The relief that washed over her face was clear but I didn’t acknowledge it.  Lisa didn’t like attention and she didn’t like people stating the obvious.  She was just trying to get through life with as little interruption from others as she could, and I for one, got that.  So, I settled her and Monty in my car and we drove to the vet with little conversation passing between us.  I think that’s why she and I had the kind of relationship that we did; she appreciated my lack of intrusion into her thoughts and I dug her lack of fucking melodramatics.

As we pushed through the door of the vets, she gave me a quick smile.  Blink and I’d have missed it, but I didn’t.  She needed reassurance so I gave it to her; I plastered a smile on my face that could have lit a fucking Christmas tree.  And fuck me, she saw it and gave me one back.  This kid never smiled.  Jesus, someone needed to give her some love.

I took my attention off the kid and directed it to the vet’s front desk.  My dick jerked when I took in the blonde behind it.  Christ, she was a fucking knock out.  Long, wavy blonde hair that covered her tits; and they were great tits from what I could tell.  Problem was, they were covered up with a white tank top and a shitload of necklaces.  And that tank wasn’t a low cut one like most of the chicks I met wore, so her assets weren’t completely on display.  As she continued talking to her customer, I angled my head to try and get a better view.  Oblivious to the world while I did this, I missed it when she finished up with him and sent her gaze my way.

“You want me to take it off?” she asked, mild irritation in her voice.

I smirked, “Sure.  Go right ahead.”

She shook her head and sighed, looking at Lisa.  “Because there are children around, I’ll refrain from saying what I want to say.”  Then she turned her attention to the cat, “Oh, poor baby. Pass him here, honey,” she said to Lisa who was gripping onto Monty with all her might.

Lisa hesitated, so blondie walked around from behind the counter to come and stand next to her.  She knelt down so they were eye to eye, and asked, “What’s happened to him?”

Jesus.  This chick had my full attention now.  Her legs were painted with the tightest jeans I think I’d ever seen someone wear.  They rode low on her hips with her tank tucked in.  She was rocking the country look with cowgirl boots and a cowgirl looking belt.  Actually, she looked like she’d stepped straight out of fucking Nashville.

“Monty got in a fight the other day and now he’s sick,” Lisa said, in her soft little voice that I could hardly hear.  She had her back to me so I couldn’t see her eyes, but I bet they were glued to the floor.  She had no confidence and that shit me.  How could her mother not see that?  Not care enough to fucking fix it?

“His face doesn’t look too good, does it?  If you give him to me I can take him out the back to the vet and we can get him better for you,” she said, coaxingly.  Yeah, I bet Lisa would hand the cat over now; that voice could charm an alcoholic’s last drink from him.

Lisa gave up Monty, and blondie said, “I’ll be right back.”  And with that, she stood and left us as she headed out the back where I guessed the vet was.

I moved to a seat to sit and wait; Lisa followed and sat quietly next to me.  She seemed anxious, but then again, she was often like this.  Our eyes were drawn to the front door as a guy and his kid came through with their dog.  Up until that point we’d been the only ones in the surgery and it was fairly quiet.  This guy was talking loudly on his phone, his kid was nagging him about something, trying to get his attention,  and his dog was a bundle of energy; suddenly it felt crowded in the tiny waiting room.

He waited at the counter and rung the bell.  Blondie didn’t come out and the guy was impatient; he hit the bell again.  “Harlow!” he bellowed.  His kid tugged his shirt repeatedly, muttering shit I didn’t understand, and the dog was traipsing around the fucking room because they’d let his leash go.  I felt my temper fray at the edges; this guy was a deadset dickhead, and I was biting my tongue for once in my life.  For Lisa’s sake.

He hit the bell again and then turned to me.  “Where the fuck is Harlow?”

I stood up and was about to tell this asshole just what I thought of him when blondie made her way back to the counter.

She smiled at him.  Fuck knows why, because he didn’t deserve it.  “Rod, sorry to keep you waiting,” she said.  Her voice was polite but I noticed that it was forced compared to the way she spoke to Lisa before.  It was obvious that she knew him and that she didn’t really care for him.

“Yeah, well I’m in a fucking hurry, Harlow, so can we move this along?  And just for the fucking record, I’m pissed that I had to bring my dog back.  You idiots should have taken care of all this last time I was in.” he said.

My anger exploded out of me; I couldn’t hold it in any longer.  “Hey, asshole,” I snapped, “Why don’t you give her a break?  She’s busy, and doesn’t need dickheads like you speaking to her that way.”

His head whipped around and furious eyes landed on me.  “This is none of your business so I suggest you stay the fuck out of it.”

I stepped into his space, backed him up against the counter, and leant real close.  “Now would be the right time for you and your family to leave.  I don’t like any of the shit that’s just gone down, so unless you want trouble between the two of us, leave now,” I threatened.   When I saw him hesitate, I grabbed a handful of his shirt and snarled, “Did you not understand what I just said, motherfucker?”  We glared at each other for a couple of moments before I let him go, shoving him hard against the counter in the process.  Keeping my eyes trained on his, I slowly stepped back.  Planting my legs wide, I crossed my arms in front of my chest and scowled at him.