Untold Page 8

  There was no chance in hell she was going to sleep in the woman’s bed. Just the thought didn’t sit well. It was a recipe for getting even less sleep than she’d been getting. Though, she had slept pretty well the night before. She hadn’t woken up once, not even when Finn had left. Clearly he had thoroughly exhausted her. Multiple orgasms could do that to a girl.

  For just a second, she wondered how long he’d stayed. But then she shook the thought from her head. It didn’t matter. She needed to focus on her current situation. No more distractions.

  But, oh how she wanted one.

  What she needed to do was come up with a new plan—even if it did change, she had to have one—and she wasn’t going to figure it out in that bed.

  Brie grabbed the edge of the blanket and threw it off before getting up. First thing was first, she needed coffee and a shower. Once she got both of those, she could figure out what to do next.

  * * *

  St. Francis Veterinary Clinic was located almost right in the center of downtown Mirabelle. It was another one of the small-town businesses that was run out of an old Victorian house. This one was three-stories tall and painted a dark blue. There was an identical sage-green house sitting right next to it. That was where the owner of the clinic, Dr. Paul Laurence, lived with his wife, Delilah.

  For fourteen years, Dr. Laurence had been the only vet in Mirabelle. There were a few other veterinarians in Atticus County, and some of the residents did take their business elsewhere, but the rest of the town had kept the man very busy.

  And it was more than just the practice. St. Francis had started a foster/adoption program years ago. They’d done it because the only other shelter in Atticus County was a kill shelter. The program at St. Francis had done a lot over the years in saving animals from being euthanized.

  Finn had begun volunteering when the program started. He’d been sixteen years old and he ended up cultivating a strong relationship with Paul. The man had become his mentor. Still was, as a matter of fact.

  As soon as Finn graduated and moved back to Mirabelle, Paul had offered him a job. That had been almost three years ago now. He loved working there, genuinely enjoyed coming in every day. Even if he was tired, or in that day’s case, exhausted.

  It was just before nine in the morning when Finn and Frankie walked in the empty waiting room. They both headed directly for the kitchen, Finn needing another cup of coffee to help with the grogginess that still lingered.

  If he’d fallen asleep as soon as he’d gotten home the night before, he would’ve gotten five hours before having to get up for work. He could live off five hours. Even four would’ve been welcomed. He was working off of about two.

  He blamed his brother.

  Finn usually slept like a baby after he’d screwed his brains out. Yet that wasn’t the case. Instead of sleeping he’d had his own personal slide show, the last couple of years playing out in his brain. After becoming a veterinarian, the significant things in his life were few and far between. Getting his job…getting the house…getting Frankie…that was about it. Everything else that was significant belonged to his friends and family.

  Engagements, weddings, births. He’d sat in that hospital waiting room the night his nephew had been born, and he’d been so beyond excited for his brother and Hannah. Their joy had been his joy.

  But that was the point…it was their joy. It had been awhile since he’d had his own joy.

  The smell of coffee got stronger and stronger as Finn moved down the hallway, and when he walked into the kitchen he understood why the waiting room was empty.

  For the last twelve or thirteen years, Gabby, a white and yellow cockatoo, had become a permanent fixture at the clinic. When her owner had died, there hadn’t been anyone to claim her so the practice had adopted her. The bird had settled in nicely to her new life and home, and she greeted everyone and everything that walked in the front door.

  Well, when she was on her perch she did. She was currently on the shoulder of Janet Peterson—the official receptionist of the clinic, a job she’d held for about thirty-five years now—and being fed grapes.

  “Hey, Janet. Hi, Gabby.” Finn reached up and rubbed his hand across the bird’s back.

  “Hi.” Janet smiled. Gabby lightly nipped at Finn’s finger in affection before she squawked a hello.

  “Coffee is fresh,” Janet said before she slipped Gabby another grape.

  “Thank God.” The woman’s coffee was usually strong enough to stand a spoon up in. It was exactly what he needed. He opened a cabinet door and pulled down a mug.

