Fake Dating the Vet
Yazar
Juliette Hyland
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In this Halloween-set story from Juliette Hyland, a fake-wedding-date arrangement sparks real feelings when emergency vet Beck agrees to accompany vet Violet to her ex's wedding. HER HALLOWEEN ROMANCE RUSE… In the run-up to Halloween, vet Violet is focused on finding a fake date for a wedding where she'll have to see her abhorrent ex. Joking to good-looking emergency vet tech Beck that he could step in, she doesn't expect him to agree! Violet's always had a thing for Beck, but he's ten years her junior, and she knows the thrill-seeking maverick isn't looking for anything serious. And with everything she's been through, she dreams of a happy-ever-after. Yet pretending to be the perfect couple makes them wonder whether it's really just an act…
CHAPTER ONE
THE PRISTINE WHITE paper with black and white flowers stood out on Dr. Violet Lockwood’s desk. Fiona’s wedding invitation had arrived almost five months ago. And she’d sent along her RSVP and plus-one four months ago.
It was the plus-one causing her issues now. Why hadn’t she just marked that she would attend alone? Violet pinched her eyes closed and took a deep breath. She knew exactly why...because Thomas would be there.
With his new wife.
The one who looked just like her according to the texts she’d gotten when they started dating. His date was the woman he’d actually met at the altar.
If she’d RSVP’d honestly, she’d have had four months to get used to the stares she knew would come her way. Four months to practice her smile among the friend group she’d been so close to in college. Four months to find self-deprecating jokes about how the woman who’d craved a partner was stranded in perpetual singlehood in Maine.
Four months to ready her armor for Thomas’s barbs.
Hell, she could have been truthful when Fiona asked her about her date a month ago—owned up to the lie no matter how embarrassing the whole thing was. She could even have lied, said that the relationship just hadn’t worked out.
But no. Those were not the sensible paths she’d chosen. Violet had bragged about how hot the mythical man was, how good he was in bed, how excited she was for everyone to meet him. All without ever giving away a name. A ploy Fiona had been too kind to call her bluff on.
Now she was two weeks away, with the plate of chicken she’d ordered for the imaginary date. She’d meant to call Fiona and tell her to cancel it weeks ago. Own up to her failure.
She could still make that call. At least that way the servers wouldn’t ask if anyone was coming to the empty place beside her. Violet had used up every excuse in the book. Even now the invitation was on her desk so the excuse of getting home too late to call after working as the on-call emergency vet vanished.
That was her plan a week ago when she’d dumped it in her backpack and sworn for the twentieth time that today was the day she gathered her courage.
She looked at the clock, seven o’clock. She still had almost four hours left on her shift, but no patients at the moment.
Violet let out a breath, but she didn’t reach for her phone. Coward.
“You stare any harder at that piece of paper, it might burst into flames. If it does, I want to video it. I mean how often does that happen?”
“Never, Beck. That never happens.” Violet rolled her eyes at the vet tech who was hotter than any man had a right to be. And, at twenty-six, ten years her junior, Beck Forester was so not in her dating pool.
That didn’t stop her subconscious from filling her dreams with illicit things.
The man was just over six foot, with broad shoulders and the ability to dead lift an injured 110-pound Great Dane. And yet somehow he managed to sneak up on everyone in the clinic where she was a staff veterinarian.
He also blew through his annual vacation as fast as he earned it, jetting to far-off places whenever the whim set in. Two months ago, his hike through part of the Appalachian Trail was interrupted by a far too close call with a cougar. The man had stories that could keep you entertained for days.
“Never is a long time. It could happen.” He winked, then pointed to the invitation. “What has you so cross about a wedding invitation, Doc?”
What indeed?
She laid the invitation down. “Think every wedding invite looks the same so it’s obvious to nosy vet techs what someone is looking at even without reading it?”
“Maybe.” Beck shrugged, not a care in the world. In the nearly two years they’d worked together, she’d never seen the man worry. Never watched a frown cross his lips. No pinched eyebrows or terse words to indicate he was having a bad day.
