“Well, they can. And they’re spoiled, too. They expect to be handfed and coddled, so we can’t just release them out into the wild. I think a squirrel could punk on them.”
“Oh God, now I’m just picturing a hyper squirrel making a pigeon its bitch.”
“It’d be animal kingdom chaos.” I shook my head. “The shelter is running one of those bachelor auction fundraisers next month—Dogs and Dates. I thought Bones and Hoses would get more attendees, but what do I know? Maybe I should see if one of the firefighters wants to be paired up with spoiled pigeons instead of a sweet, furry pup.”
Aria froze with a chip halfway to her mouth. “Firefighters?”
“Yeah, the bachelors are hot firefighters—pun intended—from Station Six.”
She popped the dripping chip into her mouth, slowly chewing. “You going?”
“Not even if they paid me in pole slides… Take that how you will.”
“It sounds fun.”
“You and I have a very different definition of fun.”
She tried to hide it, but a frown pulled at her mouth. And since I was an expert at reading negative body language—it-takes-one-to-know-one kinda thing—I could easily see her tension.
She’s disappointed.
I let her down.
I really didn’t want to go. At all. Not unless I could steal the dogs and hide away in a back room. Since that would basically defeat the whole fundraiser thing, it wasn’t an option.
Instead, I offered the next best thing. “I can get you tickets, though.”
She opened her mouth then promptly closed it. After a long moment, she shook her head. “No, that’s okay.”
Before I could lose my mind and agree to go—and I’d do it because I’d do anything to make her happy—our food arrived. Digging in, we talked more about the shelter, animals, and everything else surface level.
By the time we were finished and saying our goodbyes, I was kind of looking forward to it being a monthly thing. It was fun.
Normal.
“You sure you don’t want a ride home?” she asked.
“I want to take advantage of the lack of clouds, and it’s only a short walk.”
I could tell she wanted to push it, but she didn’t. Well, not with that, anyway. She did push it by quickly hugging me. “Text when you get home. And send me pictures of the calicos.”
“I will.”
I started walking away before she called, “Briar!”
Turning back, my sister still stood near the restaurant entrance.
“I changed my mind,” she blurted. “Can you get me two tickets?”
“For you? Anything.” I held up a finger. “Wait, I still don’t have to go, right?”
“Right.”
“Then for you? Anything,” I repeated with a smile.
Picking at her nails, she chewed on her bottom lip for a second before seeming to catch herself. She released her lip and dropped her hands before pushing her shoulders back. “Thanks, you’re the best.”
“If this makes me the best, you’ve gotta raise your standards. I’ll drop them at your clinic office.”
We went our separate ways, the wind whipping at my cheeks when I started walking. As enjoyable as the night had turned out, my brain was grateful for the silence so I could decompress.
I’ll get better.
It won’t always be so hard.
It won’t be a strain.
It won’t be so exhausting.
I will get better.
Reaching my apartment, I was lost in my mantra and not paying attention until my foot connected with something, making a clang. I glanced down to see a vase sitting in front of my door. It was overflowing with wildflowers.
They were beautiful.
They were also clearly at the wrong place.
I picked up the bundle and searched around for a note to see where they should’ve been delivered to, but there was nothing.
Huh.
Weird.
Backtracking to the lobby, I set them down on one of the small tables before returning to my apartment to change into my pajamas and zone out in front of the TV.
The perfect end to a not-too-shabby day.
Him
SHE DIDN’T BRING the flowers inside.
I wasn’t surprised. I figured she’d assume they were there by mistake.
Checking my watch, I wished I could watch her longer. Based on the way my cock throbbed, it wished the same.
Maybe later.
Locking the door behind her, her shoulders slumped as she let her guard down.
Definitely later.
Chapter Five
Cliché
Alexander
CHRIST, I’M TIRED.
“This system is ancient,” José gritted out, looking more wiped than I felt. The programmer clicked some keys then muttered a low curse as the screen in front of him froze.
Spinning in my chair, I stopped to watch the loading bar fill a little, backtrack, fill a little more, backtrack all the way to the beginning, and then freeze. A circle spun and spun but nothing happened.
Yeah, that’s what it feels like. Spinning wheels.
“I’m going to throw this fuckin’ machine out the window,” José growled.
I reached under the desk and yanked the cord from the outlet.
It probably wasn’t the best thing for the computer, but neither was a four-story drop from the window.
The elevator pinged and Garrison—one of the technicians—walked out, dust coating his coveralls. “The wires in this place look like they’re older than the damn building. They might as well be made of spaghetti.”
I shook my head at the guys who were both in their early twenties—less than ten years younger than me but sometimes it felt like fifty. “Neither of you would’ve survived the dial-up days. Imagine spending twenty hours illegally downloading a song, only to have someone pick up the phone and disconnect you.”
José shuddered. “My abuela had dial-up until I paid the cable company to upgrade it and tell her it was free. She still has a corded phone. Think she’ll be buried with that thing.”
Twisting my chair back and forth, I stared as the computer fought to reboot. I was beginning to think I’d have to physically restrain José from taking the ancient machine out to a field to beat it with a bat.
“Finally,” I said through a yawn when it finally loaded.
“You okay?” Garrison asked.
Leaning my head against the back of the chair, I closed my eyes. “Late night.”
“I know you’re good at your job and all, but even you can’t do it with your
