“It’s great to see you both,” Dad welcomes his best friend and kin. “Jack, I hear you have some good news?”
Jack’s mouth spreads wide, all happy and annoying like his son’s. “Well, I sure do. Allen here has been dating Rebecca for a while now, since the incident.” Fucking incident… you mean, when he slid his porker in her ass before he planned to walk down the aisle to commit to me. “And he’s asked her to marry him.” Hah! I laugh inwardly yet feign an expression that says wonderful. I hope she cheats on him like he did to me. Yeah, I hope she fucks his best friend over the food cart, tells Allen his dick is no bigger than a skinny frankfurter sausage, and then she gets crabs from all that whoring around.
“I hope you’ll be very happy together.” My dad slaps Allen on the shoulder and glances over at me with a look of disappointment. “Let me arrange a bottle of champagne to celebrate,” he offers.
Allen doesn’t miss the unspoken words between father and daughter. “Becca loves champagne.” Sure she does, and she’d sip it from my used sock if she could, because that's what women like her do, they use things that aren’t theirs.
“I’ll leave you kids to catch up.” Dad and Jack turn away from us, and my heart sinks. Do not leave me with this asshole. They do. I pull in my lips and hum awkwardly. The musical ensemble of two violinists, a viola player and cellist strike up a classical Beethoven quartet. I’d rather listen to their skill than talk to this man. He looks down at me with big dopey eyes.
“I’ll save us both from the awkwardness by leaving. I wish you both a long and happy marriage. Try to keep your pretzel stick in your trunks this time. Weddings are expensive events to plan for, and not go through with.”
“Romi, wait.” He reaches for my hand, but I flinch away. “Come on, we’ve known each other forever. Don’t be like this.”
“Like what? What do you want from me, Allen? Do you want me to act like all this is okay? That I’m happy my cheating ex-fiancé is marrying my cheating ex-best friend… because, shit, Allen, I’m not a miracle worker. This will never sit well with me. We’ll never huddle around the same table and enjoy a few drinks, shooting the shit together like old times.”
“Romi…” Allen lowers his face to mine. “I’m sorry I hurt you.” His voice whispers into my ear.
I instantly step back. “No, you’re not, Allen. You got what you wanted. And I hope karma comes right back around and hits your lying face with a sucker slap. Enjoy your life with Rebecca.” I put a few steps between us before glancing back at him. “And stay the hell away from me.”
I’m so tired of this shit. All the lies, deceit and secrets. I should out them both, but I want to move on now. I don’t think I was ever truly in love with him, yet it still broke me into a million pieces. My pride took the biggest beating. Whether I can vacuum up all those lost little pieces of myself and glue them back as a whole piece is another thing all together. I don’t know if I will ever be comfortable being in a relationship again after that douche bag.
I catch a cab outside and go straight home where I drag off the dutiful daughter persona, don my sweats, wipe off my mascara and curl up in the bed with my sketch pad. A fluffy grey blanket covers my legs, and I slump back against the headboard.
My thoughts are quick to zone in on the Winters’ project - not my pitiful love life. I’ll smash this design out of the park and show everyone I’m worthy of respect, as Romi Caldwell, and not just Allen’s runaway bride.
3
“All the heifers are looking good. I’ll be back out here at the end of the week to inseminate them,” I tell Hayden, pulling off my sanitary gloves.
“You smell like shit, buddy.” Hayden cocks his hat.
“Try shoving your arm up a bunch of heifers back ends all day and see if you come out smelling like roses.” I toss him a death stare.
He swings the steel gate open, “Rather you than me. I think Summer would puke if I rolled up for a kiss with that smell all over me.”
Ah, there it is. He has Summer to impress, I ain’t got anyone to clean up for. “Yeah, I get it. I’m sure it’s great having a sweet woman waiting at home after a long day,” I tease, with a brow waggle. “I’m sure you’ve christened every room in the house.”
“You’re damn straight. Every room except my dad's bedroom.”
We stroll out of the barn and into the balmy midday sun. “Don’t tell me you did it in Beau’s room. He’ll kick your ass.” I chuckle as we walk back to the house together, past the burnt-down barn. “You getting that place knocked down?” Blackened beams stand amongst the dilapidated ruins.
“Beau ain’t here, so I can test out his mattress all day long.” Hayden slaps my back. “We’ll replace the old barn eventually. Tell me, Clay, when are you going to find time for a woman?”
“Nice thought, you know I make house calls,” I say and wink at him for good measure. “I do what I can, being the only vet in the area.” My answer is sarcastic, yet there is a hint of a lonely feeling in my gut.
“You really need to make thinking about a relationship priority. You need to slow down and take a few chances once in a while; you don’t want to get old with just you and your fat cat that you will no doubt own in your elder years.”
“I hear you loud and clear, buddy. Ain’t no one caught my eye lately. Anyway, I got to run. Tell Summer I want some more of those cookies.”
“Will do, have a great day,” he says and stalks off toward his house, back to a new distraction. I can’t help but watch him, pondering on how Summer makes him happy and complete. Maybe one day I’ll be just as content.
Thoughts of happily ever afters disintegrate into thin air when the tones drop on my Sheriff’s department emergency radio. I jog the short distance to the truck, jump in and respond to the radio to get the details of the situation and reply that I’m en route to the accident.
A horse at a farm about eight miles outside of Heartville has been bitten by a rattlesnake. Time is not on our side if the owner can’t keep the hefty gelding calm. The faster the horse’s pulse beats, the faster the venom travels through his body. Without knowing the full details, I have to prepare for the worst and hope for the best-case scenario.
Questions race through my head. I call my sister back at the office on the Bluetooth device in my truck. She efficiently retrieves the horse’s chart and recites its age, shot records and overall health history. That’s one cool thing about being the only vet in this area, I get quick access to the animals’ medical history which helps me assess situations like this before I arrive on site.
In the five minutes it takes me to reach the farm, I have everything I need to know, so I can grab what I need out of the back of the truck. My boots kick up dirt as I race out to the pasture where they said the horse was waiting. The owner and patient soon come into view, and I slow down, approaching gingerly.
He’s lying on his side with his owner stroking his sweaty throat, whispering softly to him. Luckily, this horse has had all of his vaccine shots, including the one that counters snake venom. All I need to do is clean and treat the bite area, then push some antibiotics to make sure no infection sets in.