I'd been looking for a good boxing gym ever since I moved here and opened my clinic. It shouldn't be difficult to find in a big city, but it was. Maybe because I was comparing every place to Steve's gym. And nothing compared to Steve's gym. That place had been my second home.

So on Saturday evening, as I'd been doing for more a year, I abandoned yet another gym and went home to scroll through the list of remaining boxing gyms in the city, ending my day of rest on a disappointing tone.

Unless there was an emergency, I usually took Saturdays off. So on Sunday morning, I was bright and early in my clinic before any of my staff arrived. I'd named my clinic after my nephews. Landon & Lander Veterinary Clinic had a good client base for being open for only a little over a year. Of course, some of my clients were a few of Jason and Scott's teammates or their partners. Having athletes as part of my clientele was good advertisement.

Gemma, my assistant, arrived shortly after me. She was a twenty three year old girl with the most beautiful features. Her mother was Japanese and her father was African-American, and she inherited both her mother's cat-like eyes and her father's deep tan skin. She got hit on by clients more times than she liked.

Her latest fan was one of Jason's teammates, Cornell. Cornell had come in one day just to accompany Jason when Jason's dog had a checkup, and he came back at least once every month, ostensibly to ask for advice because he wanted to adopt and didn't know how or where to go. It'd been almost six months, and the guy was still coming for advice, which he only asked from Gemma.

It was vastly amusing, especially since Gemma didn't give him the time of the day.

I loved my job. I loved the people who worked for me. Which was good since I often used work to escape social obligations.

"Doctor Milton, your first appointment is here," Marry, my receptionist, said, peeking through my office door.

"Let them in."

I rolled my chair back. My office- a desk, chairs, and a file cabinet- was separated from the examination room by an adjoining door. Through it, I could see Gemma putting the cage of a cat on the steel table. The orange cat hissed as his owner tried to calm him down. Even when some of the pets tried claw my eyes out, I loved my work more than I thought was possible.

But when the pet was an orange cat, my heart squeezed with the painful reminder of Cheddar. After meeting Hunter, I really didn't need the heartache today. But life didn't care about my feelings.

I smiled at the owner and got myself together. Here we go.

*** **** ***

Ten hours later, I was ready to crawl into a hot bath and pass out. I rubbed the back of my neck as Gemma sterilized the examination table. The last puppy had peed on it and on me. But the fluffy golden retriever was too cute, I didn't even care.

I changed into a clean pair of blue scrubs before joining Gemma in the examination room. "This is the last one, right?"

"Yep," Gemma grinned. "One of your brother's friends, I think. Or maybe Jason. He was nice enough to get a picture with the last client."

"Is he easy on the eye?" I joked. He must be an athlete.

Gemma dropped the paper tissue in the trash bin and fanned her face. "Oh yeah. I think Mary is melting out there. Also, his dog is pretty huge."

I chuckled, sterilizing my hands. "Well, let him in."

I had my back to the door when Gemma let the client in. I smiled and turned. My smile froze.

Hunter stood at the door, dressed in a gray hoodie, his black hair swept back and his dark eyes warm.

"Hey," he said. My heart squeezed, his deep voice a spear to my chest.

Gemma was looking between us. I blinked and glanced beside him at the dog. The big brown dog looked around, his ears pricking.

"Hey." I cleared my throat. "Gemma, lower the table please."

Gemma pushed the button to lower the examination table. I approached and knelt down next to the dog. He was around thirty inches high. A pretty tall dog.

"Your name isn't on the appointment list," I told Hunter without looking at him.

"My agent was the one who booked it. They don't usually use my name."

Right. He was that famous now.

"What's his name?" I asked, letting the dog sniff my hand.

"Her. She's Brownie."

I snorted. "Original."

He shrugged. I petted Brownie's head and stood up. "How did you know I worked here?"

He shrugged again. I rubbed my eyes. I was too tired to deal with him right now. But this was work. I could to be professional about it.

"Alright, can Brownie jump on the table?"

