‘Hi Devon, how’re you going?’ Bets, the first in for morning surgery, was opening post, being her usual cheerful self. Too bad she was the closest thing he had to a sister, as well as being an employee to boot. Wouldn’t life be simpler with a nice uncomplicated woman like her?
‘I bloody hope it’s better than yesterday. You missed all the fun.’ Rolling his shoulders, he tried to stretch out the tension.
‘I heard you had a cageful of baby hamsters on the loose.’ She giggled and then looked at his face. ‘You look like hell. Do you want a coffee?’
‘Coffee would be great.’ He followed her into the kitchen area and watched as she spooned a huge heap of instant granules into a mug. ‘Steady on, I’ll be flying with that much caffeine.’ Costing him another sleepless night.
‘You look like you need it to get through the next couple of hours. Please tell me you’re not on call again tonight.’
Devon pinched his lips together.
‘Oh, for God’s sake, what are you like?’ She shook her head, her glossy curls bouncing.
Devon suspected that next to each other they created the juxtaposition of life and death: him, dark eyed, pale and washed out, her, rosy pink and bursting with vitality.
‘Give yourself a break.’
‘I’m fine.’
‘You’re going to work yourself into an early grave.’ Her eyes softened. ‘You need to look after yourself. When was the last time you had a proper night off?’
He shrugged. Locum work on call paid well, even if it could be traumatic. Last night he’d been called to a field of sheep, some of which were so badly hurt, he’d had to put them down. Literally torn limb from limb by some predator. Those were the calls he hated.
She poured boiling water in the mug and handed it to him with a wicked twinkle. ‘Maybe you like delivering kittens and puppies in the middle of the night. Wilsgrave’s ministering angel.’
Then she gave him an assessing look. ‘No, more like disreputable gypsy. You need a haircut.’
‘I’m too damn busy. Meant to go this morning.’ He scowled. ‘I certainly wasn’t anyone’s ministering angel when I had to put the Briggs’ dog out of its misery.’ He tugged at his sleeve under the white coat, trying to think of something other than the trust in the young dog’s eyes.
‘Oh, no.’ Bets’ face crumpled. ‘Not Essie. Poor thing. Ethel and William must be devastated.’ Bets worried at her lip, her eyes round with sympathy. Too kind for her own good.
Devon gritted his teeth, swallowing back the flash of fury. ‘Maybe they should have thought of that before letting the dog get so bloody overweight. I told them over and over – that dog needed to go on a diet. With diabetes and arthritis, poor dog didn’t stand a chance.’
Bets sighed and patted his hand. ‘And they’ll be feeling terrible about it, Devon. They’re not bad people. Just not very bright. They did really love that dog and gave it a very happy life.’
Now he felt doubly guilty because he’d given them a hard time. They should have been told before. ‘Yeah, and I had to take it away.’
‘Maybe you should go see them. See how they’re doing.’
He stared at her. ‘What?’
‘It’s good patient relations.’
‘Where the hell did you hear that? I’m running a veterinary practice, not a flaming District Nurse service.’
Bets looked innocent, or tried to. ‘It’s the sort of thing your dad would do.’
Shame Dad hadn’t been tougher with them earlier.
She gave him an encouraging smile. ‘And most likely Jack,’ she added with a wistful look that suggested she was thinking of Devon’s younger brother, currently away in the final year at Vet School.
‘Yeah, neither of the soft-hearted buggers would charge them either.’
‘Everyone in the village loves your dad.’
‘I’m not surprised.’
‘Not because he’s soft on payment . . . he’s very caring, whereas you . . . well, you’re more logical.’ Trust Bets to temper her meaning.
‘You mean I’m aware I’m running a business here and there’s no place for sentiment. And it’s a bloody good job I am as otherwise when you come to marry my brother, there won’t be a practice for him to go into. Businesslike is efficient. Making sick animals better.’
‘Yes, but,’ Bets looked dogged, ‘you can be nice too.’
‘I am nice.’
She raised one insouciant eyebrow. ‘You hide it well. You can also be a bit grumpy and bad tempered.’ She grinned up at him, her laughing eyes taking the sting out of her words.
‘Any other personal comments before I open up for the morning?’
‘No,’ she paused as if considering, ‘not today.’ Her cheeky grin penetrated his misery, making his smile slightly genuine for once. It was hard work trying to pretend that you were normal when underneath there was a black morass just waiting to drag you back down.
‘You do remember who the boss is, don’t you?’
‘Yup, but I’m indispensable and very good at making coffee.’ She nodded to the mug in his hand.
She had a point. Bets was probably one of the best veterinary nurses he’d ever worked with and also incredibly willing. She’d done loads of extra hours without being paid. He’d have to make it up to her, but unfortunately for the time being he needed to keep costs cut to the bone. If the practice were his, he’d have introduced lots of changes which would improve efficiency but also make life easier for everyone, but at the moment he was babysitting the business until his dad was well enough to come back to work. There was so much that could be done here.
‘I, er,’ he winced at having to ask her yet another favour, ‘don’t suppose you’d—’
‘Take Dex out for a walk today?’ she asked without letting him draw breath. ‘Course I will.’
‘No, actually I’m planning to take him out after surgery later but I was wondering if you’d have him for me next week. I’ve got to go into London to sort out some paperwork and I thought I’d take in a lecture.’ He might as well make the most of the day if he had to put up with an hour’s train journey into town for another showdown with his ex, Marina.
A most uncharacteristic shifty gleam lit Bets’ eyes. ‘Yes, if you’ll do me a favour.’
‘What’s that?’ He took a long draught of coffee, knowing it would be difficult to refuse.
‘You know the darts team . . . ’
Devon groaned. ‘Really. I—’
‘We’re short because the Myers brothers will be on holiday and I don’t want to forfeit the match.’
‘You might as well, I’m no good.’
‘It’ll be fun and it doesn’t matter. We won’t win without Dave and Phil anyway, but Magda’s left me in charge. I can’t let her down.’
‘All right, then. And you’ll have Dexter?’
‘Of course. No probs. We can go out for a nice long walk first thing and I can call in on the newbie.’
‘Newbie?’
‘I forgot, you missed the meeting. Remember, Madga’s got her goddaughter house-sitting for her.’
‘I do remember and I’m very grateful I missed it. The poor woman probably just wants to be left alone.’
‘Magda just wanted to make sure she feels welcome. So I can kill two birds with one . . . dog.’
Devon ignored the dreadful pun.
‘Shall I swing by and grab him first thing? I’ve got the key. Or,’ her eyes looked hopeful, ‘I could pick him up the night before and he could have a sleepover.’
It wasn’t as if he didn’t owe her. ‘OK, you can have your dog fix.’
‘Yay!’
‘Just don’t let him sleep on the bed. You’ll give him ideas above his station.’
Bets sighed heavily. ‘It’s only for one night . . . ’
‘Tough. Dexter stays downstairs.’
‘But I get lonely.’ She sighed again, pulling a lovelorn and pathetic expression. Unfortunately, Bets’ wholesome pretty face didn’t lend itself to the attempt. ‘I wish Jack were coming home soon. It’s ages until the end of this term and he’s so busy with exams he doesn’t want me to go down.’
Devon rolled his eyes. ‘It’s not for ever.’ Personally, he thought the two of them were far too young to settle down but then he had a pretty jaundiced view of relationships right now.
‘True.’ She bounced up, her face brightening to its usual sunny wattage. ‘And there’s always the welcome-home sex-in-every-room marathon to look forward to.’
‘Too much information,’ he groaned, ‘about my brother. And images I’d rather not have next time I set foot in your place.’