A Billionaire in Disguise #2 : A Perfect Plan(18)

"Yeah, nice guy. He does good work."

"Well I have a plan up my sleeve. I'd like to start treating wild animals. There isn't anyone who does it in this area, and if we set up a small practice on your grandfather's property, we could station you there when the need arises. I'm sure we can get some donations or some kind of grant to help with the whole thing. We'd have to build housing for you."

"We can't afford to do that..."

"Emily, we don't have to build a castle. I'm positive we can get the cost covered. There's a need for it or I wouldn't have said anything. We just don't have the space here to be treating wildlife. Look how many cases we have to turn down. The property is the perfect place for it. It'd be easy to release them once they're healthy. You're perfect for the job."

"I'd have to think about it, Mick."

"Take all the time you need, but I think a project like this will help you feel better. Think of all the sick and injured animals you could save." Mick was happy with himself and the quick idea he came up with to get Emily out of her own head. The baby eagles he had to turn away after their mother was killed gave him the idea. Saving animals was a sure way for Emily to help save herself. He was worried sick and knew that something went on between her and the Davis brothers. He knew his friend very well and had seen her with a broken heart before. 

Emily gave him another fake smile and watched him walk away. I can't even save myself right now...

Parker stopped at a large grocery store and stocked the RV up with plenty of supplies. He wasn't looking forward to driving the long miles to Colorado, but he knew that never seeing Emily again wasn't an option. Leaving the RV at Rhonda's definitely wasn't an option either.

Each rest stop he stayed at saddened him. He saw couples and families, and it was deeply affecting him. Parker was always proud and happy to be single. No worries, no commitments, coming and going as he pleased, and no one telling him what to do. And no Emily.

If he wasn't so rushed to get to where he was going, Parker would have stopped to take pictures of the spectacular views along the way. The closer he got to Springfield, the more he was ashamed at wanting to destroy the land to make an airport. Because of his greed and selfish actions, it had cost him something that was hard to even think about. He went after Emily, all because she wanted to save what was rightfully hers, and she fought for all the right reasons. Keeping the property for the animals and preserving nature was a beautiful plan, and he set out to destroy it faster than lightning; faster than the tornado.

Parker was happy when he finally reached the last stretch of road. He was tired and the sun was beginning to sink behind the mountains, but he needed to wake himself up some so he could get the RV ready to sleep in. Parker reached for the bottle of water on the seat beside him and only took his eyes off the road for a second...He slammed on his breaks when he heard the sounds and jumped out of the RV to the ground. Panic flooded through him.

Chapter 13

Emily was watching the clock tick away. She'd been at the clinic since six that morning, but it was her turn to stay until close. She let one of the techs go home because the clinic was slow with just two cats as overnight patients, and both of those were being discharged the next day. Emily walked to the back of the clinic and poured herself a cup of coffee.

"You shouldn't be drinking coffee this late," joked Sandy, the tech who'd worked for them since the clinic opened.

"You say that as you're pouring yourself a cup?" Emily winked at her. She loved the staff and their closeness made a long day more enjoyable. Everyone was treated like family. She sat down in a chair and put her feet up, hoping the night wouldn't stay this quiet. Any downtime she had left her mind to wander where she didn't need it to go. Even though she liked to stay busy, the possibility of being awakened in the middle of the night after working so hard to fall asleep wasn't an appealing aspect of her job. The clinic didn't stay open around the clock, but she and Mick remained on call for emergencies. There wasn't another clinic for miles.

Parker looked down at the bleeding shepherd and dropped to his knees. The dog was alive but wouldn't be for long. Without thinking twice, he lifted the large dog in his arms and placed it in the front passenger seat, then covered him up with the quilt near the bed.

"I'm so sorry! Hang in there, buddy, I'm going to get you some help." Parker had never done any harm to an animal. He was devastated. He hurried and jumped behind the wheel, then drove quickly to the only animal clinic he knew of. The dog was whimpering and shaking. Parker's own heart was beating a million times a minute. If this animal died, he'd never forgive himself.



