My back protests as I bend over the little mutt to operate.We work together in silence for hours.Finally, I set the bone, place the screws, and stitch the little guy up.
I sigh and stretch, easing the ache out of my back.
Pearl strokes his soft fur, murmuring to him.My heart slams against my ribcage.If I weren’t already in love with her, I would’ve fallen for her at this moment.Hard.
I watch as she takes the puppy to recovery, knowing I’ll need to stick around tonight to monitor him.I try to figure out how to convince Pearl to stay with me as I wash up and change into fresh scrubs.I toss the dirty ones into the washing machine with some towels and start the cycle.Then I go in search of my sweet girl.
She’s in the back, giving the animals their nightly meds and saying goodnight.Deciding not to interrupt her peaceful ritual, I go to my office to email the office manager about our newest patient.I add care instructions to his file and am finishing up when I hear the bell above the front door jingle.
I curse, shooting to my feet and charging down the hallway to the lobby.I arrive just in time to see Pearl pulling out of the lot.I watch her go, my teeth clenched tightly as her taillights disappear.
She thinks she can avoid me.
Good luck with that, sweetheart.
Tomorrow, Pearl will realize she’s mine.
All mine.
FOUR
Pearl
“I’m never goingto work again,” I inform Coco as soon as she comes out of her bedroom the next morning.
“What?”she asks sleepily.“What happened?”
“I told him I was thinking about kissing him, and he juststaredat me, Coco.Like I was a freaking weirdo!”
“Huh.”
I stare at her wide-eyed.“Coco!”
“What else happened?”
“I ran away!He caught up with me, and I thought he was going to kiss me, but someone pulled up with an injured puppy and I helped him with surgery and then… I don’t know.I stayed for a bit, gave the other pets their medicine, but he didn’t say anything.He didn’t seek me out, so I came home.”
Coco shrugs.“Maybe he was looking and couldn’t find you.”
I glare at her.“The clinic isn’t that big.He knew where I was.He could’ve found me, but he didn’t.He came to his senses and ignored me instead.”
“Maybe he’s worried about your reaction.Maybe he’s freaking out right now too.”
“I don’t think so.He was very… confident,” I mumble.
“What doesthatmean?”
“It was so hot, Coco.He caged me against my car with his body and made me say I wanted to kiss him.He wasright here.”I hold my hand up in front of my face.“I swear he would’ve kissed me if we hadn’t been interrupted.”
“Okay, so go to work and talk to him.”
“Are you insane?”
She laughs.“Probably, but I’m right about this.”
“You’re forgetting the part where he ignored me for the rest of the night.”
“He was going to kiss you!”
