Page 39 of The Grumpy Vet
Ryde lets out a shaky breath and starts nodding. "Okay. Yeah. Normal. I can do that."
"Good. Now let's get out there and save Linus. He's got to be shitting a brick. That's one hell of a surprise he just got."
Ryde's eyes bulge. "Shit. You're right."
With a final quick towel dry of his hair, we race out of Linus's bedroom, only slowing when we approach the kitchen and the sound of the two men's voices grows louder.
"Dad!" Ryde exclaims. "What a surprise!"
He crosses the kitchen and gives his father a hug. That gives me enough time to shoot Linus a quick look and mouth, "What the fuck?"
He shrugs a shoulder then refocuses on Ryde and Oakey. Good idea. I need to take my own advice and act cool.Nothing to see here, folks.
"Oakey," I say, putting on a warm smile.
He embraces me. "Good to see you, Dario."
Oakey Hunt has always been nothing but nice to me, welcoming me into his home with open arms. Over the years, I've sometimes worried that he's picked up on my feelings for Ryde, but if he has, he hasn't said anything. At least not to me, and I'm pretty sure not to Ryde, either. Surely Ryde would've mentioned it if he had.
"How was your workout?" he asks, but since it's not clear which one of us the question is directed to, the three of us stare at each other, unsure who should answer first. Oakey's blue eyes—similar to Ryde's but a shade lighter—narrow, flicking between me and his son a few times.
"Great," I finally say. "Ryde's been whipping us into shape."
Oakey quirks a brow and turns to Linus. "You getting in on the action, too, mate?"
Linus chokes out a chuckle then clears his throat. "Yeah. Figured I could stand to get into shape."
"Too right you can. You're a monster. I can barely look at you." Oakey shields his eyes as we all laugh politely—and maybe a little nervously—at his joke. Seriously, you could cut the tension in here with a knife.
I guess when I asked Ryde before if he'd told his dad about these workouts, I should have asked if he'd mentioned that Linus was involved as well. It's clear now he omitted that minor detail.
Linus adds another plate and serves up chicken stir fry for the four of us.
"So, and I mean this in the nicest possible way of course, what are you doing here?" Ryde asks his old man once we're seated around the dining table.
"Oh, you know, I was just in the neighbourhood," he replies with a wry grin.
Ryde raises a brow. "Right."
"Nah, I just wanted to pop in. It's been a while since you've been home, and I've been at a bit of a loose end since things ended with Fiona, so…here I am."
"Well, it's good to see you," I say.
"It's good to be here," he says, then, "Oh, shit. I'm an idiot."
"What's up, Dad?"
"With Dario staying at yours, I guess that doesn't leave any room for me."
"I've got a spare room," Linus chips in. "You can stay here. For a reasonable price."
Oakey chuckles. "I was a very fair landlord to you back in the day, thank you very much."
"You were," Linus concedes. "And I got my full bond back despite what I did to the bathroom drains."
Oakey tilts his head. "What did you do to the bathroom drains?"
Linus chuckles. "Nothing, mate. I'm joking."
