From experience, Ruby knew that the best way to deflate a man with an ego as big as Caleb’s was to ignore him.

“I’m so sorry,” she repeated, turning her attention to Spencer this time. She extended a hand to help him up, but he didn’t accept the olive branch. He took his time getting to his feet instead, pausing to unroll his sleeves and button the cuffs at his wrists. This act of rebuttoning, of closing himself off from her view, did more to set her pulse alight than any amount of Caleb’s flattery ever could. “If it helps, Wheezy only reacts that way when he’s happy.”

When Spencer still didn’t reply, she added, “I didn’t know you lived with your brother, or I’d have tied the dog down before I opened the car door. Either that or dosed him with sleeping pills. That’s a joke, by the way. I only tranquilize people. Never animals.”

Caleb chuckled obligingly, but Spencer only stared. “You do nothing of the kind.”

“Actually, I do. Can’t you tell?” She glanced down at her attire, which could only be described as nursing assistant chic. No one looked good in scrubs, but she did her best by wearing ones in bright colors. This turquoise set went really well with her squeaky white tennis shoes.

“You’re a doctor?” Spencer asked, and with such a note of disbelief in his voice that Ruby felt all her earlier annoyance come roaring back. He didn’t have to act so surprised. She might not be a doctor, but she was technically a member of the medical profession. It wasn’t that far out of the realm of possibility.

“Most days, I work long and erratic hours, so I had to come straight here,” she said. She salved her conscience with the thought that it wasn’t strictly a lie. Harry made the schedule, so she always got the worst possible shifts. “I hope that’s not going to be a problem?”

Caleb tsked playfully before his brother could come up with a suitable retort. “A doctor and a beauty pageant queen? Be still, my beating heart.”

Ruby saw her chance to change the subject and pounced. “How do you know I used to do beauty pageants?”

“It was on your dog-show application,” Spencer said irritably.

His brother didn’t seem to share those feelings. “I knew it from the moment I laid eyes on you.” Caleb allowed his gaze to trail up and down her body. It left her feeling just as cold as all his other attempts at flirtation, but there was something about the mulish set to Spencer’s mouth that made her more open to it. At least some people didn’t look at her and immediately assume the worst. “Is this an attempt to regain your former glory? Your big return to the stage?”

“Oh, this isn’t about me. It’s about Wheezy.”