wasnât cursing at you. Out with it, Mom. Why isnât Laura at the clinic, training?â
âBecause she found out,â Mary wailed.
Isaiah pinched the bridge of his nose. âFound out what, exactly?â he asked, even though he feared that he already knew.
âThat it was a matchmaking scheme. Oh, Isaiah, we meant no harm. You have to know that. She would have been a great kennel keeper. Iâm convinced of that. If something more had come from the two of you working together, we couldnât see the harm.â
â â Weâ? Donât tell me Dad was in on this.â
âNo. No! You know how your father is. If you choose to stay single forever, he figures thatâs your business.â
Isaiah tossed Boomer another biscuit. âMaybe you should take a page out of his book. Define â we, â Mother. Is Bethany involved?â
âGoodness, no. Your sister is so busy with Little Sly, Chastity Ann, and the riding academy that I hardly ever talk to her anymore.â
âMolly?â Isaiah pictured his brother Jakeâs amber-haired wife conspiring with his mother over coffee.
âMolly has morning sickness. I donât get to talk to her very often anymore, either.â
Isaiah couldnât believe that Hankâs wife, Carly, was involved. Sheâd only just recently had eye surgery. That left only Natalie, Zekeâs wife, and she wasnât the busybody type. âWho, then?â
âEtta, my neighbor, Lauraâs grandmother.â
Isaiah let his head fall back against the seat and closed his eyes. âIâm running late for a farm call, Mom. Spit out the rest.â
âLaura and Etta were talking early this morning. Somehow Etta let it slip to Laura that weâd hatched this plan to get the two of you together. Laura got really upset, hung up on her grandmother, and never showed up at the clinic.â
âYouâre sure she isnât there?â
âI called to see. Val says she didnât come in.â
Isaiah released a weary breath. âOkay, let me get this straight. Laura came in for the interview yesterday, completely unaware that her interfering grandmother and my interfering mother were plotting to marry her off to her new boss. Now that she knows, she no longer wants the job and didnât show up for training. Do I have it right so far?â
âYes. That pretty much covers it.â
âAnd you expect me to somehow clean up your mess?â
âSheâs such a sweetheart, Isaiah, and she was so excited about the job. It just breaks my heart to think that everything is ruined for her now.â
âHow the hell can I fix that?â Isaiah bumped the steering wheel with the heel of his hand. âIf she doesnât want the job, she doesnât want the job.â
âI was just thinking she might change her mind if you . . . well, you know . . . dropped by to talk with her.â
âAnd say what, Mom? That she shouldnât be upset or feel humiliated? That you and her grandmother are harmless busybodies, and we shouldnât pay you any mind? I have it. Why donât I tell her Iâd never in this lifetime be interested in her, so itâs not really a problem?â
âI donât blame you for being angry.â
âThatâs good, because I am angry, and justifiably so.â Isaiah envisioned Lauraâs face again and clenched his teeth. âLaura really wanted the job, Mom. It was important to her. And you know what else?â
âNo, what?â Mary asked thinly.
âI think youâre absolutely right. She would have been a damned good kennel keeper. Now, because of you, sheâs decided to pass on the opportunity. Thatâs a shame. Itâs not just any vet whoâll hire her, you know.â
âOh, Isaiah, I feel so awful.â
âGood. You should. The next time you get an itch to interfere in my life,