Page 50 of Sit, Stay

"Come with you," I repeat slowly.

"To Iron Creek." He's talking faster now, words tumbling over each other. "I talked to Jake yesterday. He said they need a vet. A good one. Someone who understands working dogs, who can handle behavioral consultation, training protocols, the whole operation. You'd be perfect."

My brain short-circuits somewhere around "I talked to Jake."

"You talked to your brother."

"Yeah, he called yesterday morning and I mentioned⁠—"

"You mentioned me. To your brother. About moving to Texas. About changing my entire career."

"I wanted to know if it would work. Logistically. Before I⁠—"

"Before you asked me?" My voice is too calm. Dangerously calm. "You made plans. With your family. About my life. Without talking to me first."

He blinks. "I wasn't making plans, I was just⁠—"

"What were you doing, Dean?" I step back, needing space. "What exactly did you tell Jake?"

He runs a hand through his hair. "That I met someone. That you're a vet. That you might be interested in⁠—"

"Might be interested in abandoning my practice, my home, my entire life to follow a man I've known for less than two weeks to Texas?"

"It's been longer than two weeks."

"Thirteen days." The number comes out sharp. "I've known you for thirteen days."

"Time doesn't matter when⁠—"

"Time absolutely matters."

We're both breathing hard now, facing each other across my kitchen like we're on opposite sides of something unfixable.

"I thought you'd be excited," he says, and he sounds genuinely confused. "This is perfect. We'd be together. You'd have challenging work, resources you don't have here, a whole operation to build from the ground up. It's everything you love."

"What I love," I say carefully, "is my practice. The one I built. Here. In Pine Valley. My friends. My community. The life I chose."

"You could build another one."

"In Texas," I say flatly.

"Yes."

"Where your family is."

"Yes." He's nodding like this is all perfectly reasonable.

"Where I know no one except you and your brothers."

"You'd get to know people." He spreads his hands. "It's a great community."

"I have a community. Here." I gesture around my kitchen.

His frustration is starting to show. "Callie, I'm offering you an opportunity. A real partnership, not just⁠—"

"Not just what? Playing small-town vet?" The anger flares hot and sudden. "This isn't some stepping stone, Dean. This is my life. I chose Pine Valley. I chose this practice. I built something here."

"And I'm asking you to build something with me."