Chapter 8: Chapter 8

AVERY

“Who’s our first patient today?” Dr. Collins asks when he comes through the door fifteen minutes later.

“That would be Turner. He’s due for his monthly teeth cleaning.”

“Great. See you in a bit,” he replies, grabbing his coffee with a grateful smile before disappearing through the door leading to the examination rooms.

The phone rings the moment it swings shut behind him. The woman on the other end is panicking about her cat, who ingested something he shouldn’t have, and schedules an emergency appointment. I do my best to soothe her as the first client of the day walks in.

Turner, a tall Doberman with a stunning rust-colored coat, is the picture of good manners. He sits obediently by his owner as I wrap up the call. After hanging up, I check them in.

“Good morning. How’s Turner doing today?”

At the sound of his name, Turner tilts his head, his eyes landing on the treat jar next to my monitor. He sneezes a few times in anticipation, his unique way of asking for a doggie biscuit.

“Easy, Turner,” his owner croons, trying to calm him down, but it’s futile.

Turner has set his sights on the treat jar and is determined to get a snack. He jumps up, his nails scraping and sliding against the counter.

“I’m sorry about this,” his owner apologizes, tugging on the leash, but Turner is relentless.

If anything, the resistance only fuels his determination.

I laugh. “It’s okay. I’ve seen much worse than a treat-hungry dog.”

I reach into the jar and grab one of the bone-shaped biscuits for Turner, kneeling to give it to him as I take his leash. He gobbles it up in one bite.

“Let’s get this guy to the back. You can take a seat over there,” I tell the owner, pointing to the waiting chairs. “I’ll be right back.”

Dr. Collins is waiting for us as I lead Turner to the exam room, and I return to the front a moment later.

“It’ll take about two hours, so if you have any errands to run, now would be a good time,” I suggest to the owner as I step behind the counter.

He nods and leaves. My phone buzzes, and I pick it up. It’s a text from Olive.

Olive

Hey, you sounded stressed earlier. Everything okay?

Avery

Yeah, I’m good. Just a busy morning. Reed walked me to work.

Olive

HE WALKED YOU TO WORK?!

I chuckle, rolling my eyes.

~I knew she’d blow this out of proportion. But it’s nothing. He just walked me to work. It’s not like he kissed me goodbye or anything. I wish.~

Avery

We ran into each other at the coffee shop.

Olive

How very rom-com of you two. Did he hold the door open for you too?

Avery

And he paid for my coffee.

Olive

You’re so in!

Olive

We have a sub today and I’m bored. Entertain me, bestie.

Avery

Looking forward to tonight?

Olive

Hellllllllllllls yeah!

Olive

I just hope it’s not awkward around Devon. You know he asked me out?!

I cringe.

~Looks like Devon struck out with Olive. I feel a little bad for him.~

Avery

He did ask me where you like to eat.

Olive

What did you tell him?

Avery

Backyard Barbecue, duh.

Olive

That’s my girl. He asked me to dinner there. I said no.

Avery

What’s wrong with Devon?

Olive

First of all, we’re friends. Second, he totally wants you. Also, I don’t date.

Avery

He’s not interested in me. And you could date.

Olive

Yuck. No, this girl just wants to have fun.

Avery

Maybe Devon wants a bit of fun?

Olive

All men do.

~Was she right? Was Reed just looking for a bit of fun when he kissed me?~

I shake my head and focus back on my phone.

Avery

Are we singing our usual tonight?

Olive

Absolutely! We’re going to rock the house with Tiffany!

Olive

Oh shit. Quiz time. Gotta go. Love you, badass bestie.

The clinic line rings just as I’m tucking my phone back into my pocket.

“Hello. Thank you for calling Big City Animal Clinic. How can I assist you today?” I say politely.

“I was in the other day with my new puppy, and I must say, the lovely receptionist was incredibly helpful. She deserves a hefty raise,” a smooth, confident male voice says on the other end.

A flush of recognition spreads through me.

“Reed, is that you?” I ask, trying to keep my voice casual despite the butterflies fluttering in my stomach.

He chuckles. “Yeah, it’s me. Did your boss enjoy the coffee?”

“He did.”

“Good. What are you up to?” he asks.

“I’m at work, but I have some downtime between appointments, so I’m just checking the schedule. What about you?”

I click through the upcoming days on the computer as we talk, noting that the clinic is pretty booked. Dr. Collins is going to have to find some help soon.

“I’m training a stubborn little shit today,” he grumbles.

“Oh. So you’re training yourself then?” I tease.

There’s a pause, and then he bursts into laughter. “Pretty much, yeah.”

“I’m sure you’ll get through to him. You’re good at what you do, Reed.”

“Careful, Avery. You’re making me blush. I might start to believe you’re falling for me,” he teases.

Then, just like that, he’s gone. I stare at the phone for a moment.

~If only he knew.~

***

A few hours later, Turner’s human saunters back in. I nod and message Dr. Collins to check if the Doberman is ready. He gives the okay, and I head back to get the dog.

He’s a bit groggy from the anesthesia, but his eyes light up when he spots me. He greets me with a gentle nudge of his massive head as I open the crate.

“Hey, big guy. Ready to see your human?”

I give him a comforting rub as I clip on his leash, and we head back to the lobby.

The moment Turner spots his owner, he tries to bolt, so I let him. This reunion is the best part of my job. The joy between pet and owner post-procedure is unparalleled. It’s the purest form of love I know.

“I’ll give you two a moment, then we can get you all set to leave,” I say, grinning as I retreat behind the counter.

Turner gets a good ear rub and some head pats before they make their way to the counter. And then, they’re out the door.

***

At the end of the day, Dr. Collins shuffles into the lobby.

“What a day,” he sighs, unclipping his badge and setting it down. “I’m not sure how much longer we can keep being this busy without help.”

I nod, collecting my things and shutting down my computer. It has indeed been a day. We’ve seen about ten clients, which is a lot for our little clinic.

“So, any fun weekend plans?” he asks, a hint of curiosity in his voice as we walk to the door.

“Off to the bar with my partner in crime,” I reply. “You?”

“I’ve got my kid brother visiting for the weekend,” he grumbles, shaking his head. “He’s checking out the university and getting a feel for the city.”

His phone buzzes, and he pulls it out of his pocket. “Speaking of, I should get going. See you Monday, Avery. Have a blast tonight.”

I smile and wave, locking up behind us.

It’s impossible not to have a blast around Olive. She’s a bad influence, and the mastermind behind every questionable-but-fun decision I’ve ever made. And tonight, we’re painting the town red.

REED

As expected, the clients today took it out of me, so I’m exhausted by the time I get out of the shower. I lie on the bed, towel still wrapped around my waist, and scroll through my social media feed.

There’s a post from Avery about hitting up some karaoke bar downtown with Olive. I smile.

~Karaoke takes lots of confidence. I haven’t seen that in Avery before. She’s usually so shy and reserved. I kinda want to see this.~

I get dressed, taking Champ for a quick walk before locking up and heading for the bar. The image of a shimmying Avery, belting out tunes and shaking her ass on stage fills my mind.

~Now that’s something I need to see.~