Instead, he validated her emotional response. “Your job is tough for someone with a tender heart like yours. Do you assist in surgery?”
“Yes. Well, at least this time. I’m working on my certification,” Coco admitted. Afraid she’d given a client the wrong impression, she rushed on to say, “I was just watching and learning this time. Dr. Rossi is a wonderful surgeon. She tried to save Fluffy’s leg, but it wasn’t possible.”
“Do you think Fluffy will be okay?” Roman asked.
Coco’s shoulders drifted back down into place. Roman hadn’t focused on finding something wrong that the team had done. He had zeroed in on the dog.
“He’ll be great. He’ll wake up with less pain without that leg. Healing with rods and screws in a casted limb would have meant a longer recovery for him with a lot more risks again. Now, of course, he’ll have to learn to navigate on three legs, but he’s young. After an adjustment time, the amputation won’t slow him down much.”
“That sounds very positive.”
“It does,” Coco said softly, before adding, “I wish he hadn’t gotten hit.”
“I bet everyone wishes that too.”
They sat there in companionable silence for a couple of minutes. Held close to his steady heart rate, Coco loved the calm reassurance that radiated from Roman. She could feel the dark cloud over her head breaking up and drifting away.
When he shifted on the hard concrete, she immediately shifted to get off his lap. “I’m sorry. You don’t have to….” Her voice trailed off as his arms tightened, holding her in place.
“I don’t do anything I don’t want to do. I’m enjoying comforting you. Are you finding my touch unpleasant?” he asked, watching her face.
“No,” she whispered. “Normally, I don’t sit on someone’s lap.”
“I’m good with that. You’ll find I’m very possessive.”
“I’m going to fine… find that out?” she corrected herself.
“You will. You haven’t checked your phone, have you?” He chuckled, jostling her a bit.
“No. I don’t carry my phone around—definitely not into surgery.”
Roman leaned to the left and pulled his phone out of his pocket. Holding the device in front of him, he unlocked the screen and showed her the message that flashed on the screen. It was a picture of her and the red words, Match Found!
“The PLAYTIME app?” she gasped.
“Yes. I recognized you immediately. Even in the stress and sadness of our meeting, something inside of me told me to pay attention to you.”
“Really?” she squeaked.
“Yes, Little girl. Your compassion and obvious love for animals impressed me. Now, I’m glad Buster got to meet you.”
“I’m glad I got to meet him too.”
She glanced at her watch and stiffened. “Oh, no! I’ve got to get back to work!” Coco scrambled off his lap and hesitated. “What do we do now?”
“I pick you up for dinner and we'll talk. What time are you off?”
“Six. Maybe a bit after. I like to make sure all the overnight cases are settled.”
“I’ll be in the parking lot at six. Take your time, Coco. I’ll wait for you as long as it takes.”
She stared at him for a minute before her watch buzzed, the reminder that her break was over. “Okay,” she said and flew to the back door. Unable to resist, she turned back to see him standing by the stairs watching her.
“Soon, Little girl,” he called.
Coco waved and darted inside with her heart pounding inside her chest. He was a Daddy. No, she corrected herself. He was her Daddy.
“Are you okay?” Isabella asked, staring at her.
