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Her immediate attraction to him had been his dachshund, Clarence, who she had seen for a tooth abscess a couple of weeks earlier Then, on a follow-up visit he had asked if Kaylee would like to go out, and she had honestly not been able to think of one good reason she shouldn’t Except for Bennett Dodge Her best friend since junior high, and the obsessive focus of her horether in the dark

Which o out with Michael

Bennett couldn’t be the excuse Not anymore

She had fallen into a terrible rut over the last couple of years while she and Bennett had gotten their clinic up and running Work and her social life revolved around his were all linked to him and to his family

She’d lived in Gold Valley since junior high, and the friendships she’d made here had one to school for veterinary ether, and those friends were mostly mutual friends

If they ever came to town to visit, it included Bennett If she took a trip to visit them, it often included Bennett

Theand the effects of it had been nified recently as her world had narrowed thanks to theirwork schedule

That amount of intense, focused time with him never failed to put her in a somewhat pathetic emotional space

Hence the very necessary date

Then, her phone started vibrating because it was ringing, and she couldn’t ignore that “I’m sorry,” she said “Excuse me”

It was Bennett Her heart slammed into her throat She should not answer it She really shouldn’t She thought that even while she was pressing the green accept button

“What’s up?” she asked

“Calving drama I have a breech one I need some help”

Bennett sounded clipped and stressed And he didn’t stress easily He delivered countless calves over the course of the season, but a breech birth was never good If the rancher didn’t call hi that could be done