9. Cora
nine
cora
A sense of overwhelming joy washes over me as I walk toward the clinic’s front door. At the ass crack of dawn, a cacophony of barks and meows greets me as the bell chimes above my head. Leaving my coat and bag at the front desk, I open the door to the room filled with cages. Furry and scaly patients are waking up and looking for breakfast.
“Good morning, friends. How are we all doing this morning?” I greet each of them with a pat or wave. This past week since Bethany hired me has made Abalone Bay feel like a dream.
After feeding them, I head back to my desk to prepare for the appointments scheduled for today.
“I’m tired as shit and look like a hot mess,” Bethany announces, poking her head into the lobby. Her hair is twisted up into a messy bun, and her big round sunglasses are perched on top of her head.
“Good morning to you, too.” I laugh and point to her mismatched scrubs, a shocking combination of black and white polka dot pants and a pink floral top. “Rough night?”
Bethany releases a loud sigh. “Rough is an understatement. Remember how I said my sister was setting me up with one of her coworkers? Our date last night was brutal with a capital B.”
“Shit. Blind dates are a special kind of torture. I’m convinced they’re actually one of the rings of hell. They’re painfully awkward, rarely work out, and usually leave you wishing that you were at home with a romance novel and a vibrator.”
Bethany roared with laughter. “Exactly! You get me!”
I join her laughter, then stand up from my desk. “Let me make us some coffee and you can spill the tea.”
Bethany gives an appreciative groan and hugs me tightly. “You sweet baby angel, thank you! Coffee makes everything better, and I’m okay with a beverage becoming my entire personality.”
“I got you, girl. Go sit down in your office and I’ll be right there.”
A loud pounding on the front door has us both out of our seats rushing to find out what’s going on. Bethany twists the lock and pushes open the door. “Nash? Is everything okay?”
An unexplainable thrill runs through me at the mention of his name.
Nash rushes into the room. “I apologize for coming here so early, but I found this little guy down by the marina when we were responding to a fire.” A furry little face peeks out of Nash’s dirty coat, giving an enthusiastic bark.
There, right before my eyes, is hands down the most panty melting sight I’ve ever seen. Nash is wearing his firefighter gear, the tan fabric covered in a thick layer of soot. His face is covered in streaks of black, too. And did I mention the cute dog he’s holding? The man looks like he’s just walked out of one of those firefighter charity calendars. What I wouldn’t give to help him clean off that soot in the shower.
“He was hiding under some bushes, and it seems like he has an injury to his paw. Could you take a look at him?” Nash’s voice is thick with concern as he gingerly pulls the puppy from his coat and holds him against his large chest. The puppy’s fur is covered in mud, and it’s hard to even tell what breed it is.
“Of course we’ll help. Cora, can you prepare Exam Room One? It looks like we’ll need to clean this little guy up first. Then we can examine his paws to see where the issue might be.”
Bethany carefully takes the dog from Nash before heading towards the exam room.
“I’m on it,” I reply, ripping my eyes from Nash and rushing ahead to make sure she has everything she needs. Bethany’s vet tech won’t be in for another thirty minutes, so it’ll be up to me to step in.
When the room is prepped, our canine patient is placed on the high examination table. Nash trails into the room behind Bethany, and his worry shines through the soot on his face. I get to work gently cleaning the puppy with a warm wet towel, and am shocked to see that he’s actually a miniature schnauzer with gorgeous gray fur.
After checking thoroughly for anything external on the puppy’s paws, Bethany announces that she needs to take some x-rays. She gathers him up and takes him to the back of the clinic, leaving Nash and I in the exam room.
My fingers itch to reach for his hand and give it a comforting squeeze, but I stop myself.
“Everything is going to be okay. Bethany will figure out what’s wrong and get him comfortable.” My heart aches for not only the puppy in pain, but for the man next to me that looks big and intimidating, but apparently has a gooey center. It’s refreshing to see.
“Thank you for staying here with me.” He runs his hands through his hair anxiously, and our eyes lock. “I know it sounds strange to be attached to an animal that isn’t even mine, but there’s some connection there that’s difficult to explain. Like, he and I were meant to find each other, you know?”
“You have a big heart, Nash,” I realize as the words leave my mouth. Jack was right, he is genuinely a good guy.
He nudges me with his shoulder and gives me a timid smile. “My sister always teased me about being a sap when we were growing up.”
“There’s nothing wrong with being in touch with your sensitive side.” I nudge him back. “More men would benefit from it.”
