Learning to Live

Chapter 30

Gemma was looking between us. I blinked and glanced beside him at the dog. The big brown dog looked around, his ears pricking.

"Hey." I cleared my throat. "Gemma, lower the table please."

Gemma pushed the button to lower the examination table. I approached and knelt down next to the dog. He was around thirty inches high. A pretty tall dog.

"Your name isn't on the appointment list," I told Hunter without looking at him.

"My agent was the one who booked it. They don't usually use my name."

Right. He was that famous now.

"What's his name?" I asked, letting the dog sniff my hand.

"Her. She's Brownie."

I snorted. "Original."

He shrugged. I petted Brownie's head and stood up. "How did you know I worked here?"

He shrugged again. I rubbed my eyes. I was too tired to deal with him right now. But this was work. I could to be professional about it.

"Alright, can Brownie jump on the table?"

It was low enough for the dog to step into it, and she did it with a word and a head pat from Hunter. She sat down and looked at Hunter with big adoring eyes. I had the absurd notion that I must've looked just like her when I was seventeen. Life quickly cured me of that, though.

"And what's wrong with Brownie?" I asked. Petting the dog's head, I checked her ears.

"Nothing." I glanced at him and checked her eyes, murmuring encouraging words under my breath. "I wanted to change her vet."

"What's wrong with her old vet?" Brownie seemed pretty docile.

"Nothing," Hunter said again.

I sighed and gave him a long look. "Hunter, this is ridiculous. Stop it."

"What? Are you turning Brownie away?"

Brownie blinked at me with her huge, soulful eyes. I scowled at him. "I know what you're doing."

"Is it working?"

"No." Yes. Yes, it was.

I continued the routine checkup, aware of Hunter's intense gaze on my face. Brownie was the most well behaved, affectionate dog. The way she tilted her head and looked at me when I listened to her heart with the stethoscope had me melting. I almost reneged on my promise to never get another pet.

Hunter's lips twitched up when Brownie licked my palm. The sight of his smile went right to my heart. It had been so long.

I glanced at Gemma. She was standing by the side, looking immensely entertained. I cleared my throat and petted Brownie's head.

"According to her booklet, her vaccine will need to be updated in a couple of months. She's been treated for internal and external parasites, so we'll do another round when the time is right. Gemma will set up a schedule and communicate it with you."

"I'd prefer if you did it," Hunter said.

I quirked an eyebrow. "Very demanding, aren't you?"

He shrugged. I shook my head. He was impossible. "Gemma will do it." I turned to the counter and scribbled a few notes for Gemma. "How long have you had Brownie?"

"About a year and a half," he said.

Hmm. It was around the time he went on hiatus. Was she the reason?

No. I didn't want to know. Do not be curious, Sapphire.

I turned and gave Brownie a small treat. She'd been such a doll. She gobbled it up and grinned at me. I couldn't help my smile.