m guessing it was a destination that kept you indoors.”
“Or maybe someone kept him out of the sun.” Matt tosses me a sly grin. “That’s it, right?”
Since I was in bed with his younger sister for most of my time away from the clinic, I plead the Fifth in my own way. “No comment.”
“That’s a yes,” Matilda decides that on her own. “Does she live in New York?”
“You know what pleading the Fifth is, Matilda,” I point out. “You did it when I asked why you couldn’t stay late to help me clean the puppy vomit off the exam table and floor last month.”
“Technically, she doesn’t need to tell you why she can’t work past shift cut-off,” Matthew chimes in. “Although I know why she couldn’t stay.”
I don’t take offense at anything he says because my employees stick together and I know when push comes to shove, they’ll stand by me, too.
“I was ovulating,” Matilda blurts out. “I had to get home and climb onto my husband.”
Matt and I laugh in unison.
“I realize that’s way too much information, but we’re a family, right?” she asks, her blue eyes shining bright.
Matt nods. “We are.”
He’s right. We are, and yet I don’t have an ounce of regret for what I did on that cruise with his sister, and I have no guilt over the fact that I haven’t told him.
My relationship with Delia is my business.
His gaze drops to the front pocket of his dark pants when his phone chimes. He drags it out to study the screen.
“My sister is working for your sister-in-law today,” he tells Matilda. “We should run over there on our lunch break and surprise them.”
I want in on that, but my day is packed.
“I can’t.” Tilly shakes her head.
“Let me guess.” He taps his chin with his pointer finger. “You need to work on that baby project you just dropped on Donovan.”
Her gaze finds mine. “I’ll give you plenty of notice when I do get pregnant, and I’ll be back after maternity leave. I can’t give this place up.”
I have no doubt about any of that, so I nod. “I know. I’m happy for you and Sebastian.”
“Me too,” she whispers before she shifts her attention back to Matt. “That’s not the reason I can’t leave at lunch. Athena is dropping by with a bouquet of flowers I ordered for Carolyn. It’s her birthday today, remember?”
“Shit,” I say right before Matt drops the same word.
“We need cake,” he says.
“And candy,” I add. “Carolyn loves chocolate.”
“You two should go get all of that during lunch,” Matilda suggests as she runs a finger over the screen of the tablet in her hands. “You’re both free from eleven thirty for an hour. Matt, you have a patient coming in at twelve forty-five.”
“What?” He asks. “When I checked earlier my schedule was clear from eleven thirty straight through until one thirty today.”
She spins her tablet so the screen is facing him. “That changed. Moxie Acherley is coming in for a check up.”
“Hunt.” The pleading note in his voice is unmistakable. “Do me a solid, and…”
“Not a fucking chance.” I laugh, recalling the last time I was in the exam room with Moxie, a cat who has been on our patient roster for a few years. “I’m not in the mood to be scratched today.”
Unless, Delia is doing the scratching that is. Her fingernails trailing a path down my back as I fucked her is a memory I won’t soon forget.
“Fine,” he acquiesces with a scrape of his shoe against the floor. “We’ll do the cake and candy run before I submit to that pain.”
“I’ll meet you out front at eleven thirty,” I firm up our plans. “I take it we’re heading to Wolf Candy for the chocolate?”
“Where the hell else would we go?” Matthew laughs. “My sister’s best friend owns the place, and Delia is there today, too. You can finally meet her.”
I don’t respond because that ship sailed when we sailed on a ship together a little more than a week ago.
“Do you think you can convince Athena to bring along a dozen yellow roses for Faith?” Matthew smiles at Matilda. “I’ll pay for them, of course, but it would surprise the hell out of my fiancée if I came home with a bouquet of her favorite flowers tonight.”
I smile at his mention of Athena Millett. She’s engaged to Matilda’s youngest brother-in-law, Liam Wolf. Athena owns a floral boutique and stops by regularly with flowers for Matilda and sometimes a bouquet to brighten the front desk of the clinic. She never asks for anything in return.
“I’ll text her now.” She tugs her phone out of one of the pockets of her blue scrubs. “I know she’ll do it and you’ll have to fight her to take your money.”
Matt laughs. “If that’s the case, I’ll stop by her shop next week for another bouquet when she’s out doing deliveries. I’ll add a huge tip to the order.”
“Sneaky but effective.” Matilda looks toward me. “What about you, Dr. Hunt? Do you want some flowers for a lovely lady?”
Fuck, yeah, I do. I’d give anything to see the look on Delia’s face if I appeared before her with a handful of fresh flowers.
“No,” I answer without any explanation.
“No surprise there.” Matilda flashes me a grin. “It’s time to get back to work, gentleman.”
She’s right. It is. I have a few patients to tend to before I get to see Delia again. This day has certainly taken a turn for the better.