AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It’s so nice to meet you,” she said, reaching her hand out to Carter’s parents. He looked a lot like his father, even the stiffness in the suit was present, but she found it adorable.
“We’ve heard so much about you,” Vanessa said.
“Dopey talks more than people realize,” Carter said.
“That’s the second joke you cracked,” she said, bumping her shoulder into his.
“Just another thing that isn’t normal for Carter and showing that you’re good for him.”
He snorted next to her and then pulled out her chair for her to sit. He sat next to his brother and there was an empty chair beside her.
Or it was until a woman came rushing over and pulled it out. “I’m Natalie, Carter’s sister.”
“My sister too,” Grayson said.
“I can be your sister when you’ve got a date. For now I want to meet Avery.”
She smiled at the woman that she knew was the youngest of the siblings and also worked at The Retreat.
“Hi, Natalie,” she said. “It’s so nice to meet you too.”
“I want to say we’ve heard a lot about you, but that would be a lie. Carter never really says much.”
“Not much to say,” Avery said. She turned and put her hand on his arm. “I’m sure you know how I ended up here?”
“We do,” Natalie said. “Carter has been pushing for a full-time vet on the island for years and fate finally worked in his favor. You know, like it happens on this island.”
Oh dear. She had no idea this might come up. She heard almost a growl next to her that made her think of one of her patients when they didn’t want to come in for a visit.
She wouldn’t be offended though. She wasn’t silly enough to fall for what they said about this island. Or at least that was what she was telling herself.
“I’m not so sure about fate as much as the right place at the time in my life. I’m thrilled to be living here. It was always my dream to have my own practice, but it’s not easy to get off the ground. The help of the island made it possible.”
“And we are happy to have you,” Vanessa said. “Now I don’t have to take my cats on the ferry anymore.”
“How many cats do you have?” she asked. She hadn’t known Carter’s mother would be coming to the practice, as he’d never said a word.
“I’ve got three. Chester, Carl and Chuck,” Vanessa said. “I’ve been thinking of getting a fourth. Maybe it’s time for a little girl.”
“Are those three neutered, I hope?” she asked.
There was a lot of laughter at the table and she wasn’t sure what she was missing, but Joe Bond was squirming in his seat.
“They are,” Grayson said. “My mother insisted and my father fought it. He said it wasn’t fair that the cats had no say in the matter.”
“Joe said the same thing after I gave birth to Natalie and told him it was time for him.” Vanessa held her hand up, her fingers clipping like scissors.
“Dopey is fixed,” she said.
“He pouted for weeks too,” Joe said. “I know. I saw him and I don’t care what Carter says.”
She grinned over this and turned to look at Carter. “It’s the responsible thing to do,” he said. “I don’t need him out there with any illegitimate little Bonds on the island.”
“You mean like good old William had back in the day,” Natalie said.
She’d heard that too about their side of the family. But she believed every family had liars and cheaters in it. It was human nature.
The conversation stopped after that as one by one people came over to get an introduction.