Nope. Beck always had a smile and was ready for whatever adventure came his way that day. The man was the definition of go with the flow.
Once upon a time she’d been good at that, too. A chance to go to overseas for an agility competition—yes please! Girls’ trip just because—of course.
That was a lifetime ago and a very different Violet.
“That invite has been on your desk all week, right by a notepad that says ‘call Fiona.’ I saw it when I was grabbing Maverick’s file, and then again when I came looking for Jack’s. Sooner or later Dr. Brown is going to have to drop the paper system. And then the supplier will go out of business as I think he may be keeping them in the black all on his own.”
He was giving her an out. A way to discuss something else. It was kind. And the topic of overflowing paper files was one every member of the office, except Dr. Brown, chatted about regularly—even though they all knew the answer.
The office would get a new system when Dr. Brown finally sold it. Probably to one of the corporate companies that came by every few months offering very generous buyouts. So far, Dr. Brown said he had no interest, but eventually the dollar signs would be enough.
Everyone had a price.
“I am a bridesmaid in a wedding in less than two weeks.” Violet threw the invite on the desk. “I RSVP’d with a plus-one and never canceled the date. I hate the idea of going alone. Want to pretend to be my boyfriend for a weekend in Florida?”
“Oh, I am absolutely down for that. What part of Florida?” Beck looked seriously excited. For a moment she thought he might clap.
Violet opened her mouth but no words came out. She wasn’t sure what was more shocking. That she’d made such an offer or that she ached to leap at the option too.
Beck jumping wasn’t surprising at all. This was the kind of thing he lived for. He’d make the perfect date.
“The wedding is in Miami.” Nope. Those were not the words that were supposed to come out. Shutting this down should be her goal. But Beck was hot. He would turn heads. But more importantly, he was kind.
If Thomas pulled anything, and knowing her ex he absolutely would, Beck would have her back. Fake date or not, on his arm this wedding had a chance to actually be fun.
“Cool. I have never been to Miami. How long have we been ‘dating’ for this ruse?” Beck made air quotes around the word dating.
“Beck.” This was rapidly spinning out of control. He was excited, and for the first time in months she wasn’t dreading what should be a happy occasion.
“I can’t ask you to do this.” Though in her head she was already plotting how to get him on the plane with her. She had a ticket...but he would need one too.
And with only two weeks to go, ticket prices would be astronomical.
“You already did.” Beck grinned showing off the deep dimples in both cheeks. Of course the Adonis had dual dimples. That was another thing her brain insisted on imputing into her dream life. “Now I just need the details.”
This was fully out of control. As great as it would be to walk into the wedding on Beck’s arm, she couldn’t do this. Shouldn’t do it. She didn’t need a man. She was thirty-six. She was a veterinarian. Her life was boring but it was hers. Her terms. Period. “Beck—”
“Violet.” He mimicked her tone as he interrupted her. “I have a ton of mileage points, so my ticket will be free. I assume you already have a hotel room. I’ll go halfsy with you on it, if I can sleep on the pullout couch. Do I need my tux for this or will a suit work?”
He clapped. The hot, twenty-six-year-old Adonis actually clapped at the idea of attending a wedding with her. “Or is it a beach wedding and I get to wear a swimsuit? I draw the line at a nude wedding.” Beck put his finger on his chin, closing his eyes. “I mean maybe for the experience I could go to a nude wedding...”
“No! No.” Violet blinked as the wall of words and the image of a nude Beck on the beach gripped her brain. “No, it’s black tie. Why do you have a tux?” Any question would work to try to get the spicy thoughts from her mind.
Beck chuckled as he moved; his tall frame sliding into the tiny office chair with such ease. “For occasions like this.” He held up a hand, clearly anticipating a sharp retort.
“I’m not joking. For occasions like this. I found one at a thrift store in Texas on a trip a few years ago. Got it for less than twenty dollars and had it tailored. Now, I have it for a wedding date in Miami. The world is full of opportunity if you are willing to jump at it.”
Right. That had been her motto once, too. That Violet had traveled the world, jumped at anything that sounded like fun. Fallen in love fast—and been devastated by the results. Lost her entire life in the process.
