To Love Someone (Baytown Boys #14) - Maryann Jordan Page 0,10
time to deal.”
A snort erupted, and she shook her head again. “I guess I should be embarrassed. This is now my clinic, and you’re handling things a lot better than I am.”
Annette stepped closer and reached out to grab her hand, giving a squeeze. “I’ve had the week to start thinking about things and this was just dumped on you this morning, so don’t feel bad. We’ll get through this and come out still being the best veterinary clinic in North Heron.”
“We’re the only vet clinic in North Heron.”
Annette waved her hand in front of her and rolled her eyes. “Details, details, let’s not worry about details!”
She barked out a laugh, and it felt good to release the tension. Two more cars were pulling into the parking lot, and Sam sucked in a deep breath. “Okay, it looks like we’re all here. I guess it’s time to figure out what we’re going to do.”
By the end of the day, Samantha’s brain was more scrambled than it had been that morning. She was grateful that Annette was so organized. And the memory of Tonya’s angry diatribe at Tom’s leaving so quickly without preparing them made her smile.
She’d spent time looking over the lawyer’s papers. All she had to do was sign. Tom, true to his word, had left the entire clinic, debt-free, to her. She would need to change the name of the clinic, open new bank accounts and lines of credit, and re-set up payrolls and employee contracts. All of those items made her head spin, but between the attorney and Annette, she was assured it would be taken care of.
She had to admit Annette’s schedule was good, but that was assuming the new vet intern was going to fit in well and be willing to jump in and work hard immediately. The last thing she wanted to do in the midst of everything else was to train someone new.
That evening, all four women left at the same time, which was unusual, but by the end of the day, they were drained. She locked the door and waved as Tonya’s husband picked her up, their kids in the back seat waving as well. Annette and Susan pulled out right after, and Samantha was grateful her truck started on the first try.
On the drive home, it sputtered several times, but she stepped on the gas a little harder, and as usual, the engine caught, lurching forward. She leaned and rubbed her hand on the dashboard. “Come on, ol’ Bessie. I can’t afford to put you out to pasture and buy a new truck now even if I wanted to.”
She soon made it to her home, small and temporary as it was. After she’d been hired by Tom, she’d jumped into working long days and sometimes long nights. She bought a mid-sized camper, parking it on the plot of land she’d bought. One of the older farmers had a section of his farmland that backed to the Chesapeake Bay. He’d thought about selling it for years and told her he knew he could make a mint off of it by selling it to a developer who’d want to put up a million-dollar home. Instead, he preferred it going to someone who needed it, and considering she came out every time his pigs needed a vet, he sold it to her for very little.
The camper was much smaller than a mobile home and yet large enough for her. A small sofa on one side faced a small TV. A dinette table with two booth seats next to a small kitchen. A double bed was at the end with a small bathroom and closet next to it.
Most importantly, she could look out the window over her bed and see the water. It wasn’t much, but it was hers.
Pulling up next to her home, she climbed out and heard the familiar baying that always brought a smile to her face. With the farmer’s help, they’d fenced in a large area that included a big doghouse, and when his bloodhound had puppies, he’d given one to her. Considering they were purebred, she’d been stunned by his gift. He’d sold the others but gave her the runt, saying it needed special care. Now, at a year old, the beautiful dog was already a big boy and loyal to the bone.
Walking to the gate, she unlatched it and let him out, laughing as he bounded around. “Come on, Frodo. Let’s get some food.”