Page 24 of Talk About… Trouble

“Yes, I am,” I said. “Thanks for the opportunity. I’ve missed working with animals.”

“Did you take time off?” he asked, studying me like he was expecting me to say I took time off because I was tired of them or something.

“Unfortunately. I had personal issues that demanded time off. I’m eager to get back to it, though. Where should we start?” My smile never faltered but a weariness had crept back in, stealing some of my excitement.

“The barn,” he said, turning and gesturing for me to follow. I didn’t hesitate to speed up, falling in step next to him. Another disappointingly perfect scent, even if my body didn’t react. It was a rich bourbon mixed with sweet and tart blueberries and creamy cheesecake.

If only. That was a scent I could breathe in for the rest of my life.

I heard him take a deep breath and grunt, but didn’t say anything.

Was he as disappointed as I was?

Or maybe I was simply desperate for a genuine connection, something to chase away my past. Maybe I should be running from the prospect of mates, but I refused to let them steal away my chance at a true pack. One actually meant for me.

“This barn is for the bulk of the big animals. I’m not sure how much experience you have, but just about everyone here has something in their charts worth studying. Once we do introductions, it might not hurt to take the afternoon to study them. I’ll be around doing maintenance and chores if you have questions. I’d rather you ask a million and be thorough, then assume you know and make mistakes.”

It wasn’t said with frustration or doubt, simply a blunt statement of what he knew could happen.

“Understood,” I offered as he led me to one of the stalls. A horse peeked its head out, giving a snort in greeting. He gestured to a basket on the wall just out of the horse’s reach, brimming with apples.

“Go ahead,” he suggested. It was a test, or at the very least a challenge. He wanted to see how I interacted with them and I was fine with that.

“Name?” I asked before moving in.

“Honey,” Shepherd answered, stepping back and leaning against the empty stall opposite of Honey to watch the show.

The horse was watching me, its eyes tracking my hand holding up the shiny, red apple. A small huff echoed out but she didn’t back away.

“Hey, sweet girl. I hear you like apples? How about this, you let me give you a good scratch, then I reward you with an apple?” I stepped forward and she tried to snatch it, but my arm dropped faster. I’d dealt with a handful of stubborn horses in my teens and it was like second nature.

Though, this horse was likely not a pampered purebred with more attitude than it should possess. She was gorgeous regardless.

I held my hand out, palm out like I was saying no. She eyed me before finally tapping her nose to my palm. It felt like there was a bit of exasperation in the movement and I let out a small laugh as I patted her nose and held out the apple flat in my other hand. She didn’t move right away, letting me give her some love before finally taking it and stepping back.

“Impressive,” Shepherd said before moving on. Each stall was an introduction, a quick name and treat for them all. It was a smart way to have me introduce myself. Bribery never failed.

It took much longer than expected before I was introduced to all of the animals. It was easy to see his favorites. A potbelly pig named Mabel who was sweet as can be, a basset hound that howled the moment he saw me but was happily wagging after he got his treat and some ear scratches.

When we got to the final pen, he wouldn't get too close. “This is Astrid’s domain. Watch out, she spits, but you can toss her a treat.”

“Astrid!” I called out as I dug out a bundle of leafy greens for her. She came running up in all her fluffy, brown glory. She stopped a few feet away and I didn’t back away, though I kept my mouth closed and lips curled in a smile, bracing myself for her assault.

I kept my body relaxed, hand outstretched within reach of her treat. She eyed me, the look clearly saying she could if she wanted to, and I tried my best to show I didn’t hold it against her.

It was a battle of wills, but in the end, as it did for all the others, the bribery won out.

“What a sweet girl,” I said as she leaned her head to the side in offering. I gave her a good scratch in her wooly fluff as I felt Shepherd’s eyes on me. When she stepped away, dismissing me, he couldn’t help himself.

“Really, you evil alpaca?!” he demanded. “I give you shelter, a clean home, plenty of food, and treats. Treat you like a damn queen. Then one omega comes in and you’re all sweet and innocent?”

She stared at me but shifted her eyes to him, a laugh bubbling out as Astrid’s side eye amped up to epic proportions.

Then, she turned, and spit.

“No!” Shepherd wailed, gagging as he tried and failed to dodge the smelly projectile as it hit him square in the shoulder. He said nothing else to me as he took off at a run, leaving me with the offending alpaca and barely contained laughter.

“That wasn’t very nice, but it was funny,” I cooed at her, giving her one final handful of greens before heading back to the barn. He’d pointed out a small office he’d set up for me there and I knew the files were already inside.

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