A door opened and closed. “Gemma?” a man’s voice called out.
Her gaze traveled to a man who stood about five-foot-eight and was wearing a white lab coat over a set of blue scrubs. The man had the beginnings of a beard and laugh lines around a set of sparkling baby-blue eyes.
“Hey, glad you could make it in. I’m Jack.”
“Hi, Jack.” She stood. “I’m Gemma, but you already knew that.”
“I did.” He chuckled. “Why don’t you come on back and we’ll have a coffee in my office? It’s the only place around here that has a clear surface,” he joked.
Gemma collected her purse and followed him through a door, past the receptionist, who was clearly more interested in watching the pair of them than working.
“So what type of animals do you treat?”
“Oh, the usual. Cats, dogs, birds, and maybe the occasional reptile. Life is a lot slower in Grizzly Springs than it was in Fort Collins.”
“And where is that?”
“Colorado. It’s where I did my vet schooling.”
Gemma nodded slowly and sat down. Jack had an easy manner about him. She could tell he was well matched to his profession. Slipping off his lab coat, he draped it on a peg near the door and walked over to a high-end coffee machine.
“I have dark roast, french roast, vanilla, and cinnamon. Pick your poison.”
Gemma grinned. “I’ll have the vanilla, please.”
He inserted the cup into the top of the machine and clicked the Brew button. “Would you care for any creamer?”
“No thanks.” She crossed her legs. “What’s the most unique animal you’ve ever treated?”
His lips twitched. “That would have to be a bison or a wolf.”
“I would imagine a wolf is a lot like a dog.”
“They are and they aren’t. Modern dogs are descended from wolves, but wolves are much more cunning. Living in the wild means they haven’t lost their problem-solving ability.” The coffee machine beeped, and he offered her a steaming cup. He inserted a new pod into the machine and waited for his own cup to brew. “I’ll be excited when I’m back in Fort Collins and I’m able to work with them again.”
“Oh? Are you moving back?”
Jack nodded. “I am. At the end of the month. I’ve taken a research position at the vet school.”
Gemma’s heart dropped. Things had been going so well, but now, she was going to have to cross Jack off her list. He was moving out of the area just as she was looking to move in. As she’d started to have a serious think about all the things she wanted in a bloke, at the top, she’d decided she wanted someone she could see on a regular basis. She didn’t want to commit to a long-distance relationship any longer than necessary.
“That sounds brilliant. What exactly will you be researching?”
“The impact of humans on the migration patterns of turkey and black vultures.”
“That sounds?.?.?. interesting.”
“Oh, they are. Vultures have been given a bad reputation because they’re scavengers, but let me give you all the reasons they’re amazing animals.”
* * *
“All right everyone, when you’re skating as a group, the key to success is being able to listen carefully. Do you think that’s something you can all do?” Gemma asked the group of twelve girls the next morning.
“Yes, Coach Gemma!” they yelled out enthusiastically.
“Brilliant.” She flashed them a smile. “Then let’s have a go at trying one of the first moves I learned when I was new to synchro too—the circle.”
A few of the younger girls giggled.
