AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"That's fine," I tell him.
And I mean it.
Because I haven't been home. I've been in and out of these people's lives ever since I was old enough to drive, coming and going whenever I felt like it...never calling, never keeping them updated.
He has no reason to trust me.
Maybe I shouldn't even trust myself.
Chapter fourteen
Sam
SafeHarborisasmall shelter compared to the ones I've worked at in the past, but I like it that way. It means the shelter is cozy--clean, happy, with a high adoption rate and a small staff.
The only other people at the shelter are usually our intern Jenny and our director, Kathleen, and they're both roaming around in the kennels and doing maintenance for the morning. I poke my head around the corner and I see Jenny hosing out a kennel, the dog that was inside being led out by Kathleen, and I wave.
"Hey, Jenny!" I say. "Sorry I'm late."
"Hey!" she says with a bright smile. She's a pretty girl in her early twenties, a Fern Hollow native with brown hair and freckles. "You're fine; we're right on schedule and we don't have any appointments until the afternoon."
I listen to her as I walk over to the whiteboard with our appointment calendar on it, peering up at the list. There are a couple for the puppies--as expected--but I'm excited to see some for the older dogs we took in as well.
"You did a socials post last night?" I ask Jenny over my shoulder.
"Yep!" she says, coming over to me. Her face is flushed from work, sweat beading on her brow. "People were crazy about the puppies. We already have a hold on one of them."
"Any takers for the female pittie?"
Jenny smiles. "Yeah...me. I'm taking her home."
I smile back at her. "Aw...I love that. Thanks, Jenny."
"She gave me those puppy dog eyes and I couldn't say no," Jenny shrugs. "You know how it goes."
"Oh...I know," I laugh. "Catch me up on this morning?"
Jenny takes me through the notes from the morning--just cleaning, no health problems, and the dogs were all in good spirits. Kathleen swings by to give me a one-armed hug and asks how the trip went, and as she walks away, Jenny eyes me.
"That guy you were with...he wascute," she whispers.
"What guy?" I murmur, blushing.
"The Hopeful Hearts--" she stops. "Oh my God,Sam! Something happened?"
I look up at her with wide eyes. "I don't even know who you're talking about."
"You're a horrible liar," she says, following me as I walk away from her and toward the kennels. "Come on, Sam, you have to spill. Tell me everything."
"No."
She ducks around me and stops me from walking further, her hands clasped in front of her. "Please, feed my thirsty, sex-deprived soul," she begs. "Let me live vicariously through you."
I laugh and keep walking, checking that all the dogs have gotten their breakfast. "You could definitely be dating if you wanted to. I'm not caving into this line of questioning."
"You know I'm waiting for the one, so leave it alone," she says. "C'mon, Sam, tell me about the cute animal rescue guy."
"Fine," I say. I glance around for Kathleen, but she's nowhere to be found; I just don't think she would be quite as receptive to this kind of thing. "His name is Evan."
