Page 63 of Unlikely to Stay
“My, my.You’ve got a little pep in your step this morning, Dr.Billings,” Patty said with a smile.“Apparently your day off was good for your spirits.”
“I guess it was.How was your day, Patty?”
His receptionist smiled.“Pretty good.I went to Lakeview and did some shopping.Got some new summer outfits and a pedicure.Just don’t tell CC.Her shop is closed on Mondays and I really wanted to get my feet rubbed.”
Brant laughed.“I won’t say anything,” he replied.
“Your first appointment is already here,” she said.“Want me to send her back?”
“Don’t worry about it, Patty.I’ll go get her.”Brant walked to the front of the clinic and opened the door.It took all he had not to turn and run out the backdoor when he saw who was waiting in the lobby.He had expected Kelda.This was probably worse.
“Hello there, Doc.Aren’t you looking chipper this morning?”June Adams was perched in one of the waiting room chairs, her hair curled and teased to within an inch of its life.On her eyes was electric blue eyeshadow and her lips were painted bubblegum pink.If he found her high school yearbook, Brant was willing to bet June’s senior picture was remarkably similar to how she appeared today.
“Hi, June,” he managed to say.“Come on back.”
He held the door open for her and was almost knocked out by the strong perfume she was wearing.It was like she had bathed in it.He held back a cough.Opening exam room two’s door, he told June to sit tight and stepped out into the hallway to take a deep breath of clean, unperfumed air.
“Oh, boy, Dr.Billings.I think you’re in for it,” Patty whispered from her desk.
Brant walked over to his receptionist.“What do you mean?”he whispered back.
“I heard June was all kinds of pissed when Karen Posey outbid her at the auction to win you this weekend.”
“What does that have to do with me?I didn’t bid on myself.”
“Well, she went to Griff’s the next night and got herself totally plastered.Marty Samson was blabbing toeveryonehow Karen won you but gave her date to Colleen Chandler instead and how you two had gone to the lake the following day.Thenyou closed the clinic yesterday and everyone saw Wyatt’s truck parked outside of CC’s soon-to-be-gym and you go in and not come out…I’m sure she put two and two together like the rest of us did.”
Brant’s eyes widened.“You mean you knew why I closed the clinic yesterday?”
Patty’s eyes twinkled.“Well, I didn’t until about noon.That was when Jo at Pick Everything But Your Nose texted me and said you had gone into the gym but not come out.Then I realized you must’ve had areallygood date the other night.”
Brant let out a breath.“So everyone in town knows I went out on a date with Colleen instead?And that I closed the clinic to help her work on the gym all day yesterday?”
He could tell his receptionist was trying not to laugh.“Oh, honey.You live in a town of three thousand people.Ofcourseeveryone knows.All the old ladies in town have been taking bets ever since you moved here to see which of the available women in town around your age would catch your fancy.”
“So it’s probably a safe bet to say nothing is really wrong with June?”
Patty shook her head.“She’s probably just wanting to size up her competition.”
“Great,” Brant muttered.“Just great.”
“If you want a suggestion on how to get her to lose interest, I might have an idea.”
“I’ll do anything, Patty.”
“You mighthintthat you think donkeys are of no use to anyone.And how annoying they are.”
Brant arched his eyebrows.“Really?”
“You have no idea how attached she is to that donkey of hers.”
It was worth a shot.Brant kissed her on the cheek.“Have I told you how much I love you, Patty?”
“You don’t have to tell me.I know it already.”
Brant opened the door to the exam room and startled when June jumped up from the chair right beside the door.“Doc!I was wondering what was taking so long!”she exclaimed, getting all up in his personal bubble.
“I just had to consult with Patty on some…on some…conflicting appointment times,” he managed to think of on the fly.“Why don’t you have a seat on the table, June, and tell me what’s going on.”