Chapter 7
Sam
Moving Shirley into the metal bathtub was difficult, but once I turned on the water to a warm trickle, she was happy. I had never seen a dog enjoy the bath so much. She was drinking the water from the hose, including the soapy water.
“So besides volunteering here, what else do you do?” I asked.
Eva brushed a stray hair that had fallen out from her ponytail and smoothed it behind her ear. She looked up and met my eyes. I hadn’t been this close to her before, so I’d never realized her eyes almost had an ombre effect. The irises started from a light-yellow green, then transitioned to a gray-green color. They were unlike anything else, and they were strangely beautiful.
“Well, let’s see. I have a large family, so there are a lot of social gatherings I have to go to.”
“Wow, plus running a business, you must be busy. There’s a lot on your plate. I’m the complete opposite. I’m never busy, which is a reason I need help in the dating department. If you don’t get out, you can’t meet someone.”
Eva smiled. “I mean, you’re not wrong, but great candidates surround you at school. So there are opportunities to talk and meet other people.”
“Hey now, aren’t you supposed to be supporting me in this?” I said and laughed, flinging soap bubbles toward Eva.
Shirley turned her head to face me as she caught me throwing bubbles around, then went back to drinking the soapy water. I knew her tummy would hurt later.
“Hey, I’m being supportive, but also just telling you how it is.” Eva attempted to throw back bubbles, but it ended up being a handful of water.
I looked down at my shirt. It now had a big water spot. Good thing it was a T-shirt. I laughed. “Oh, it’s on,” I said and gave her a side smile.
A splash of water and a few soap bubbles landed on Eva’s chest, and she put up her hands in defense. We laughed so hard, when we took a pause, Eva was only inches from my face. It felt like we were having a moment. I leaned in.
I was a mere inch from her plump pink lips when the back door opened. A guy stuck his head out and called out about someone who was interested in adopting.
Pushing back on her heels, she stood up. “Okay, I’ll be there in a second,” she called back. Looking down, she brushed off the bubbles from her chest, then looked at me. “I gotta go take care of this. But I’ll meet you inside.”
“Yeah, no problem. I’ll finish up here,” I said.
That was unexpected. If I had not been interrupted, I swear I would have kissed her.
I maneuvered Shirley past the other dogs in their kennels, each one giving me their best sad puppy-dog eyes. They wanted to either get a bath themselves or they just wanted to be let free from their metal cages.
“Sorry, guys, I can’t help you. But maybe I could take one of you guys home,” I said to the lot.
I pulled open the door into the lobby. Eva, in her soaked T-shirt, was talking to a man. She laughed and even flipped her ponytail, which had become damp and stringy.
Something inside me stirred. Who was this guy? I didn’t like how Eva was reacting. Nor the guy who, from the looks of him—chiseled jawline, golden-tan skin, and dirty-blond hair—seemed to have had everything handed to him.
“Yeah, that would be perfect. It would be so good to have dinner with you,” Eva said.
As I walked closer to her, she turned over her shoulder and said to me, “Shirley all cleaned up?”
“Yeah, she’s back in her kennel.”
“Perfect. Thanks so much, Sam. Just give me one second and then I’ll be back to you.”
“Oh, no worries, but I got to head out. So I’ll talk to you next time.”
“Okay, have a good one,” she called as I headed out of the animal shelter with a feeling I’d never had before.