The Best Man Plan - Jaci Burton Page 0,66
didn’t matter to Frances and Clyde, though, because he’d failed.
Sometimes this job was rewarding as hell. Days like today? It just fucking sucked.
Puddy wandered into his office, so he bent down and wrapped his arms around his pup. Puddy licked his face and it was just what he needed.
He ran his hands over Puddy’s back. “You know just how to make me feel better, buddy.”
But he couldn’t hide in his office, so he did rounds, checking on the other in-hospital patients, finished updating charts and reported in to Dr. Sunderland.
“Tough loss today,” Carl said.
Jason nodded and gave his report on the surgery.
“You did everything you could, but the injuries were too severe. I just finished reading your report.”
“Still sucks to lose her.”
Carl nodded. “Always does. That you care so much about the loss means you’re in the right line of work. Now go home and shake it off tonight, and come back tomorrow ready to save some lives.”
“Thanks.”
But he didn’t go home. He waited until Carl and Frances showed up to pick up Sweet Pea. Then he sat with them while they cried over their dog, answered whatever questions they had and hugged them both.
He’d lost pets of his own over the years, and it was always hard as hell. He knew exactly how they felt. It was like losing a part of yourself, a member of your family.
After they left, he grabbed his keys and his dog and got into his truck, went home, fed Puddy and let him outside. Then he took a long shower, trying to scrub off the feeling of utter defeat. He got out and felt cleaner, but the feeling of loss lingered. So he grabbed his phone to send a text message to Erin.
What are you doing?
She texted back. Paperwork.
He replied: You’re working late. Let me take you to dinner.
It took her a few minutes to reply.
Not sure that’s a good idea.
He frowned. What did she mean by that? It had been a few days since he’d seen her, and he’d been swamped with work at the clinic, but he thought things were good with them.
He sent another text. I really need to see you.
Again, it took her another few minutes before she sent her reply.
I am hungry.
He hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath until he got her response.
He sent her another text: I’ll be there in thirty.
He got dressed, called Puddy in and gave him a bone to chew on. Puds happily took the bone and trotted to his blanket. Jason grabbed his keys and got in the truck to go pick up Erin.
He needed to shake off this mood, because he never brought work home.
This was more than work, though. It was devastation. He hated feeling it, hated that it lingered within him. He tried not to let any of his clients affect him personally, but he’d been treating Sweet Pea since his first day on the job—hell, even before that, when he’d started interning at the clinic before he graduated from vet school. She was a sweet dog, her tail always wagging whenever he walked into the exam room.
Dammit. His eyes welled with tears and he swiped them away. He couldn’t get emotionally involved with his clients. That wasn’t how this was supposed to work. He had to remain unaffected, do his job and move on, even when the outcome wasn’t positive.
Which was why he needed to see Erin. She was a needed distraction, a balm to his soul.
He pulled up in front of the main house and parked, then got out. Agatha came around from the side of the house with Finn holding her leash.
“Hey, what’s up?” Finn asked.
“Nothing much.” He bent down to take the full brunt of Agatha’s enthusiastic greeting. “Hey, baby girl. You get bigger every time I see you. And prettier, too.”
“Stop. You’ll spoil her.”
He looked up to see Erin standing on the top step of the porch, looking exceptionally pretty in a bright yellow sundress with flowing short sleeves and ruffles at the hem that billowed in the night’s breeze.
He grinned and stood.
“I’ll just hand her off to you,” Finn said, dropping Agatha’s lead in Jason’s hand.
“Thanks, buddy.”
Finn walked off and Jason headed up the steps. “You get prettier every time I see you, too.”
Her lips curved. “Stop. You’ll spoil me.”
He walked up the steps until he was on the top one with her, then slipped an arm around her.
“Don’t,” she whispered, and he backed away.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I’m just . . . I don’t