It was low enough for the dog to step into it, and she did it with a word and a head pat from Hunter. She sat down and looked at Hunter with big adoring eyes. I had the absurd notion that I must've looked just like her when I was seventeen. Life quickly cured me of that, though.

"And what's wrong with Brownie?" I asked. Petting the dog's head, I checked her ears.

"Nothing." I glanced at him and checked her eyes, murmuring encouraging words under my breath. "I wanted to change her vet."

"What's wrong with her old vet?" Brownie seemed pretty docile.

"Nothing," Hunter said again.

I sighed and gave him a long look. "Hunter, this is ridiculous. Stop it."

"What? Are you turning Brownie away?"

Brownie blinked at me with her huge, soulful eyes. I scowled at him. "I know what you're doing."

"Is it working?"

"No." Yes. Yes, it was.

I continued the routine checkup, aware of Hunter's intense gaze on my face. Brownie was the most well behaved, affectionate dog. The way she tilted her head and looked at me when I listened to her heart with the stethoscope had me melting. I almost reneged on my promise to never get another pet.

Hunter's lips twitched up when Brownie licked my palm. The sight of his smile went right to my heart. It had been so long.

I glanced at Gemma. She was standing by the side, looking immensely entertained. I cleared my throat and petted Brownie's head.

"According to her booklet, her vaccine will need to be updated in a couple of months. She's been treated for internal and external parasites, so we'll do another round when the time is right. Gemma will set up a schedule and communicate it with you."

"I'd prefer if you did it," Hunter said.

I quirked an eyebrow. "Very demanding, aren't you?"

He shrugged. I shook my head. He was impossible. "Gemma will do it." I turned to the counter and scribbled a few notes for Gemma. "How long have you had Brownie?"

"About a year and a half," he said.

Hmm. It was around the time he went on hiatus. Was she the reason?

No. I didn't want to know. Do not be curious, Sapphire.

I turned and gave Brownie a small treat. She'd been such a doll. She gobbled it up and grinned at me. I couldn't help my smile.

I gave Gemma the notes. "Here you go. Show Mr. Jamison out, please."

"I'm not getting the VIP treatment?" Hunter asked.

"What VIP treatment?"

"I don't know. A walk to the door. A stroll outside. A date?"

"Funny," I said. He'd certainly developed a sense of humor over the years. Even though his delivery needed more work with the stoic face.

"We could just talk. I-" He hesitated. "I know I need to explain myself about a lot of things."

Revisiting the past was not on my to do list anytime soon. I just barely got over the shit show that'd been my life during my senior year of high-school and the couple of years after it. I didn't want to go back there.

I shook my head. "See you in a few months, Mr. Jamison."

Hunter sighed and got Brownie down. With one last glance, he left. Gemma followed and closed the door behind her.

I leaned against the counter and covered my face. I was suddenly so exhausted. Funnily enough, the more I saw Hunter, the easier it was to forget that the last time we'd seen each other had been a wreck.

I knew there was a reason behind the way he'd acted that day, behind the sudden breakup. A person couldn't change overnight. Whether that reason was enough to justify it was another matter altogether.

But there was no need to worry about that. I would only have to see him once in a few months for Brownie's checkups. I could handle once in a few months.

*** **** ***

"Okay, you have a problem. You need to stop."

Gemma looked positively giddy. Hunter just lifted the cage in his hand. Inside, a cat with black and white fur glared at the world through mistrustful yellow eyes.

It was the following day, and Hunter was standing in my examination room. Again. This time with a cat. I must be in a silly dream. My temper was close to snapping. He really needed to stop this.

"Unfortunately, I had to change his vet, too," Hunter said, putting the cage on the table.

"And what's wrong with his old vet?" I asked, peeking into the cage. "Let me guess. Nothing."

"No, actually. He told me not to bring him back," Hunter said. "He's too difficult. The last time, he bit his hand so bad, the vet bled."

I sighed and put my finger against the door of the cage. The cat instantly hissed. "That's interesting. Tuxedo cats are friendly, in general. What's his name?"

"Tux."

Gemma coughed. I pursed my lips to the side. "Your pet names are very original."

He shrugged, a smile peeking through.

