Chapter 29
Chapter Twenty-Nine
ERIKA
After work I’d driven with Vinny out to the Tadlock Farm. I hadn’t seen Josh, but he’d texted a few times, which was cute. I’d also had a few voicemails from my ex who was officially psychotic. Today, Jay was behaving as if we’d never broken up and I never moved away. I didn’t reply to him.
I followed Jim Tadlock out to his barn. He’d aged a lot in the past decade.
Now in his late sixties, the lines on his face were deeper, but his eyes were just as kind and shrewd as they’d ever been.
He’d made millions in some sort of investment banking.
The horses had been his way of humoring Bunny in the beginning.
Then he got into them just as much as her.
They both specialized in raising eventing warmbloods and had even bred horses who carried internationally ranked riders on their backs.
Jim hung over the door of Buck’s stall. I petted the old gelding’s brown neck and showed Vinny how to do it. The big horse had peppered out around his face with age.
“This old boy sure missed you when you left,” Jim said.
“I missed him too.” I petted Buck’s head, noting the few new scars on his face. He wasn’t the most graceful of horses and seemed to get himself nicked up all the time. “Does anyone ride him anymore?”
“Nah. If you want to get on him, he’s yours to do so whenever you want.”
My heart lurched to be able to get back to riding. I’d missed it and the horses so much. “I’d sure love that.”
He leaned against the barn. “Bunny mentioned you wanted to ask my advice about something.”
I did love that he never beat around the bush.
“I wanted some future development advice. Since I don’t have parents or grandparents, you and Bunny are about as close as I’ve got.”
His gaze shot to mine, warm and supportive. “Shoot.”
“Dad left me a plot of land off the highway, close to the freeway. It’s about fifteen minutes from town and thirty from the main horse event areas south of us.
I was thinking to develop it into a veterinary complex.
We could run the mixed animal practice with a place to do large animal surgery.
We could have an equine specialty hospital.
Maybe even an overnight small animal emergency. ”
Jim’s eyes looked bright. “Sure would be nice to have somewhere closer to haul the horses for stuff than Raleigh or Apex.”
“The whole thing would cost several million to build and recruit the talent we’d need.
I don’t know if we’d have enough business, though.
” I nibbled my lower lip. “Aside from that, I don’t know how to pay for it.
I asked the bank, but because I have no collateral and I owe Josh a bunch for my father’s half of the clinic, they refused.
I just don’t know how to pay for something like that. ”
“Do you think you could get horse specialists to relocate here? We’re not exactly a hotbed of horse country.”
“Well, there’s all the farms south of Charlotte.
There’s Southern Pines. The equine complex in Mill Spring is a bit of a drive, but we’re closer than Raleigh.
There are more places moving this way with breeding farms. I think there are enough high dollar horses to make it work.
I have a good friend in Kentucky about to finish her residency in equine medicine.
Her fiancé is Ken Haegan. They’re both looking to relocate. ”
“You’re kidding me. Dr. Haegan? The Haegan who’s the best for equine lameness on the east coast, possibly in the whole country?”
“Yes.”
He adjusted his baseball cap. “Erika, if you can convince him to set up shop here, that’d be incredible.
I could use some help for a mare we’re trying to get to the next level in dressage since she’s a bit lame off and on.
No one can figure it out. We’ve injected, blocked, and acupunctured about everything under the sun for that horse.
I was thinking of having her hauled up to Dr. Haegan.
How much do you think you need for this clinic? ”
“A lot.” I closed the stall door and offered Buck a treat.
“I’ll pay for half of it and loan you the other half,” Jim said.
“That’s too much. I wasn’t here to ask for a loan. I need advice on how to go about funding it and then paying that kind of money back.”
He nodded. “I’ll do it. No argument. We’ll need to convince Ben to come down from Golden Stables in Southern Pines and Henry Paulson to drive from south Charlotte.
If they agree to bring their horses to you, then everyone else will come.
If you can guarantee Dr. Haegan and get an architect to draft a design of the facility, I’ll set up the meeting for all of us to talk about it. ”
I felt relieved and overwhelmed. “I need to ask Josh if he’d be on board.”
“You didn’t already ask him?” Jim frowned.