Emily was just about to doze off when she heard a loud commotion in the lobby. The front receptionist was already on her way to the back.

"Emily! Come out here, we have a dog hit by a vehicle! Lots of blood loss." Emily knew when she heard that kind of voice tone from Caroline, it was something bad. Emily slipped her feet back in her clogs and began to run. At first she was motionless....stunned.


 

 

 

"Emily, please help him!" Parker had the dog in his arms; blood had soaked through a comforter and covered the front of him. The dog was obviously struggling with respirations.

"In here. I'll examine the dog and you give whatever information you can to the receptionist." Emily's attention quickly went towards the animal as Parker laid him on the table. She started an IV and tried to reverse the shock the animal was clearly in, and got the x-rays taken. "Get Mick in here." After quickly looking at the films, it was evident the animal would need emergency surgery.

Parker sat nervously in the lobby while having flashbacks of another time when he anxiously waited for Emily to come out of the operating room.

Mick came running in the front door and did a double take. "What the hell?"

"I'm Parker. I hit a German Shepherd and he's hurt really bad. Emily's back there with him. Stop staring at me and go!" Parker wasn't in the mood for any shit, especially from this guy.

Mick ran to the exam room. The tech was prepping the dog for surgery as quickly as she could while Emily set up the surgical room.

"Em, does he have an owner?"

"No chips, no tags. The guy who hit him is in the lobby."

"Yeah, Parker."

"I don't know that and neither do you. The dog's films are up; he has some broken ribs, a large laceration across his abdomen, and a punctured lung. He's only about three years old so he's young enough to fight. We have to get this bleeding stopped. I'm ready to start when you are."

Parker didn't have much information to give to the receptionist who tried to calm the restless man.

"Doctor Carson and Doctor Lander are the best. They'll take good care of him." Her efforts fell on deaf ears. Parker was consumed with sorrow.

"I took my eyes off the road. I didn't even see him!"

"It was an accident. The main thing is, you got him here right away."

But Parker continued to beat himself up.

A few hours later, Emily walked out in the lobby with Mick and insisted he go get some rest.

"Emily, I'll stay and you go get some rest."

"It's okay, I'm wide awake. If you can come back around seven, I'll go home for a bit. Really, I'm okay."

"Are you going to be alright with him here?" Mick leaned over and whispered in her ear.

"Yeah, the staff is here so I won't be alone. The other tech is also on her way in."

"Good work as always, Em. I'll see you in a few hours." Mick walked out, giving Parker a stern look. Parker ignored him and went to Emily.

"How is he?"

"The surgery went well, and we think he'll recover. He'll be here for a while." Emily turned to leave. 

"Can I see him?"

"Briefly. Come with me." Parker followed her to the back where the shepherd was lying. He quickly turned away.

"What's the matter?" She asked out of professionalism, not because she gave a rip about how this man, whoever he was, felt.

"I did this to him." Parker walked back out to the lobby and put his face in his hands.

Emily waited for a few minutes before walking into the lobby. When Parker heard the door open, he removed his hands. His eyes were watery.

"You don't have to stay; we'll take care of him. If you'd like to contribute to the medical cost, you can. Just speak to the receptionist."

"I'll pay for all the cost. I know it's not great timing, but can I talk to you?"

"Sure." Emily didn't want to cause a scene in front of the staff.

Parker followed her to the back and sat in one of the chairs at the table.

"Don't tell me you injured an animal just to get the chance to speak to me?" Emily wouldn't put it past him.

"Are you kidding me?! I may have really screwed up, but I don't hurt animals, thank you very much!"

"Who are you?" She had no intentions of letting this man feel welcomed.

"I'm Parker Davis, the same man you've been with the entire time. You were only near Russell two times; when you got your shoe stuck in the sewer and the day at the zoo."

"And I'm supposed to believe you?"

"Okay, ask me anything that the guy you were with should know."

"I'm not playing this. You can leave now." Emily turned toward the door.

"Ask me!" Parker wanted to grab her.