Page 4 of The Grumpy Vet
That.
Just like Rydegot a feelingabout Linus, Igot a feelingwhen I met Ryde on his first day at the Blowend Vet Clinic. He was late, slightly dishevelled, and just so fucking adorable. I melted instantly. I waved him over to sit next to me in the staff lounge. We started talking and became instant besties.
I've tried everything these past nine years to get over him, but it turns out dating a string of red-flag guys, including Quadewho not only cheated on me but also tried—unsuccessfully, thank god—to steal the money I'd been saving for a house deposit, isn't the answer to getting over being in love with your best mate.
The only thing left for me to try is to live with him for six months. Hopefully, he's a disgusting, thoughtless pig of a housemate and we drive each other so crazy I never think of him in a romantic light ever again. I don't know how I do it, but I come up with the best plans.
"Good to meet you," Linus says, his voice low. He doesn’t smile, just gives a slow, thoughtful nod as he shakes my hand, his calloused palm rough against mine. "Welcome to Scuttlebutt."
"Thanks." I keep my gaze locked on him, and as much as I hate to admit it, Ryde was right. Despite all of his friends being ridiculously attractive, there's something about Linus that places him a cut above.
Thick dark hair. A smouldering scowl. A few days' worth of stubble. A square jaw. And the way his shoulders stretch the material of his black T-shirt… Je-zus. Can't fault Ryde for being attracted to the guy.
"You guys want a drink?" he asks.
"Sure." Ryde responds eagerly and a little too quickly.
Linus steps up from the table, and I push my chest forwards and straighten my spine. Am I above using my slight height advantage as a passive-aggressive intimidation tactic? No. No I am not.
The three of us make our way to the bar. The place is packed, and someone's bringing out a mic stand onto the stage. With Linus a few steps ahead of us, I whisper to Ryde, "One drink. That's it. Soft drinks or water after that. Okay?"
"Got it," he agrees, looking up at me with that wide, trusting smile of his, and my heart melts into a puddle.
How is it possible to love someone you can't have this much? And I know I can't have him because in all our years of friendship, he's never once given any indication he's interested in me. Unlike him, I have read my fair share of romance novels, and we've never once had a moment where our fingers brushed and he got flushed in the face or we looked at each other intensely and felt something simmering between us. No innocent touch that led to something more. No almost kiss. There's been none of that.
We are firmly and securely locked deep in the friendship zone. And what can I do? You can't force feelings. You can't make someone love you the way you love them no matter how much you'd like to. I'd rather have Ryde in my life as my best friend than not have him in my life at all. That's just the way it is sometimes, and I have the next six months to finally,fully, accept that…or die trying.
We get to the bar, and Ryde steps in so close to Linus he's clinging to him like a koala on a eucalyptus tree. Linus notices and cracks the tiniest of smiles. He then peers past Ryde and makes thewhaddya want to drinkgesture to me.
"Pale ale if they have it."
"I'll have one, too, please," Ryde adds.
Linus places the order, and the tattooed bartender slides three pale ales across the bar as the guy at the mic on stage starts to speak, welcoming everyone to Scuttlebutt's monthly karaoke night.
"It'll be quieter in the courtyard," Linus says, handing us our drinks. "Unless you guys enjoy being tortured."
"Let's go outside," Ryde says, and I agree with a nod.
Ryde leads the way, and I gesture for Linus to go before me. Age before beauty and all that. He dips his head and follows Ryde, his hand finding Ryde's shoulder as the crowd swellsaround us. My chest tightens. Physical contact. That's a good sign. For Ryde. Not so much for me.
But this isn't about me. I'm here to help Ryde navigate what could possibly be a very complicated relationship. It's got all the ingredients you need: Boss/employee, age gap, Dad's best friend. Our earlier chat outside made me see just how in over his head Ryde really is. Poor guy has no idea the potential minefield he's walking into.
Everyone's jostling for a position near the stage, and we have to force our way through the throng to get out to the courtyard. When we finally make it outside, the warm night air and silence is a welcome relief. Apart from a few smokers, we've got the place to ourselves. Linus and Ryde share a bench on one side of a wooden table, and I sit down across from them.
I want to see how they act around each other. All I've gotten so far is one side of the story. Ryde seems to think there might be something between them, but he's not one hundred percent sure. I intend to find out. Working at the clinic will give me a good insight into how they are around each other and whether Ryde's feelings are reciprocated or not.
"So, first impressions of Scuttlebutt?" Linus asks before taking a long pull of his beer.
"Hot, dusty, quiet."
He chuckles, deep in his throat. "That's about right." He then pins me with a stare that almost makes my breath hitch. Ryde told me Linus is intense like that, that one look from him is enough to immobilise you, freeze you in place, but hearing about it and feeling the full force of it is something else. "Not everyone is cut out for outback life."
"I'll be fine." My throat has gone dry, so I have a sip of my ale. "I've always lived in small towns. And I'm looking forward to getting into some farm animal care."
"Not much of that in Blowend?" Linus asks.
"Not really. I've spent the last eighteen months working in a marine sanctuary."
