Chapter 4
Chapter Four
PAXTON
I was excited as soon as I woke up this morning.
At one point, I even found myself singing while I was feeding Dominick.
He seemed to be in a good mood too and even hopped around a little in the fresh snow.
There’s a big storm coming, so I made sure he was stocked up on feed and blankets in case we’re snowed in for a few days.
After Tilly left yesterday, I kept thinking of ways to get her back out here. Co-parenting a kitten was a good move, and I could tell she was really excited to spend more time with baby Paprika. When Dominick finally comes around, I know she’ll fall in love with him just like I have.
Today, I’m taking Paprika with me to work since Tilly said she can watch her at the hardware store.
I wouldn’t mind her being at the vet office with me, but I’m afraid too many animals being around her at once would overwhelm her, and I’ve got a lot of patients to see today.
Yesterday I was only away from her for a few hours, but even that was too long.
Tilly watching her while I work is not only a huge help but a huge excuse for me to flirt with her again.
Maybe this time she’ll tell me what dating app she’s on so I can find a way to match with her.
“Morning, Tilly,” I say when I walk into the hardware store with Paprika in her crate.
Tilly is behind the counter in her trademark overalls that are somehow so fucking cute and sexy at the same time. Her red curls are piled high, and she’s got them twisted in a messy bun. It’s somehow cute and beautiful at the same time.
“Well, if it isn’t another ginger to make my life difficult,” the old man beside her says.
“Hey, Paxton, this is Gramps, but don’t pay him any attention. He’s going into a nursing home any day now. A bad one.”
“Is she mean to you too?” I ask him, and he hoots with laughter.
“I knew I liked this guy,” Gramps says, and Tilly scowls.
“I’m not mean to anyone,” Tilly grumbles, but then she takes one look at baby Paprika, and her whole expression softens. “Hello sweet girl, are you ready to spend the day with me?”
Is it wrong to be jealous of a kitten, because right now I’d do anything to have her look at me like that.
“I’ve got her food all ready to go in this bag, and then I packed a portable litter box in this one. Obviously if you need anything, I’m right across the street, but she’ll probably sleep for most of the day.”
“A sleeping kitten.” Tilly sighs and closes her eyes. “Almost as good as a sleeping baby.”
“From what I hear, it’s the same high.” I laugh, and she smiles up at me like she forgot she's not supposed to. “You look really pretty today.”
Her fair skin flushes bright crimson as she tucks her chin and looks away.
Fuck. Me. What did I say that for? Why would I just blurt out that she looks pretty today?
I mean, of course she does, but it’s clear she doesn’t want me to compliment her.
Hell, she’s probably only talking to me because of Paprika and now I’m making it weird.
I can’t take it back because then it would sound like I was lying.
Dear god, what do I have to do to get a black hole to open up and suck me into another dimension? One where I’m not a complete idiot?
“Okay, so yeah, that should be everything,” I mumble as I place all the items on the counter and hand the carrier to Tilly. “I’ll go now.”
I almost trip as I back out of the store and wave at the same time, but I can’t bring myself to look in Tilly’s eyes. Not when I know I’ve just humiliated the both of us. The worst part is that I do end up making eye contact with Gramps, who seems to be enjoying the shit out of my embarrassment.
“Have a good day,” he calls after me, and I practically run out of there.
I’m so lost in my own head that a horn blares at me as I cross the road. I ran into traffic without looking, but thankfully someone else was paying attention. My heart is beating out of my chest when I finally make it into my clinic.
“What a dumbass,” I whisper as I lean back against the door and close my eyes.
“Excuse me?”
My body stills at the sound of someone else, and when I open my eyes, I see one of my patients sitting in the waiting room.
“Sorry, I meant me. I’m the dumbass,” I tell Mrs. Royce.
“You certainly are,” she huffs as she holds her Pomeranian Ginger closer to her chest. It’s funny, but the saying about owners choosing pets that look like them is usually true.
“I’ll be with you in a second,” I tell her as I hurry to my office to change into my lab coat.
Wyatt is off school this week, so he’s already in the back and prepping the rooms. “Hey, Dr. R, I heard you have a thing for Miss Tilly.”
“What?” I say, almost falling over again as I come back around the corner. “Who said that? Did she say that? Did she look mad when she said it?”
Wyatt laughs and then looks at me like I’ve got two heads. “Nah, my girlfriend said you might,” he tells me then grins. “When I saw you running back from the hardware store, I thought maybe you asked her out.”
“No, I told her she looked pretty today.”
“Oooh.” He makes a face like I’ve done something terrible. “Tilly looks like the kind of woman that would kick a man in the balls for giving her a compliment.”
“I know,” I sigh. “She’s incredible.”