Chapter 29
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
“Tell us about your organization,” the news reporter said. She was smiley, like she was auditioning for a toothpaste commercial.
Noah crossed his arms and stifled a yawn.
He had been so wound up about the state of the grounds that he hadn’t gone to bed until almost four AM.
And then his mother had insisted he join her on camera, and Yasmin had said it would be good for the business to be seen as a family organization.
If it helped save them, he would stand there in a stupid branded shirt while his mom did the talking. But he wouldn’t be happy about it.
Gloria leaned on her cane. “Well, our doors have been open for about twenty years now. My husband always had a soft spot for animals and we had all this land just sitting around, so one day he decided we were going to open a sanctuary. I thought he was crazy at first. We could barely keep our twelve year old from falling off the monkey bars, so how were we going to take care of tigers?”
She reached high to ruffle Noah’s hair, and he smiled in spite of himself.
“But with the help of some wonderful veterinarians and experts in the field, we were able to build a permanent home for animals who have injuries or other histories that make it impossible to return them to the wild,” Gloria said.
“What kind of animals live here?” the reporter asked.
“Noah, why don’t you tell them, darlin’? I’m tired of yappin’,” she said.
Damn it. She had promised she wouldn’t make him talk.
He straightened up and looked at the reporter. “Primates, big cats, birds of all kinds, bears, lions, tigers. Many native species as well, from raccoons to foxes to river otters. It’s a real family of misfits.”
The reporter smiled. “How do you come to house these animals?”
“Different means. Several of our big cats were bred by sideshow zoos that allow people to hold them as cubs. It should go without saying that wild animals do not make good pets, and they should always be treated with respect. Sideshow zoos and private owners tend to euthanize them when they’re too big to cuddle,” he said darkly.
“So we work with rescue organizations all across the country to take in everyone we can.”
“Tell us about your mission,” the reporter said.
He almost sighed out loud. This interview had already gone on long enough, and he really needed to get to work. He racked his brain for the talking points Yasmin had given him.
“Our missions are conservation and education. We provide a really unique opportunity for the community to learn about wild animals up close. We’re also adding a lot of events and different ways to get involved.
We subsist entirely on volunteers, admission prices, and donations, so we’d love to see everyone bring their families out to learn about the animals. ”
A sudden roar came from the enclosure behind them, and Noah and Gloria looked over their shoulders.
“Apparently Huckleberry agrees,” he said.
“Perfect,” the reporter said. “I think that’s a wrap. We’re just going to wander around and shoot some B roll before we leave. Thank you so much for having us.”
“Thank you,” Noah said.
She shook their hands, and it was hard to tell if she was just friendly or if she lingered a little longer on Noah than was necessary.
He didn’t have time to wonder about it, because he had a promise to keep and a slew of responsibilities to handle today.
He said goodbye to his mother and hopped in his truck. First stop, the vet office.
As he pulled into the parking lot, a knot grew in his stomach. Something about seeing Cassie and Will laughing together last night had set him on edge. Will was up to his usual tricks, schmoozing every available woman on the eastern seaboard only to discard them a week later.
Cassie deserved better. And why was she entertaining his interests? She had said she was staying away from relationships. And they had never even talked about their kiss at Willow Bend. Had it meant nothing to her?
He knocked on the glass door. She answered a minute later, wearing jean shorts and a white linen shirt. Her hair was long down her back, and she looked like she was about to jet off for a walk on the beach.
“Hey,” she said. “How was the interview?”
“Fine, I think. Mom made me talk.”
“Respectfully, that was the right call. I’m telling you, Zoo Daddy will be trending by tomorrow night.”
Noah grunted, eliciting a smile from Cassie.
“What can I do for you?” she asked.
“I’m just here to take some measurements for your new exam cabinets.”
“Oh, great.” She stood back to let him in. Her usual pop garbage was blasting from a new speaker in the reception area.
“Looks good in here,” he said. “I like the color you picked.”
It was obvious she had put a ton of work into making it special. It wasn’t your typical sterile vet office. She had embraced a nautical theme, with soft blue walls, new lighting and shelving, and a large bulletin board.
“Thank you. It’s probably bullshit, but there’s some anecdotal evidence that shades of blue are calming to companion animals, so I just went with it. I can’t believe we open in two weeks.”
“Do you feel ready?” he asked.
“Ready to be a boss? Absolutely not. Ready for a steady stream of income? Yes,” she said.
She turned and went back the hallway, and he followed her.
“I’m glad you’re here, actually,” she said. “I wanted to ask you something.”
“We do not have time to re-tile the entire office before you open,” he said firmly.
“No,” she said quickly. “There’s a horse race on Wednesday. Tina invited me.”
“Okay,” he said slowly.
“I was wondering if you would come with me. If you’re not busy.”
“Why wouldn’t you take Will?” The question came out sharper than he had intended.
Cassie’s eyebrows contracted. “Why would I take Will?”