  “Bad night?”

  How to answer that, he thought as he poured the rich brown liquid into the mug. It made him think of the color of Brie’s hair.

  “No, not a bad night.” Well, not bad until he ran into his brother. Before then it had been glorious. “Just long.” Everything after he’d left Brie felt like it had taken an eternity.

  There must’ve been something more to his tone, something that inspired concern, because Janet reached out and touched his arm. “You OK, honey?”

  “Yeah.” He looked at her and nodded, giving one of his smiles before he turned back to his coffee and added a little sugar and half-and-half. “I’m OK.”

  At least his words sounded a lot more genuine than they felt.

  * * *

  Checking out of the inn was the first thing on Brie’s new agenda. Neither Shep nor Hannah were there when she left, so she’d put the keys—along with Finn’s glasses—in the drop box by the front door.

  Those had been a fun discovery that morning.

  Then it was back to Bethelda’s to take stock of everything, the kitchen being priority number one. She tossed the few spoiled items in the fridge and then went through the walk-in pantry that was grocery store organized. It had to be as it was packed to the brim with cans and dried goods. If the zombie apocalypse happened, this would be a pretty good place to hole up for a good two or three years.

  She decided that for now she’d just use the overstuffed sofa in the den/library for a bed, which would mean she could sleep fireside if it got cold. Bethelda had enough linens to keep a small hotel going, so Brie threw some sheets and towels into the washing machine before she headed out the door.

  The first stop was the Piggly Wiggly where Brie grabbed a few of her own grocery staples. Well, the staples she needed beyond the chips, chocolate, and wine she’d gotten at Target…like cheese, olives, and crackers. She’d also bought some cream for coffee, milk, eggs, bacon, bread, chicken, fresh fruits and veggies, and so forth.

  After unloading her MINI—which had been filled to the brim—she headed over to St. Francis Veterinary. While taking stock of the supplies she needed, she checked to make sure she was Delores ready. And oh was she. There was an entire section devoted to cat supplies in the pantry.

  Brie had no clue what to expect, but she did know that for as long as she was in Mirabelle she could at least take care of the animal. Once everything else was taken care of, she’d figure out what to do next. Her only hope was that the cat had a better disposition than the owner.

  Well, the previous owner, because Brie was the owner now.

  There was a strip of parallel parking in front of the old Victorian building, so she pulled her Cooper into one of the spots. She got out of her car and headed up the path to the wraparound porch. The second she opened up the front door a loud squawk greeted her ears. Her eyes immediately landed on the white and yellow cockatoo perched a few feet away.

  “Hello.” The bird tilted its head to the side, looking at Brie at an angle.

  “Hello,” Brie said to the bird.

  There was a woman working behind the front desk. She was probably in her sixties with steely gray hair and a thick southern accent. A very tall, muscular man stood in front of the desk, a leash in his hands and a large chocolate Lab on the other end of it. He’d glanced over when the door had opened, Brie getting a pretty good look at his handsome face. The dog looked at Brie, to
o, lightly panting as it sat on its back haunches at its master’s side.

  “I’ll be right with you,” the receptionist said to Brie.

  She smiled and nodded before taking a step toward the waiting area and looking around. It was a warm space. Homey and rustic. The floors were all hardwood, the walls painted a deep red with black crown molding. Sage-green curtains hung from the windows that looked out onto the street.

  A mismatch of wooden chairs lined the walls, all of them sporting a different fabric for the seat cushion. There were solids, flannels, florals, and stripes. A redheaded woman sat in the corner, a cat carrier at her feet. She had one leg crossed over the other as she flipped through a magazine. She was in her late thirties and looked vaguely familiar, but Brie couldn’t place her. A man in his late fifties or early sixties sat a few seats away, his head bent over his phone as he scrolled his thumb down the screen.

  Brie moved her gaze over to one of the walls that was covered with a black bookcase, though there wasn’t a single book on it. Instead it was filled with products: collars, leashes, brushes, pet shampoo, treats, specialty dog food. A corkboard was off to the side, covered in pictures of people and animals.

