“I amsosorry.” Evie took Waffles from him and pushed the handle of his leash onto her wrist.
Bryson looked down at Bella. “Did she really sleep through all of that?”
“Like a baby,” Evie said. Bella looked angelic; her body still curled on the park bench.
He shook his head. “Um, I hate to cut the evening short, but…” He motioned to his pants, which were soaking wet from just under his calves and down.
“I understand,” Evie said. She pulled her lower lip between her teeth.
Bryson’s eyes narrowed. “Are you laughing?
She shook her head, then nodded. “I’m sorry,” Evie said, breaking out in a full-on belly laugh. “I’m so sorry. This is horrible.” She wiped at the tears trailing down her face. “I can’t believe you climbed into the fountain.”
“How else was I going to get him?” he asked with a laugh.
“Thank you,” Evie said. “I really appreciate it, Bryson.”
“Anytime,” he returned. His warm brown eyes were alight with amusement.
She thought about how Cameron would have reacted in this same situation and nearly laughed out loud at the contrast.
It was just as she’d feared. Bryson was making it very hard not to fall for him again.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The harsh fluorescent light beaming down from the metal arm that extended six feet above the exam table was giving him a headache, but Bryson did his best to ignore it and concentrate on the task at hand. He carefully snipped at the necrotic tissue covering a hind leg wound on a mutt that had been brought to The Sanctuary by a Good Samaritan just after he and Evie arrived. The woman said she’d found him rummaging through the garbage behind a nearby restaurant.
The light slid down the metal arm, clunking Bryson on the top of his head.
“Shit.” His hand went to his head, but he stopped just before touching it. There was only one box of gloves in the entire rescue. He didn’t want to contaminate the pair he had on. “Odessa? Can you come in here?”
The receptionist was there in a matter of seconds.
“How’s he doing?” Odessa asked, her attention on the dog.
“He’ll be just fine if I can get this light to stay in place long enough to get through the procedure,” he said. “It keeps slipping.”
“That happens. Give me a sec.” She left the room and, moments later, returned with a roll of gray duct tape.
“Seriously?” Bryson asked.
“We have to do what we have to do.” Odessa shrugged. She came around the back of the table and started sliding the light up the metal arm. “Tell me where to place it?”
Bryson shook his head. This was ridiculous. And tragic. How much could it cost to replace this thing? And get more gloves?
“Go up a few inches,” he said. “Down. Right there.”
She peeled off a long swatch of tape and wrapped it around the light and arm.
“There you go. That should last for a while.”
“How long has it been like this, Odessa?”
“You don’t want to know,” she said. She held her hands up. “We’ve had to make do since the grant money dried up. Doc has been doing what he can, but it’s been a one-man show since the mentorship program ended.”
“Why didn’t he say anything before it got to this point?” Bryson asked.
“Because he’s a stubborn old man.”