“Aren’t you…together?” he asked carefully.
Cassie snorted. “Definitely not. I am not looking for romance. And even if I was, Will’s great, but he’s not my type. Plus I have concerns about his…lifestyle. It kind of feels like he has a lot of emotional baggage that he’s not dealing with. But that could just be me projecting.”
Noah nodded thoughtfully. So they weren’t together. It didn’t change anything, but for some reason he felt lighter.
“You’re not wrong,” he said. “His mom was diagnosed with ALS not long after he graduated from college. She went downhill very quickly and only made it two more years. And his dad’s a mega dick. Always has been, even before Catherine died.”
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and stared out the window. “Shit.”
“And the worst part is, Will’s super smart. But he’s pissing it all away pretending to work for his dad. He just kind of gave up after his mom died. Quit soccer, rolled right into middle management.”
Cassie frowned, and he could practically see her formulating a plan to whip him into shape next.
“So, Wednesday?” he asked.
“Yes.” Cassie seemed to refocus, though her brow was still furrowed. “Tina asked me to come so she could introduce me to her fancy horse friends. I thought you could come with me so we could plug Willow Bend at the same time.”
His heart fell a little. So she didn’t really want to spend time with him, she just wanted him to sell himself to the modern aristocracy of the greater DC metro area.
“Plus it might be fun. Get you out of the sanctuary for a little bit,” she said, bumping him with her hip.
“I don’t know. I already feel gross doing all this promo. I don’t want to get dressed up and beg people for money.”
“No begging involved,” she said. “It’ll just be an introduction with a super subtle plug for Willow Bend.”
He mulled it over while he took a few measurements. Like it or not, it would be a good opportunity to connect with potential benefactors. The animals needed to be more important than his pride.
“Fine. You win,” he said.
She shook her head. “I swear, it’s like pulling teeth to get you to agree to any form of help. How can I convince you that you don’t need to shoulder all of this on your own?”
He pulled his measuring tape out and started taking some dimensions. “Do you have access to a time machine and some talking points to convince my dad to make an easier deathbed wish?”
She looked sternly at him. “Look at me.”
He obliged. She took him by the shoulders, and her gaze dipped down for a millisecond before returning to his face.
“Everything is going to be okay,” she said gently. “We have to put the work in, but saving the sanctuary is very possible. You need to stop hiding yourself and let this community love you. Let them help.”
“I don’t deserve help,” he said before he could stop himself.
Her expression softened. “Everyone deserves help.” She shook him by the shoulders. “You just need to stop being too stubborn to accept it. You have a village. Use it.”
“I’m trying. It’s not easy for me. Besides, you’re one to talk. You won’t accept help either. How’s that hole in your drywall?”
“It’s…very round. I honestly might just treat it as art and frame it. I can dine by candlelight. It’s much more romantic.”
The tape measure rolled back with a snap. He pulled the pencil from behind his ear and marked the measurements down. “I thought you weren’t interested in romance.”
She bit her lip. “I’m not.”
“Seems like a waste of candles, then.”
They stared at each other for a moment.
“You want to tell me what you want for exam cabinets?” he asked.
“Right,” she said, looking flustered. “Cabinets.”
She rattled off an explanation of her ideal cabinets.
“Soft-close doors are the only real must. It startles the nervous dogs.”
“Okay,” he said, writing down everything she said. “I’ll get something in the works.”
“Great. So I’ll see you on Wednesday?”
She was dismissing him. He should say yes and pack up his tools, but something stopped him. It was time to address things head-on.
“Are we really not going to talk about the other day?” he asked.
Her eyebrow arched. “What’s there to talk about? It didn’t mean anything, right? We never spoke of it again.”
“I was just following your lead,” he said. “Clearly you regretted what happened.”
“It’s not that I regretted it. You are mega hot and an amazing kisser and I probably would have ripped your pants off right there and traumatized poor Huck. It’s just not a good idea, Noah. No matter what my vagina is yelling at me.”
“What is it yelling at you?” he asked. He took a step closer to her, and she backed up and bumped into the exam table he had installed.
“We don’t want the same things,” she protested, but her hand came up to his pecs.
“Don’t we?” He took another step closer, and her hand fisted his shirt. “You said yourself you’re not looking for romance. That doesn’t mean you should deny yourself pleasure for the rest of your life.”
He grazed a hand down her arm, and she shivered. “If you’re not into it, that’s fine. I will never mention it again. My ego is too fragile to face more rejection.”
She smiled.
“I know your ex really ruined your trust. But you can trust me. No strings, no expectations. Just…a celebration of your beautiful body between two consenting adults.”
He was practically begging. This was embarrassing. And yet, he couldn’t stop himself. He could only focus on her lips, which were the same blush color as his favorite summer cider. What he would give to explore the soft curves that were barely covered by that almost see-through shirt.
She squeezed her eyes shut, and when she opened them, he saw resolve. She reached for him, and his dick hardened so fast and hard that it almost hurt.