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“If you’re looking for a job, I’m hiring,” Gaby chimed in. “I could really use a shampoo assistant.”

I creased my nose. Shampooing people’s hair? I knew someone had to do it, and that it was as good a job as any, but touching dirty hair wasn’t exactly something that made me jump for joy. “Erm, I don’t know,” I said.

My mothertskedat me. “Olive, don’t be rude.”

“I’m not being rude, Mom.” I turned my attention to Gaby. “I really appreciate the offer. I just don’t know if being a shampoo girl is the right job for me.”

“Beggars can’t be choosers,” Mom said.

The pair of them looked at me expectantly. Seriously, were they trying to make me feel like dog poop on purpose?

I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed. “I’m not a beggar. I’m just unemployed.”

Mom leveled me with a stare. “You might not be a beggar now, but if you don’t get a job soon, you will be. And then what will you do?”

Ginger woke up from her slumber and let out a bark. I grabbed it thankfully as an opportunity to get out of there. “I’d love to stay and chat, but I’ve got to get this one home. I’ll definitely think about the job offer,” I told Gaby.

Before anyone could reply or make me feel worse than I was already feeling, I left.

“Beggars can’t be choosers,” I mimicked Mom under my breath.

Ugh. Not even awe’ll help you, ordon’t worry, I’m sure you’ll find a new job. It was hard enough to see my place of work burned to the ground. I didn’t need anyone making me feel guilty for not wanting to put my fingers in other people’s dirty hair.

I was old enough to take care of myself, or so I hoped. All I had to do was find myself a new job, one that didn’t involve touching people whatsoever, and I’d be set. Surely that wouldn’t be so hard to do?

Chapter Eleven

Lewis

Monday finally rolled around, and excitement rushed through me. Today would be the first full day of surgery at Pine Paw Prints. I knew operating on an animal wasn’t something to get excited about as it meant the animal was sick, but I loved helping them heal. Saving a life meant giving a family more time with their furry and not-so-furry friends, and I felt honored to be able to do just that.

I looked over the records for my next patient again. I’d studied my cases for today all weekend, but I wanted to be absolutely sure I didn’t miss any crucial details.

“Caramel is ready, Doctor Grant,” Darren said.

I creased my brow. “The rabbit? But I thought Snuckles the cat was first. Says so right here on the schedule.”

Darren ran a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry, we used to do this with Doctor Kline every so often. He said it kept him sharp. He was always concerned he’d operate on the wrong animal.”

I let out a breath of relief. “It’s good to know I’m not going crazy. I do like the idea of keeping me sharp, though.”

“Does that mean I can keep doing it?”

“Sure, why not,” I said with a smile. “I’ll scrub in, and then we can get started.”

Spaying Snuckles took me about twenty minutes, from the first incision to the closing stitches. Caramel’s case was a tad more challenging than Snuckles’s routine surgery. The poor rabbit had a fracture of the distal femur, which meant I had to place a pin down the shaft of the bone and use tiny screws without damaging said bone. Considering the size of an animal as small as a rabbit, I needed to work as meticulously as I could. Thankfully, the surgery went as smoothly as possible.

“Could you call Caramel’s owners to let them know the surgery went well?” I asked Darren as I tossed my scrub mask in the bin.

“Of course,” he said. “I’ll clean up in here and then call. Did Lori say when she’d be back?”

I shook my head. “She’s going to call me this afternoon with an update. The doctor thinks she might have mono. They’re waiting for a blood sample before they can confirm anything.”

Darren whistled between his teeth. “That sucks. Mono can knock you out real good.”

“I might have to draw up a job listing, just in case,” I said. “We can’t run this place without a good receptionist.”

I walked back to my office and shut the door behind me. If Lori had mono as the doctor suspected, I would have to find someone else to fill in for her. Someone with experience working in a vet clinic. Someone who could start right away. Where on earth was I going to find a qualified person like that?