Stop fluttering! I told my heart.

"Gemma, can you grab the gloves?" I asked, popping open the top of the cage. The cat instantly cowered into the corner, hissing. I removed the cage's door as Gemma put the gloves behind me on the counter.

I frowned. The cat was almost shaking.

"When did you have him?" I asked, watching the cat. She didn't make a move to jump off the table.

"A few months ago," Hunter said.

"A rescue?"

"Yes. How did you know?"

"He's scared. Do you know if he's been abused in his old home?"

"The shelter didn't say," Hunter replied. "He was adopted a few times, but everyone returned him because he just couldn't adapt. He was going to be euthanized."

"Poor kitty," I mumbled and leaned on the table with my elbows. The cat hissed again, but she didn't attack.

"Do you have any health concerns or are you just here for a regular checkup?"

"Just a regular checkup."

"Alright. Here's what we're going to do. I'm not going to upset him today," I said. "Let's get him used to this place and the cage first before we touch him. Is that okay with you, Hunter? Are you free to bring him again soon?"

"Sure," he said.

I got some wet food and some treats and put them on the table in front of him. We moved back and left him alone. I checked his booklet. He was still a young cat, barely one year old. Hopefully, he'll adapt.

"How is he with Brownie?" I asked.

"Surprisingly, he doesn't hate him," Hunter said, leaning against the door and crossing his arms. His muscle bulged under the material of his sweatshirt. "He doesn't snuggle up to him, but he's more afraid of me than the dogs."

"Dogs?" I asked. "How many dogs do you have exactly?"

Hunter grinned, and my heart jumped. I needed to get my heart checked up. "Two," he said. "The other one is coming tomorrow."

I rolled my eyes. He really was going to make ignoring him difficult.

"At first, I kept Tux in the bathroom. But after a few weeks, I let him out. He hides under the couch when I'm around. But I installed a camera, and the moment I'm out of the house, he gets out to explore."

"Well, that's a good sign," I said. "Give him time. Hopefully, we'll be able to check him next week."

"Afraid he's going to attack you now?"

"No. I just don't like to put them through unnecessary stress. He's already having a hard time as it is. Besides, you have time, and you can afford to drive down here a few times."

I had a feeling he would be popping up in the clinic more often, so we could at least take advantage of it to make the cat at ease.

"Why not use the gloves?" he asked.

I made a face. "The gloves scare them. If I can help it, I don't use them. If it was another cat, I might have used them. But Tux looks like he's just traumatized. We can spare him the stress for now."

Tux didn't move. But his little nostrils moved as he sniffed the food. He didn't make a move for it, though. We waited for a few minutes before fitting the cage back together. I tapped my finger on the cage's door. "Remember me, Tux. I'll see you soon."

I gave Hunter the bag of treats. "Here, give him some when he gets home."

"Thanks," he mumbled, his fingers brushing mine. He gave me a small grin. "So, about that date?"

I pointed to the door. He sighed and left, Gemma following behind.

I went back to my office and plopped down on my chair. I did a breathing exercise. My temper was growing worse with Hunter around. I hated that he burst the bubble of indifference I'd kept around me all these years. Very easily so.

I picked up my phone and dialed Lia's number.

"Hello?" My brother answered.

"You're not Lia."

"Obviously," he said. "She's having a bath. Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing is wrong," I grumbled.

I wanted to rant, but ranting to Stefan would be like hitting my head against a brick wall. He would simply refute every single thing I said with his logical, reasonable replies, and I didn't want reasonable right now. I wanted someone to listen and plan Hunter's hypothetical demise with me. That would be Lia.

"Is it Hunter?" Stefan asked.

"Why would you assume that?"

"Just a hunch," he said.

There was some mumbling from the other side before my best friend and sister-in-law came on the line. "What's up, bestie?"

"Hunter Jamison is what's up," I grumbled. I stood up and paced my little office. "He came in yesterday to the clinic with his dog."

"He has a dog?"

"Apparently. And he came in today with a cat."

"What?"

"And he's coming again with another dog tomorrow."

Lia laughed out loud. I pulled the phone away and glared at it.

