“Hi, Dr. Owens, I’m sorry to bother you. