Small-Town Sweetheart (The Spring Grove Series Book 2) Read online

  I’m already on the floor, cuddling Wilbur and scratching his ears. “Hey.”

  Reed heads to his desk that Dr. Ross had us decorate with “Welcome Home” signs. He rolls his eyes as he throws his backpack under the desk. He sits down, and I bite into my lip.

  “Everyone is excited to have you.”

  “Doubt that.”

  “I think the signs say otherwise,” I note, and he shrugs.

  “Probably my mom’s doing.”

  “Nope, all Dr. Ross.”

  He slides his white coat on before running his hands through his hair. “I forgot you’d be here.”

  I look down at Wilbur, kissing his head. “Is that a problem?”

  He shakes his head quickly. “Not at all. It’s just a nice surprise with it being so early in the morning.”

  Well, that’s nice. I smile at Wilbur. “I’m always early on Monday to make sure everyone remembers their appointments.”

  “Oh, cool. My first full day,” he says on an exhale.

  “Don’t be nervous. Once everyone sees how great you are with their pets, everything will fall into place.”

  He doesn’t seem convinced; he runs his hand through his hair once more. “I’m not nervous, and you sound like Mawmaw.”

  It’s not the first time I’ve heard that. Everyone calls me Mawmaw’s mini-me. I take pride in it. “It happens.”

  He sits down in his office chair, leaning on his thighs with his elbows as he wrings his fingers together. He can say he isn’t nervous, but he is. “How many appointments do we have?”

  I kiss Wilbur’s head and place him on the floor before getting up. He jumps at my legs, so I plop him in my lap as I look on the tablet. “Fourteen.”

  “Wow, that’s a lot.”

  “We have a lot of people who come in from other counties, especially on Monday.”

  “Dr. Ross has made a lot of good changes.”

  I smile. “I pushed him to. I wanted him to go digital, and then I felt like we should reach more people in other counties because we have the best and most state-of-the-art clinic.” I nuzzle my nose into Wilbur’s neck. “I found this conference in South Carolina, and we learned so much when we went. Once we applied what we learned, things turned out great.”

  For the first time, I feel like Reed is committed. He nods as he looks around. “Yeah, it’s a beautiful clinic. Still the same, but good.”

  “We do a lot of work for free or based on the customer’s income, which really brings people in. Dr. Ross just wants to save animals.”

  Reed’s lips spread wide in a smile, taking my breath away. “I agree wholeheartedly. I want to do that up in Lexington, but my buddy who owns the clinic likes money. I’ve actually covered a lot of the surgeries to help families who couldn’t afford it.”

  My eyes meet his, and I feel like my heart is coming out of my chest. I can almost see the boy he was, telling us all how he was going to save all kinds of animals. “Don’t you remember? That’s what you said you wanted to do. I actually stole the idea from you.”

  “No shit?”

  “Yes shit,” I laugh, and his grin widens. “I believed in what you wanted to do, and so did Dr. Ross. We’ve been doing it for over eight years, and this clinic is soaring. It’s amazing.”

  His eyes don’t leave mine as he nods. “That is amazing.”

  “It is,” I agree, kissing Wilbur once more. When I look back to Reed, his eyes are moving along me, and my skin breaks out in gooseflesh under his gaze. His white coat covers a button-up yellow shirt that glows on his skin. He’s wearing a pair of worn, fitted blue jeans along with some boots that were made to get some work done. His hair is still wet from his shower, and Lord, I bet he smells damn good. I slip my tongue out, wetting my lips, and his eyes darken.

  Wilbur barks happily, and I grin, kissing him once more. “What’s wrong, lover boy?”

  He licks me happily, and I can’t help but look back at Reed. His eyes are on my computer, though. I follow his gaze, seeing that he’s looking at the small mason jar holding the single rose. He looks back at me, his lips curving as he says, “You—”

  “Morning, everyone.” Dr. Ross’s booming voice fills the office. “Great morning to make some pets healthy, huh?”

  “Sure is,” Reed says, standing up and shaking his hand. “Thank you for the signs.”

  “We’re excited to have you, son. I hope you have a great ‘real’ first day.”

  “Me too.” Though, Reed still doesn’t look convinced that he will. I hate that. I want today to go great and for him to enjoy everything about our town. His gaze falls on me, and he says, “You ready?”

  “I am.” I get up and carry Wilbur to his bed. After laying him down, I kiss him once more as I rub his neck.

  “I’m surprised you don’t have a dog.”

  I hadn’t noticed he had come near me. I look up into his green gaze and shrug. “I don’t have time. I’m always working.”

  “Why?”

  “’Cause I love this town, and working means I get to be everywhere.”

  Something flashes in his eyes, and he looks away. “You could do so much more if you focused on one thing.” He shakes his head. “You’ve always been like a gnat at a barbecue.”

  I return the smile he gives me. “Maybe, but why focus on one thing when I’m already so happy focusing on multiple ones?”

  He looks back to me and smiles. His eyes move along my face, falling to my lips before he licks his own. Everything inside me catches on fire, and I want more than anything to reach out and touch him. I know that wouldn’t go over well, though, not with Dr. Ross in the office with us.

  “Delaney is the town’s sweetheart. People would miss her if she only did one thing.”

  Reed’s gaze doesn’t leave mine, not even to acknowledge his senior. His eyes are so dark, so full of all things trouble, and I want him. God, I want him. I don’t understand this pull. Is it just a crush I need to act on, or is it really him? Either way, I want more.

  Dr. Ross heads for the door, and I bite my lip. Reed watches me, and I think I might have to make the move here. “So, maybe—”

  “Oh, Del,” Dr. Ross says, popping his head back into the office. I’ve never wanted to cuss my favorite doctor out, but I might right now. “You’ll be at the town meeting, right?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Good.” He then looks to Reed. “Come on, boy. I want to go over some things with you.”

  “Of course,” Reed says, following him out of the office. Wilbur gets out of his bed and follows him, leaving me alone with my frustration.

  There were plenty of moments where we could have talked about something other than what we did, but he kept it professional. I know he’s comfortable with that, but I think if Dr. Ross hadn’t come in, maybe something else would have been said. I feel like Reed is sending me mixed signals, and I don’t do well with that. Just be straight with me. If he doesn’t want me, if it was a mistake kissing me, Lord, tell me. I’m a tough girl. I’ve been lied to enough. I can handle it. But if it wasn’t, then he needs to get naked stat.

  ’Cause I fucking want him.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Reed

  “You don’t know how happy it makes me that you came for dinner.”

  My mom’s hand comes to rest at the back of my neck as I grin up at her. “You act like I don’t ever see you. You can see my cabin from here.”

  She kisses the top of my head. “Because I don’t. You may live right next door, but you’ve been crazy busy and then hiding some too.”

  I roll my eyes as she walks around the table, sitting down before reaching for her glass of tea. “I wasn’t hiding. I love that cabin. It’s quiet and no one bothers me. It’s nice.” She doesn’t seem impressed as she takes a long sip of her sweet tea. I reach for my beer, doing the same as a peaceful silence falls over us. I hadn’t expected to come to dinner tonight, but when I overheard Delaney telling one of the other techs that she was going to the din