24. Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter twenty-four
Carter
Nash arrives at the shelter early Sunday morning, well before he needs to be here.
I’m not surprised because it’s exactly what he did yesterday when he showed up to help then.
This sort of thing fits exactly who he is.
What is a little shocking, and as I think about it, realize it shouldn’t be, is that he comes with donuts.
“Oh my God, he’s the best!” Hazel says under her breath, elbowing me and walking over to greet Nash at the door since his hands are full.
I try not to stare. But… I can’t help it.
He’s smiling at Hazel brightly, like he’s happy to be here, his hands full of boxes and bags.
I’d never looked long enough to notice how handsome he is when he forgets to be a detective.
Because that’s what’s happening right now.
That smile is different from all the others I’ve seen.
It’s light, coming from somewhere deep inside. He means it.
“Hey,” he says when he comes over.
I act like I’m seeing him for the first time and haven’t been staring since he managed to open the door with his hands full.
“Oh, hey. You’re early.”
“I got you a coffee.” He offers it to me. I stare at it, then at him.
“This is for me?” I ask, my heart nearly bursting.
“Yeah, figured you’d need it.”
When’s the last time someone got me something because they were thinking of me? Because they thought I needed it. Because they recognized I needed it.
Years. It’s been years.
Behind him, Hazel stands there with the boxes of donuts in her hands and mouths, “He got you a coffee!” Normally I’d laugh, but the gesture is hitting me hard right in the chest. It aches, but this is not the sort of ache I’ve become accustomed to. It’s different. Warmer.
“Carter?” Nash says gently.
“Yeah, sorry.” I take the coffee but I can’t look at him. “Guess I need it more than I thought. Thank you.”
“Any time,” he answers as I pop open the top of the coffee. “So, what do we need to do today?”
I sip my coffee to give myself a minute to recover from whatever the hell just happened.
The coffee is hot, so I get just enough to taste it.
And it is so good. Caramel latte. Just like I ordered that first day we went to the coffee shop.
He remembered. I push the thought from my head.
There are too many things to do right now; I can go over this later.
“Well, after everyone is finished enjoying the breakfast you brought, we need to finish restocking the pet supplies and make sure we have enough applications printed. We get hundreds of applications during this event.”
“There are different applications, right?”
I smile. “Look at you remembering things.”
His memory was the first thing I really noticed about him. He’s observant, as he should be. But he also remembers things. Little things. Important things. Something that could be a curse, I’d guess. Sometimes it’s easier to forget. Nash doesn’t.
“Hm, what else do we need to do?” I scan the room to see if anything will pop into my head. “Oh, we need to set up the different stations out here. The tables are in the stockroom, but that’s the last thing we’ll do because it takes up a lot of space. Then everyone will get assigned a job.”
“Like what?” he asks.
I take another small sip of my coffee. Nash watches me, waiting for an answer. Eager to get going. To be here. To do this.
With me or just because he’s helping in general?
“Well, we need greeters, meeters, and applicationers.” I chuckle.
He narrows his gaze. “Seriously?”
Shrugging, I say, “It’s just how I remember it.”
He sips his own coffee, tipping the cup enough that I can tell it’s almost empty.
“What does each job entail?”
“Greeters greet the people coming in, help organize them, give them the run down. Meeters are the people who take them into the back to look at the pets they’re interested in. And applicationers—”
“Help them fill out applications?” he questions.
“I do enjoy how smart you are.” I say it before I think better of it and then try to hide the fact my cheeks are heating by quickly adding, “They also accept the applications and pass them on to Hazel and Rose who will look them over and approve them. It’s important.”
After everyone has had their fill of donuts, we get to work with everything we have left to do.
Nash and I get split up, doing different things, which is fine with me.
He’s competent and doesn’t need me to hold his hand.
I spot him a few times, and he is completely in his element.
Helping people. That’s what he does. Doesn’t matter the situation or place.
It’s coded into his DNA to help and protect—to make other people’s lives easier.
Maybe it’s a trauma response, but I think he would have been a good man regardless of what happened to him.
“So, how’s things with the hot cop?” Hazel asks from beside me in a low voice. She runs the box cutter through the tape to open the shipping box.
