some without.
“This is looking good,” Leanne said.
“I hope so.”
When Luke came in with Boomer, Emma’s stomach twisted in a mix of delight and trepidation.
It had been a week since they’d slept together. She hadn’t exactly expected him to come by today, had figured they’d had one night of awesome sex, and she probably wasn’t going to see him again.
It had been the right thing to do. Luke was a complication she didn’t need in her life. Not right now.
Maybe not ever.
And he’d seemed willing enough to walk away at her suggestion.
But she’d missed him during the week. And she hadn’t wanted to miss him. Several times she’d thought about picking up the phone to call him, or to send him a text. Which would have been a very, very bad thing. Because seeing him now caused every nerve ending in her body to ping to life, and every memory from that night she’d spent with him rushed forth, causing her face to heat.
But she was so glad he’d shown up and had brought Boomer today. He was in uniform, too, which made all the kids excited.
And he was smiling at her, which made her stomach tumble.
Guess he wasn’t out of her system entirely just yet.
“Morning, Emma.”
“Morning. I’m so glad you came today.”
“I said I would. So here we are.”
“Are you on duty?”
“I did a late shift, covering for someone. So I thought the kids might get a kick out of the K9-cop thing.”
“I’m sure they will. Thanks so much for coming today.”
He grinned and her knees weakened. “Wouldn’t miss it. I heard there’d be donuts.”
“Funny. There are, plus coffee.”
“I could use the coffee.”
She lost sight of Luke as the shelter manager came over to talk to her. Then she got busy examining a calico that had just been adopted, which sent her heart soaring, because after that, there seemed to be one animal after another that ended up having a clinic file started because they’d been adopted.
Things were going so well.
Her mother stopped in and came to the back when she was examining a sheltie/poodle mix. And her mom had the biggest grin on her face.
“Picking up some new clients today?”
She hugged her mother. “I don’t always tell you thank-you like I should, but thank you. And not just because I’m ending up with new clients today, but animals have been adopted.”
Her mother looked around. “It seems like a successful event. You should do it twice a year.”
“That’s a good idea.” She squeezed her mom’s hand. “Stick around for a bit?”
“Of course.”
After her mother disappeared, things seemed to quiet down.
“We’ve got six new files,” Rachel said with a wide smile. “That’s so awesome.”
The one thing she loved most about Rachel and Leanne was that they didn’t just work at the clinic because it was a job. They had a love of animals as big and as fierce as Emma had.
“It is awesome.”
“There’s a black-and-white kitten I have my eye on,” Leanne said. “But I don’t know what Oscar would think about me bringing another cat home.”
Emma leaned against the desk. “He probably wouldn’t like it one bit. But he’d adjust, and he might enjoy the company during the day while you’re at work.”
“That’s what I’m thinking. Plus, she’s a female, so there’d be no fighting for territory. I’m going to give her another nuzzle and see if she needs to go home with me.”
Emma looked at Rachel.
“She’s a goner,” Rachel said. “That kitten’s going home with her today.”
Ten minutes later, Leanne caught up with Emma. “I’ve already told Patrice that the black-and-white kitten is mine. I had Rachel set up a chart for her. I’m going to call her Olivia.”
“Oscar and Olivia? So cute, Leanne.”
“I know, right? From the minute I saw her, I knew she was mine.”
Emma patted Leanne’s shoulder. “We’re doomed sometimes. Same thing happened to me with Annie. I don’t know why I bothered posting signs.”
Leanne
“This is looking good,” Leanne said.
“I hope so.”
When Luke came in with Boomer, Emma’s stomach twisted in a mix of delight and trepidation.
It had been a week since they’d slept together. She hadn’t exactly expected him to come by today, had figured they’d had one night of awesome sex, and she probably wasn’t going to see him again.
It had been the right thing to do. Luke was a complication she didn’t need in her life. Not right now.
Maybe not ever.
And he’d seemed willing enough to walk away at her suggestion.
But she’d missed him during the week. And she hadn’t wanted to miss him. Several times she’d thought about picking up the phone to call him, or to send him a text. Which would have been a very, very bad thing. Because seeing him now caused every nerve ending in her body to ping to life, and every memory from that night she’d spent with him rushed forth, causing her face to heat.
But she was so glad he’d shown up and had brought Boomer today. He was in uniform, too, which made all the kids excited.
And he was smiling at her, which made her stomach tumble.
Guess he wasn’t out of her system entirely just yet.
“Morning, Emma.”
“Morning. I’m so glad you came today.”
“I said I would. So here we are.”
“Are you on duty?”
“I did a late shift, covering for someone. So I thought the kids might get a kick out of the K9-cop thing.”
“I’m sure they will. Thanks so much for coming today.”
He grinned and her knees weakened. “Wouldn’t miss it. I heard there’d be donuts.”
“Funny. There are, plus coffee.”
“I could use the coffee.”
She lost sight of Luke as the shelter manager came over to talk to her. Then she got busy examining a calico that had just been adopted, which sent her heart soaring, because after that, there seemed to be one animal after another that ended up having a clinic file started because they’d been adopted.
Things were going so well.
Her mother stopped in and came to the back when she was examining a sheltie/poodle mix. And her mom had the biggest grin on her face.
“Picking up some new clients today?”
She hugged her mother. “I don’t always tell you thank-you like I should, but thank you. And not just because I’m ending up with new clients today, but animals have been adopted.”
Her mother looked around. “It seems like a successful event. You should do it twice a year.”
“That’s a good idea.” She squeezed her mom’s hand. “Stick around for a bit?”
“Of course.”
After her mother disappeared, things seemed to quiet down.
“We’ve got six new files,” Rachel said with a wide smile. “That’s so awesome.”
The one thing she loved most about Rachel and Leanne was that they didn’t just work at the clinic because it was a job. They had a love of animals as big and as fierce as Emma had.
“It is awesome.”
“There’s a black-and-white kitten I have my eye on,” Leanne said. “But I don’t know what Oscar would think about me bringing another cat home.”
Emma leaned against the desk. “He probably wouldn’t like it one bit. But he’d adjust, and he might enjoy the company during the day while you’re at work.”
“That’s what I’m thinking. Plus, she’s a female, so there’d be no fighting for territory. I’m going to give her another nuzzle and see if she needs to go home with me.”
Emma looked at Rachel.
“She’s a goner,” Rachel said. “That kitten’s going home with her today.”
Ten minutes later, Leanne caught up with Emma. “I’ve already told Patrice that the black-and-white kitten is mine. I had Rachel set up a chart for her. I’m going to call her Olivia.”
“Oscar and Olivia? So cute, Leanne.”
“I know, right? From the minute I saw her, I knew she was mine.”
Emma patted Leanne’s shoulder. “We’re doomed sometimes. Same thing happened to me with Annie. I don’t know why I bothered posting signs.”
Leanne
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