Jules folds his arms. “That cat owes me money.”
I bite back a smile. “Come here, you tiny menace.”
Amazingly, Kevin hops down and marches straight into my arms like he didn’t just terrorize half the building.
“Unbelievable,” Jules mutters.
Kevin presses his face against my chin while purring loud enough to vibrate against my chest.
“Oh sure,” Jules says. “Now he’s a saint.”
“He just likes me better.”
“He likes you because you enable his crimes.”
I grin, not denying it.
The morning continues in the usual shelter chaos, with phones ringing, dogs barking, and volunteers asking questions nonstop. It’s normal, comfortable chaos.
At one point, while I’m restocking medication bottles in the supply room, I catch myself reaching for my phone without even thinking about it. Hoping there’ll be a message from Alexei.
My stomach jumps as soon as I realize what I’m doing.
Well, that’s a problem and a half.
Jules notices from across the room. He lifts one eyebrow slowly, his lips pursing.
I immediately shove my phone into my back pocket. “Don’t.”
Jules lifts his iced coffee with an innocent expression. “Oh, honey, I didn’t even say anything.”
I point at him accusingly. “You were about to.”
“I simply witnessed a woman descending into emotional ruin in real time.”
“Go clean kennels.”
Jules puts one hand on his hip. “I’m themanager.”
“Then manage yourself into a mop bucket.”
He grins down into his iced coffee.
A few minutes later my phone buzzes. My pulse jumps before I even look.
Alexei.
Just seeing his name does ridiculous things to me.
Alexei: My daughter has informed me Winston and Daisy miss you already.
I stare at the screen, smiling like an idiot.
Me: Well, now I’m gonna spend the whole day feelin’ guilty.
“Mm-hmm.”
I jerk around. Jules stands in the doorway holding a clipboard with the smug expression of a man who lives to embarrass me.
