Page 35 of Lucky Baller
I throw my head back and laugh. “Come on, Casanova, let’s see what’s next.” I don’t bother to reply. He’s not my type, and I’m hoping he drops it. That’s all I need is to add another man into my life to drive me insane. How is it that my dating life has been null and void the last few months and now, all of a sudden, I’m the popular girl?
I tell Tony to wait for me in the lobby while I go in search of Autumn. I find her in our office. “Hey, we’re done with the barn. Where should we go next? Cats or dogs?”
“Dogs. I have the two teenage girls in with the cats. Not to mention, the dogs are more work. You can use his muscles.”
“He told me he was volunteering with the hopes of meeting Jeremy.” I leave out the part about the date. No need to get that seed planted in her head.
“Aw, I’ll text him and have him stop by after practice.” Her fingers are already flying across her screen. “They have an early day today, so it should be around lunchtime.”
“Great. We’re going to get started.” My stomach does a little flip at the thought that I could see Landon soon, but then I remember I told him I didn’t need any help. Damn man has got me all over the place with my emotions.
“Okay, looks like you and I are going to tackle the dog room, as we call it. We have kennels to clean, so we’ll start taking the dogs to the outdoor kennel so we can hose it all down.”
“I’m your man.” He winks.
He reminds me a little of Landon, but he’s most definitely not him. He’s too short, his hair way too light, and his eyes aren’t the ocean blue I’ve become accustomed to. He’s confident, though; I’ll give him that.
Two by two, we move the dogs to the outdoor kennel. I don’t rush the process as we play with them and give them treats. This is yet another luxury we don’t always have. An hour later, we’re in the dog room, and Tony is spraying everything down with the water hose while I start behind him with a brush on a long stick and a bucket of soapy water.
“Let me do that,” he says, trying to hand me the hose.
“I’m good. This is something I do on a regular basis.”
“Exactly why you should let me do it.” He tries to take the broom, and I move quickly out of his reach, but lose my footing. He reaches out to catch me, and we both end up falling to the floor. He lands on top of me, but is quick to lift himself, holding his weight on his arms as he stares down at me as the soapy water seeps into my clothes. “Oops.” He grins, and I can’t help but smile back at him.
“What’s going on here?” a deep, booming voice asks.
I know that voice.
I push up, and Tony takes his sweet time, removing his body from where he was suspended over the top of me. I start to climb to my feet only to slip again on the wet floor. Tony is there to catch me this time, and his strong arms lift me to my feet and make sure I’m steady before he lets go.
“Tessa?” Landon asks.
“Hey, we were just cleaning, and the buckets spilled, and well… you see the outcome.” I laugh nervously. Why am I nervous? Oh, yeah, because Landon and his baby blues are assessing me, and I know this looks bad. Even though I’ve done nothing wrong and he has no claim to me, I still feel a little guilty.
Landon’s eyes go to Tony’s hand that’s still holding on to my arm. “You can let go,” he tells him.
“Holy shit. You’re… you’re Landon Barker,” Tony says, his hand still holding my arm.
Landon nods. “I am.” His voice is not his friendly banter that I’m used to.
“Dude, I was hoping to meet Jeremy. I never dreamed I’d get to meet a Cougar, let alone Landon Barker. Can I have your autograph?” he asks, sounding like an excited little boy that I think lives inside all men.
“Sure, as soon as you get your hand off my girl.” Landon’s eyes are laser-focused as he stares Tony down.
“Landon,” I start, but he ignores me.
“Shit,” Tony mumbles. “I didn’t know she was yours.” He turns his accusing eyes to mine. “You didn’t tell me when I mentioned a date that you were with Landon freaking Barker.” He drops his hand as if he’s been burned.
“I’m not with him.”
Landon nods now that Tony’s no longer touching me. “Let’s go find something I can write on.” He turns on his heel and disappears from the room.
He’s pissed, but now, so am I. How dare he come in here, telling the volunteers I’m his girl? I’m not his girl. I’m not his anything. We’re acquaintances at best. Okay, maybe a little more than that, but I’m not his. I’m mine, and he has no right to come in here demanding things of anyone. I’m fuming mad. I want to march out there and tell him to leave, but I don’t. Instead, I put my anger into cleaning up the mess Tony and I made, wet clothes and all. I’m on a mission, and it takes me no time to get the cages cleaned and the room sparkling. I put away the cleaning supplies and head to my office to grab a change of clothes. Autumn and I both keep spare clothes here because things like this happen when you work at an animal shelter. It’snot the first time. Although usually, it’s a rambunctious animal, not two grown men acting like toddlers.
Closing the office door, I strip out of my wet clothes. I slide into my clean, dry shorts and am just getting ready to pull my new shirt over my head when the door opens. I glance up, expecting to see Autumn, but it’s not her. It’s Landon.
“Shit.” I rush to hold the shirt to my chest.
