To Love Someone (Baytown Boys #14) - Maryann Jordan Page 0,99
Jail. She’ll probably be able to post bail and be out until her trial, but be wary. Don’t have any contact with her and don’t let her back into your clinic.”
Samantha nodded, but it was Joseph who said, “We’ll get the locks changed tomorrow.”
He escorted her out, Frodo staying close by. When he opened the passenger door to his SUV, Frodo jumped up into the seat and then crawled into the back. She put her foot on the running board but squealed as Joseph scooped her into his arms, setting her carefully into the seat. He leaned forward, cupped her cheeks, and kissed her gently. Keeping his forehead pressed against hers, his warm breath coasted over her face.
“I was fuckin’ scared, babe. Fuckin’, fuckin’ scared.”
“I’m okay, sweetheart. We’re going to be fine.”
“I know that now, but I didn’t know that then.”
For a moment, she hesitated, both reveling in the feel of his face pressed to hers and worried that the emotions of the day might be so overwhelming he’d want to bolt.
He leaned back so that his gaze was pinned on her and said, “You and me, Samantha. Together, always.”
His words shot straight through her, erasing her fears, knowing he was in this to stay. “Are you sure?”
“How can I go wrong? I’ve got Sam, Frodo, Pip, and Merry. I’ve got the best at my back, and I’ll always have your back as well.”
Laughing, she threw her arms around him and pulled him tight. “Take me home, Joseph.”
He rounded the front and climbed behind the wheel, taking them home.
26
“You know this is crazy, right?” Tonya stomped around the workroom, waving her hands. “I mean, unbelievable, batshit kind of crazy!”
Samantha’s grin spread over her face. She had called her employees in on a Sunday to let them know what was happening, glad she had a day to prepare before the next work week began. And just as she supposed, her staff was as astounded as she had been. “Yep, I know. Unbelievable, batshit crazy.”
Tonya whirled around in the middle of her rant and pointed her finger at Samantha. “And you! You got kidnapped and hurt!”
“Hey, I’ve got some bruises, and while it could have been a lot worse, I’m fine.”
“All for money,” Susan said, shaking her head slowly, her brow crinkled. “It’s just so hard to believe what Annette did. It’s hard for me to think of Doctor Robertson selling our vaccines, but… it seems worse with Annette.”
“Because she was our friend, not just a boss,” Tonya declared, finally plopping into a chair, her rant seemingly over for the moment.
“It was all for money,” Samantha agreed. “Paula for not being satisfied with just Bender Breeders. Tom for being involved with Paula and then agreeing to inoculate animals that he knew were illegal in this area. Annette for wanting to ingratiate herself with Tom, and then when he left, realizing she could make money. They were all motivated by their own greed.”
With those words, the gathering sat quietly for a moment. Finally, Brantley looked over and asked, “What happens now? How does this affect the clinic?”
“Well, thankfully, our clinic was never directly involved other than being a place where the drugs were stolen. I’m sure there’ll be questions when the story hits the news, but I can’t imagine any fallout for us. We keep doing our job, doing it well, giving as much as we can to the community while running a business.”
“What about an office manager?” Susan asked.
“I’ll put out an advertisement tomorrow, and I have a feeling that in this area, we’ll have a lot of applicants. I don’t want to wait long to hire someone, but I really want to hire the right person. They need to be trustworthy, honest, friendly, hard-working, and love animals. Until then, we’ll all pitch in to make sure the clinic runs smoothly.”
“On a happier note, how are things at the shelter and with Joseph?” Tonya asked, a smile finally curving her lips.
“The shelter is great, and the shelter manager is even better,” she laughed.
“And Betty’s house? Is it working out for you?” Susan asked. “It sounds romantic.” Her eyes cut toward Brentley, and he held her gaze for a few seconds then ducked his head.
It happened so quickly, Samantha wondered if she had imagined it but grinned at the thought of those two getting together. “Yeah, it’s great. But we hope to start building a house on my land to replace my camper within a year… maybe a little longer.”