Page 14 of The Quirky Vet

He eyes me for a moment longer then bobs his head. "Sure. I'm ready."

"All right." I settle myself behind the two phones I've set up. "Let's create some viral magic."

The shoot goes great.

Whoever said you shouldn't work with animals has clearly never met Tilly. She veers between calm, cute, and attitudey as required. Helps that it was a pretty simple video—a guide on how to check your dog's ears properly. Granted, not the most exciting topic in the world, but an important one.

Will it earn as many views as the one of Tilly chasing Fitz when he was dressed up as a giant steak bone? No. Or his Aussie Animal Dance Off challenge where he mimicked the movements of various animals—the emu strut and kangaroo hop were particularly memorable—and asked his followers to duet the video and show their best animal dance moves. Or the Outback Rescue Adventures montage we shot together where he shared short clips of some of our wildlife rescues, like the time we helped a koala cross a busy road and when we treated an injured wallaby who'd been attacked by another animal.

Probably not.

But if this video encourages even one dog owner to check their dog's ears properly, that's a win in my book.

What can I say? I'm a nerdy vet who's passionate about proper animal care.

"Wanna stay for dinner?" Fitz asks as I pack away the recording gear.

"Nah. I should get back to Gramps," I reply without looking up.

"How's he doing?"

The old man had a stroke last winter. It's the reason I moved in with him. He's made a full recovery, but he's eighty-one years young, and I don't like the idea of him living in that big house by himself, given all the upkeep it needs. He's on doctor's orders to slow down, but as if he'll start listening to anyone now.

"He's good. As stubborn and fiercely independent as ever."

Fitz smirks. "Must be something in the Landers' gene pool."

I chuckle. "Who, me? Stubborn?"

I finish stashing the gear under his bed and scoop up the phones to take with me.

Fitz glances at my hands. "What are you doing?"

"Last day off tomorrow, so I'll edit the video for you."

He steps in closer. "Mate, thanks, but you don't have to do that. I can take care of it."

I brush past him. "But you want it to look good, don't you?"

"Fucker." He smacks my arm, grinning. "You sure?"

"Positive."

He walks me to the front door but doesn't open it. "Listen. Before you go. I know I'm nagging, but are yousureyou're okay with everything?"

"And byeverythingdo you mean my girlfriend dumping me while I was still on my knee proposing to her or waking up the next day to discover I'm married to my bestie?"

Fitz grimaces, scrubbing his hand up and down the side of his face. "Either? Both?"

Truth is, there's a third option of fuckery I'm dealing with that's related to the two things he just mentioned but also dwarfs them both—my feelings for him.

But I am most definitelynotready to discuss that.

"I'm on my way to being okay," I answer slowly.

He raises an eyebrow. "Meaning?"

"Meaning I'm still processing on Muir time in the Muir way."