2. Ben

2

BEN

I turned off the lights as I exited the clinic, mentally cataloging the things I still needed to do that I hadn’t gotten to today.

Today had been a rollercoaster.

It started with a hyperactive Labrador puppy here for a well-check tearing through the exam room, then moved on to a cranky cat with a tooth in need of extraction, a dog with a parasitic infection that had us all deep cleaning the place after he left, and finished with Rosco who’d ingested an edible. The poor guy had come in wobbly and lethargic with panicked owners. They were here on vacation and let him roam around in the fenced-in backyard of their rental while they unloaded their vehicle, only to find him out of it once they were settled. He’d apparently found someone’s lost edible while in the backyard. Honestly, he’d been my most comical patient of the day.

My cell chimed, letting me know I had a new voicemail.

When had it even rung?

I pulled it from my pocket and placed it to my ear once I hit play, thinking it would be Rosco’s owners returning my call.

It wasn’t.

Instead, a woman’s sultry voice filled my ear. I stopped dead in my tracks outside the clinic door. The exhaustion I’d felt mere seconds ago morphed into amusement. Whoever this woman was, she had a sense of humor and the sound of her chuckle had me smiling wide. Either Jane had written down Rosco’s owner’s number wrong or I’d dialed it wrong. It didn’t matter. The call had brightened this woman’s day, and in turn, mine as well.

I replayed her voicemail once more as I climbed into my truck, shaking my head at how absurd and random it all was.

“All right,” I muttered, feeling a grin spread across my face. “Point to her for the pun added in there.”

I sat behind my wheel, debating if I should call her back or send a text instead. Calling her back might seem weird.

So, a text it was.

I tapped her number and opened a new text thread. My thumbs hovered over the keyboard while I thought of what to say.

“Keep it casual, Ben,” I muttered. “Just a simple thank you. She doesn’t need to know you’ve replayed the voicemail twice now.”

Hey, Dr. Ben here. Glad I could give you a laugh. And, honestly, if I had to accidentally call anyone, I’m glad it was you. Thanks for the top-notch pun—I needed that. Rosco’s on the road to recovery. I’m pretty sure he’s going to have some wild tales for his dog park buddies, though.

I hit send before I could overthink it, and as I tossed my phone into the cupholder of my truck, I realized part of me hoped she’d respond.

I shook my head, chuckling.

Normally, by this time of night, I’d have mentally checked out, already thinking about a quick dinner, getting a workout in, and having a cold one on my couch while watching whatever I could find on tv before passing out to wake up and do it all over again.

Tonight was different, though.

Tonight, my thoughts kept drifting back to whoever the woman in the voicemail was and her sultry voice while I drove home. There was something refreshing about her, something that made the exhaustion of the day fade.

My phone buzzed. When I came to a stop at the next traffic light, I pulled it from my cupholder and glanced at the screen.

It was her.

Glad to hear my corny pun hit the mark! And even happier to hear Rosco’s on the mend. He’ll definitely be the life of the dog park after this. While I may not be an expert in edible-induced adventures, I think I can safely say I’ve perfected the art of crafting humorous replies to wrong number messages. ;)

This woman had me grinning like a fool, and it felt damn good, as I replied.

It’s a good specialty to have.

Before I could think about it, I tapped out another message.

Who knew a wrong number could turn into the highlight of my day? Let me know if I can return the favor.

I hit send before I could chicken out, and then thought better of it.

What was I thinking?

This woman could be married.

Honestly, she probably was because who in their right mind would skim over a gem like her?

When she didn’t reply, I hit the gas and continued home.

Way to make it weird, Ben.

Just as I turned onto my road, my phone pinged with a new text. I waited until I was in my driveway before I looked to see if it was her.

I’ll think on it. So, what else keeps Dr. Ben on his toes, besides dogs with a taste for adventure?

She wouldn’t have asked that question if she was married or involved with someone, would she?

I leaned back in my seat and fired back a reply.

Besides emergency edible dog crises? Hyper labs and ornery cats with occasional tooth infections. I’m kidding. That makes it sound like I hate my job. I don’t. I love it. I love animals. They keep me busy. How about you? I imagine a life spent perfecting the art of crafting humorous replies to wrong number messages would have a few adventures of its own.

The three little dots appeared, and I realized my heart was pounding while I waited to see her reply.

Not really. I’m filling in at my cousin’s coffee shop right now—The Caffeinated Fox—until she can find someone to hire on permanently. I’d say that’s a bit less glamorous than saving animals from their questionable dietary choices, but I get to practice my coffee foam art, which is almost the same thing.

I replied back quickly.

The Caffeinated Fox? I know the place. Best coffee in town, hands down.

A plan formed in my head to wake early enough tomorrow morning to swing by and see if I could meet this mystery woman in person.

My phone pinged again.

The title is well deserved.

I sat parked in my driveway, trying to think of what to say next because I didn’t want this conversation to end.

My cell pinged with a new text before I could think of anything.

Have a good night, Dr. Ben. Thanks again for the laughs.

A grin tugged at my lips.

My pleasure. Have a good night, too.

Once I hit send, I realized I should have asked for her name but thought it might make me seem like a creeper to ask now that we’d said goodnight.

With a sigh, I climbed out of my truck and headed inside. For the first time in ages, I was actually looking forward to tomorrow and starting my day with a coffee from The Caffeinated Fox.