AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Miss Marble inexplicably takes their hands and squeezes. “You’re okay, girls. You’ve got me and Coyote.”
Coyote? How intriguing, but whatever’s going on is a private moment so I slide behind the reception counter and fuss with three vintage troll dolls Wendy keeps on the desk for luck.
The moment passes as Freud, picking up on the sudden tension, gives a terse bark.
Cujo’s answering bark of solidarity yips out from the back.
I put my vet hat back on as I glance at the Mastiff. “Is he ill?”
“No,” Bryce replies. “The other vet is an idiot, so we came to check you out.”
I laugh at Bryce’s forthrightness and then harder as the girls join in.
“He is, isn’t he?” I say as I return to the group.
Freud nudges up to me and I run a hand down his back. “I’m sorry, sweet baby, but I’m not quite open for check-ups yet.”
“The door was unlocked,” Bryce states the obvious like she’s personally insulted I’m not open.
The twins prowl the office, peeking behind the counter, looking down the hall to the closed doors. Emma is talking to Singalong, my most recent acquisition. The budgie effectively shuns the girl by turning his back and mooning her. Literally. She’s lost all her tail feathers from the stress of her former life, but there’s some peach fuzz now that she’s in a calmer and more welcoming environment.
Maddy is heading to my shoe stockroom, and I slide in front of her and herd her back to the reception area. “Yes, the door was unlocked,” I tell them. “I just got back from getting some supplies and had my hands full so I couldn’t lock it behind me.” I smile affectionately at my new shoes, which smile back at me. “I got slightly distracted.”
“Why aren’t you open?” Emma asks as she picks up Kona, the three-legged cat and kisses its nose. Kona hisses and attempts to swipe at her with its missing paw.
“Yeah,” Maddy adds as she sticks a finger in Singalong’s cage and gets nipped for her efforts. “You’ve been setting up for weeks.”
Their Mastiff loves them, I’ve no doubt, but they aren’t charming any of the other animals. Inexplicably, Bryce is being crowded by Blackie, and she’s examining his missing ear with her fingers.
I’m starting to feel stalked by these women who are asking intrusive questions. Still, I’m growing fond of my three future clients, so I decide to be truthful. “I’m setting up in stages because I’m having trouble getting financing.”
“Really!” all three exclaim like this is the most exciting thing they’ve ever heard. Well, the twins exclaim. Bryce adds a slight emphasis to the word.
I can’t help smiling at their enthusiasm. “Yes. I’ve only managed to raise 51 percent of what I need to fully open the doors, so I plan to do a soft opening next week.”
The three women exchange looks. “Wouldn’t it be fun?” Maddy says to Emma.
Emma appears to fully understand her sister. “I’ve been so bored,” she replies. “And this would be such a distraction.” Her eyes get distant, and my brain finally kicks in. These are the girls whose parents died in a horrific house fire a few weeks ago. It’s been all over the media. No wonder they’re hot and cold.
Bryce intervenes, “It seems we can’t do anything without Coyote having an opinion.”
“He’s smothering you?” It’s Emma who’s asking.
“No,” says Bryce bluntly. Then, “Yes.” Then, “Maybe.”
The girls exchange smirks. “He’s always been overprotective.”
Bryce sighs. “I think I need an outside project now that I’ve managed to manipulate BETH.”
Beth?
“And it would be good for us,” Emma says to Maddy (or vice versa because I’m starting to confuse them again).
“Get our minds off all the stuff that happened.”
“Yes,” Bryce agrees. “It would be like therapy.”
Then the twins say the one thing that solidifies my opinion that they’re kindred spirits. “Shopping therapy!”
