Puppy Love. Kelly Moran

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      They were matchmaking, so she ignored them. Mostly. She did not need to be set up on a date. Especially not with her new boss. Any of them, for that matter. Avery had sworn off men, and besides, hello awkward? And Cade had more women hanging on his arm than the desert had sand granules. If she did date, it wouldn't be a man who loved women that much.

      What had Cade called these ladies? The Battleaxes? Suiting. Seemed his mother and aunts were trying to recruit Avery's mother into their muah-ha-ha fold. The memory of one picture of Cade from last summer in board shorts and nothing else had her clenching her thighs together.

      “Look at those biceps. Oh, he's cuddling a kitten. Avery, have you seen this?”

      Avery closed her eyes and covered her ears. Lead me not into temptation…

      Who was she kidding? She hadn't been in church since her wedding nine years before.

      Finally, Cade's last patient of the day came out of an exam room. She blew out a breath.

      Jeffrey seemed like a nice enough guy, if not a little obvious in stripping her naked with his eyes. He set the cat crate on the floor by his feet as Cade walked up front, followed by Brent.

      Ready to cut Jeffrey off at the pass—literally, he'd made several passes at her—she pasted on a smile and stood. “That was so nice of you to bring your mother's cat in for her.”

      Cade snorted and handed her a list of services. Depression?

      Avery gave Jeffrey the total and he squared the bill. “You have a great weekend. Thanks for coming in.”

      Jeffrey shoved a baseball cap over his receding brown hair. “About that. What are you up to tonight? Maybe we could get some dinner?”

      “Oh, that's so nice of you, but—”

      “She's got plans.”

      No one moved for a fraction of a second. She was pretty sure the earth stopped rotating. They all slowly turned to face Cade. Yeah, that proverbial pin drop? They'd all heard it.

      Cade froze, his eyes wide as if shocked he'd said anything, pen poised over the open chart in his hand.

      Brent took in Cade's distressed face and straightened. “Um, yes. We're all headed to Shooters tonight. Avery's…spoken for?” He looked at her as if to confirm.

      “I am?” Not that she was going to take Jeffrey up on the offer. She had no interest in dating, but still. Couldn't she just nicely turn him down? Why lie?

      Brent fixed her with a go with it glare and then grinned at Jeffrey. “Sorry, big guy.”

      Rosa and her mom's head whipped back and forth between the patient, Cade, and Brent. Their avid interest in Pinterest was gone and replaced by the live floor show.

      Cade muttered a quiet curse.

      Jeffrey's confused gaze scanned the room. “Okay. Maybe I'll meet up with you later.” He picked up the crate and left. Fast.

      All eyes slid back to Cade. He opened and closed his mouth several times before tossing the chart aside, running a hand through his thick blond hair, and glancing heavenward. “Right.”

      Flynn and Gabby walked in the door at the same time Drake chose that moment to come up front from the back.

      Drake's gaze swept over each of them in a millimeter of a second. “Are we having a moment of silence?”

      Rosa's eyes narrowed. “Actually, we're trying to figure out why Cade just blocked Avery from accepting a date.”

      “I did not—”

      “Ooh, a date?” Gabby stepped forward and set her bag down before adjusting her long, blond ponytail. “With who?”

      “Jeffrey Harrison.” Brent waved his hand dismissively. “Dodged a bullet with that one, doll. I'd thank Cade.”

      “I did not—”

      “What time should I be over to watch Hailey?” Mom interrupted, earning a nod of approval from Rosa. “I'm glad you have plans to go out. You need to have a little fun.”

      Avery shook her head. “When did fake plans become real plans?”

      Flynn's eyebrows shot to his hairline.

      “Does seven o'clock work for everyone?” Brent cocked a hip.

      “I'm in,” Gabby said. She picked up her bag and headed for the hall. “Shooters?”

      Avery rubbed her forehead. “I didn't agree to—”

      Rosa huffed. “Now, now. Cade asked you out, and you're new in town, so this'll be a good opportunity to meet a lot of people.”

      “I did not ask her—”

      “Semantics,” Rosa said. “Justine, dear, I'll see you tomorrow.”

      “I'll walk out with you. Avery, I'll be over at six thirty to watch Hailey.”

      Flynn shrugged. “I'm in.” He looked at Avery. “Drinks on me for your awesome first week.” Deserting her, too, he went into his office.

      Drake crossed his arms, looking like he wanted to kill Cade for some reason or erase the past five minutes from his memory. “Have fun tonight, kids.”

      “Wait.” Brent pouted. “You have to come, too.”

      “I don't.” Drake turned to go.

      The tech was undeterred, using a teasing singsong voice. “Avery cleaned out and organized the surgical room.”

      Drake paused mid-step, back still to them, and sighed. “One drink and I'm out. And…thanks, Avery.”

      Brent clapped his hands like a giddy child and sauntered off, leaving Avery and Cade alone up front.

      Silence stretched for one minute. Two.

      Slowly, she turned in her chair to face him. “What just happened?”

      He was leaning on the back counter with his chin down and fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. He didn't look up when he answered. “We just got railroaded.”

      Yeah, she got that part. “For the record, I didn't have any plans for tonight.”

      “Okay.”

      “I was going to take a hot bath and read.”

      He didn't move. “Got it.”

      “Now I do have plans.”

      “Yep,” he said tightly.

      “Because of you. I believe your exact words were, ‘She has plans.’”

      His shoulders tensed. “I remember.”

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