"This is not the reaction I was hoping for," I said. "You should be sympathetic."

She just laughed harder. I plopped down on my chair and waited it out. After a minute, she settled down. "Oh my god, this is so entertaining."

"I'm glad my misery entertains you," I said.

Lia sighed. There was some water splashing on her end of the call before her voice sobered. "Does seeing him make you that miserable?"

I opened my mouth and closed it. Did it make me miserable? I didn't know, but it sure irritated me.

"He gets under your skin, Sapphire."

"You say it like it's a good thing." Lia was quiet for a long time. I rolled the chair around. Did the call end? I checked. No, she was still there. "Lia?"

"You know," she said. "Maybe you should hear him out."

I stopped the chair and frowned. "What?"

Lia had been ready to behead Hunter Jamison since we broke up- since he dumped me- in high school. She was very vocal about it, too. For a while, I thought she was actually going to hunt him down and exact revenge on my behalf.

"Just hear him out," she said. "It's not going to cost you anything. Besides, it'll be good for you. A closure. If you don't like what he says, you can just keep ignoring him, and at least you'll know it's for good reason. But if he really had a convincing reason for how he ended things and disappeared, then..."

"Then what?" I asked. "We're not getting back together anyway."

"Why is that?" she asked. "I mean, you can do whatever you want, but you and Hunter had something that very few of us had at that age, Sapph. To be honest, the fact that he can get under your skin is proof that you're still not completely over him."

"Screw you," I said.

"Sorry. Your brother is already doing that."

I rolled my eyes.

"No, really," she said. "Why are you against giving him another chance?"

I sighed and leaned my head back, looking at the white ceiling. "He wants a family, Lia. His family had been terrible. And he'd always wanted one. Ever since high school. I can't give him that."

"Mhm," Lia mumbled. "You know giving birth isn't the only way to have a family."

"I know. But some people are averse to adopting."

"I don't think Hunter will care. As long as he has you."

I rolled my eyes. "Now you're just being delusionally romantic."

"Sapphire, if all he really wanted was a family all this time, why didn't he?" she asked. "I mean, he could've settled down and had a kid or two with one of those stunning models he dated."

I wrinkled my nose. Jealousy pinched my chest.

"Yeah, well. He could still do that. I'm sure they'll be over the moon," I snapped, irritated with myself.

Hunter had clearly moved on in the past ten years. And here I was, wondering if I should give him another chance. Damn it. I hated this.

Lia laughed. I cursed, and she laughed harder. So I hung up on her. That girl, I swear. I didn't even know why she was still my best friend.

There was still some time before my next appointment. I pulled out my big brother's number and stared at it. Should I talk to him?

He was back home with his wife and kids. After resigning from his job, he'd worked hard and started his own company. Now, ten years later, his company was thriving, and his kids were causing an increasing amount of white hair that we teased him about every time we saw him.

I called him, and he answered on the first ring.

"Hey, Sapph. Took you long enough," he said, sounding out of breath.

"What?"

"I assume this is about Hunter?"

He must've heard about Hunter from Scott. Or Jason. Or Stefan. Or Lia. Apparently, my life was no longer private. "Do you guys have nothing better to do except gossip? Is my life that entertaining?"

He chuckled.

"Where are you?" I asked.

"Taking a run," he replied. "So?"

"So?"

"Did he tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"Why he left ten years ago?"

I pinched my lips to the side. "No."

Funny how that was the first thing Sam asked about.

Sam sighed, his breathing evened out. "Sapph, you should hear him out. I couldn't tell you anything then because he made me promise. But... God, you have no idea how many times I wished I could just tell you."

I picked up a pen and doodled on the edge of a document on my desk. Sam had told me repeatedly that Hunter had a good reason for leaving back then. But I always shot down any mention of Hunter after he left, and Sam just abandoned those efforts.

Someone knocked, and Gemma peeked in. "Barbara is here. Should I let her in."

"Yes, please," I said, standing up.

"I'll talk to you later," I told Sam.

"Later," he said. "And Sapph? I love you, baby sis."

My throat closed up. "I love you too."

