And that was exactly what ended up happening. Constance sat across from James in Sal’s diner, taking a bite of apple pie à la mode as James drilled her on her coursework.
“What about animal anatomy? That class was usually pretty fun.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Yeah, if you like learning about the tissue and organs of animals.”
He chuckled. “Being a vet isn’t all gold and silver. You have to deal with the nitty-gritty stuff too.”
“Please tell me I won’t have to dissect anything.”
“Sorry.”
Her gaze shot up to meet his. Ugh. She hadn’t gotten that far in her syllabus. It made sense she’d be dealing with that sort of thing. But she’d hoped that most of her coursework would include diagnosing problems that animals struggled with—externally.
“Don’t worry. It’s not as bad as you might think. It’s just the smell you never really get used to.”
Constance grimaced and pushed her plate across the table. “Ugh. And now I’ve lost my appetite.”
James eyed the half-eaten pie and motioned toward it. “Does that mean it’s up for grabs?”
She nudged it farther. “Go for it.”
He grinned and grabbed her plate, quickly making the dessert disappear.
“What made you want to be a veterinarian? I mean, was there a moment when you knew for certain it’s what you wanted to be?” Constance twisted her glass of water around, then traced the edge at the top.
He swallowed the bite in his mouth and reached for a napkin to wipe his mouth. “I suppose I knew I wanted to be a vet when my dog was hit by a car.”
Constance gasped. “Your dog died? That’s terrible.”
“I was three when it happened.”
She frowned. “I’m so sorry.”
He shrugged. “It was hard, especially at that age, but to be fair we do live out in the country. Life. Death. We see it all. It’s part of our lifestyle.”
“True.” Her thoughts turned to the first foal Calliope lost. Constance hadn’t handled it as well as she would have liked. “It’s kinda funny.”
“What is?”
“That you wanted to be a vet after the death of your pet, and I wanted to be one after the birth of mine.”
His handsome face brightened, a smile spreading across his face from ear to ear. “That’s an interesting point.”
It was rare moments like this when she could take advantage of the fact he wasn’t engrossed in their work, so she could get to know him better. “Why did you decide to come back home? You know, instead of starting a clinic somewhere in the city.”
James took a sip of his drink, his eyes growing distant. He wasn’t focused on her, which gave her a chance to study him without being caught. She loved how he was so clean-cut. Every hair was in the right place. Even his clothes were pressed. “I suppose I came back because I knew that Doctor Cliff wasn’t going to be around much longer and the next closest option for animal health care was in the city.”
Once again, he was showing proof that he thought of others before himself. He wasalwaysthinking of others.
“If you had a chance to move somewhere else—anywhere—where would you go?”
He cocked his head and his eyes seemed to shine a little brighter. “I don’t know. I haven’t really thought about it. I suppose there really isn’t anywhere I would prefer to go. I love it here. I wouldn’t want to leave my family—howeverinterestingthey might be.”
Andhe was a family man.
She knew getting to know him over the course of her training might cause her some regret. But she didn’t think it would affect her this much. The more she got to know the person inside, the more she realized her first impression of him had been spot on.
“Why aren’t you dating anyone?” The second that question escaped her lips, Constance stiffened and her face flushed. She hadn’t meant to ask him that. The question burst from her before she could contain it. There was no brushing it off because the way he stared at her made it clear he had figured out why that question interested her. She pressed her lips together and looked away. “I mean, anyone with eyes can tell you’re a catch. It doesn’t make sense why you aren’twithsomeone.” It was a stupid excuse, and she couldn’t bear to meet his gaze while she waited for the answer.