13. Sebastian
Sebastian
I tuck the phone between my cheek and shoulder, listening as the voice mail message relays information I need regarding the land I’m trying to acquire for my animal sanctuary.
I write down a couple of important details on a sticky note, hit end on my phone, and stuff it back in my pocket as a knock comes on my office door.
“Sebastian? You next appointment is here.” Rach calls out.
“I’m coming.”
Taking a deep breath to gather my thoughts, I stand and round the desk and walk across the hall to the exam room where Mrs. Dennison and her ferret Gertrude await.
“Hi, Dr. Blum.” Mrs. Dennison looks at me over the rim of her glasses and Gertrude chatters in her crate.
“Mrs. Dennison.” I nod toward the older woman, giving her a friendly smile. “How’s Gertrude doing today?” I open the cage and the ferret immediately races to her owner.
“Doctor, she’s been a little depressed and not eating normally for the past few days. I think maybe she got into something.”
“Okay. Let me do a quick exam and see what we’ve got here.” Removing Gertrude from her owner’s arm, I grab my stethoscope and begin the exam.
Thirty minutes later, Mrs. Dennison and her ferret leave the room, medication and instructions in hand. Since I’ve got about fifteen minutes before the next appointment, I head back to my office to try calling Ms. Peters again about the land. As soon as I open the door, my phone rings in my pocket.
“Dr. Blum here.” Nothing but silence, then a strange noise like wheezing greets me. “Hello?” I try again.
“Hello? Hello?” a gravelly female voice finally replies. “I’m looking for Sebastian Boom.”
Boom? I shake my head and glance at the number on the screen to see if I recognize it. I don’t. “This is Sebastian Blum.”
“Yeah. Right. You called about my land.” A curt voice replies.
Land! “Yes. Ms. Peters? I’ve been trying to reach you to set up?—”
“I’ve got time this afternoon at three.”
“That’s in one hour. I can’t possibly?—”
“Only time I’ve got right now. You have the address? I’ll see you there.” She hangs up without waiting for my response.
“Shit,” I mutter.
I’ve been trying to get this woman on the phone for days. My proposal for the sanctuary is—hopefully—about to be cleared by the county, and now all I need is a plot of land.
This plot of land. It’s the only one I’ve found in the area that’s both big enough for the plans I have in mind and affordable. I don’t know much about the quality of the land though, and that’s why I’ve been trying to get ahold of the owner to take a look.
But, in an hour? As unprofessional as it will be to just up and leave, it’s something I have no choice but to do.
Timelines I’ve set are getting closer and decisions need to be finalized soon.
I’ll have to reschedule my appointments for the rest of the day, which is not ideal, but at least they are just basic check-ups and vaccines, nothing urgent right now.
Darting out of the office, I quickly fill my staff in on the situation then head for my car.
Even knowing this is the only chance I’ll have to do this, I can’t stop the guilt winding its way through my chest. This is my clinic.
I should be here taking care of my patients, not inconveniencing them by running out on a long errand.
For a brief moment, anxiety creeps in and I pause. Should I be doing this right now? The animal sanctuary is a great idea but will I be in over my head?
I have so much on my plate right now. My practice, the emergency clinic, Flick. Can I add this and still have time for everything?
No. This is a good plan. It’s what I’m supposed to be doing. Helping animals is my life’s purpose, and the best way?—
“Yikes! Hey.” A soft voice yelps in surprise as I walk out of the clinic and right into them.
“I’m sorry. I was distracted.”
But it’s not just any someone. It’s Flick.
“Hi,” I breathe, instant warmth spreading through me at the sight of her.
“Are you going somewhere?” Her brow furrows in confusion.
“To look at that land I’ve been talking about.” Because I can’t keep my hands to myself a moment longer, I wrap my arms around her and give her a kiss. I don’t give a damn that we’re in front of my workplace. “What are you doing?”
“I’m on my way home from Knit Happens. Thought I would pop by and say hi for a minute if you weren’t busy.” She smiles sweetly, a light blush staining her cheeks.
“I’m glad you did.” My laughter booms across the parking lot. “Would you like to come with me? To see this land?” She’ll say no, of course. I probably shouldn’t have asked but I can’t help but want to spend as much time as possible with her.
After two and a half weeks of knowing each other, I know by now that Flick is up to her ears in work ninety-five percent of the time. She keeps her calendar booked from the moment she wakes until the moment she goes to sleep. Which makes her spending time with me even more special when she does.
“I’d love to go,” she says, and for a second, I wonder if I heard wrong. “I finished one of my orders early yesterday. I was going to get a head start on the next one, but I’d much rather hang out with you.”
“Same.” I lace my fingers through hers, feeling that now familiar zing at the contact.
Hand in hand, I lead her to the car, opening the passenger’s side door before jumping behind the wheel.
My car bumps its way up the neglected driveway, taking us through a tunnel of thick, closely knit trees. We emerge on the other side to a white farmhouse with peeling paint. Various ramshackle outbuildings are spaced in fields around it, and a truck waits for us at the end of the drive.
My heart flutters with the excitement I’ve been containing the whole drive here. I’ve been doing my best not to get my hopes up for the past forty minutes, but at seeing the swathes of greenery and the expansive fields, I feel something awaken in me.
This is real.
Or at least, it could be.
The place is nothing fancy, and no one has lived here in years. Looking at it, though, I already see the potential. The state of the buildings doesn’t matter so much. They can be renovated, replaced. It’s the land that needs to be a good fit.
