It pained him to come to that conclusion, but it was the truth. He went into this thinking they would have to raise maybe thirty or forty thousand in order to keep up with The Sanctuary’s operating expenses and bring back the mentorship program.
The fundraising ideas he and Evie had begun tossing around—the carnival at Ashanti’s place, soliciting raffle donations from local businesses, setting up a crowdfunding campaign—were good, but they were not raising nearly two million dollars on GoFundMe. He didn’t care how viral the campaign went online.
Maybehecould buy the building. It would be the kind of flex he had only dreamed of being able to pull off. He couldn’tafford to purchase it outright—he’d just bought a million-dollar condo—but he could take out a business loan. He knew how to talk a good game. He would be able to convince a bank this was a solid investment.
And how in the hell are you going to pay it back?
Even with a loan, and maybe taking on more speaking gigs to cover the payments, the ongoing operating expenses would continue to climb. There would be maintenance on the building, staff salaries, and he hadn’t factored in the cost of bringing back the mentorship program yet.
“So, what does this mean?” Evie asked. “Do we try to find another place to house the animals?”
“That isn’t a viable solution,” Bryson said. “The cost of outfitting another location with the equipment that would be needed would be just as cost prohibitive. And as someone who just dealt with the residential real estate market, I can only imagine how outrageous the commercial market is these days.”
A somber pall fell over the room. It was so oppressive Bryson could practically feel it on his skin. They all knew what this meant, but no one wanted to say the words out loud.
“I should have told you both sooner,” Doc said. “I just… I got so caught up in your plans to save The Sanctuary that I thought maybe it would all work out. What better duo to pull off the impossible than my two best veterinary students?” He sighed. “But I don’t think it’s meant to be.”
Bryson hated to hear that defeated tone in his mentor’s voice, but at this point they were all feeling defeated. This rescue had played a pivotal role in his life. Accepting that this was the end hurt like hell.
“It was still nice to see the two of you working togetheragain,” Odessa said. She lifted her sweater from where it was draped on the back of her chair and threaded her arms through it. “Remember that I’ll be an hour late tomorrow, Doc,” she said.
“Is there an extra key?” Bryson asked. “I want to come in early to check on the stray whose wound I cleared today.”
“I can do it,” Doc said. “I want to spend as much time here as I can, now that I know it won’t be operating much longer.” He pushed up from his perch on the desk. “Let me go check on the animals now.”
Bryson stuffed his hands in his pockets. “I guess there’s no need to go to Ashanti’s,” he said.
“Actually, she texted me about ten minutes ago, postponing our brainstorming session. Her little sister Kendra has some after school awards banquet she didn’t bother to tell Ashanti about.”
“It’s just as well,” Bryson said.
“Yeah.” Evie’s brows pulled together, the corners of her mouth dipping in a pensive frown. After a few moments, she asked, “What are your plans for dinner?”
“Um, leftovers,” Bryson said, taken aback by the unexpected question.
“Let me take you to dinner. We have some things to discuss. I’ll text you the address. It’s another dog-friendly spot, so you can bring Bella.”
“I would have to go get her from home,” he said.
“You leave her home alone all day?” She asked it in the same tone one would ask whether someone tortured live goldfish.
“Not all the time,” Bryson said. “She comes with me tothe hospital when I’m working, but she also is just fine at home.”
“Go and get that dog,” Evie said. She lifted her phone from her pocket and typed something into it. “Meet me at the address I just texted you in an hour.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Evie sat across the table from Bryson at Cafe Abyssinia, one of her favorite restaurants in the city. She’d asked for the outdoor picnic table underneath the huge, arcing oak tree branch. She sometimes treated herself to dinner and a good book, and this was one of her favorite spots to enjoy both.
“I feel very uncultured right now,” Bryson said as he looked over the menu. He tipped it down and peered at her over the top. “I’ve never had Ethiopian food before.”
“Really? Well, you’re in for a treat,” Evie said. “Do you mind if I do the ordering?”
He set the menu on the table. “Go right ahead.”
The waiter returned to their table with a piece of chicken breast and a bowl of water for Bella and Waffles, then asked if they were ready to place their order. Evie requested the dish she always chose when she ate here, along with sparkling water and two glasses of tej, the traditional Ethiopian honey wine.
Once the waiter walked away with their selections, Bryson folded his hands on the table and said, “So, Doc Landry really laid one on us, huh? I knew there had to be more to the issues with The Sanctuary than he was letting on, but this goes beyond anything I’d expected.”