“We haven’t always been on the same page about the business. I’ll talk to him and get the proposal put together. Let me work on Haegan.”
I couldn’t stop thinking about Josh and everything he made me feel the other day as we left, so I texted. Just a little text to check-in. I knew he was seeing some appointments until six tonight, so he probably wouldn’t get the message until after work.
I told myself I wouldn’t be disappointed if he didn’t answer.
The connection between us felt dangerous, more so with this business proposal that might make him spin off into anger.
I wasn’t scared of his anger. At least, not scared that he’d hurt me physically.
I was a bit scared of losing the new closeness that made me feel as if I was alive for the first time in forever.
That was worth the risk of procrastinating.
After sending the text, I noticed a new missed voicemail from the Philly clinic. I listened even though I knew I shouldn’t. Jay sounded unhinged, swinging from threats to apologies in the same breath. It felt less like communication and more like proof of presence.
It left me with the unmistakable sense of being watched. Of being tracked.
I didn’t like it.
* * *
JOSH
I brought Lexi back to Bunny after her nail trim. As I handed the dog back I asked, “Not bringing her to see Dr. Erika for this?”
“She was out visiting with Jim this afternoon before she headed out to a PTA meeting. I was in town and figured you should be able to handle this. Jim just texted me that he’s going to help fund your new facility.
I don’t have the details. Sounds exciting to have an equine specialty center and pet emergency complex. ”
What? I kept my face blank. She was leaving to build a new hospital.
Bunny put a hand over her mouth. “Oops. Didn’t you know about it?
” She put her hand on my arm. “You better make sure you’re a part of her plans.
I thought it was an expansion of this hospital.
Maybe not? I’m thrilled she’s working to get Dr. Haegan down here.
He’s one of the best equine lameness vets in the world.
It’d be convenient to have him close by.
” She waved at Marty. “Thank you, guys.” And left.
What the hell? Was last night a one-off?
“Did you know about Erika building her own clinic?” I asked Marty.
Marty gave me a funny look and busied herself with the computer. She knew something.
“What do you know that she didn’t tell me?” I stalked to the front desk.
“Well…” She did that thing with her lips that meant she had good gossip she couldn’t wait to tell me.
“Roland bought an old farm out on the highway real near where he died. He purchased it last year. I know he planned to give it to her for her birthday next month. He hoped the idea of building her an emergency clinic would lure her home.” She stared at me like that was enough information.
When I didn’t respond she said, “That’s all I know.
I didn’t know she was moving forward with anything, but if Jim is bankrolling it, then I guess it’ll be a go. ”
“Do you know Dr. Haegan?” I despised secrets like this. Even more, I hated the instant jealousy that another doctor might know about Erika’s plans before me. That he might know her, might even be my competition for her attention.
She shrugged. “Guess you better talk to her about it.”
Bunny said she had a PTA meeting. That meant she’d be at the school.
A half hour later, I marched up the elementary school’s sidewalk toward the main building.
I followed signs for the PTA meeting to the library.
Through the glass windows of the library, I spied Erika sitting in the back.
I tried texting her to get her to leave, but she didn’t look down at her phone, which meant she must have it on silent.
I understood. When not on call, why leave it on?
Three texts came in from Milly, which I ignored. She’d texted a few times earlier, asking me for a second chance or to call her. I definitely couldn’t handle dealing with her right now.
The door to the library creaked when I opened it.
The speaker waved at me. He looked familiar, maybe a client.
Every mom and the scant few dads watched me with more interest than they paid to whoever stood at the front pointing at a screen showing types of candy bars, probably for a fundraiser.
I tried to scoot behind everyone to avoid blocking their view of the speaker.
“We need to talk,” I hissed to Erika.
She stared up in surprise. “Why are you here?”
“Outside. Now. Or I’ll drag you out of here.” I walked away, hoping for her sake she followed. I wasn’t beneath slinging her over a shoulder.
Outside the building I said, “What the hell is Jim Tadlock bankrolling you to build?”
“Stop yelling.”
“I am not yelling!” Okay, maybe I was.
“I have an idea to expand our practice and build something new for the area.” Not for an instant did she look contrite about proceeding behind my back.