Page 108 of Crash & Burn

“She told Annie about us?

“And Drew apparently.”

“Emmett didn’t say anything.” I was with him all morning, and aside from the stupid comment about not sleeping, he didn’t say anything about Drew telling him, which I’m sure she did.

“You think Emmett gives a shit about your love life?”

“Watch it. It’s not love. We’re just seeing if this could actually go anywhere.” The complete lie gracefully escapes my lips, and I hate how easy it is. “Plus,” I add, “it is only a matter of time before she realizes I’m not worth the risk.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” Luke says, grabbing a towel to wipe down the bar.

“What do you mean?” I ask, more desperately than I’d care to admit. “Did Annie say anything else?”

“Nope,” he says, and he is full of shit, but I leave it alone.

“Please don’t tell Mateo. He will rip my dick off if he finds out.”

“Your secret is safe with me,” Luke says, stupidly pretending to lock his lips with an invisible key and going back to wiping down the bar. “Oh, but Ididforget to mention. Annie said Mia might stop by the shelter this afternoon.”

My heart skips a beat. “You could’ve led with that, idiot.” I head to the door. “I’ll see you at four.” I push the door open, and hear Luke yell behind me.

“See you then, lover boy!”

Asshole.

***

We get to the shelter, and it is a sight. There are dogs everywhere, with different stations and people holding up signs to cars passing by. Volunteers are manning stations for baths, selling homemade dog treats and toys, and Annie is helping at the station where dogs can get fifteen-minute check-ups and any vaccines they need.

There are people and dogs everywhere, this being way more of an event than Luke explained.

“You didn’t say this was a whole thing,” I say as I park on the street across from the shelter’s parking lot where all the commotion is. I look around for a certain blonde, but I come up empty. “I thought you said Mia would be here.”

“Annie said she might stop by. We can ask her.”

We cross the street and enter the parking lot, immediately greeted with every kind of dog you can imagine. Laughter and barking fill the air as we make our way to Annie who has two golden retrievers on her table.

“Hey, Annie girl,” Luke says, as we approach her booth. One of the goldens, not a puppy but not full-grown either, pounces on him as he stops in front of her table.

“I see you’ve met Rosie,” she says as the golden—Rosie—licks Luke all over his face. The other golden stays seated on the table, not at all interested in joining the lovefest.

I’m instantly drawn to her. I like that she can seem so unbothered, so calm, surrounded by all the commotion. Just sitting and looking at me.

“And this is Daisy,” Annie says. She has a white coat on with her veterinary assistant badge. “These sisters are waiting to be checked by the vet, so I’m just hanging with them while they wait.”

Daisy looks up at me, and I look at her. Her tongue is hanging out of her mouth as she pants in the heat of the summer afternoon. Rosie, on the other hand, now has her paws on Luke’s shoulders, standing on the table on her hind legs.

“You are just the cutest,” Luke says in a puppy voice as Rosie continues to lick his face.

“She’s looking for a home too,” Annie says, reaching out to pet Rosie’s head.

“Don’t tempt me,” Luke says between Rosie’s kisses.

“She is such a lovebug. I’d take her if I could, both actually, but not with vet school starting.”

“I won’t take a lot of convincing, so please stop talking.”

“Wait, these dogs are rescues?” I ask Annie. Daisy is still looking at me, tail wagging, but staying calm. Such a contrast to her sister. I reach out and pet her head, and she leans into my touch.

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