Fragile Hearts (Poplar Falls #4) - Amber Kelly Page 0,25

he lost his wife and daughters to a fever five years later. Once their son grew up and moved to California, he lived in that big, old house alone. After his death, his son sold the house to a developer who planned to tear it down and use the land for planting, but the town had it declared a historical landmark, and he couldn’t demo it, so he let it sit there and rot. Eventually, the bank foreclosed on the property. It’s been vacant ever since. I sure am glad someone finally saw its potential,” I tell him.

We make it to Faye’s, and the place is slammed. Meatloaf night is a big one around here. No one does it better than her cook, Andy.

We chat as we enjoy our meal. Dr. Brandt is as intelligent and witty as he is handsome. He regales me with stories from his college days and a few of his more memorable experiences as a vet. I’m pleased that our adventure with the birth of little Ali makes the top ten.

When we finish, he walks me back to the Mustang parked out front of the clinic.

“Thank you again for today,” he says as I climb behind the wheel. “And you were right about the coffee. I had no idea what we were missing.”

“Life’s too short to drink shoddy java, Doc.”

“That it is,” he agrees.

I turn the ignition.

“See you tomorrow,” I say with a wave.

He returns my wave and stands and watches until I drive out of sight. What a pleasant evening it turned out to be.

Halfway home, my phone starts to ring.

“Hello?”

“Hey, babe,” Derrick says.

“Hey,” I say.

“I’m sorry about the job,” he starts.

I sigh. “Me too. I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.”

“So, you’re not mad?” he asks cautiously.

“I guess not, disappointed maybe,” I admit.

“I want you to know I wasn’t expecting it. Dr. Singh and I just started communicating, and one thing led to another. This is actually a good thing, if you think about it. I’ll go ahead and find an apartment and once I’m settled you can move in. Then, as soon as something becomes available, I can get you in at the zoo, and our logistics problem is solved. So, if you look at it that way, it’s actually the best-case scenario.”

I’m not really following.

“Wait, I thought you were going to stay in your parents’ basement for now?” I ask, confused.

The line goes silent.

“Derrick? Are you still there?”

I look down at my phone to make sure I haven’t lost the signal.

“Hello?” I try again.

“They didn’t tell you?” he asks.

“Tell me what?”

“Dr. Singh offered me the job at the Denver Zoo, and I accepted the position this afternoon. I start the week after my master’s program is completed.”

What?

“What job?” I ask.

“Animal nutritionist.”

He gives me a moment while the news sinks in.

“Bellamy?”

“You stole my job?” I ask slowly, hoping I heard him wrong.

“It wasn’t like that,” he begins to explain.

“It is exactly like that,” I scream into the phone.

“Sweetheart, listen to me.”

“Go to hell, Derrick!”

I hit the button to end the call. I get a notification of an incoming text from him moments later.

Bellamy, we need to talk. I know it was a shock, but it will be great for our future. I’ll be able to lay the groundwork and build a foundation for you, for us. Then, you’ll be working in Denver, like you always dreamed. It’ll happen soon, and you’ll be by my side. Sleep on it, and we’ll talk tomorrow. I miss you.

He has got to be kidding me.

I press the side button to turn the phone off.

What a jackass.

Bellamy

I barely slept a wink. I tossed and turned and stewed in my anger all night long.

When I make it to the kitchen in the morning, Myer is standing at the island with Momma.

I plop into a stool and drop my head onto my folded arm as I mumble, “Coffee.”

“What did you get into last night, sis?” Myer asks as I hear Momma open the cabinet to grab me a mug.

“Nothing. I just couldn’t sleep.”

Not buying it, Momma slides a mug of coffee in front of me and asks, “What’s the matter, Bells?”

I lift my head and look at her. There’s no use evading. She’s always been able to read me like a book.

“I didn’t get the job at the zoo,” I say.

“Oh, honey, I’m so sorry,” she starts.

“It gets worse,” I tell her. “Derrick got the job. The one he hadn’t even applied for. The one he’d only known