All Chapters of Bitter Love: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Chapter TwelveJosieThe second I hit snooze, I plop back down against my pillow. It feels like only a minute passes before it goes off again and, this time, I force myself up. Aunt Kim handled feeding the horses in the morning all week so I could get Everly off to school. Now it’s my turn and I don’t mind getting up to take care of them at all.But I’m just not a morning person.Forcing myself up, I have to blink rapidly to keep my eyes open. Once my feet hit the floor, I’m feeling more alive and less like a zombie. It’s cloudy today and looks like it’s going to rain. I quickly get dressed in leggings and a t-shirt and pull a hoodie over top, knowing I’ll be cold when I first go outside.Careful to be quiet so Aunt Kim can sleep in, I feed the dogs and Mr. Meowster and then let the dogs out. Thankful for the automatic timer on the coffee pot, I fill up a to-go mug and head outside. The horses nicker to me as soon as I open the barn doors, eager for their hay. Taking a sip of my coffe

Chapter FourteenJacob“Hey, buddy,” I tell the gelding, whose name is now Pongo, Monday morning. After a somewhat quiet weekend, I’m refreshed and ready to tackle another busy workweek. Pongo softly nickers to me, picking his head up. I smile, happy to see how the horse is progressing. “We might be able to wean you down a bit on these treatments.” I’m holding a nebulizer, talking to Pongo as if he understands every word I say. I’ve always talked to animals like that and have always thought they understand more than we realize. Most people just don’t know how to listen.I slip the nebulizer over his nose, going slow. He didn’t like the feel of it at first but after doing five treatments a day, he’s used to it by now. I start the treatment, petting his neck for a few minutes to keep him calm. I clean his wounds while the neb treatment finishes and then clean the abscess on the miniature horse—my other patient at the barn. It’s looking good but is healing slower than I’d like, so I go i

Chapter SixteenJacob“Dr. Harris?”I look up from my computer, sandwich in hand. I had two more appointments after Josie and my mind kept flitting back to her. And it’s not because her eyes shimmer or because I remembered the way the faint outlines of her nipples were visible through her t-shirt. Due to the heat-wave the last two days, the A/C in the clinic was turned up and no one realized it was still blowing out on full-blast until later in the morning.No, it’s not because my body is reacting to Josie and her somewhat annoying optimistic personality. It’s because she’s going to have a harder time taking care of those horses than she thinks, and, as the only vet in the area, it’s going to fall back on me. Plus, any decent human being would want to make sure the horses are cared for.“Yeah?” I lean back in my desk chair and Darla, one of the secretaries, steps into the office.“I’m so sorry to interrupt your lunch break,” she starts, and I wave my hand in the air, letting her know

Chapter EighteenJosieThe venom in my voice surprises me, and I have to work hard to keep the shock off my face. I’m not a confrontational person in the least, but I’ll be damned before Dr. Smartass here sends me packing. He has no reason to think I’m unfit to take on the responsibility of a rescue. Well, except that I did have to call him out here for an emergency.But accidents happen with horses, and it was Elijah’s fault for not latching the chain back around the gate. Though…am I really to blame for trusting someone with zero horse experience to help out around here? Even when we had Phoenix, Elijah hardly came to the barn. He tried to go all-in during his freshman year, thinking that since he was one of the few guys riding horses with us girl, they’d fawn all over him. It only took him one day at the barn to realize the girls were only interested in their horses, not boys.“I’m not trying to get rid of you,” Jacob responds, brows going up. “Though, I stand by what I said.” He e

Chapter TwentyJacobI feel eyes on me the second I step into Silver Cafe. I’m meeting my parents for dinner and, like usual, I’m running late. Looking up, I see Josie fucking Walker standing next to Poppy Randolph. Poppy was the first to scoff at Kim’s natural horsemanship approach and, for a split second, I think I might have to come to Josie’s rescue too. But the two are standing close together, and they’re both smiling. The fuck?“Why, hello there, Dr. Harris,” Poppy croons, lips curving into a smile. “Pleasure running into you like this.” She laughs, reaching out and putting her hand on my chest. Josie gives her a what the hell look that I silently approve.“Ms. Rudolph,” the hostess calls, holding up a to-go bag.“My order is ready,” she says, fingers sliding down my chest as I step back to avoid her touch. “I’m looking forward to seeing you next weekend,” poppy says with a wide smile. I am actually looking forward to next weekend--Just not going with her. Poppy's father contrib