She’d rebuilt, but she wasn’t the same person. One did not get to go back to the person one was after coming home to find the place practically cleaned out—after getting stood up at the altar.
“So it’s black tie. We leave next Friday?”
“Yeah, on the first flight out. The rehearsal dinner is at six. I have handled all my bridesmaid duties long distance. Luckily, Fiona is the exact opposite of a bridezilla.” Surely she wasn’t actually going to do this. It was too much.
“Beck—”
“You on this five-thirty flight out? A layover in DC and then onto Miami?”
“Yes, but...”
“Cool. Booked. No backing out now, Violet. My points are nonrefundable. But I will warn you I am not a morning person. There is a reason I work the late shift.” He held up his phone and playfully raised his eyebrows.
“Considering we will basically go from our shift to the airport, I won’t hold it against you.” This was happening. Really happening.
A fake wedding date. This should be a new low. But the twinge of excitement in her belly refused to accept any shame.
“So, what roles are we playing? I assume this is to get back at an ex.”
Beck rubbed his hands together, and she couldn’t help but laugh. “Why are you so into this?”
“Come on, Violet. How often do you get to pretend to be dating someone? It’s like our own television drama. I am not missing out on this. So again, who are impressing?”
“You will impress everyone who sees you.” Violet put her hand over her mouth, heat flooding her cheeks as Beck leaned a little closer. Damn the man was hot. And he knew it.
He cocked his head, those dimples appearing as he stared at her.
“My ex-fiancé.” Violet rolled her eyes. “He left me at the altar...via text. An hour before we were supposed to say I do. He and his new wife will be there. It’s dumb, but I don’t want to deal with questions and pitying looks.”
“Why go at all? Surely your friend will understand.”
“Because Fiona and I were college roommates. She was my maid of honor, she passed me tissue after tissue while I cried over the lout who didn’t show. Unfortunately, her soon-to-be husband is stepbrothers with Thomas. The two of them aren’t close, but he doesn’t want to upset their father. The man is getting on in years.”
Violet blew out a breath. “Besides, it will be fun to see my old girlfriends. I am the only one who left the area.” Fled was the actual term, but she was already dumping too much info on him.
She’d sold her and Thomas’s condo, a task made infinitely easier by the fact that the only thing he’d left her was the unopened wedding gifts, her bed and clothes.
Thomas had even taken her grandmother’s cross-stitched tablecloth. He’d played dumb when she’d asked for it back. He said he didn’t have it. That Violet must have misplaced it. Like she’d lose the one family item she cared about.
His mother had posted a picture of it last Christmas that a mutual friend had liked so it made it across her social media. So Thomas had it—and was using it.
The ass.
With little to her name, she’d accepted the job from Dr. Brown and rebuilt her life in Bangor. On her terms. And she was not letting a man mess with her peace again.
“I guess not inviting your ex would make future family get-togethers awkward.” Beck delivered the line without bothering to hide the fact he disagreed with the decision.
Neither Fiona nor her lovely fiancé, Patrick, were happy with Thomas’s attendance, but it made Patrick’s dad happy. Sometimes you did what you could for family.
“So, we have been dating at least six months? Or do we go for a year? We could be engaged. Oh, what if I am a billionaire tycoon? Secret prince of some foreign island?”
Violet laughed. The small chuckle broke free into a raucous giggle, and she hugged her belly.
Beck’s chuckle mixed with hers. A deep baritone that made her toes curl. Dear God, the man was positively delicious.
“I think you, on your own, Beck, are more than enough to get the tongues wagging. Plus all of the stories of your trips will make for dinner conversation.” Heat spread across her body, into places she didn’t think it should, as she leaned closer to him.
“Great. Six-month relationship that we are just now taking public because of your less than grand dating history. But I made you put down the plus-one so I could prove I would still be there for the wedding.” He raised his brows as he created the perfect story for why she hadn’t included his name.
Fiona might even buy it.
“Thank you.” She bit her lip as emotions crept up her chest. This was the nicest thing anyone had ever done for her.
