Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 58142 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 291(@200wpm)___ 233(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58142 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 291(@200wpm)___ 233(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
Martin’s been volunteering at the animal shelter even longer than I have. Retired and widowed, he puts in a lot of hours every week, and the animals love him.
“Has Lisa talked you into participating in the auction yet?” Martin asks when we are both at the sink.
I groan. “Ugh. Yes, she did, and I don’t know how it happened.”
“I knew you’d say yes,” he says, sounding triumphant. “It’s because you’d do anything for the animals.”
The auction is a new idea Lisa, the shelter manager, came up with to raise money. Dates are what will be auctioned, and last week, Lisa caught me in a weak moment and convinced me to do my part.
“The only reason she got me to agree is because it’s a silent auction. There is no way I’d humiliate myself by standing on a stage and having to watch people bid — or not bid — on a date with me.”
Martin waves a hand, dismissing my comments. “Don’t be silly. You’re going to get a lot of bids, but I agree with you on the silent part. I’m glad it’s going to be done on paper too.”
“Are you participating?” I ask him.
He nods. “Yep. I’m already trying to narrow down my date ideas.”
When I frown at his reminder that I have to come up with a detailed date itinerary to put on offer, he nudges my arm with his. “It’ll be fun. You’ll see.”
“I doubt that, but I do hope it brings in a lot of money for the shelter.”
“Kitties need treats and toys, don’t you, my darlings?” Martin says to the assorted felines that have taken ownership of the room.
“And food, and more space,” I add.
“And our dog friends need all of that, too,” he says, bringing one of the cats’ favorite feathered toys out of a drawer.
I’ll be dreading the auction all month long, but a small part of me has fanciful hopes that a handsome animal-loving stranger will win my bid and we’ll fall madly in love during our date. Silly, I know.
“Speaking of the dogs,” Martin says, “if you want to go play with them, I can finish up here. A couple of new pups came in yesterday that need to get used to kind human interaction.”
“Will do. I’ll see you later,” I tell him. I seem to have a knack for working with shy dogs. I’m not trained to help the ones who’ve suffered serious trauma, but I’m pretty good at bonding with dogs who come in bewildered about their displacement and hesitant to interact with others. The more comfortable I can make a dog feel here, the more likely they are to appeal to prospective adoptive parents who come in.
As I’m on the path that crosses the property diagonally from the cattery to the dog kennel, Lisa calls my name. When I turn in her direction, I immediately assume that I’m hallucinating, because there’s no way that the four male revue dancers I’ve been fantasizing about are here.
Stopping in my tracks, I look again. It’s not just my imagination. Chase, Dodge, Diesel, and Maddox are with the shelter manager, and all five of them are headed my way.
“Jade, these men are here to look for a dog to adopt,” Lisa says as she approaches. “Would you be able to show them who we have available?”
“Um … sure. I’d be glad to.”
“Great. This is Chase Stanton, this is —”
“I know them, actually,” I say, interrupting Lisa.
So, their last name is Stanton. I hadn’t even thought to ask when I met them, but I guess I was a little distracted. Okay, a lot distracted.
“Oh, perfect. Okay, I’ll be at the front desk if you need me.” With a wave to the brothers, Lisa turns and heads back toward the entrance.
“Are you stalking me?” I ask the men as soon as the manager is out of earshot.
“You caught us,” Maddox says, raising both hands in a sign of surrender. “We’re in the process of following all of your social media accounts right this moment, and when we leave here, we’re going to find the perfect stakeout spot to spy on your apartment.”
When I give him a look of alarm — even though I know he’s joking — Dodge puts his arm around my shoulders and gives me a squeeze. “Don’t worry, Jade. Maddox sometimes thinks he’s a standup comedian instead of a dancer.”
“Maybe we should add a routine where he comes out dressed as a clown,” Diesel says.
“That would have been good for Halloween,” I say. “Clowns are terrifying.” I had tensed at the surprise of seeing the men here, but Dodge’s embrace has me melting against him.
“We’ll have to remember that for next Halloween,” Maddox says. “We had some good ones this year – vampires and werewolves, kind of a Twilight thing.”
“I suppose you’ll be wearing turkey costumes this month?” I say. Dodge stops hugging me, but lets his hand linger on my upper back for several nice long seconds.