Page 26 of All I Need

“I’ve never worked in a vet clinic before.” Ellie’s melodic voice rings through the still air between us. The moonlight casts a glow over the backyard, lightning bugs blink their yellow lights.

“You seem pretty natural with animals.”

“Something tells me that Brutus doesn’t turn away many people from giving him attention.”

My laugh is low and quiet. “Partially true. But he seems rather taken with you.”

We have that in common, I want to tell her.

“Linda, is that what you said her name is?” She waits for me to respond, I simply nod. “She’s been with you a while?”

“Yes. She was there before I took over the practice, actually. Helps with billing, takes appointments, that type of thing. But she takes good notes on her daily duties. She’s documented everything. But, if you don’t want the job, I promise again, no hard feelings.”

“I think Miss Polly would kick me out of her home if I said no,” she jokes.

“Can I be honest with you about something?”

“I’d prefer you lie to me, but go ahead.”

I chuckle at her sassiness. “Miss Polly is the one who suggested I offer you the job. It’s not that she doesn’t want you around—so don’t even jump to that conclusion. I think she wants you around and if you have a job, it’s more likely that you’ll stay.”

“She’s sweet. Honestly, I’ve never really felt as at home as I have here.”

We share a smile. I stand up and move the chair she was sitting in earlier so it’s facing me. Then I settle back in, propping my feet up on the chair cushion, stretching out my legs, hands linked together behind my head.

“Comfy?”

“Mm hmm,” I hum. The corner of her mouth twitches then I watch as her smile fades with my next words.

”Linda has been talking about retirement for a few years but then her husband became ill. Her place right now is with him.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Her words come out just above a whisper.

I move my hands to rest on my stomach. She asked if I was comfortable but truth is, she’s making me anything but. Just her presence is making me antsy. I don’t know what to do with myself because everything in me is telling me to take her in my arms and kiss her breathless. Find out everything there is to know about her. What’s her favorite color and food? How does she take her coffee—or is she a tea drinker? She told Miss Polly she has nowhere to go… where are her parents? And after learning all these things and more, maybe then I’d carry her to my pickup and drive her straight to my bed.

“He’s strong and they’re both fighters,” I say, pulling myself out of the fantasy.

I listen as the crickets sing, the summer evening air mild. Thankfully the mosquitos haven’t taken over yet, making the night more peaceful than it would be in their presence. “Tell me about Grayson.”

My favorite topic. She might regret asking. “What do you want to know?”

Her shoulders lift and drop. “Anything. Everything. Whatever you want to tell me.”

Hmm. I wonder if I could say the same to her about Mr. Ring.

“He’s the best thing that ever happened to me. And Willow.”

“He’s what, fifteen or sixteen?”

“Fifteen,” I tell her on a nod. Then, because she seems like she truly wants to know, I open up about him. “The result of a one night stand.”

“And Miss Polly? How did she become such a big part of your lives?”

“Our parents are… conservative, to say the least. They’re great people, truly, but live by very strict rules. When Willow told them she was pregnant, they said, and I quote, ‘Congratulations, but don’t expect our help’.”

“Hmm,” she hums.

“Yeah, it was rough. We were nineteen at the time, turned twenty shortly after Grayson was born. She was still going to nursing school and I was still working on my undergrad. Miss Polly was married once upon a time but he was killed in an accident before they could have kids. She’s actually the sister-in-law to my dad’s brother and opened up her home to Willow until she finished school and got on her feet.”

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