Page 43 of All I Need

“You’re the best. When you get done here, make sure you head up front. Linda’s working with the woman who’s likely going to be replacing her. It’d be good for you two to meet.”

She nods. “Sounds good. I’m going to miss Linda around here. It’s like the end of an era.”

“Like she’ll stay away.” I grin.

“True,” she murmurs.

“I have to leave a little early today to go see the Sanders’s. If you can make sure Copper’s taken care of when they come, I’d be grateful.”

“No problem.”

“Thanks, Angela.”

I leave her to finish what she’s working on and take care of a few other things before my next appointment. Over the next few hours I do my best to focus on the animals, even though I continually hear Ellie’s sweet voice filter through the office. Knowing she’s here is a blessing and a curse.

I take a look at my schedule and notice that we have a nice lull in patients before and after lunchtime so I send a quick text to Grayson who’s been busy working in the back barn that we have on the property for larger animals.

Me:Hungry?

Grayson: I thought you said there were no stupid questions.

I chuckle at his smartass response.

Me: Tone down the smart mouth. Can you order some lunch for the staff? Maybe just some sandwiches from the freaky fast place.

Grayson: What’s the special occasion? You never buy everyone lunch.

I almost growl at how well he knows me.

Me: It’s not that shocking. Just do it. Use my card that you pretend not to have the number memorized.

Grayson: **sideways laugh emoji**

Grayson: On it, boss.

I decide against replying again and leave him to it. He’s a smart enough kid to know how to order food for the staff that everyone would like. Plus, if I continue to text him, he’ll only put more questions in my mind about why I’m ordering lunch for everyone. Not that I’m stingy and never treat them, however, it’s usually more planned out.

Instead, I quickly shoot off a quick message through the computer system to the rest of the staff and let them know that sandwiches are being delivered and we’ll be taking a long lunch on me today.

Within thirty seconds, Linda pops her head into my office, winks then giggles and walks away. Everyone thinks they know me so well. It’s possible I’m a little transparent but would it hurt anyone to not acknowledge it?

Twenty minutes later Grayson stops by my office with a box in his arms. “Sandwiches delivered freaky fast per your random request.” He shoots me a cocky grin then continues walking to the break room area before I can get in a word.

I groan and toss the pen I was holding. It skids across my desk before landing next to a frame holding my favorite collage picture of me with the turd. He had it made for me last Christmas. The collage is a collection of snapshots of us over the years. I’ve been there with Grayson for every single one of his firsts. When he first ate solid food, learned to walk, even when he discovered the joy of his little pecker. He was in the bathtub at my house and looked down, flicked it and looked up at me as if he’d just discovered his new favorite toy. When he started going to school, little league and soccer… every memorable moment and so many more that meant nothing but spending time together so they meant everything. If I think back over time, I can maybe… kind of… just a little bit see where Miss Polly is coming from.

He’s been my life, my world. I can’t imagine a day not seeing him or talking to him. Grayson may be my nephew but he’s also my buddy, my side kick. It’s not as if Willow has ever expected me to spend this much time with him—it’s come naturally and I’ve never questioned it.

Until now.

Until I met someone who I could potentially see a future with.

Even only knowing Ellie for a week, not even dating yet—my shoulders don’t feel as weighed down just knowing that she’s here. At first I thought maybe it was about our physical chemistry, which is absolutely undeniable.

After spending only a small amount of time with her, it’s obviously more than that. And that terrifies me more than anything.

I push away from my desk and make my way into the break room. The first thing I hear is Linda’s laughter and it makes me smile. Even with as much as she has going on at home with her husband’s health, she never fails to bring happiness to the clinic. I’m going to miss her and her light. Now that I’m standing on the other side of the door listening as the staff talks and jokes around with each other, I’m happier than I was before that I had Grayson order lunch for everyone. I feel like a selfish ass that I didn’t plan a going away party for her already so I’ll have to make some last minute arrangements to do something special for her next week.

“This was really nice of Walker to buy us lunch,” I hear Ellie say when the chatter dies down. “Shouldn’t we check to make sure he’s coming?”

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