  Brie crossed the space to get a closer look, her eyes landing on a picture of a man standing with a bay horse. The horse, brown-bodied with a black mane and tail, was nuzzling its nose into the man’s neck, while the man laughed, his eyes crinkling up behind his glasses.

  He wasn’t looking at the camera, but just one glance at the picture and Brie knew it was Finn. Recognition hit her like she’d just missed a step while walking down the stairs, that odd swooping sensation moving low in her belly.

  “How can I help you?” The question brought Brie back to the moment and she turned around.

  “Come on, Teddy,” the guy said as he and his dog moved off to the side and away from the desk, heading toward the waiting area.

  It took Brie a second to remember why she was there. Seeing the picture of Finn had thrown her for a loop. She lightly shook her head as she took a step forward. “My name is Brie Davis and I came here for a cat that you guys have been sheltering. The owner passed away and she was left to me.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry for your loss.”

  It was on the tip of Brie’s tongue to tell the woman she hadn’t lost anything. It was Bethelda who’d lost out. Instead, she just gave a slight nod of her head.

  A clip, clip, clip echoed through the room and Brie looked over as a massive dog emerged from the back hallway. It was mostly white with a few light spots on its fur. The new dog made a beeline for Teddy. The chocolate Lab was dancing next to the man’s legs in excitement.

  “Wow. That dog is enormous,” Brie whispered in amazement as she looked back to the receptionist.

  “You should see her brother. Frankie is about twenty pounds smaller than Duke.”

  Brie’s attention swiveled back to the dog. “Holy cow.”

  Frankie and Teddy were now nuzzling up to each other, licking the other’s face and playfully barking.

  “Brie?”

  This time she froze at the voice that spoke behind her. She knew from just that one syllable who it was. That little swoop she’d felt in her belly at seeing Finn’s picture was nothing compared to hearing his voice. It was a plunge now, like she’d just been pushed off of a cliff.

  She closed her eyes, taking a deep steadying breath through her nose. Exhaling slowly, she turned around.

  Finn was standing a few feet away, his eyebrows raised high over his glasses in surprise. Apparently he had more than one pair. He was wearing jeans and a long-sleeved, hunter-green Henley. The material of his shirt clung to his chest and biceps.

  God, he looked good.

  “Hello, Finn.” Those two words came out surprisingly steady considering her heart was beating out of her chest. What was wrong with her? Why was she so nervous? The man had seen her naked. He’d been inside of her for God’s sake.

  A loud bark rent the air as Frankie stopped playing with Teddy and bounded over to Finn. He didn’t take his focus from Brie as he reached down, his hand landing on the dog’s head.

  “What are you doing here?” they asked in unison.

  She would’ve smiled if she could’ve found even an ounce of humor in the situation.

  “I work here,” Finn answered first.

  “I thought you worked at the bar.”

  “It’s my family’s bar. I work there every once in a while, but I’m a veterinarian full-time.”

  “Oh.” She nodded. What did it really matter that he’d left that little piece of information out? A one-night stand with a local bartender was really no different from a one-night stand with a local veterinarian.

  She, on the other hand, had left out a little bit more. Or a lot bit more.

  Uneasiness settled in and she shifted on her feet. It wasn’t so much that she’d set out to keep her connection with Bethelda a secret…well, except for that whole hiding and running away thing back at the funeral. It was just that once Finn knew, she had a pretty good feeling it wasn’t going to go over very well.

  Though, she wasn’t sure why she cared about that fact anymore. Clearly nothing else was going to happen between the two of them. Him walking out had solidified that. So really, it didn’t matter if he knew the truth.

  It didn’t matter at all.

  Chapter Six

  Secrets

  Finn’s initial thought at seeing Brie was she’s still here. The hope that flared up in his chest was entirely unexpected, and he tried to shove it down.

  Didn’t work.

  The hope was buoyant, expanding like a fucking balloon.