I took a minute to get my shit together, then went to the examination room.

Barbara walked in, dressed in a crisp white suit, her hair falling in soft waves around her shoulders, blue eyes bright against light brown skin. She was one of my first clients. She was also a successful CEO, known in Wall Street as the Ice Queen for her ruthless business strategies despite her young age.

I smiled, not expecting one in return. At first, I didn't know what to do with her constantly blank expression- another reason for her nickname, no doubt. But speaking to her and seeing how she cared for her pets quickly made her one of my favorite clients.

I crouched in front of the big, one-eyed dog. "Hey, Pirate. How are you doing?"

The dog grinned, his tail wagging. Barbara had rescued him from an illegal dog fighting ring. I sighed and stood up, rubbing my eyes.

"A difficult pet?" Barbara asked.

I chuckled. "More like a difficult client."

"Ah."

"How's Pepper and Pie?" I asked, snapping the gloves on.

"Great. Pie is no longer throwing up after the drugs you gave her," Barbara said. Snapping her fingers and pointing to the lowered table, Pirate jumped on it and looked at her with all the trust his canine heart could muster. Cute.

And that was that. Barbara wasn't a talker. Another reason why I liked her. We finished with Pirate's checkup, and Barbara left with her huge dog.

*** **** ***

As expected, the following day, Hunter arrived with his other dog.

"Mr. Jamison is here. With another dog," Gemma said, her grin massive, before letting him in.

"I'm sure he is," I mumbled and waved her in. He was my last client for the evening. I was ashamed to admit I'd been looking forward to it the entire day. My heart didn't get the memo yet, apparently.

Hunter walked in, leading his dog on a short leash. My brows raised. I had to stifle a smile. The sight was so unexpected.

"A poodle?" I asked, crouching down in front of the dog. His eyes were odd. Oh. "Is he blind?"

"Yes," Hunter replied, petting the dog's curly, tan fur.

"What's his name?" The dog sniffed at my hand, his toy-like ears prickling as Gemma rattled something on the counter.

"Stevie Wonder."

Gemma chuckled.

I stood up, impressed. "It's a step above Tux and Brownie, creativity-wise."

Hunter picked up Stevie and put him on the table. The dog sniffed and wagged his fuzzy tail. I ran my hand over the tan fur. "He's well groomed."

"I take him to a groomer once a month."

I bit back a smile. The last thing I expected was Hunter walking a perfectly groomed poodle.

"A rescue?" I asked, checking the dog's eyes first.

"Yes. He's a little over a year. He's been with me about six months now."

"He wasn't born blind, was he?"

"No." Hunter hesitated. "He was in a car accident right before I adopted him. His owners passed away in the accident."

Awe. Poor thing. He must've been so heartbroken and confused. I scratched his head.

"Alright, let's see what you have, Mr. Stevie, shall we?" I cooed. The dog's tail wagged and he licked my hand. "Oh, you're such a good boy, aren't you? Yes, you are."

"He's not neutered yet," Hunter said.

"We can schedule an operation after I check his general condition," I said, checking the dog's teeth and ears.

I was able to tune out Hunter's pressing gaze as I continued with the checkup. Stevie was a little fidgety, understandable since he couldn't see his surroundings. But he was otherwise well-behaved.

I took my gloves off and tossed them in the trash bin. "Gemma will schedule the operation as soon as possible. He looks good, although he's a a little overweight. Nothing to worry about though."

Hunter frowned. "Should I cut down on his food?"

"How many times do you take him on walks?"

"Once a day," Hunter said. "But the house has a garden. He spends a lot of time outside."

"Mhm. Let's just watch for now. It hasn't been a long time since you got him. He must be still adjusting to the loss of his previous owner."

We chatted some more about Stevie Wonder. Hunter's care for his dogs melted some of the ice around my heart where he was concerned. I'd always known he was a good guy, ever since I'd seen him with that little black kitten ten years ago.

***

Gemma lingered in the office after Hunter left. I glanced up from my computer screen at her. she was organizing some files in the cabinet. We didn't even use it that much, almost all our files were digital.