“What does that mean?” I ask, giving her a look like she’s crazy.
“Oh, come on. You’ve been staring at him for like ten minutes.” Her eyes stay on me as she opens the flaps. Inside are handmade bandannas for the dogs who get adopted.
There is this sweet group of women in Ohio who make and send them to different shelters around the country. They rotate, so we’ve gotten a few boxes over the years. They’re always adorable.
“I have not been staring,” I argue.
Hazel frowns. “Babe, yes, you have, and it’s okay.”
She pats me on the shoulder and walks away.
Have I really been staring at him for ten minutes? And worse, has it been that obvious to everyone else? I look around, but it doesn’t seem like anyone is watching me. It can’t have been that obvious, it’s just Hazel being Hazel.
I sneak a glance back at Nash. He’s nodding at something Leo is saying.
Leo is a nice guy. Older. Early sixties maybe.
The guy could talk anyone’s ear off. He always has something to say about something.
And there’s Nash, listening intently like whatever Leo’s talking about is important.
To Leo, it is. To everyone else, not so much.
But Nash looks interested… I only hope he isn’t saying something offensive.
Shit. I should go save him.
“Hey, guys,” I say as I walk up to them. “How’s everything going?”
“Oh, wonderful,” Leo says, smiling. “I was just talking to Ned here about the traffic on the roads. They really should expand them or something.”
I hold back my laugh, and when I look at Nash, I can tell he’s doing the same. He’s amused, and it’s adorable. Ned? Really?
“I’m sure if they could, they would, Leo,” I say. “I need Nash for a minute, if that’s okay. Great. Thanks.” I hook my arm in his and pull him away before Leo can argue.
“Nice chatting,” Nash calls over his shoulder.
“You make sure you tell that boss of yours what I said about those fire hydrants!” he says before turning to find the next person to talk with.
“Sorry about that,” I say.
“Don’t apologize. He was only talking.”
“About crazy things.”
“He’s fine.”
“You’re just being nice.”
“So?”
I look up at him, and I suddenly realize how close we are. My arm is hooked in his, wrapped around his very firm bicep. My arm bumping his ribs, which just feels like one of those spaces you don’t touch on other people, unless… you know.
“Okay, everyone!” Rose calls out, breaking my train of thought.
“The Fur-Ever Fair starts in just twenty minutes. I want to take a moment to thank everyone for being here and helping out. Without you all, this event wouldn’t be possible.
All of these furbabies are going to appreciate your hard work too.
Hopefully we will have an empty shelter today, so we can take in all the new babies that need our help. ”
We all clap, but I can’t help the sinking feeling in my gut as I think about Teddy and how she’ll be left here today. And after this event, what are they going to do with her? I don’t really want to think about it.
“What’s going on?” Nash whispers, leaning down so he’s close to my ear. I feel his warm breath and it has goosebumps crawling up my arms.
“Nothing. I’m fine.”
“Are you sure? Because you look like you just got some bad news.”
I chew on my lip, then look up at him. My gaze meets his, those dark eyes. The light is hitting him just right, and I can see these little golden flecks in his eyes, just around his pupil, bursting outward like something from space.
“Just thinking about Teddy,” I say, but I barely hear the words.
He nods, then puts his arm around my shoulders in a reassuring way. Nothing about it feels weird, it feels… nice. “She’ll find the home that’s right for her one day. Could be today.”
“I don’t know…”
“Are you worried she won’t get adopted or that she will?” he asks gently.
“Both,” I admit. “I’m afraid that someone will take her and not treat her right.
Or not have enough patience and bring her back, or worse—bring her somewhere else because they’re afraid they won’t be able to return her.
Or that she’ll see all the other animals going home, but then she’s left here all by herself… ”
“Valid concerns, Carter.” He squeezes a little tighter. “All of them. But try not to worry about it now. We’ll see where we’re at when the event is done.”
I nod, and he pulls me closer in a sort of hug. My arms itch to wrap around him, but I don’t think this is supposed to be that, so I settle on resting my head against his chest, which somehow feels even more intimate. I stay there until Rose says she’s opening the doors.