Page 16 of Unexpected

“Umm, yes, of course,” I stuttered over the words, my mouth dry and unable to focus on anything except for how good he looked in navy blue. I stood from the chair, threw my phone in my purse without finishing the text to my mom, and approached the other side of the exam table. “Is she okay?”

He chuckled. “Yes, she’ll be okay. It doesn’t look like anything is broken, so I think she’s just being a little dramatic.”

I nodded in response. “Did I know that you’re a vet?”

He laughed again, but this time it was a little louder. He crossed his arms over his chest, and the sleeves of his scrub top constricted even tighter around the tattoos on his arms. “I’m not sure. Based on your expression, I’d say probably not.”

“I feel like I should have known that.”

He shrugged and began to say something until the door opened and interrupted us. The blonde came in with Sadie on a leash. She seemed to be walking better and at least putting a little weight on her injured leg.

“Hi,” the blonde greeted me flatly before turning to Luke with a bright smile. “She’s ready to go unless there’s anything else you need me to do.” Her words sounded like she was hoping he’d give her something to do.

“No, do I have any other patients?” I quietly chuckled at him calling the animals patients, but I couldn’t think of a better word that fit either. Still sounded funny whether it was correct or not.

“No, you’re done. Do you need me to drive you home?”

“Actually,” Luke said as he turned back to me, holding Sadie’s leash firmly in his hand. “Hazel, would you mind if I catch a ride with you? I was going to have Crystal take me, but since you’re here, it’d be more convenient if I could just go with you.”

“Sure, that’s fine,” I agreed and didn't miss the contempt and disappointment on Crystal’s face at the change of plans.

“Okay, let’s go home,” he said more to Sadie than me as he led us out of the room. As we entered the lobby, he said his goodbyes to the receptionists and the vet techs at the front. He also stopped to talk to an older woman who carried an older dog close to her chest. Each woman, and one of the men, seemed to ogle Luke in almost the same way Crystal had. Crystal’s ogling, however, was tremendously more transparent.

I opened the back door for Luke, and he effortlessly lifted Sadie into the back seat.

“I’ll pay to have your car vacuumed sometime soon. She sheds like crazy,” he commented while squeezing into the passenger seat. My car was not small, but I imagined Luke, being the size he was, had an issue fitting into a lot of cars. His driving a spacious truck made sense.

“It’s not a big deal. Tan seats, tan dog. No one will know.” I pulled out of the parking lot and headed toward home.

I loved the fall, but the time of year was always weird to me. It was just after five o’clock and the sun was already beginning to set in the distance. Luke was quiet in the passenger seat, looking at the setting sun and tapping his thigh to the beat of the Guns N’ Roses song on the radio.

I was focused on the road, but I was yet again in a small space with the large man. It was difficult to focus, which was not a good sign since I was the one driving.

Luke was gripping thehandle above the window, but it wasn't because my driving warranted it as much as it allowed him to spread out a little more. His arm tensed and the veins running up and down his forearm bulged.

I felt the blush as it began to bloom over my neck and face even though he hadn’t caught me staring at his toned arms and muscular jaw. My embarrassment was probably a good sign that my thoughts and subsequent feelings were encroaching on a territory that was highly inappropriate.

“Let’s go to dinner,” Luke stated out of the blue.

I jerked my head to the side and tried not to jerk the wheel as well.

“I—uh. What?”

Only around him did words not seem to come out of my mouth well at all. I sounded like I didn’t know the English language.Like I hadn’t studied it in college nor spoken it since birth.

“Let me take you to dinner as repayment for rescuing Sadie.”

I considered the invitation for a moment but hesitated too long.

“Are you really going to pass up some free food?”he argued, sensing my hesitation.

His point was valid; I didn’t usually pass up free anything, but I didn’t want to cross a line. But Luke seemed casual about the invitation and didn’t insinuate that he was looking for anything more than a friendly dinner. Could I be friendly with the neighbor I had grown to loathe? That was another question entirely, but an innocent dinner was just that: innocent.

“No, I’m not going to pass up free food. Where do you wanna go?” I asked, making my decision.

“Turn right at the next light, and then make a right into the first parking lot.” I did as he instructed, and we pulled into the parking lot of a small burger joint. Literally, the place was called Burger Joint, according to the sign above the door.

“I hope you eat meat because they don’t have any vegetarian options here.”

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