He realised she wasn’t joking. Taken aback by her reaction, he took off his glasses and busied himself cleaning each lens before putting them back on. ‘We seem to have got off to a bad start. Ihaven’t been back on the island long and the last thing I want to do is upset people.’
‘Brodie’s taken over the veterinary practice that Old Man Winter used to run,’ Bethan explained. ‘He’s lovely really.’ She gave Brodie a pointed look. ‘And not always this hopeless with people.’ Her expression changed and Brodie suspected she was thinking he liked Lettie. Did he? He pushed the thought away. Now wasn’t the time for getting ideas about people.
He had no intention of getting romantically involved with a client, not after what had happened in the last practice he had worked. Brodie shuddered to think about the drama that had ensued when his kindness had been taken as attraction when a farmer’s wife assumed there was more between herself and Brodie, and rumours had begun flying, causing the practice to lose several much-needed clients when the husbands lost their trust in him. He needed to make amends and quickly.
‘He is?’ Lettie asked doubtfully.
Brodie gave what he hoped was an appealing smile in Lettie’s direction. ‘I like to think so.’
She didn’t seem impressed.
He heard a laugh and realised it was Zac. ‘Maybe you two should start again?’ He held his hand over the table. ‘Brodie, meet my older sister Lettie. Letts, this is the new vet you’re going to have to get along well with if you expect him to help you out with any animal emergencies.’
Lettie’s eyebrows shot up, as if this thought hadn’t occurred to her. She glanced at her brother before turning her focus back to Brodie. ‘I suppose he’s right.’ She sighed and held out her hand, waiting for Brodie to shake it. He slipped his hand into hers, grateful to her brother for the chance to smooth things over. ‘Hello, Brodie. I’m pleased to meet you.’
For all her niceties, Brodie could tell she still wasn’tconvinced about him. He decided that he liked how she had made up her own mind and doubted Lettie Torel would be intimidated by anyone. He had his work cut out if they were to become friends, and for some reason he couldn’t understand, he felt compelled to find a way to make sure they did just that.
He shook her hand. ‘Very pleased to meet you too, Lettie. If there’s anything I can do to help with your father’s animals, please call on me.’
‘She’ll do that,’ Zac replied before Lettie had the opportunity to do so.
Lettie glared at her brother. ‘Thanks, Zac, I’m perfectly capable of answering for myself.’
‘I can see that,’ Brodie interrupted. ‘I just want to offer my personal services, if you ever need me.’ He saw her looking confused and realised he hadn’t been very clear. ‘That is…’
‘I know what you meant,’ Lettie said quickly before he could finish. Her expression softened. ‘And I am grateful to you for offering. Thank you.’ She raised an eyebrow in her brother’s direction before focusing on Brodie again. ‘I just get a bit defensive when I’m being pushed into something.’
‘And, let me guess,’ Brodie said with a laugh, ‘you then don’t want to do whatever it was, whether you had been intending to, or not.’
‘He’s got you summed up already, Lettie,’ Bethan teased.
Lettie threw her head back and laughed. ‘Exactly that.’ She gave her brother a pointed look. ‘You see, Zac? Other people can understand where I’m coming from. I don’t know why you find it so difficult to do the same. You’re supposed to know me better than anyone.’
Brodie leant slightly forward. ‘I think it’s a sibling thing.’ He turned to his side. ‘Am I right, Zac?’
Zac nodded. ‘I get more entertainment winding my sister up than I do most things.’
‘I have a sister, Maddie, so understand your pain.’ He looked across the table at Lettie to see her reaction, relieved when she pulled a face. The mood lifted and he relaxed.
‘Why don’t you tell us a bit about yourself, Brodie?’ Lettie asked.
Bethan grinned, clearly happy that they were all getting along well now. ‘Yes, why don’t you.’
‘I’m from a family of dentists. Apart from my sister. Maddie did qualify as one too, but decided it’s not for her and recently finished her training to become an interior designer. She hopes to set up her own business.’
‘Were your parents upset when you didn’t choose to follow in their footsteps?’ Lettie asked.
He nodded. ‘They were at first, mostly because my parents and grandfather always assumed I’d join the family practice, but now they’re fully behind me being a vet.’
‘And a brilliant one you are, too,’ Bethan said.
Brodie was grateful to her for saying as much. ‘I’m glad you think so, Bethan.’
Bethan’s cheeks flushed. She finished the rest of her drink and, placing her palms flat on the table, got to her feet. ‘I’m off. I have to get to my mum’s early to walk her two dogs before work, so don’t want a late night.’
‘Is your mum all right?’ Lettie asked.
‘She’s fine, but she’s gone to a spa for a few days with a couple of her girlfriends and Dad is on an early shift, so they asked me to take them out instead.’ She shrugged. ‘I rather like having a reason to get up extra early and always feel more energised when I’ve walked on the beach before breakfast.’
