Page 10 of Rescue Them

“Sure.I need to call Mitchell to find out when he needs me this week, and I can let you know.”They finished their treat, and Lyle took the bowls to the sink.When he returned, James had stretched out, and the dogs were all around him.Lyle watched him for a few seconds, realizing that he could look at this man for hours.He was gorgeous, with that blond hair that curled just above his ears and eyes as blue as the brightest summer sky.They were almost perfectly blue.

“Is something wrong?”James asked, pulling Lyle out of his daydream.

“No.Things are right.”At least for now.He sat down and felt heat rush into his cheeks.He had been staring and James had caught him at it.He rolled his eyes and wondered if he could do anything to make himself seem more of an idiot.He shook his head at himself and tried not to think too much about how he had made a fool of himself.

“I was going to ask… on Thursday… I know you have a meeting with the attorney for the estate.What time are you supposed to be there?”

“Three,” Lyle asked with a spike of worry.

“My last class ends at two.I could go with you if you wanted me to.”

“You don’t need to waste your time.”

James smiled at him.“It would be a good chance for me to see this sort of legal process, and I’d like to be there for you.”The dogs all sat around their feet.“And them.”

Lyle nodded.“Okay.I think I’d like that.”He hadn’t known what to expect, and having someone there who was on his side….And he didn’t want to think about what would happen if he couldn’t keep the dogs.He patted his leg, and Daisy jumped right up, settling there and curling against his chest.

“Hey.Everything is going to be okay,” James said before leaning close.Lyle turned toward him, and James lightly kissed him before pulling away.Instantly Lyle felt warm and tingly.He smiled, and James kissed him once more, this time with more heat, slipping his hand around the side of his cheek.His lips were firm and warm and the touch light, but scintillating.When James pulled back, Lyle managed to keep his breath, but blinked to try to make sure this was real.It wasn’t like he was kissed every day.

“If you keep doing that, I could believe you.”

“Then how about I keep doing it?”James kissed him once more, and danged if all the worries of the day didn’t zoom out of his head.All he could think of was how James tasted and what he did to him.Every cell seemed to activate at the same time.It was like he could hear, see, and feel everything all at once.His heart raced as he returned the kiss, holding James.The dog jumped down, and he drew closer, warmth pouring off James.

Then he pulled back, both of them breathing deeply, James’s eyes dark and wild.Lyle wondered if he had done something wrong.Maybe he was a bad kisser or something.But then James hugged him hard and held him tightly.Lyle returned it, and they sat like that for a while, their warmth mingling together.It was soothing, exciting, and reassuring all at the same time.Exactly what he needed.

THURSDAY ATthree could not come fast enough.He knew that he had no control over the outcome, no matter what.Still, he arranged to get out of work early and hurried home.The dogs all bounded around him, and he gave them plenty of pets and treats, wondering what he was going to do if he had to give them up.

He did his best not to think about it because the idea almost made his stomach turn over.At as little before three, he left the dogs with a treat each and walked downtown to the lawyer’s office just off the square.He went inside, where James waited in the lobby.

“May I help you?”a lady asked at the desk.

“I have an appointment with Mr.Vincente,” Lyle said softly.

She nodded and smiled.“Okay.Yes.He’s expecting you and is in the large conference room just upstairs.Just go on up.”

Lyle swallowed hard.“Is anyone else in with him?”

“Not at the moment,” she said, and Lyle thanked her and went up with James.He knocked on the doorframe and went inside.

“I’m Lyle Summers and this is my friend James.He came with me for support.”

“Carl Vincente,” he said, standing.“And nothing bad is going to happen.”He smiled and motioned them to chairs.“As you may be aware, I am Cordelia Harper’s attorney and the executor of her will.”

“So you work for her,” Lyle said, and James lightly touched his hand.

“In a way, yes, I do.As her executor, I receive a payment from the estate.I don’t work for any of the heirs.”He pulled out a file on the table and opened it.“I’m not going to read her entire will, but I will tell you that you are mentioned in it.She had left you her all her dogs.”He sighed.“They are not named individually, but she did specify that all dogs in her possession at the time of her death are to go to you.”He looked up from the document.“I have to ask you if you are willing to take on this responsibility?There is a provision should you decide you are unable to do that.”

“I am.I have the dogs at my place already, and I’m fond of them.Corky asked me to promise her that I would look after the dogs if anything were to happen to her, and I always said I would.They’re wonderful animals.”

He nodded.“Very good.That makes things much easier for me.”

“Was her daughter to get the dogs if Lyle was not able to care for them?”James asked.“She’s already tried to take them from Lyle.She clearly wants the dogs so she can sell them.”

The lawyer paused and pulled out some papers.“Since the will needs to be probated and much of that is public, I can tell you that no, she would not get them.In fact, she states that her daughter Debbie is never to get the dogs because she doesn’t like them.If you were not able to keep them, I was to find good, loving homes for them.”

“Well, I’ll love them and care for them for as long as they live,” Lyle said.“Is there anything else you need from me?Do I need to sign anything?”He paused.“And I have one more question.Does Debbie know the full contents of the will?I want her to know that she wasn’t going to get the dogs or else she will hound me.”

“I can make sure she is aware… and yes.There is something else.”He passed a sheet of paper across the table.“There is a small trust for the dogs.Please sign this statement that you will properly care for the dogs.”