Chapter 23 #2
As I made my way around some overgrown bushes in a blessedly unfenced yard, I looked up to find the llama mere feet away.
I let out a short yelp of surprise, then slapped my hand over my mouth.
Maybe I startled Esmerelda too, because she hoofed it away from me, then cut into another yard.
I was blocked by a tall privacy fence, so with tears of mostly suppressed laughter half blinding me, I went in the opposite direction, looking for the next unfenced yard so I could cut her off yet again.
When I found a path through, I ran, thankful I was a runner, because this hairy beast was pushing me. I got to the front of this particular house in time to see a white blur across the street, ducking into yet another backyard.
I texted Max that we were crossing Walnut Street and wondered how long it could possibly take to load up Danny, drive a few miles to the vet’s house, transfer Danny to the van, and get his ass back here to help me. It was a small miracle I hadn’t been spotted by anyone yet.
On the other side of Walnut, I found an unfenced yard and ran through it, my eyes peeled for white.
A dog started barking, but it was far enough away I wasn’t worried about immediate discovery.
Esmerelda, however, was more concerned, as I found her about twenty feet from me, in a narrow alley, her head craned toward the dog.
This might be the break I was looking for.
Were llamas afraid of dogs? I could only hope.
Max had told me not to rush up to her no matter what because she’d take off, so I froze and tried to figure out what to do. Just then, my phone vibrated with a message.
It was Max, asking for my location. I replied, explaining about the alley and the barking dog, who still hadn’t shut up. Hopefully his people would assume there was a squirrel or a bunny.
When Max jogged up behind me, I was so relieved I wanted to tackle hug him, but I merely pointed at Esmerelda, who hadn’t moved.
“You stay here and extend both your arms so she won’t try to dart past. I’m going to approach her from the side, slowly. This could take a while, but slow is key.”
I nodded, still catching my breath. “Where’s Danny?”
“The van’s parked right over there.” He pointed at the street perpendicular to the alley. “I locked it, but we need to hurry. He’s engrossed in a video on my iPad for now.” Max handed me the keys for when he got the harness on Esmerelda.
I stood with my arms out as instructed, watching Max, keeping an eye on the llama, silently pleading with the animal not to take off again. Nearly ten minutes later, Max, the llama whisperer, had reached her side and was talking in a low, soothing voice.
Apparently she was as spellbound by Max Dawson as I was, because she merely stared at him, letting him touch her side. Eventually he was able to get her harness on, and from that point, he basically had control. He slipped a lead through the harness and told me to unlock the back of the van.
By the time he hit the street with Esmerelda, I had the back doors wide open, llama ready. I’d opened the driver’s door so I could keep Danny company. He was strapped in his car seat on the passenger side, still in his pj’s, engrossed in a kids’ show with talking animals.
Everything went smoothly until Max and his llama friend reached the back of the van. The animal refused to step inside.
“Come on, Esmerelda,” Max said patiently. “Ben’s been training you for this. You like the van.”
“She didn’t get a cookie,” I said from a distance, grinning.
“Hell, I forgot. There’s a Sugar bag between the front seats.”
“You stopped and got her a cookie?” I asked as I ducked across the driver’s seat.
“Ben stocks up for exactly this reason. I need you to open the side door, hold the cookie up so she sees it, then put it in that tray.”
I did as he said, and before I could get to the tray behind the passenger seat, the llama hopped inside and came after me, or maybe the cookie.
For a second, I thought I was a goner, but she only wanted the rainbow-sprinkled sugar cookie, not my fingers.
With a squeal, I dropped the cookie on the tray and ducked out of the way, my heart hammering, exhilarated laughter pouring from me, my shoulders shaking with it.
Once I was safely on the pavement, I remembered to close the door at the same time Max shut the back one, and we had ourselves one captured llama.
Max came around the van, a handsome smile on his face as he shook his head. “That wasn’t how I saw my Monday starting, but thank you.”
With a quiet laugh, I said, “Thank you for showing up when you did.”
He glanced in at Danny, who was oblivious to the llama just inches behind him, a mesh metal divider ensuring he was perfectly safe.
After a head shake of disbelief at his son, Max turned his attention back to me. “Mission accomplished. We make a good team.”
“We do,” I said. “A super-secret superhero llama-catching team.”
“I’d offer you a ride home but…”
“Your van is full, plus the secret part.” I smiled to show him I’d be fine.
After saying goodbye though, as I walked away from the van and made my way toward the square, his words replayed in my head.
We make a good team.
I wanted to be a team with Max. I’d tried to shove that desire aside ever since moving day when I’d first had the thought. But the more we were together, the more I couldn’t deny it.
I swallowed hard.
I was either going to have to work up the courage to tell him I wanted more or I was going to have to stop seeing him altogether.