Nash reaches over to take my hand in his, and its warmth surprises and comforts me. The contrast between my fair freckled skin and his deep tan is striking. His calloused hand is a reminder of his hard work and passion for helping the community. It’s strange how something as simple as holding hands can make you feel closer to someone.
“Hey, Cora!” Bethany shouts from the x-ray room. I jump up at the sound of my name, heading towards the door but lamenting having to let go of Nash’s hand. How is it that I miss his warmth already?
Rounding the corner, I see Bethany bent over a series of x-rays while holding onto the dog.
“How’s he doing?” I ask, giving the little cutie a small scratch behind the ears.
“This poor guy has been through the wringer. He’s malnourished, dehydrated, and has a fracture in his front paw. We’ll need to keep him overnight for observations, but he should make a full recovery. Do you mind pulling supplies for a cast while I go update Nash?”
“Of course not. I’ll grab everything and then get the office set up for the day.”
“You’re the best, Cora.” She hurries back to the exam room while I gather a splint kit that I had put together the other day, drop it off, and turn on my desktop to prepare for our full day of clients.
A half hour later, heavy footsteps make their way towards me, and Nash comes into view in front of my desk. His closeness sends waves of electricity through my veins.
“Bethany says that he’ll be okay, but that he has a long road to recovery. He also isn’t microchipped, so there’s no way of telling if he belongs to someone unless they report him missing. Thank you for your help, and for being there. You kept me calm and eased my worry.”
He fidgets with the zipper on his coat as he speaks, making me wonder if I make him nervous. I can’t help but smirk to myself at the possibility.
“Don’t mention it. I’m happy that I could be there to help,” I reply, keeping it casual before glancing behind him as Bethany’s next appointment walks through the door. I avert my eyes and pretend to be busy on the computer.
When he doesn’t say anything, I look back. Nash glances behind him, looking torn as to whether he should stay or go.
“Is everything okay?” I ask.
“Cora, I know that my first impression wasn’t the best.” Nash shifts on his feet, keeping that adorable goofy grin on his face that I’m growing to like more than I should. “But I was wondering if you’d like to get lunch together sometime so we can get to know each other.”
“Sure,” I blurt out awkwardly. So much for playing it cool. I make a mental note to tell him at lunch that this is a friends only situation.
He winks, pulling out his phone and adding my number. “I’ll text you once I catch some shut eye and we can pick a time.”
My stomach flips as he turns and leaves the clinic. My phone immediately buzzes.
UNKNOWN
Can’t wait to see you.
This is Nash by the way. I probably should have said that to begin with.
I smile down at my phone like a high schooler receiving their first text from a crush. I send back a cry laughing emoji and save his number to my phone. It’s hard to explain, but this moment feels important, though it could just be my imagination running wild. I have been reading a lot of romance novels, and should probably cut back.
Nah. Smut is what keeps me sane.
“What’s with the smile?” Bethany appears beside me with a steaming cup of coffee, blowing on it before taking a sip.
“Oh, nothing,” I reply a bit too quickly, practically throwing my phone down in an attempt to make myself look busy on the computer.
“Sure. Nothing. It wouldn’t have anything to do with a certain firefighter, would it?” She speaks nonchalantly, but the laugh that she’s trying to suppress by biting her lower lip gives her away.
“He’s my cousin’s friend, and he wants to get to know me better. That’s all. He just wants to be friends.”
My response is not even convincing to me.
“Oh honey, you are truly delusional if you think that friendship is the only thing that boy has on his mind. He was practically undressing you with his eyes in that exam room. It made me all hot and bothered, if we’re being honest,” Bethany says, dramatically fanning herself and leaning against the door frame.
“Wait, who’s your cousin?” she asks curiously, her back straightening.
Things are about to be interesting.
“Jack Cyr.” I reply innocently, continuing to enter patient info into the computer. “Do you know him?”“Yeah, we know each other.” Bethany crosses her arms in a protective stance. He’s okay.”
What the fuck happened between her and Jack?
“By ‘okay’ you must mean a sweetheart who’s a total pain in the ass?”
Her boisterous laughter fills the lobby. “You hit the nail on the head.”
I’m a proud nosy bitch, and there’s definitely a story here that I plan on getting to the bottom of. Just call me Nancy Drew, because I’m going to solve this mystery.
It seems silly, but I keep replaying the comforting feeling of Nash’s hand holding mine. Holding hands is something I’ve always wanted from men I’ve dated in the past, but none of them had any interest in it, calling it overrated.
Now, I have definitive proof that they were full of shit, because that simple moment was pure bliss.