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

Gemma closed the file cabinet and smiled at me. "Hunter Jamison has been here three days on a row."

"I'm aware."

"You know each other?" she asked. "I mean, I'm not trying to pry. But he just looks at you like..."

"Like?"

"Like a cat looks at treats, or like a dog looks at a new toy." Her eyes widened and her dark cheeks reddened. "Sorry. That didn't come out right. I didn't mean it in a bad way. In a good way. No offense."

I chuckled. She was cute. "None taken."

If I didn't tell them anything, I could only guess at the theories she and Mary would come up with. "Hunter and I used to date in high school. That's all there is to it."

Her eyes sparkled. "Oh! A second chance romance!"

I snorted. She reminded me of Emma and her obsessions with romance stories.

"There's no second chance, and there's no romance," I said and gave her a smile. "Stop gossiping and get back to work."

She gave me a salute. "Yes, ma'am."

I leaned back in my seat with a sigh. I was exhausted and not just physically.

There were no more clients. So I checked on a couple of overnight patients, then left Gemma and Mary to lock the clinic.

I wished I could just box the feelings out of me. But I swore never to get back to the last gym after the owner made an absurd misogynist remark about women and boxing. Why was it so difficult to find a decent boxing place?

My steps slowed when I reached the parking lot. Right next to my car, was a monstrous black SUV with tires almost as big as me. Leaning against it, was Hunter. His poodle on a leash sniffing next to my car. Hunter looked up when my steps echoed closer and straightened.

"I'm going to report you for stalking," I said, unlocking my car. The poodle came closer and sniffed at my legs, his tails wagged. I guess he remembered me. I petted his curly head.

"What is it? Did you need something?" I opened my trunk and dropped my bag there. My boxing gloves and gym bag lay there. I sighed. I really wished I could punch something.

"You still box?" Hunter asked, standing next to me, his eyes on the boxing gloves.

"Yes. Well, I'm trying to. It's so damn difficult to find a good boxing gym," I grumbled. I slammed the trunk shut and turned to him. "Well?"

He was still looking at the closed trunk. He snapped his eyes to me. "I know a good place."

I narrowed my eyes. "For boxing?"

"Yes." He tucked his hand in his pockets. "Not as good as Steve's, but good enough."

"Is that where you train?" I asked. He nodded. I shook my head. "Forget it."

"Just drop by. Give it a shot. Nothing to lose."

Nothing to lose. His words echoed Lia's. I rubbed my hands together and blew on them. My breath fogged in the night. Hunter's dark eyes looked impossibly darker with the shadows and the street light right above us.

I guess Lia was right. I would never feel completely over him as long as I didn't know what exactly happened back then. What made him act the way he had. I owed myself that much. I would do it, for me, if nothing else.

"You wanted to talk," I said. "About what happened ten years ago."

He took a deep breath, his eyes sparkling with hope. "Yes."

"Fine. Next Saturday. I'll check your gym and then we can talk."

He grinned, and it was a spear to my chest. "Next Saturday. Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"I'm going to need your personal phone number," he said. "To send you the address."

Very smooth. I gave him my number anyway, and he typed it in, stepping closer and looking like a kid in a candy store.

He smelled of coffee, a faint hint of perfume and his distinctive smell. I couldn't believe I remembered his smell after ten years. But it was like the knowledge was always there, I just needed a hint of it to revive the memory of his hugs, of sitting side by side in the diner, of running beside him in Steve's gym. I glanced at him. He was already looking at me, a range of emotions playing across his face.

A distinctive peeing sound interrupted our stare-off.

Hunter and I looked to the side as one. Stevie Wonder's leg was up, and he was peeing right over my tire.

"I guess he's marking his territory," Hunter said, laughter in his voice.

I gave him a long look. "Don't make me regret it."

He held up his hand. "Saturday afternoon."

I got into my car. I heard him say "good boy" to the poodle before I closed my door. I shook my head.

Men.

--- ---- ---

A bit of a long chapter. Thoughts? 

Don't forget to vote and comment! I appreciate your feedback.

Much love <3 <3 <3

M.B.