"I’m sorry, buddy, but I have to go now." I scratch him behind the ears one last time before closing the door to his cage. "Don’t look at me like that. You know I can’t take you with me."
Buster lays his head down on his front paws while gazing up at me with a look on his face like I’m about to shoot him. He’s definitely got the pity act down.
He could compete with Jules in that,I think as I stand.
The vet assistant looks up from her paperwork as I reach the reception area. "You’re leaving already?"
"Yes. I have an appointment," I say even though it’s none of her damn business and I don’t owe her an explanation. "Can I visit him this weekend as well?"
She nods, her face lighting up at my question. "Sure. Tomorrow we’ll be here as usual. On Sunday, you’ll have to ring the bell for someone to let you in."
"Okay. Thank you." I turn away to finally leave since her happy vibes almost give me a headache.
"Mr. Walker?"
Pausing, I turn around to her once more. "Yeah?"
"Your visits are his highlight. He only eats after you’ve been here," she says, looking at me urgently.
Not knowing what she expects from me, I just nod and thank her again before saying my final goodbyes and leaving.
When I steer the truck on the highway, I take out my phone again and call Jules. It takes half an eternity before she finally picks up.
"Yes?" she says loudly, sounding a little out of breath as music blares in the background.
Immediately, my alarm bells start ringing. "What the hell is going on over there? Where are you?"
"Nothing," she barks. "We’re at your place. Where else would we be?"
"Why is the music so loud?"
"Cole," Jules drawls. "Every song she knows is at least twice as old as you. I need to get her up to date. Don’t be such a buzzkill."
In the background, I hear the song stop abruptly before a new one starts playing. Looks like Jules has shown Sophie how my sound system works.
"Whatever," I decide, annoyed. "Steve will be there in half an hour. I’ll hurry, but I can’t promise I’ll be there in time."
"Shit. I totally forgot it’s Friday," Jules replies. "Can’t you reschedule it?"
She knows damn well that I can’t. And even though I’m well aware of how much she hates the way I make my living, she should also know that she can’t talk me out of it.
"And what about Sophie?" she challenges before I can say anything. "You can be heard up here. You realize that, right? I can’t stuff cotton in her ears and hope she doesn’t ask what’s going on."
"I’ll tell Steve we need to go somewhere else. If he doesn’t agree, at least she’ll learn right away that life isn’t all shoppingand dancing." My voice is a touch too harsh, but I don’t care. Because one thing is for sure: Since Sophie is staying with me—at least for now—she’s going to be confronted with this sooner or later. So why wait?
"That’s a shitty idea," Jules says after a few seconds of silence.
"You have a better one?" I snap. "Do you want to take her with you to that shoebox you call an apartment?"
Jules gasps before responding in a toneless voice. "You’re acting like an asshole again." Then she hangs up without giving me the chance to say anything back.
Ah fuck… I’ve gone too far with this. I can only hope that she doesn’t give me the cold shoulder again for days on end. I would’ve deserved it, especially since she was so excited about the little apartment after she discovered it. And considering the fact that I would have to take care of Sophie alone, it was really stupid to be so cruel.
I glance at the speedometer and curse the speed limit, but even if I were the only person on the road on this damn planet, I’d stick to it. There may not be much I’m so ironclad about, but I won’t let anyone talk me out of this.
When I finally arrive, I fortunately can’t spot Steve’s car. Instead, the music blares to the outside.
"You have to be fucking kidding me," I grumble as I slam the driver’s door. Seconds later, as I open the heavy steel door of the warehouse, some bass-heavy song hits my ears.
