“I haven’t,” Logan said quietly. Yet.
“But that’s the word on the street, as they say. Not because your employees are blasting the news all over town,” Beth added quickly. “There might have been...uh...a client who overheard something while in the waiting room...who happened to stop here at the café, where no secret is ever kept. Ever.”
The waitress scuttled up to the booth and delivered his hamburger, then fled back to the kitchen. “Sounds like my hometown in Montana,” Logan said.
“Businesses have failed here over far less, and you don’t want to drive every last client to some other vet practice in the next town. Just be prepared.”
“Thanks.”
“People care about each other here. And they are as friendly as can be.”
He eyed the other customers in the café, who definitely didn’t appear friendly at all. “I’ll have to take your word on that.”
“I promise you, this really is a wonderful town. There are all sorts of seasonal celebrations that draw crowds of tourists. And I can’t think of anyone who doesn’t have at least one pet, so you’ll be plenty busy.” She gathered her purse and stood. “And I know you’ll really like the staff at the clinic when you get to know them. I’ve been taking our pets there all of my adult life, and they provide excellent care.”
“Good to hear.” He poked at his hamburger, which appeared to be very well done, and cold to boot.
“Dr. Leighton in particular—did you know she completed some sort of special residency after vet school? I don’t recall, exactly. Surgery, maybe. Or was it medicine? I know that she received some pretty big honors. There was an article on her in the local newspaper when she first came to town. Dr. Boyd was really thrilled when he was able to hire her.”
So here was yet another pitch, though delivered more skillfully than most. “I’ll be sure to ask her about it.”
Beth nodded with satisfaction. “I’ve got to get back to my store, but it’s been nice to meet you. God bless.”
He waited until she left, then cautiously lifted the top bun on the burger. Though nothing unexpected appeared inside, the patty was charred to the point of being inedible—yet another message from the good people of Aspen Creek.
So maybe it was for the best that Darcy had railroaded him into keeping her on for a few months, he realized with chagrin.
He could now become acquainted around town, try to avoid alienating any more of the residents and thus improve the chances that his vet practice would succeed. With a new clinic website, a Facebook page and announcements in the regional horse magazines, word would spread, and maybe he could start his life over again, away from the shadow of his past.
All he needed was time.
Copyright © 2017 by Roxanne Rustand
ISBN-13: 9781488018435
Second-Chance Cowboy
Copyright © 2017 by Carolyne Aarsen
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