Colton.” Dr. Murphy waves me in.
He’s only here three days a week now, and last year he discussed with me about investing in the business until I could buy him out completely. But I know a little birdie named Lori keeps whispering in his ear that I’m too young and the clients don’t listen to me like they do him.
“Let me guess, I made Buzz Wheel?” I say just so Lori knows she doesn’t need to go behind my back.
“You didn’t see it?” She smiles sweetly at me. “That blog should be shut down. You can’t even trust the information.”
“Yet you take screenshots,” I deadpan.
Her friendly demeanor fades. “I just think that Dick should know what’s going on with his employees.”
My gaze shoots to Dr. Murphy, and he pinches the bridge of his nose. “Lori, please give us a minute.”
“Sure, I need to redo a file that got coffee spilled on it yesterday anyway.” She stands and shoots me an accusatory glare.
I don’t say so, but it was Brigette who spilled the coffee.
“I’m sure you wouldn’t mind forwarding that Buzz Wheel to me?” I ask.
Her hand pauses on the door, but she doesn’t turn around. “Of course, as soon as I get to my desk.”
“Thanks.”
She finally leaves and Dr. Murphy asks her to shut the door behind her, which means this is more serious than I thought.
“Colton, have a seat.” He gestures, and I sit in the chair in front of his desk. I have an office, but mine doesn’t have a window like his. I’ve mentally arranged my own furniture in this office many times. “I’m going to shoot straight, and I’d like you to be straight with me on a few things.”
“Okay.”
“I always thought of you as a Lake Starlight lifer. I started this practice five years after working in Anchorage for another veterinarian. You see the pictures on the wall. This place was small at first. One room, and now we have four rooms. It’s not only Lake Starlight I see, but all the neighboring communities.”
I lean back in the chair and rest my ankle on my knee. This is going to be a long conversation. I resist the urge to check my watch for fear of being rude. “Yes, you’ve done an amazing job.”
“And when you came to me and asked to be an apprentice, I was thrilled. Mrs. Murphy and I not being blessed with our own kids, I knew one day I would have to make the tough decision about selling the practice. And I know we’ve talked about you buying a small stake, taking over day-to-day operations, and eventually buying out my share.”
“Yes. I’m still very on board with that.” I’ve never wavered.
“Things have changed though. You’re getting married.”
“To Brigette. I’m assuming she could stay on staff as well?” He’s never had a problem with us before. Hell, the staff here had a cake to celebrate our engagement the day we announced it to them, so I’m not sure where he’s coming from.
“Brigette is from France,” he says as though I’m not aware.
“Yes, sir.”
He opens his mouth as though to say something, then closes it before he says, “Are you sure she’s not going to want to go back someday? What if she becomes homesick or wants a practice in a bigger city? You know being a veterinarian in a small town is very different than in a big city?”
“As far as I know, she wants to stay in Lake Starlight. She wants to make her life here.”
He raises his eyebrows as though he’s not so sure.
“Dr. Murphy, I assure you, if we go through with the plan of me taking over Four Paws, it’s in good hands with me.”
He straightens some papers on his desk. “That article Lori was just showing me says…”
“Says what? What could it possibly say?” My voice is louder than I’d like. Dr. Murphy doesn’t respond when someone is argumentative, but this is pissing me off.
“It says what everyone in this town believes.”
“Which is?” I clench my jaw.
He glances up from his papers. “That you’re torn between two women. That Juno Bailey will always be your first love and Brigette is a replacement.”
I shake my head.
“From my experience, with love triangles, sooner or later the one most affected flees just to get away from the situation. I’m not sure if Brigette reads that stupid gossip blog or not and I’d normally disregard it, but I’ve seen you with Juno. I’ve had a front row seat to your friendship