‘Yes, of course I do.’ What was he thinking? If he had been unsure about Bethan’s feelings towards him before, he now suspected that she liked him. Would he be leading her on and giving her false expectations by going out with her? He hoped not, but didn’t think that now was the time to change his mind. Notwithout upsetting her. ‘Just let me know when you’re free and we can go one night after we close up here, if you like.’
Her smile told him all he needed to know and Brodie felt his guilt deepen. ‘Great. I’ll do that.’ He winced as the wipe stung his cut hand. ‘Sorry. I know this is a bit sore.’ She lifted his hand to get a closer look. ‘It does look rather deep,’ she said peering down at the long furrow through his skin. ‘Maybe Tigger picked up that you weren’t all that fond of him?’
‘Very funny. Damned cat.’ He wished the morning’s surgery was over, but had noticed there were still three people and their pets waiting to see him. ‘Is it going to be like this all day?’
Bethan nodded. ‘It is. Though I’m not sure all of the pets have much wrong with them.’
He struggled to understand what she meant. ‘Then why would they bring them in here and waste their time and money seeing me?’
Bethan stopped what she was doing and looked at him. ‘And here was me thinking you were a man of the world, Brodie Murray.’
Insulted to think that she assumed he wasn’t, he frowned. ‘I am.’
She took a plaster and stuck it onto his cleaned cut. ‘They’ll stop soon enough, I’m sure.’
He didn’t like the idea of not having any patients and said so.
‘Oh, I’m sure you’ll still have enough work to keep you going,’ she assured him. ‘Just that you’ll have patients needing treatment, that’s all.’
‘That’s a relief.’ He looked at his hand. ‘You’ve done a good job, thank you, Nurse.’
‘My pleasure.’ She gave him a lingering smile and Brodie was sure she was trying to send him some sort of message.
‘Thanks, Bethan.’
‘How about tomorrow night for our drink?’
‘That would be nice.’
‘Right, I’ll tidy this lot up and go and make us both a coffee. I’ll bring yours in after your next patient has left.’ She raised a finger. ‘I almost forgot. I have to pop out for a doctor’s appointment. Nothing worrying,’ she added. ‘Just an annual check so that I can have a repeat prescription.’
‘That’s a relief. Will Tina be coming to stand in for you?’ he asked hopefully. He had spent a week soon after his arrival covering both the reception and his surgery when Bethan had been on holiday and didn’t fancy repeating the experience any time soon.
‘She will.’
Typical Bethan to be so efficient. ‘Thank you.’
Later that afternoon, Brodie saw the final patient out into the reception when Bethan returned.
‘You’ll never guess who I’ve just seen coming out of Hollyhock Farm,’ she said quietly over the reception desk so that only Brodie and Tina could hear her.
‘Who?’ Tina asked, eyes wide.
‘That delicious firefighter Joe. I wonder what he was doing there?’
‘I don’t think it’s any of our business,’ Brodie said feeling as if he’d been punched in his gut. Didn’t the man have a job to go to? He knew Lettie would have been busy, so maybe Joe was helping her. He imagined he would be and was glad to think Lettie had extra help with her work but wished he could be the one helping her.
He turned to Tina. ‘Thanks for covering Bethan today,’ he said grateful for her understanding.
‘It was no problem at all. I appreciate the extra money.’ Tina pointed the biro she was holding in Thistle’s direction. ‘I’m happyto see this adorable dog is still here. He seems very much at home now.’
‘Lettie was the one to rescue him,’ Brodie said. ‘I was happy to take him in.’ He remembered the posts Lettie was going to ask Tina to arrange for his details to be posted on social media and asked Tina if she had spoken to her.
‘No yet,’ Tina said, thoughtfully. ‘But she’s probably forgotten with all that she has to do now that her parents have gone away.’
‘Of course. I’m just eager to try and put something out so that the owners don’t worry unnecessarily about him.’
‘I thought as much. Bethan and I had a chat and I’ve now set something in place.’ Tina indicated the computer screen. ‘I’ve taken a photo of him.’ She turned the screen so Brodie could get a better look.