“Any time, Vi.”
Vi. Only he shortened her name. It was something he’d done once about a year after he’d started at the clinic. The receptionist, Lacey, had quickly corrected him. No one called her anything but Violet, or Dr. Lockwood.
Her mother had hated nicknames and refused to call her anything but her full name. Control was her mother’s coping mechanism in the world. Its impact on others was never her concern.
She’d gone by Vi in college—until she met Thomas.
Thomas had made a face the first time he heard it used. He said she was as delicate as a flower; one did not cut a flower short. By the end of their relationship, his focus on her beauty irked her, but in that moment, she’d thought he meant well.
Professionally she’d chosen the full name. Something she sometimes regretted.
Hearing Vi from Beck’s lips always brought out a grin. Which was why she never asked him to stop and why she suspected he kept doing it.
“So, do we pass the slow evening talking about the wedding, or backstory, or gossip from your college years to make sure we seem like a long-term couple?”
“Uh.” Right, there was more to this than just showing up on a hot guy’s arm.
The front doorbell chimed and Violet held up her hands. “None of the above it seems. You jinxed us.”
There was no way for Beck to kick himself without Vi noticing. He’d been an emergency vet tech for nearly three years now, two in this clinic. He knew better than to mention the words slow, quiet, tame, easy. It was like asking for a rushed case.
And he’d finally gotten an invitation to see her outside the office. Playing her fake boyfriend would be the easiest game he’d ever had. The woman was brilliant. Funny. And drop-dead gorgeous. She must have men, and women, banging down her door to get a date but she refused to answer the knock.
He’d had a crush on her since the second night they’d worked together. A giant Great Dane had come in after eating one of his little human’s socks, a surprisingly common occurrence. The mom was panicking because she’d forgotten to pick up the toddler’s sock. The toddler was in tears because puppy was sick. The dad was worried about everyone and the vet bill.
Vi had sat on the floor, rubbing the giant dog’s head while she outlined all the options. When the father quietly explained that they didn’t have money if emergency surgery was needed, she’d told him, without judgment, that most of the time they could use other options.
The father had returned two days later—alone—tears streaming down his face because the dog was worse. He’d come to request euthanasia. Violet had explained that a donor had stopped in to pay for care for any family that couldn’t afford it.
The relief on the patient’s face as he took his sleepy dog back home following surgery was seared in Beck’s mind. As was the knowledge that there’d been no outside donor. Vi had done the surgery for free and taken the hit on the cost from her paycheck.
It was the first time he’d seen her act as the “mystery donor” but not the last.
Stepping into the reception area he was stunned to see Maria Miller and her border collie, Baby.
“Beck.” Maria was on her feet, stress etched into the corners of her eyes.
“What is going on with Baby?” The border collie was basically Maria’s child. The four-year-old pup was a champion agility dog. In fact, Baby was supposed to compete tomorrow at their local club. Though compete was little bit of an overstatement for tomorrow.
The gym hosted the monthly competition for fun, and more than one person came just for the potluck after.
“We were doing one more prep run; you know she loves them.” Maria wiped a tear from her eye.
He could already see the blame taking over. “I know. This isn’t your fault.”
Baby, like most border collies, was highly driven. A breed bred to work, she was constantly on the go. He had his own border collie mix, Toaster. No matter how late he got home, he and Toaster would go through the agility course he’d set up in the back of the cottage he’d inherited from his parents.
“She let out a yelp as she ran down the A-frame. She tried to keep going.” Maria buried her head in Baby’s fur and let out a sob.
“The good news is she is walking. Let’s get her into a room so Dr. Lockwood can take a look at her.” Maria stood, holding on to Baby’s leash, and followed Beck into the exam room.
He took Baby’s vitals, then offered Maria a smile. “Baby is our only patient right now, so Dr. Lockwood should be in quickly.” In the ER, patient arrival time didn’t matter. It was worst-case scenario first.
He stepped out and found Violet waiting right by the door. Beck gave her the details quickly. She nodded, made a soft sound, then headed into the room. He followed.
