Page 31 of Bodybuilders for the BBW

“You convinced me.” He stated that simply, then took a sip of his coffee. “You told me his story and I knew I had to help. The couch…” He looked over at the offending item. “It’s just a couch. I could replace them all with La-Z-Boys and my housemates would be ecstatic. Would Bronson like his own recliner?”

I couldn’t help but smile. My fears sounded stupid now I’d started to air them.

“Like whatever he needs.” He leaned in closer. “You just let me know. We could do a trial or bring him around to the house and see what he thinks about it. Maybe do a gradual shift from the shelter to here. You could bring him over for an hour or two, see how he deals with me and my housemates.”

I shook my head.

“You’re saying all the right things.”

“But…”

That winning smile was back. I wanted to resist it, but that made me think about why. I knew that Bronson’s days were limited in the shelter. The vet had made clear that they were running out of medical options. Dogs had been known to waste away from sheer misery. My motivations were selfish. If Bronson left the shelter, I’d never see him again, but I couldn’t let that pain get in the way of his future.

“You know you’ll be able to come and see him whenever you want,” he said.

I looked up and blinked.

“How do you know exactly what to say?” I asked.

He shrugged.

“Comes from being a nurse, I guess. People are sick, hurting, unable to speak. If I waited around for them to tell me what they need, then I wouldn’t be very good at my job. Instead, I watch, I listen.”

He was doing that right now, and that attention was a little unnerving. It felt like the world worked hard to ignore me most of the time, and now all of a sudden I was basking in all of this male attention.

“You’re scared of losing him. He’s special to you.” I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. There was no way I’d drink that coffee, because my throat was closing up by the second. His hand grabbed mine. “Sometimes it’s like that on the ward. You have a special patient, one that’s funny or sweet or just doing it tough, and for a while there, you’re a part of their life. Then you have to let them go.” I squeezed his hand hard. “Because you know the hospital isn’t the right place for them to spend their lives, that they have somewhere else to go.” He stared into my eyes. “Is there anywhere else Bronson can go? Any other families looking to adopt him?”

I let out a long breath, then straightened up.

“No.” When I looked out at the living room, I saw it with fresh eyes. Bronson could make himself a little cubbyhole in the narrow space between the couch and the wall. He could trot out into the back garden, walk without being constrained by the lead or with the sounds of a million other dogs yapping. He could live a quiet life, a comfortable one, and maybe, just maybe, he could be happy. I forced myself to smile. “I’ll approve your application.” I looked down the checklist, then saw there was one more thing to add. “You said you have housemates. Are they going to be around this afternoon? I need to meet everyone who’ll be around the dog, just to make sure he’s in good hands.”

“Not tonight.” Garrett winced. “They’ve both got work, but…” He stirred his spoon through his coffee. “I could make sure they’re home tomorrow night? You could come by and have dinner with them, make sure they’re a good fit.”

“Dinner?” I’d had more dinner dates this week than I had in my entire life. No, this wasn’t a date, I corrected myself. Just me getting to know Bronson’s new owners. “Sure, I could do that. What would you like me to bring?”

“Just yourself,” he said with a grin. “How do you feel about lasagna?”

Chapter16

Katie

“Gym!” I screamed when my sister leapt towards me the next morning, forcing me to drop my work clothes. “You, me, a set of weights.” She flexed her biceps in an exaggerated pose. “Time to feel the burn, baby.”

“I can’t. I—” I started to say.

“New year, new you!” Mandie stabbed her finger in the air in front of my face. “You said that was what you wanted.”

“I’m going out to dinner,” I explained, pulling on a shirt.

“Again?” Her grin was immediate as she flopped down on my bed, creasing my clothes. “Who with? Rhys? Rhett? Rhys and Rhett, and then the two of them devour you from head to toe for dessert?”

I tossed a pair of socks at her head, but the bitch caught them expertly. Damn sporty person.

“A guy who wants to adopt one of the dogs,” I told her, walking over to my dressing table and adjusting my work clothes. “I went round to his place last night, but he has two housemates?—”

“Who are smoking hot and he and his best friends want to make you the meat in a three man sandwich?” Her elated expression shifted to one of confusion. “How exactly would you do that? Like would their arms?—?”

“One very nice nurse who is going to give Bronson a home.” I turned to face her. “Get him out of the shelter. I don’t know how hot they are, but I need to make sure they won’t hurt the dog. That’s my focus.”

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