Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 69063 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69063 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
“Ma’am?” I pushed.
“I’ll see if she’s willing to come out.” She hurried away.
The door to the room behind me opened, and I refused to turn around to look.
Boots sounded behind me, and Milena looked over her shoulder.
I saw the moment her eyes widened and knew that she’d come to the same conclusion I had.
The man was hot.
Again, I had to fight the urge to turn around and look.
But there was no way the man didn’t know who I was. My sister and I could pass for twins, and Milena had just blatantly stared at him.
“I’m so sorry but she’s not able to come out right now.” The woman came out of the back office, face slightly flushed.
I pulled out my phone then and pressed dial on the last number I’d called and paused while I waited for the phone to be answered.
It was, and a cheery, welcoming voice said, “Did you meet all the babies yet?”
“Noooo,” I sing-songed. “Actually, Renee, my application was denied.”
There was a long pause and then, “Who’s the one that helped you?”
I looked up, then described the woman at the desk looking at me warily now.
“Amber,” she hummed. “I’m in my office on the top floor. Give me ten minutes, and I’ll show you around.”
She was down in moments, looking angry as a hornet.
“Amber, please go wait in my office.” She paused. “Oh, Haze, son. Would you mind showing the two of them around?”
My brows lifted, and I couldn’t stop myself from turning and glancing at the older woman in front of me to the man behind me and back.
It was the gray in their eyes that clued me in.
Mother and son, for sure.
“Sure,” he said. “I got the kitten room done. They need some more litter, I was about to go do that.”
“I’ll get it done,” she said. “Take them through to see the dogs. Let me know if you need any help.”
The girl disappeared upstairs, and then Renee followed her, steaming mad.
I bit my lip to hide the worry on my face.
“I’m guessing you already know the mission?” he asked carefully.
He also stayed as far away from me as possible given the space allotted to us.
“Yes,” I said. “Your mom’s been testing some of my dog and cat products for years.”
“Oh, that’s you?” he asked, confusion on his face.
My phone started to go wild again, and I sighed.
When I went to silence it, I found that it wasn’t in my purse, but in Milena’s hands.
“You need something more to eat,” she said.
“I have some juice in my car,” I grumbled.
“I have some in the back. That’s where we’re going anyway. Follow me,” he urged.
We did, Milena a whole lot faster than me.
I didn’t want to look through this shelter with him.
Not when I wanted to climb him like a tree.
“I think I can come back tomorrow…”
But the door closed on both my sister and Haze, and I had no other choice but to follow them.
I dragged my feet, though, finding myself staring into a line of kennels. All of which had puppies in all shapes, sizes, and colors.
“Ohhh,” I said as I stopped at the first kennel I came to and dropped down to my haunches.
It was a mutt.
But such a cute little mutt.
My smile was small when I crooned, “Hey there, buddy.”
“Nastya Semyonov, get your ass in here and drink this juice right now,” my sister snarled from somewhere beyond the kennels.
I sighed and passed all the kennels, knowing that I should just get it over with.
She’d never let me look without drinking the juice.
Apple again.
Blech.
He held it out to me as I finally found my way into the room in which they were standing.
And the stupid apple juice in his hand as he held it out to me.
I was careful to take it by the top—he’d already twisted the cap off for me—and took a drink.
I grimaced.
I loathed apple juice.
Seriously, I fucking hated it.
It always reminded me of how stupid my body was.
I took about six sips and said, “That’s enough.”
“All of it,” Milena said.
“I’m not drinking any more apple juice,” I disagreed with her. “And it’s enough, I promise.”
I disappeared out the door again, leaving the half-drunk apple juice on the counter with a “Thank you” on my tongue as I went.
I heard my sister mutter something about me being stubborn, obstinate and pig-headed, but chose to ignore her.
I wandered off in the opposite direction I’d come, hoping that she’d maybe leave me alone.
She would keep picking and picking until I was pissy, and I didn’t want to be pissy today.
I wanted to see all the sweet babies there were to see.
I took pictures of all of them, planning to post it on my blog when I got home, and came to a sudden halt when I got to a back set of kennels that were off to the left of all the other ones.