Adulting Requires Cheesecake (Book 4, Lonstino & Greenwood Series)

Chapter 15 - Catch up

TRISTAN

The days off only served partially to sort whatever is going in my head. One day I started driving without destination and ended up at Lonstino. I didn't even visit my parents. I stopped at the rocky coast and sat there for hours. It's clear for me that I've been a coward and I should have broken up with Elizabeth a long time ago. I'm accepting all the crap going on with the lawyers as punishment for not taking that step earlier. I also thought a lot about Harper and how she became the woman that I truly love. She's the complete opposite of my ex-girlfriend, and I've never felt so comfortable with someone. Only the way we left things has been eating at me, especially because we have not seen each other properly since I returned to work and her messages have been work-related. Maybe that's what she wants, to pretend I said nothing and to continue the cordial relationship we had as coworkers and now as my boss.

When I got to the clinic this morning, I found a note from Harper saying she hopes to catch up with me sometime today. I can't deny that it not only surprised me, but scared me. Whenever someone uses those words 'we need to talk' it is rarely for something good, and her note, even though not using exactly that phrasing has the same sentiment for me. Our shared calendar says today she will be moving animals to the renewed reptile house and my duties have me here at the clinic, so chances are we won't see each other until late. 

-*-

The reports I've been procrastinating due to lack of time are finally done and I've even been able to plan the schedule of the animals under my care for the next two months. I haven't had the pleasure of working with Madeline yet as she's being onboarded by the caretakers at the moment, but just the idea of having additional hands gives me relief. If she takes care of the routine tasks, Harper and I can concentrate on scheduled or emergency treatments and other time-consuming tasks.

A bag suddenly appears in front of me and whatever is inside smells great. Harper sits in front of me with another bag.

"Hey! What's this?"

"It's for you. I've meant to come here and have a talk, but the reptile house kept me busy the whole day. I saw lights in here and got us food at the new concessionary by the savannah enclosure. They have decent meals. Got you a Cobb salad, extra chicken."

"Thanks a lot, Harper! It's one of my favorite lunches."

"Tristan, what time do you think it is?" She smiles as I look at the non-existent watch on my wrist.

"Shit!" The clock on my laptop says it's six in the evening. "Where did the day go?"

"I know! It's been one of those days."

"No wonder I finished my reports. Did Madeline go home already? I wanted to say hello but I guess it's too late."

"Yeah, she went home. We should make some space in here for her stuff. She's been leaving it in the staff room. Let me take care of that tomorrow. I've been so happy with the extra help that I've neglected details like that." Harper's stomach makes a croaking sound, and we laugh. "I'm so hungry, skipped lunch and so to hear you did too." She takes out her own meal, which consists of a bowl of pasta that also looks and smells great. "We've not had a chance to catch up. Did you rest on your days off?"

"To some extent. I also wandered around. I hope it wasn't too busy around here."

"Enough to keep me entertained, but not as mad as the past months. The baby boom seems to have ended. We moved all the snakes today, except for Carmen, the corn snake. She hasn't been eating for a while, so we might have to say goodbye to her soon. I'll keep her in the old building for the moment. We'll deal with the turtles tomorrow. Oh, and there's a newbie in the caretakers team. You can bet they'll tell him to find a non-existing turtle and he will go crazy looking for it." She chuckles and shakes her head as she twists the pasta with her fork. "How's your shoulder? Do you still have the stitches?"