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Lewis’s eyebrows shot up. “There’s a girl coming in with an invisible dragon?”

“You could just pretend to examine the animal. Honestly, Lily is harmless. If you want to, I could cancel the appointment.”

Now that I thought about it more and had spoken the words out loud, it seemed ludicrous to let someone take up Lewis’s valuable time with their fake animal, but this was an innocent little girl we were talking about.

He didn’t speak, just leafed through the notes Alexander Kline had made in the girl’s file. She had brought her imaginary dragon to the clinic three times already in the past.

Lewis closed the manila folder. “I’ll give Doctor Kline a call and see what approach he suggests.”

I pushed my glasses further up my nose. “I could assist you if you want. I know I don’t have any medical experience, but I could pretend to offer supplies. And I’ll offer you support for dealing with this awkward situation.”

“Doesn’t your shift end in ten minutes?”

I smiled. “I don’t mind staying. I’ll rearrange my schedule.”

My schedule was already as clear as could be, but Lewis didn’t have to know that.

“That’s kind of you, but I don’t want you to go out of your way to help me. I could ask Darren to assist me.”

“It’s not a problem, really. I’d be happy to do it,” I said.

Man, I must’ve sounded desperate. Please, Doctor Grant, let me spend my free afternoon with you. Ugh, I was so obvious.

He threw me a long look. “Only if you’re sure.”

“I’m sure,” I said. Then I added, “You’re the one playing hard to get.”

“Hard to get?” he repeated with a grin.

“Professionally, I mean. I know you want to take me into that examination room.”

He crossed his arms over his chest, and his grin widened. “Do I now? Why would I play games with you when I could just straight out ask you?”

He had backed me into a corner now. Why did I have to blurt out those stupid-sounding things anyway? “Well, you know…” I started, but no sensible words came out.

“I do admit it would be nice to have you there,” he said in a soft voice. “Don’t tell Darren, though, or he’ll get jealous.”

Lewis winked at me and disappeared back into his office before I could think of a cheeky reply. I leaned back in my chair. Had Lewis been flirting with me? Or was it just some innocent banter? Did I want him to flirt with me? Gosh, so many questions came bubbling up.

I peeled open a banana and took a bite. Maybe I did want him to flirt with me. It didn’t have to mean anything. Any healthy woman would love to flirt with a handsome veterinarian like Lewis Grant. Didn’t Milly and Diane show up here the other night for that exact same reason?

“No eating in the workplace,” a stern voice yelled, and I almost jumped out of my skin. The banana broke in two and fell out my hand, leaving sticky stains on the printed-out appointment schedule in front of me.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” Darren said with a laugh. He tapped on the reception desk with his fingers. “I’m going to run out and grab some lunch from Dave’s Diner. Lewis said you two are going to handle the fake dragon together, which means I get an extra-long break. Do you want me to bring you back anything?”

“Maybe a fresh banana? This one’s ruined after you scared me.”

Darren rubbed his chin. “Hmm, I could do that. Or, here’s another idea… Ask Lewis if you can have one of his.”

“Excuse me?”

“From the bunch in his drawer.”

“He’s got a bunch of bananas in his office? Why?”

He shrugged. “The guy goes jogging so much, I swear he keeps at least ten bananas in his desk drawer at all times. I’m sure he’ll give you one if you ask him nicely.”

He sauntered outside, chuckling to himself, and I was left with no way of knowing whether or not he would bring me a fresh piece of fruit.