Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 100277 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100277 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
As if he heard the thought he grumbled, “Look, I know it sounds erratic to pay someone thousands of dollars to pretend to date them, but the money is . . . an inheritance that I can’t . . . well . . . anyway, I just like the idea of spending it on something that seems wasteful but will actually benefit me and get them off my back.”
“Sounds like you all need family therapy.”
“We’re fine. We love each other. But we also drive each other mad. Like most families.”
That was very true.
But ten thousand dollars a month? While I’d never needed much in life, that would allow me to go on my road trip. I could make that money last and have the time of my life. Free as a bird. Moreover, I’d witnessed the intense matchmaking at his niece’s birthday party. I remembered thinking how trapped I’d have felt in that situation too. Despite his grumpiness, I experienced a twinge of sympathy again.
Plus, ten thousand dollars.
“I’m interested.”
“Fine. Come to my clinic tomorrow at noon.”
Bossy! “I’m line sitting tomorrow and have no idea how long I’ll be there.”
“If you take this job, it will have priority over your others. Are we clear?”
Bristling, I huffed, “Well, I haven’t accepted the job yet, so tomorrow I’m line sitting, and if I’m done at noon, I’ll be there. If I’m not going to be done at noon, I’ll text you and we’ll arrange a meeting time. Okay? Bye-bye.” I hung up before he could say anything that would absolutely change my mind about entertaining his proposal.
As I strode toward the bar, adrenaline surging through my body, excited to tell my friends about the proposition, my cell vibrated in my hand.
It was a text from the number I’d just dialed.
Don’t you know it’s rude to hang up on a person?
I saved Rafe’s number to my contacts and replied,
I would’ve thought having a woman hang up on you was a refreshing change of pace.
My phone buzzed in my hand again just as I neared my friends’ table.
I’ll pay you extra if you lose the smartass attitude.
Laughing, I quickly texted back.
You couldn’t afford it.
“She’s grinning like the cat that got the cream.” Roger hooted as I took my seat next to him.
“Well, tell us.” Kendall leaned across the table. “What did he want?”
I stared at all three of them, still reeling from Rafe’s proposal. “To change my life.”
Chapter Four
The veterinary clinic on Columbus Avenue wasn’t at all what I’d had in mind. I was certain I’d step into a cold modern space and instead I found myself in a clinic that, while modern, was warm and inviting.
A massive paw print was etched into the frosted front window, along with the words WHITMAN VETERINARY CLINIC. Inside the middling-sized reception area was curved bench seating along the window with a walnut base and a thick, padded blue cushioned top. The base of the bench matched the curved walnut reception desk opposite it, where a young man sitting behind the desk wore light blue scrubs. The flooring was a light-colored parquet, the wall behind the reception desk a stone tile, the reception desk counter a shiny quartz.
It was a fun twist on sophisticated yet inviting and . . . not what I expected.
One woman and her tiny Chihuahua waited on the bench.
“May I help you?” the baby-faced man in scrubs queried with a smile.
I stepped toward the desk, my heeled boots clicking loudly against the parquet flooring. “Yeah, I have an appointment with Dr. Whitman at noon. Star Meadows.”
His eyes lit with recognition. “Yes, Dr. Whitman told me to expect you. An emergency appointment has come in”—he glanced at the woman and her Chihuahua—“but he’ll be with you as soon as he can.”
Nodding, I sat down at the opposite end of the bench.
The place didn’t smell of animals, which meant Whitman’s cleaning staff was good.
Pulling out my phone, I saw I had a text from Roger asking me if I was there yet. My friends were intrigued to see what else Rafe had to say for himself. I couldn’t deny I was curious too at the thought of doing practically nothing and earning more than enough money to travel.
The young man got up and disappeared behind a door I hadn’t even noticed. A brief glimpse inside revealed what appeared to be a small pharmacy. He stayed in there a few minutes. Though I had a reading app on my phone, I preferred my e-reader and pulled it out of my purse. I was a big fan of books and I’d read anything. Thriller, romance, mystery, historical fiction, nonfiction. One benefit of my job was being able to inhale books during my working week.
The sound of Rafe’s resonant voice filtering down the hallway brought my head up, and my heart started beating alarmingly fast. The downside of this proposition was, of course, the way he made me feel.