Defending Hayden (Second Chances #7)(58)

“Holy shit, that’s horrible. What happened?”

“I had a dog come in with parvo, and it ended up spreading to other animals in the clinic. The thing is, I don’t see how it could have. I’m a stickler about keeping things clean, and I had the dog isolated the entire time. I called my assistant the other day, and she doesn’t understand it, either.”

“So it was just an accident, right?” Kate asked.

I shrugged. “I assume so, but it’s something that should not have happened. The only people who would’ve been around the dog are Jessica, Charity, and Amanda, but obviously, none of them are taking the blame for it. In the end, it lands on my shoulders. What makes it worse is that one of the dogs who contracted it died a couple days ago. And I just found out a few minutes ago that another one died today.”

She clasped a hand over her mouth. “Oh, no.”

“Exactly. Now do you see why they don’t want me back?”

“That’s ridiculous and you know it. You need to figure out who the incompetent one is. What if it happens again?”

I never would’ve thought one of our nurses would be so careless as to let that disease spread through the clinic. Plus, it was just to my patients. Even if I had to take the blame, I didn’t want to see any other innocent animals suffer because of it.

“Kate, you’re right. What if it does happen again? The only thing is that I don’t know where to start. Wilford isn’t going to listen to me. As far as he’s concerned, it’s all my fault.”

“Surely there’s someone who can help you,” she suggested.

“No one I really want to put my trust in. If my friend Michael were still there, I’d get him to do it, but…” Then it dawned on me. “Kellie Spence,” I said. “She’s the owner’s granddaughter, but she’s a good friend. I’m going to see what she can do.”

Kate sat back triumphantly. “Glad I could help. It sounds to me like someone wanted you out of the clinic. If it was genuinely an accident, one of your nurses would’ve confessed. At least that would’ve been the moral thing to do.”

I couldn’t argue with her there. If the tables were turned, I would have admitted my guilt if I’d known I was responsible. I’d never had any issues with Amanda or Charity, but if it was Jessica, it wouldn’t surprise me. From the moment I’d started working at the clinic, I could see it on her face she didn’t want me there. The looks got worse when Jeremiah started showing interest in me. Then it all clicked into place.

“I think it was Jessica,” I stated adamantly. “I didn’t realize it until now, but all along, she’s never really liked me.”

“And why is that?” Kate asked with furrowed brows.

“She’s interested in another doctor at the clinic, but he’s expressed his feelings for me. If I were gone, she’d have me out of the way to pursue him.”

Kate blew out a breath. “That’s a pretty messed-up way to get a man’s attention. I’d be careful with that one, Hayden. You never know what a person’s capable of. If this girl is fine with killing animals, who’s to say she won’t hurt a human?”

She had a point, but I wasn’t afraid of Jessica. If she really did f*ck me over on purpose, she was going to pay for it. All I had to do was figure out how to find the truth.

—

“You bored yet, coming to my practices?” Derek asked with a laugh.

We were on our way back to his house, which was basically where I’d stayed all week. The only time I’d gone to my place was to grab more clothes. Patch loved staying at Derek’s because he had Bear to keep him company; the two were inseparable.

“Not at all,” I replied truthfully. “I just know that I can’t watch you play football every day for the rest of my life.”

He winked. “And why not?”

I rolled my eyes. “You know why. I have a career I love, and I want to get back to it.”

Clasping my hand, he kissed it. “You will, baby. I have no doubt you’ll find another job. There are plenty of places in Charlotte.”

There were, but I didn’t want another job; I wanted the one that had been stripped away from me. “Do you mind running by Furever Yours? I want to talk to Kellie and check on the puppies.”

“Sure. I’ll drop you off and grab us something from the café if you want.”

“That’ll be awesome. It won’t take me long, I promise.”

Since downtown Belmont was already packed with people, Derek had to park a little way up the street. Grabbing my hand, he pulled me in for a kiss before I could separate from him. “Want me to get you a piece of that chocolate cake you love?” he asked, his voice low and seductive in my ear. I couldn’t help but smile. The last time we’d eaten chocolate cake, we’d eaten it off of each other.

“Might want to get two pieces,” I murmured back. “One wasn’t enough last time.”

He bit his lip and smiled. “Then you better hurry. I don’t know if I can last until after dinner.”

Shaking my head, I playfully pushed him away and started down the street. “See ya in a minute.”

I glanced back and grinned when I saw him with a group of middle school boys, all of them wide-eyed and giddy with excitement. It was still surreal, knowing that he was a celebrity and he’d chosen me. Never in my life would I have imagined I’d be with someone like him when he could have any woman he wanted.