“I really appreciate you coming with me.” I kill the engine, suddenly feeling nervous and anxious at the same time. I reach across the console and grab Flick’s hand, tension leaving my shoulders at the contact. Just having her here calms my nerves.
“Absolutely.” She squeezes my fingers and looks out the window at our surroundings. “This is nice.”
A woman, looking to be in her sixties, in faded jeans and work boots emerges from a rust-covered truck. Even from here, I can see the no-nonsense set of her jaw.
“That’s her.” I nod in her direction. “Lil Peters.”
We climb out, and I immediately reach for Flick’s hand again. The gesture sends warmth spreading through my chest.
The older woman approaches us and stops a few feet away. “Good. You made it.”
“Nice to meet you. Ms. Peters, this is?—”
She turns her back and starts walking off, not giving me a chance to make introductions. “This way, and I’ll show you the pond.”
Staring at the woman’s retreating form, I drop my hand and glance over at Flick hoping she’s not offended by Ms. Peter’s lack of friendliness. She looks back and me and I can see her trying not to laugh.
“Sorry,” I mouth to her, shaking my head.
“Don’t apologize.” She shrugs and loops her arm through mine. “Let’s go see this pond.”
The field squelches under our feet, alternating between boggy patches and grass so tall it brushes Flick’s knees. My eyes dart everywhere, taking in every detail—the slope of the land, the cluster of trees near what might be a creek, the condition of the fence posts.
Lil Peters stays several paces ahead, occasionally gesturing at something without turning around. The pond she mentioned turns out to be more of a small lake, spring-fed and crystal clear despite the neglect everywhere else.
“The previous owners kept fish.” She lights a cigarette, her first actual communication since we arrived. “Good for irrigation too.”
“What do you think so far?” Flick asks softly.
“It’s even better than I imagined.”
“Barn’s over there.” Lil starts walking again. “Stables, technically.”
The building rises from the tall grass like something from a fairy tale—weathered but solid, with good bones despite years of abandonment.
“Mind if we look inside?” Lil waves her cigarette in what I assume is permission, though I’m already moving toward the door.
The interior smells of old hay and dust motes dance in the shafts of sunlight streaming through gaps in the roof. Horse stalls line both walls, their doors hanging at various angles. Miscellaneous equipment clutters the center aisle—buckets, old leather straps, coiled ropes.
“This is incredible.” I say as I run my hand along one of the support beams. “The structure’s sound. Just needs some repairs, new roofing...”
Flick pick up one of the ropes, testing its weight. “Comes with accessories.”
“Very helpful.” I laugh, the sound echoing in the space. “Though I’m not sure what use I’d have for?—”
“You could learn to lasso.” She attempts to twirl the rope and nearly hit herself in the face. “Or not.”
I cross over to where she’s standing, gently taking the rope from her hands. “I think we’ll stick to more traditional animal care methods.”
“Probably wise.”
My hands slide to her waist, pulling her closer. “Flick?”
“Mmm?”
Wrapping my arms around her waist, I pull her close. She tilts her head back, hazel eyes searching mine with a silent question.
I press my lips to hers, soft yet insistent, tender but with an underlying heat that makes me forget we’re standing in a dusty barn in the middle of nowhere.
Her mouth moves against mine, steady and constant, a comforting touch that also send a sharp thrill through me. I push my fingers through her hair and tug her even closer, wishing that somehow we could get close enough to become one.
A throat clears loudly.
We break apart to find Lil Peters standing in the doorway, arms crossed, cigarette dangling from her lips.
“If you’re done christening my barn...”
I keep one arm around Flick holding her to my side, as her cheeks flush in embarrassment from being caught by our ill-mannered guide. “Sorry, Ms. Peters.” Though my voice holds not one ounce of apology. “I’ll take it.”
She barks out a laugh. “Might want to hear the rest before you commit.”
My stomach drops. “The rest?”
Lil gestures for me to follow her back outside. After sharing a quick glance with Flick, I start to follow, my pulse quickening.
“I’ll wait here. Need to catch up on some emails anyway.”
“You sure?” I glance at her over my shoulder.
“Go.” She nods toward the door. “Find out what’s going on.”
“Be right back.”
I follow Lil to the side of the stable, where she wastes no time. “I’m going to need the money a month sooner than we talked about.”
My jaw drops. “Wh?—”
“There’s another buyer interested, and they offered fifty thousand above the asking price.”
Somehow, my jaw drops even farther. “That’s?—”
“I know, kid. I’d rather sell to you since you’re doing something good with the land. This guy, he’s going to put condos here. Not ideal, but I’ve got a retirement to fund.”
I finally close my mouth, at a loss. How can I argue with that?
And yet… She’s giving me a chance to still come out on top. If only I can get the money together quick enough.
“A month earlier?” I rasp.
She nods once.
I do some quick mental calculations, thinking about all the planning I’ve done to get this sanctuary going. The money won’t be released for over another month, not unless I pull some serious strings and make promises I might not be able to keep.
But I can’t give up. Not yet.
“You can’t budge on that?” I ask.
She gives me a look that says it all.
I sigh. “Damn it.”
Lil checks her wristwatch. “I’ve got to go. You let me know. I can’t wait around forever, though.”
“I know.” I try to keep the bitterness out of my voice. “Retirement fund.”
She leaves me standing there in the overgrown grass, the beautiful world I constructed in my mind just a few minutes ago now crashing into pieces all around me.