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Another lie.

“Yes, you do that,” she said. “I’d love to see you bring someone home next Christmas.”

“We’ll see. Listen, I have to go, but we’ll talk soon, okay?”

I disconnected the call and put my phone on the reception desk. There was no way I’d have a date by Christmas, even though the holidays were still months away. I needed to be single for a while. Hearts didn’t heal themselves fast, or at least mine didn’t seem to. It was more of a longwinded and painful process, like pulling teeth.

Being here eased the pain, though. I walked around, taking in every inch of the exam rooms and the one surgical room, the waiting room with a tiled floor, the reception area with animal-themed posters on the wall… All of it was mine now, or at least it would be after one hundred and twenty-four monthly payments.

I smiled, something I hadn’t been able to do in a long time. At least not in a heartfelt way. But this… this was different.

When I met the previous owner of Pine Paw Prints, Alexander Kline, at a veterinary conference in San Diego two years ago, I never imagined that having a beer with him would result in me taking over his vet clinic. Yet here I was, all the way from a coastal town in England. Alexander’s offer had come at the exact right time in my life, and I’d never been happier to pack my bags and start afresh in a town where no one knew me or my past mistakes for that matter.

My father would scold me if he knew I had bought a vet clinic in a small town without ever visiting the place, but the chances of him finding out were slim. I hadn’t seen the man in ten years. Last I heard from him, he’d moved to London with his new family. At least I had dual nationality thanks to him, which meant relocating wasn’t the administrative nightmare it could’ve been.

I grabbed the stack of mail waiting for me at the reception desk and settled myself on the couch in the employees’ lounge. The sound of Archie’s paws on the floor grew louder, and he jumped on the couch as well.

“How was your inspection round, fella? Do you love it here?” I asked him as I scratched his head. “I’ll make a spot especially for you, there in that corner. What do you think, big boy?”

Archie let out a bark in response, then put his head on his paws. I was relieved he clearly felt at ease in here. Uprooting a dog the way I’d done wasn’t easy, especially not for an Akita like Archie.

I put my glasses on and went through the mail. There were some utilities invoices, a coupon book that I tossed to the side, and a pink flyer advertising an exclusive dog walking service. I had no idea how a dog walking service could be exclusive, but I called the number anyway. With me most likely working long hours at the clinic, I’d need someone to go on walks with Archie during the day.

“Canines and Cupcakes, this is Melissa speaking,” the woman on the other end of the line said.

“Good evening, Melissa. I found your flyer in my mailbox and wanted some more information.”

“You did? How lovely. Do you mean about the cupcakes or the dog walking?”

Cupcakes? Just how many different businesses did this woman have? “The dog walking, thanks.”

“Well, I’ve got three different packages you can choose from, but between you and me, I’d opt for the platinum package.”

I furrowed my brows. “I don’t think that’s necessary. I’m not the kind of guy who likes frills and thrills.”

Melissa let out a high-pitched laugh. “Oh, don’t worry, it’s nothing over the top. I’m talking glitter poop bags, so your dog feels like a true star. And we offer personalized rhinestone collars as well. They’re only an extra sixty dollars. One time only, no hidden costs.”

I let out a whistle. “Wow. That sounds… nice, but I’m going to decline.”

“But you didn’t even hear about the other packages I have to offer,” she said, her voice laced with disappointment.

“Yeah, I’m sorry, Melissa. Archie isn’t the kind of dog who cares about glitter and rhinestones. Thanks anyway.”

“Call me back if you change your mind. I’ll even give you a discount.”

I put the phone in my lap and looked at Archie. “That was not a success, but don’t worry, pal. We’ll find the perfect dog walker for you.”

At the words “dog walker,” he jumped up and wagged his tail.

“Tell you what,” I said, getting up as well. “I’m going to work for another thirty minutes or so, and then we’ll jog home, okay?”

I wanted the clinic ready to open for business soon, which meant I had to go over a hundred different things first. The painters had already done their bit last week, giving the entire building a much-needed fresh coat of paint.

As soon as I got the clinic up and running again, I’d get a contractor down here to look over the plans I’d made. The vision I had for this place filled me with excitement, and I could hardly wait to make them a reality.

I wanted to add at least two extra examination rooms and one surgical room to the building. Alexander had told me he was at maximum capacity most days, which concerned me. Having no place to treat extra patients meant more sick animals. I was determined to expand the clinic and make sure every animal in my new hometown got the proper care.

Apart from expanding the clinic, I also wanted to offer puppy training classes. Maybe I could even go to local schools to talk about animal care, or get involved with the petting zoo Alexander told me had opened near the Old Pine Cove Inn. The possibilities were endless.