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Her eyes narrowed. “Yeah, I did.”

“I’ve got good news,” I told her, setting the still loopy Esmerelda onto the exam table. “Esmerelda’s wounds are not serious, and it doesn’t look like she tore any ligaments in her leg. That means it’s probably just a sprain. I’ll send Erica in with some written instructions for aftercare, and I’d like to see you again in a week.”

I paused and amended my words.

“I mean, I’d like to see Esmerelda again in a week. You’ll want to let her rest as much as possible until she’s able to walk normally on that leg. No running or jumping for at least a week.”

“Okay.”

“I’ll give you some pain meds in case she needs them, be sure to give them to her with food otherwise it can upset the stomach. If you have a hard time getting her to take the pill, trying hiding it in cheese or peanut butter.”

“So you think she’s going to be okay?” Mabel asked, looking up at me hopefully.

I nodded. “Yes, she should be just fine.”

“Oh thank God.”

She rushed over to the table, hugging her dog and looking like she might start crying again. Erica told me that Mabel had been sobbing when she came in.

“Mommy was so worried about you Esmerelda,” she said softly. “Don’t do anything like that again. I can’t lose you.”

As a vet, I saw a lot of emotional scenes between people and their pets. I was more aware than most that for some people, pets were treasured family members. After so many years as a vet, I was good at remaining detached. But for some reason, Mabel’s emotional reaction really got to me.

“Erica will be right in to get you check out,” I said, hearing the gruffness in my voice. “Be sure to call us if Esmerelda gets worse or you have any questions. Otherwise I’ll see you in a week.”

Without waiting for a response, I left the room and hurried back to my office, closing the door behind me so I could have some privacy. Staring at my desk I had to admit something to myself. Something so incredible I couldn’t even believe it, but I knew it was true.

Love at first sight was real.

I’d never wanted love. Never particularly wanted a relationship. I’d always been too focused on my career to worry about anything more complicated than a casual fling. But I could tell that Mabel and I were about as opposite as could be. Our relationship would be doomed from the start.

Trying to convince myself it was just a crush or something, I resolved to put Mabel out of my mind. I’d do the follow-up appointment with Esmerelda next week, then assign her to one of the other doctors and never see her again. But fate had other ideas.

The next day I was taking a walk at lunch when I passed by Scoops, the fun little ice cream parlor that was super popular with the tourists. Mabel was sitting outside on a bench enjoying both the sun and what looked like a triple scoop cone. Esmerelda lapped something up from a paper bowl underneath the table.

“Dr. Martin!”

Mabel’s greeting was sunny despite the awkwardness between us yesterday. I squatted down to give my patient a head scratch.

“Just Joshua is fine,” I said. “How’s Esmerelda today?”

The dog thumped her tail at me, but kept her attention on whatever she was eating from the bowl.

“Oh she’s feeling much better already Josh, thanks to your good care,” Mabel said. “She’s walking on all four legs again.”

“Joshua,” I corrected.

“Huh?”

“You called me Josh, I prefer Joshua,” I explained.

Mabel looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language.

I glanced back down at the dog, who was now looking up at me with a ring of white around her little snout.

“Wait, she’s not eating ice cream is she?” I asked.

Mabel gave me that same frown she gave me yesterday when I suggested not having so much sugar for a snack.