It was Gabe’s turn to feel a dose of modesty wash over him. He dropped his voice so that Janice couldn’t hear. “If you want the truth, there are a lot of days when I feel more like I’m playing doctor rather than actually being one. Though I’m getting more used to it all the time.” He waved her toward the main exam room. “Still. Dr. Washington was right when he said I’ll come across things just about every day that no one can train you for.”

“I can only imagine.” She trailed after him, her hands flattened against the back of her hips as she looked around.

“The hardest parts have had to do with putting a terminally ill or a geriatric dog or cat to sleep. Even when I’m convinced it’s the best thing to do, I don’t think expressing that to a grieving family is something I’ll ever be comfortable with.”

“I’m sure that’s tough. Really tough.”

“Yeah, well, the good outweighs the bad. By a long shot. And some other less heart-wrenching things throw me off too. Like when my clients want my opinion on things that don’t have anything to do with their pet.”

“Like what do you mean?” Olivia asked, rolling her right foot in a circle by the tip of her heel as she listened.

It was her easy smile, Gabe decided, that drew him to her most. Maybe next it was the attentiveness in her gaze. Like she couldn’t see anything but him. Whatever the case, he was glad to hear Janice shuffling around in back. Knowing they weren’t alone kept him from pressing Olivia into the exam table with a kiss to match the one that had steamed up his Tacoma windows last Saturday.

“Ah, like today a client asked what kind of shoes I like to wear since I stand on my feet all day. A couple days ago, I felt like I was getting cross-examined as to which publicly traded pet care companies were the best to invest in in this market.” He searched for another example. There were so many every day. “Here’s a tough one. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve been asked if I believe animals have souls, and if they do, if they share our heaven.”

Olivia’s delicate eyebrows arched high. “How do you answer that?”

“Carefully.”