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“Willow Brook may be a small town, but we desperately need a vet. We serve pretty much the whole surrounding area, except for Anchorage. I was talking to my dad about it when I told him I was going to come in and talk with you about the job. Chase was telling me that he’s had to drive to Anchorage for his dog. Are you going to do emergencies?” she asked.
“During the daytime hours. They have a clinic in Anchorage that’s always covered the evening calls. I think that’s best because I’ll never be able to breathe until I hire another vet. I’m nowhere near that point. Once I have enough business, I’ll hire someone.”
Tiffany rubbed her hands together again. “Let’s call Georgia or Natalie, so I can start.”
I loved her enthusiasm. I was almost on the verge of tears of relief when I smiled over at her. We stood, and I gave her a quick hug. “I know we haven’t seen each other in years, but I’m so relieved it’s you. I trust you. I know you can do this, and I just need some help.”
“I’m thrilled. I need a job, and I love organizing people. This is perfect.”
I quickly texted both Georgia and Natalie. Georgia said she’d be there in an hour. “Let’s do a tour while we wait.”
By the end of the day, I felt like I could breathe. Tiffany was on top of things. After the HR part was handled with Georgia, Tiffany set me up with a shared online calendar that we would use until she figured out the best system for appointments. She was already working on figuring out a small payroll system and an online portal for billing and clients.
She was at the reception desk in the front when I stopped in to check with her. I’d spent most of the day going through the supplies and organizing the pet charts.
She grinned up at me. “I already have half of your week booked. Next week is almost full.”
“Holy shit. How did you do that?”
“Georgia showed me the list of people waiting to schedule appointments for their pets, and I called them. We’ve got this. Speaking of pets, do you have one?”
I sighed. “Last year, my dog passed away. I knew I’d probably be moving, so I decided to wait. I think I’d like to look for a rescue. Do we still have the rescue program in town?”
Tiffany nodded. “Yup. I asked my dad because I just moved back. Lynnie Stuart still runs it. I already found the records because Dr. Dan used to do all of the spaying and neutering for them.”
“Oh, of course! I should go down there and check with them.”
“Let’s go find your pet. Dog or cat?” she asked.
“Dog. I like cats, but I’ll start with a dog and maybe get a cat for the house. I’d like to have a dog I can bring here.”
“Let’s go now,” she suggested.
I hesitated for a second, but then I realized there was no reason not to go now. “Let’s.”
ChapterFourteen
Alice
I turned onto the main road that would lead us out of downtown toward the small animal rescue program that had been in Willow Brook for as long as I could remember.
“How long have you been back in town?” I asked as I glanced over at Tiffany.
“Not much longer than you. Only a month,” she said with a grin.
“Are you glad to be here?”
She cocked her head to the side as I slowed along a turn in the road. “Yes. You know being from a small town in Alaska is its own thing. You think you want to get out and see the world, and you do. It’s good to do, but I missed home like crazy.”
“I know exactly what you mean,” I agreed. “Where are you staying?”
“Holly hooked me up with her old apartment.”
“Oh, nice! Where is it?”
“It’s right in downtown Willow Brook. Where are you staying?”
My heart squeezed for a beat as I replied, “My parents’ old house. Or I guess mine now.”
