Chapter 55

I step into the reception area of the veterinary office, and I’m immediately hit by the smell of wet dog. The receptionist eyes me suspiciously as I approach with a pink bakery box clutched in one hand and a takeout bag in the other. When I reach the desk, it becomes clear that she’s actually giving me the full-on stink eye. Her lip curls in a sneer. “Can I help you?”

I clear my throat. “I’m here to see Melanie.”

She rolls her eyes and calls over her shoulder, “Mel, honey, your douchebag husband is here to see you.”

Well, that explains the stink eye. A few moments later, Mel steps out of the doorway behind the receptionist, blowing her hair out of her eyes and wiping fur from her uniform. Her eyes bug out when she sees me. “Nathan. It’s you … I wasn’t …” She gapes at me.

I arch an eyebrow. “How many douchebag husbands do you have, Spitfire?”

The receptionist puts a hand over her mouth and stifles a snicker.

But Mel’s face lights up, and her smile is worth being called a douchebag in front of a room full of strangers. She sidles up to her colleague and whispers, “You can’t call him a douchebag, Cass. It’s unprofessional.”

Cass gives me once-over. “But he is though, right?”

Mel giggles, her bright green eyes fixed on mine. “Only very occasionally.”

I shake my head. This woman drives me wild, and I have fucking missed having her in my life. “Are you free for lunch any time soon, Mrs. James?”

She smirks. “Maybe in about twenty minutes. You can wait out here if you like.” She nods toward the seating area, which is full of wailing cats scratching to be removed from their boxes and dogs who either have ridiculous cones on their heads or they’re showing off that they don’t by licking their balls. All the human customers are gawking at me, the douchebag husband.

I blow out a breath. “Fine. I’ll wait.”

Mel bursts into a fit of giggles, but Cass opens the small half door that leads behind the desk. “Probably best you wait back here. Our clients adore Nurse Mel. One of them might just bite you on the ass if you sit out there.”

Glancing back at the waiting area, I’m unsure if she’s talking about the pets or their owners. I follow Mel down the hall, and she pops her head into an office. “Hey, Jake. That labradoodle came around just fine and is in recovery. Is it okay to grab my lunch now?”

“Whatever you want, Mel. Hey, I bought you some of that peppermint tea you asked for.”

She thanks him and leads me into what’s obviously their break room, stuffed with comfy chairs along with a small kitchen area. “Would you like coffee?” She examines a green box that’s sitting on the countertop. “Or peppermint tea?”

I place the bag and the box on the counter. “Whatever you’re having is fine.”

She holds up the box. “Well, we don’t have any decaf coffee in here, so I guess we’ll go with peppermint tea.” She fills an electric kettle, and I stuff my hands into my pockets because the urge to touch her whenever I’m anywhere near her is still too strong. “Did you bring us lunch?” She nods toward the bag.

“Yeah. Ham and swiss on rye.”

“That’s very sweet. Thank you.” She licks her lips and stares at the pink box. “And please tell me those are jelly donuts in there.”

“Not exactly, Spitfire.” I flip open the lid and reveal a dozen ginger cookies.

“Mmm, cookies.”

I take one out and hand it to her. “Not just any cookies. Cookies from the best bakery in all of New York.”

She takes it from me, and her fingertips brush mine, sending an electric current along my forearm. Bringing it close to her face, she inhales. “Ginger?”

I nod. “My mom loved them. When the chemo made her sick, she said these were the only thing that helped with the nausea. I thought they might be good for the morning sickness.”

She stares up at me, her eyes wet with tears that she quickly blinks away. “I’m sorry. I get emotional so easily these days.” She sniffs.

I resist the urge to brush away the stray tear leaking from the corner of her eye. If I put my hands on her again, I won’t ever want to stop. “I’m sure that’s all normal, right?”

“Yeah.” She wipes the tear away herself. “You’d better get used to another eight months of pregnancy hormones. You sure you’re ready for that?” She blinks up at me, and although it was supposed to be a lighthearted joke, we both know she’s really asking me if I’m going to be there for her.

Unable to resist touching her any longer, I tuck her dark hair behind her ear. “Bring it on, Spitfire.”

She smiles. That sweet-as-fuck, heart-melting smile. “Thank you, Nathan.”

When I get back to the office, a familiar face is chatting with my secretary, Helen.

“Sapphire, what the hell are you doing here?”

She tosses her long dark hair over her shoulder, her blue eyes twinkling. “I’m in town for the event on Thursday. Thought I’d drop by.”

I ask Helen to rustle us up some coffees before I usher my old college buddy into my office. She takes a seat by the window, admiring the view for a moment before she turns her attention to me. “Congratulations on the wedding, by the way. I assume my invitation got lost in the mail.” She smirks wickedly.

“It was a very intimate event. Only close family, and not even all of them were there.”

She hums, eyeing me with suspicion, but she doesn’t push, which I’m grateful for. “Well, I’m looking forward to meeting your lovely wife on Thursday. And I was hoping I could tag along with you guys. You know I hate walking into these things alone.”

“What? Sapphire Huntington doesn’t have a date? I don’t believe it.”

She rolls her eyes. “I’ve dated every woman in Chicago. Maybe I need to move back to New York.”

“Pretty sure you’ve dated all the women here too.”

She lets out a throaty laugh. “I was hoping your brother might be my plus-one, but he’s not coming.” She pulls a face.

“No. He has a huge case he’s prepping for.”

“He works too hard. I can’t remember the last time we went out for a drink. I was so excited when he moved to Chicago, but he’s nowhere near as much fun as you.”

“Drake is a ton of fun,” I insist, compelled to defend him. “He’s just wrapped up in his work right now.”

She rolls her eyes. “So can I be your third wheel or no?”

I clear my throat. “Actually, Mel won’t be coming.”

“Oh?” Her eyes narrow. “Trouble in paradise already?”

I glance down at my wedding ring, the one I still wear in the office. News of our separation isn’t public yet, at least not outside of Nielsen’s Veterinary Practice, and while I trust Sapphire, something stops me from telling her the truth. “No. She’ll be out of town.”

“So we can both go stag then?” Her eyes twinkle with mischief. “Just like college.”

I pinch the spot between my brows. “Yeah.”

“Great. I’ll come by your place for a quick drink before we leave. We can catch up before we have to do the whole fake-smile thing all night.”

I nod my agreement. It could be exactly what I need to take my mind off my pint-sized siren.