“Did you run down the A-frame poorly, Ms. Baby?” Violet ran her fingers over the dog’s head, scratching behind both ears. It was a nice petting for the dog, but he could see her monitoring Baby’s tail.
It gave a few wags, but they were half-hearted at best. He’d interacted with Baby a lot while training Toaster. The dog was focused, but always wagging her tail.
“Which leg came up lame, Maria?” Violet looked at the woman.
She wiped a tear from her eye, then pointed to her back left leg. “It doesn’t bother her when I touch it. And she puts weight on it. But she pulls it up anytime she picks up speed.”
Sliding around the table, Violet reached for the knee and moved it slowly. “It’s an ACL tear.” Violet set the leg back down. “I can feel the instability in the joint when I move it.
“She probably tore it coming off the A-frame. The initial pain was what caused her yelp. Luckily, it isn’t overly painful now. It’s sore, and if she moves wrong, she will feel the instability and some pain. I am going to prescribe pain meds. Then have our evening receptionist schedule a nonemergency surgery time for Ms. Baby.” Violet snuggled her face close to the dog. “We’ll get you feeling better in no time.”
“Yes—” Maria shook her head “—but that means we are out for the season. You and Toaster are the alternates for the intermediate team. Looks like you’re up, assuming you don’t have any fancy trips planned.”
“A weekend trip to Miami, but otherwise I am free until regionals. Toaster and I can step in.” Nancy had wanted him on the intermediate team to begin with. But Beck hadn’t wanted to commit. He’d taken the role as alternate and would keep the promise to the team. But he hated the reason he and Toaster were stepping in.
Maria took a deep breath. “I’ll let the Nancy know.”
“I’ll handle it.” Beck rubbed Baby’s head.” You focus on your girl. She is your priority.”
“Tell that to Nancy.” Maria rolled her eyes.
The agility gym owner, Nancy, was the definition of high stress. The woman was bent on winning. The only problem was the other members of the gym cared about their dogs’ health and happiness, not ribbons and trophies.
The intermediate team competed in regionals, but they’d never placed. Something only Nancy ever complained about.
Maria rubbed Baby’s head. “Let’s get you home, sweet girl.” She waited for Beck to lift Baby off the exam table, then led Baby out of the room.
“Toaster ready for a competition?” Violet asked as soon as the door closed.
“Yes. She loves the course. You should come.” He held up his hand before she could offer the polite “no thanks” she’d given every other time he’d suggested she come to agility training.
The whole gym had been thrilled when Dr. Violet Lockwood moved to Maine. She’d started training agility dogs as a child, been a champion as a teen and one of the most sought-after coaches in South Florida.
Endorsements, coaching fees and a bestselling, at least in the agility circuit, book were how she’d paid her veterinarian school tuition. Then she’d just quit.
No reason given on the team social media channel she’d once made daily appearances on. Just a brief note to mention she’d parted ways with the South Beach Agility Training Group.
“We need to get to know each other a little better, if we are going to make your ex jealous.” Beck was looking forward to learning more about the vet he spent so much time with but barely knew.
“I don’t want to make him jealous. I just want to quiet any questions about my personal life.” Violet crossed her arms, her chin rising just a little.
Damn she was fine.
“All right. That is your goal. My goal is to make him jealous.” Beck pushed his hands into his scrub pockets.
“You have no reason to want to do that.”
“He hurt you.” Violet was one of the kindest people he’d ever met. And even if she wasn’t, who texted...texted...their fiancée that it was over? An hour before they were supposed to get married.
That level of low deserved humbling. Period.
Rose crept up her cheeks as she broke eye contact. “Thank you.”
His throat tightened as he stared at her. He coughed, trying to clear away the need rising around him. “Anyway, we need to look like a longtime couple to stave off the questions. I need to be at the event tomorrow evening, and we fly out in less than two weeks. The ruse needs to be perfect.”
She bit her lip but then nodded. “I’ll be there.”
There was no way to stop the smile he felt creeping along his face. “It’s a date.”
“A fake date.” Violet pointed a finger at him.
“A fake date,” he conceded.
