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His life might not be perfect, but he was determined to get back on track—the guys, his game, the fucking puppies because yes, that was apparently part of the solution—and he would not allow his life to be derailed by her.
6
Mowgli
Tabby cat
Likes: Sleeping (napping is for amateurs!)
Dislikes: Guys who start sentences with “No offense”
“Someone wants to adopt the black kitten with the white paw. TinTin.”
Ashley put her tote bag down on the chair behind the reception counter. “That’s amazing news! Did they fill out the paperwork?”
Toby grinned. “Yeah, made a deposit and everything. I said I had to run it by you being the boss lady and all.”
She didn’t feel like the boss lady. She felt positively un-boss-like, to be honest. She’d considered reaching out to Cora, needing assurance that in refusing to babysit Dex O’Malley, she’d made the right call. But she was already on her cruise and Ashley had promised her she’d take care of it. Only, she might have taken care of her way out of a job.
She picked up the clipboard with the application for the kitten. All looked to be in order, so that was good, wasn’t it? Another $300 for the coffers. But yesterday’s events niggled at her.
“Any sign of Bronte?”
“God, no. She has to know better.” Toby quirked an apologetic smile. “I know I screwed up, not keeping an eye on her. I forgot how slippery Benji can get when I open the cage and as soon as he got by me, Bronte took her shot.” He pushed a cup toward her. “I got you an English breakfast tea.”
“Suck up.”
“Yep. Sometimes we have to go to great lengths to seek forgiveness.”
She picked up the cup and took a sip. Lukewarm but comforting all the same.
“It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have let her in here at all after the last time. And I shouldn’t have let myself be distracted by Dex O’Malley.”
Toby grinned. “Well, he’s one of those ‘sucks focus everywhere he goes’ kind of people.”
“Too right. I do feel bad that Bandit was such a pill to him, but at least I don’t have to worry about it anymore.”
“You mean Bandit? Because he’s not going to stop being the worst.”
She chuckled. Picking up her tea, she put the clipboard under her arm and headed toward the office. Pushing the door ajar, she continued talking to Toby over her shoulder.
“No, Bandit can’t help it. But at least I don’t have to deal with famous hockey players who need to have their dicks sucked in public because they’re little attention whores.”
She blinked at the sight in Cora’s office.
Dex O’Malley was sitting in the chair.
Behind the desk.
Holding a kitten.
What fresh hell …?
“You were saying?” he asked with an aren’t-I-adorable grin.
“What are you doing here? We established that this was not the right fit for you.”
“Right. Well, you said that, but I’m hoping you might be open to persuasion.”
