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“We’re walking a dog, not climbing Mount Everest.” I pressed my fingers to my forehead. At least he’d asked. Everyone else seemed to dictate my every move. “Let’s go,” I said with a less acidic tone.
Lucky popped up and looked both ways down the street. How did he know to do that?
The crosswalk sign lit green, and he trotted off at an easy pace toward the park across the street.
“I can’t believe your brother was going to let you be out here on your own at night,” Cal said as we wandered behind Lucky.
“Unlike you, he knows I can handle myself.” And he was desperate. But I wasn’t going to mention that. Because under normal circumstances, he’d have made sure someone else was with me. I narrowed my gaze. “Wait a minute. He didn’t call you to help too?”
Cal looked at me with a cool expression that gave nothing away.
Lucky found a tree and marked it as his own. Then he claimed a bench and a bush too.
“Hello. I asked you a question,” I finally said when he didn’t reply.
“I’m here. Does it matter why?” He steered Lucky away from a little dog who yapped at him.
The sweet boy was a giant compared to the other dog, but was frightened. He jumped away and tucked his tail.
Cal squatted so that Lucky was cocooned between his strong thighs. “It’s just a little rat,” he said softly, rubbing up and down his sides. “You could eat it as a snack.”
It was a ridiculous thought, but the soothing tone he used made it sound not so bad. Lucky inched toward him and licked his face. His tail even wiggled a little.
The man and his dog kept moving until they were no longer visible.
Cal cradled Lucky’s face and rubbed his thumbs over his head. “They’re gone. You’re okay.”
And just like that, he’d knocked a fissure in the wall I had around me to protect myself from him.
He stood and readjusted the leash. “We’d better go back or your friends will be mad you hogged all the walking time.”
He headed back in the direction of Grey Paws. I remained frozen. Cal and a dog. How was I supposed to resist that?
Cal glanced over his shoulder. “You coming?”
Damn it. I wasn’t supposed to see him outside of bedrooms. I wasn’t supposed to have conversation with him. And I wasn’t supposed to get a little weak-kneed from watching him comfort a scared dog.
Find your steel, Beau. You’re going to need it.
I quickened my pace. “I’m coming.”
Chapter Eighteen
Cal
Three hours.
That was how long it had taken to walk thirteen dogs. I had a new respect for animal rescues. How was Teague doing this and keeping up at the station?
I wanted a distraction.
Pretending to make a social call to my friend just so I could see Beau had proven to be more of one than I expected.
“I think that’s the last one.” Beau collapsed in a chair and put her feet on the table.
I unlatched each kennel and let the dogs come out if they wanted. Teague had called as we were finishing up the walks. They were on their way back, but it would be a few hours. I’d promised we wouldn’t leave until they returned.
“Want a beer?” I opened the fridge where I’d been assured there were some and found a six-pack.
