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She leaned her elbow on the table and spun her body to face me. “And how did you figure that out when you’ve been following me around most of the time.”
I tapped the side of my eye and then my ear. “The power of observation. I recognize the guys from the one full-staff meeting I attended, the others I caught bits of their conversations as you were giving me the tour and put the pieces together. But Wyatt’s brother isn’t here, or his wife—your best friend—so I guess I was just wondering what made you come to this thing.”
Her cheek moved like she might be nibbling the inside of it. “My dad and Sadie were supposed to come today, but Sadie wasn’t feeling well. I come often enough no one really questions it. I’m close to my dad and uncle, but my uncle works a lot so these types of events are really the only time I get to see him anymore, especially since I’ve been up in Sacramento for school the past two years.”
“What made you want to become a veterinarian?” I pushed my plate a little closer, encouraging her to eat more. She grabbed some chips, eating them while her narrowed gaze looked at me accusingly.
“Why so many questions?” she asked.
I shrugged. “Just curious about you is all.”
I wanted to learn all I could about her, and she’d proven to be more willing to share than I was considering what she’d already told me about her ex.
“I’ve always loved animals. My dad got me a dog when I was seven, and I loved her more than anything else. I named her Shadow because she’d follow me everywhere. I spent most of my childhood bouncing back and forth between my parents’ houses, but my mom was off in Greece or France or something back then with one of her guys, so I was primarily with my dad. It was the happiest I’d been in forever. Then Shadow got sick. I was devastated. She wouldn’t eat, wouldn’t move. She’d look at me like she wanted me to save her, but I didn’t know what was wrong. I felt helpless. We took her to the vet and they were able to diagnose the problem. She had Addison’s disease which can be fatal if not managed. I remember the vet being so patient and calm, but also quick and focused. I was so scared, but she made the situation better. She eased my fears and taught us how to manage Shadow’s Addison’s. She saved my dog and unknowingly made me fall in love with a career I’d never really thought about.” She laughed and the way her whole face lit up made me forget to breathe. “I think my dad thought I was just going through a phase like kids do when they say they want to be an astronaut or a racecar driver, but over the years, it never went away.” Her smile dimmed, but it was her eyes that gave away the heartbreak she was trying to hide. “It’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do.”
Before I could ask her why she got sad all of a sudden, Wyatt came over with his own plate and a second with another cheeseburger that he placed in front of Jenna. He gave me a long look, and I knew my time alone with Jenna was over.
He didn’t need to know I planned to go home with her tonight, and every night she’d let me.
GOOD FOOD IS ALL YOU NEED
JENNA
Talking about why I’d wanted to become a vet had unleashed a need in me that I could no longer ignore. So, two days later, I went into a local animal shelter and signed up to volunteer for the remainder of the summer. I’d volunteered here before when I was in high school so there wasn’t much I needed to do except update my mailing address and learn some of the new systems they’d put in place since I was last here.
Being surrounded by animals was both a gift and a curse. It reminded me of why I’d wanted to be a veterinarian in the first place, but it was also painful to leave at the end of the day. I wanted to adopt them all and take them home with me.
But I couldn’t deny that I was in a better mood than I’d been in days as I walked up to my apartment, a smile on my face that had been there most of the day. It was a good feeling.
When I arrived at the top of the stairs, my steps faltered because Connor was standing at my door, four brown paper bags at his crossed feet as he waited patiently for me.
“Hey,” I said, pulling my keys out of my pocket and unlocking the door. “I hope you haven’t been waiting long. I didn’t realize you were coming by tonight.”
He shrugged and smiled as if nothing bothered him, but I knew that wasn’t true. Every so often when we were together, he’d get a distant look in his eyes and then search me out. I wasn’t sure he was even aware of it.
“I figured we could make dinner and hang out,” he said, picking up the bags as if they weighed nothing and following me into my apartment.
I dropped my keys on the counter and then looked through the bags as he placed them down next to my keys.
I started pulling out the groceries one by one. “What is all this?”
“This,” he said, taking the onion out of my hand, “is everything I need for my grandma’s famous chicken pot pie. It’s a classic, and if you say you don’t like chicken pot pie, I’m going to have to call you a liar.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at how serious his tone was. “I do, in fact, enjoy a good chicken pot pie. Although that’s not something I expected you to know how to make.”
“I’m a man of many talents,” he said with a wink.
He started prepping everything and I watched, mildly amused and also insanely turned on. I’d never had a guy cook for me before and I had to admit it was hot.
“Is there something I can help with?”
“Nope,” he said, a carefree grin on his face that had my heart racing faster. “Just sit there on the counter and keep me company while I make you the best dinner of your life.”
“Those are big words. Setting the bar pretty high there.”
“I stand by my statement. Just you wait, Sugar.”
My whole body nearly melted into a pile of swoon on the counter. Damn, I was such a sucker when he called me Sugar. He paused long enough to pull his phone out and fiddle with it before music came through its speaker. He turned down the volume enough so we could still talk or let it be ambient noise.