  Shit.

  He didn’t need this. When he’d walked away the night before he’d been done. And yet, looking at her now, he didn’t want it to be done. He wanted to taste her lips again. Wanted to bury himself inside of her. Wanted to feel her warmth. Hear her moans.

  Fuck.

  Fuck, fuck, fuckity, fuck.

  “I came here to get a cat in the shelter,” Brie told him…and everyone else in the room. Both Janet and Bennett Hart—one of Finn’s close friends—were paying close attention to the whole interaction. Just what he needed while he talked to Brie, an audience. A captive audience at that. There was absolutely no doubt in his mind that they were both taking notes.

  And that wasn’t the only audience they were going to get, either. It was at that moment that Dr. Laurence and Annette Wharton (one of the sweetest but loudest ladies Finn had ever met in his life) walked out of an exam room. Mrs. Wharton’s little toy poodle Chester was leading her on a leash in one hand while she gripped her cane in the other.

  “What cat?” he asked, the question coming from his mouth automatically. Audience or not, he wanted to know what was going on.

  “Delores.”

  “Bethelda’s cat?” Finn’s confusion only got worse. Why was she getting Bethelda’s cat?

  “Yes.”

  “Bethelda left you her cat?”

  “Yes.” Brie repeated like that one word was supposed to make perfect sense.

  Too bad it made absolutely no sense. Not a lick. “Why?”

  “My guess is because there was no one else for her to leave it to.”

  It was then that something clicked. “Bethelda was the unwanted, unpleasant business.” Not a question.

  “Was?” A scoffing sort of huff escaped her lips. “Try is. If only this whole thing with her was over.”

  “Did that young lady just say Bethelda left her a cat?” Mrs. Wharton shouted from the other side of the room.

  Brie pulled her gaze from Finn and looked around. Finn did the same, seeing that they’d gotten the attention of the people in the waiting room, too.

  Great. Just what he needed. Mindy Trist was sitting in there. The woman had a mouth made for gossip. She might’ve not liked to be in Bethelda’s headlines for her own exploits, but it hadn’t stopped her from repeating anything and everything. She was currently looking at Bri
e like a spider who’d spotted a juicy fly.

  This was not the place for this conversation. Not even close.

  “Do you have a minute to talk in my office?” he asked her, pointing behind him.

  She nodded.

  “Janet”—Finn looked to the receptionist—“would you please get everything together for Delores? Paperwork and supplies? I need to have a word with Brie.”

  “I can do that,” Janet agreed.

  Finn moved to the side as Brie turned, both of them heading toward the door off to the right. He had every instinct to reach up and place his hand at the small of her back, but he forced himself to keep it at his side.

  Frankie had moved in front of them, leading the way as her long fluffy tail wagged back and forth. She pushed at the partially opened door with her nose, making it swing wider before disappearing inside.

  Both Brie and Finn followed, stepping over the threshold. She moved farther into the room while Finn closed the door behind them and flipped the light switch. As the sun had decided to make an appearance that day, there was a decent amount of light streaming in from the back window, illuminating the space along with the overhead light. Finn’s mahogany desk was off to the side, a bookshelf behind it and two leather armchairs sitting across from it.

  “I’m guessing she belongs to you?” Brie asked as Frankie started to circle her legs, sniffing around her shoes.

  “She does belong to me. She might be massive, but she’s harmless. If you’re scared of dogs or anything—”

  “No, she’s fine.” Brie reached down, letting Frankie sniff the back of her hand. Frankie showed her approval by licking Brie across the knuckles. “Hello, pretty girl,” she said as she leaned forward, her fingers delving into the dog’s soft, thick fur as she started to pet her.

  Such a small thing, but Brie greeted Frankie with the same pretty girl that he always did. That stupid balloon was still expanding. He needed to pop it.

  “So you’re here for Delores?” he asked as he leaned his hip against his desk. “After our conversation the first night you got here, I was under the impression you didn’t know Bethelda.”