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I get the dog from the back and my stomach gnaws with worry. She doesn’t look good. Her breaths are feathering and barely there and her eyes are only open a slit.
When I get inside, Thea’s already there telling them what’s happened and in moments, a metal gurney is brought out and they instruct me to lay the dog on it.
She’s wheeled away from us like we’re in a real hospital and I watch helplessly, wondering if this is the last time I’m going to see her alive.
I mean, it’s not like she’s my dog, but she’s an innocent creature that’s been hurt and I care about her. I’ve always had a soft spot for animals, especially dogs.
The receptionist asks us a list of questions, ones I can’t really answer since she was a stray.
I catch the words, “—more than likely she’ll be euthanized—” and see red.
“No,” I say over the woman speaking. I know she’s only doing her job, reporting the facts but I don’t want to hear them.
“Excuse me?” She tilts her head up at me from where she sits at the desk.
“I said, no.”
“Sir.” She gives me a sympathetic look. “We’re a vet clinic, not a shelter. We can’t afford the cost of performing surgery on strays—”
“I’ll pay it,” I say, slamming my palms on the counter. “Whatever it is, I’ll pay it.”
She gives me a hesitant look. “It could be several thousand dollars.” Her cheeks flush, and I wonder why she’s blushing but then I realize I’m still shirtless.
“Xander—” Thea touches my arm.
“I don’t care. I can pay it. Do you need proof? Is that it?” I start pulling out my wallet.
“If you’d like to pay for the procedure we need a five-hundred-dollar depos
it, and if it’s more, we settle that at the end, and if it’s less you’ll be reimbursed.” I hand her a card and she appraises me carefully. “I assume this means you’d also like to adopt her?”
I nod. “Yes, I would.”
Our rental house allows pets and I really don’t give a fuck if Rae and Cade agree. Probably the wrong mindset to have since they are my roommates, but there’s no way I’m letting that dog go to someone else.
She nods. “I’ll get the paperwork together for the deposit and adoption.”
Thea looks at me and her lips quirk slightly. “So … a dog?”
“Yeah, a dog.” I run my fingers through my wet hair. “You like dogs, right?” I rack my brain for any memory of Thea not liking them.
“Yeah.” She laughs, gathering her damp hair into a bun on top of her head. “I’m just surprised is all.”
“Surprised? Why?” My brows knit together.
She shrugs her slender shoulders and the edge of her t-shirt slips over one. Before I even think about it I’m reaching out and righting the fabric. A small smile touches her lips at the gesture.
“I don’t know. It seems like you have a lot going on right now.” I tense, momentarily thinking she knows about me being on the team. “What with working for your dad and this whole … marriage thing.” She smiles shyly at me. “Don’t you think adding a dog into the mix might be a bit much?”
I shake my head. “Never.”
She nods once. “I figured you’d say that.” She smiles, and it’s a happy smile, not like she’s tense and worried about this. “So, what are we going to name her?”
Fuck it if my heart doesn’t beat a little faster when she says we. The last week we’ve been doing good—great, even. We’ve been more like our old selves and it’s been nice. I still wish I could kiss her anytime I wanted and … well, there’s a lot of other things I’d like to do to her, but baby steps.
“I don’t know,” I admit. “We’ll figure it out.”
She pushes a wet strand of hair behind her ear and looks up at me through thick dark lashes. “I think we better go home—”
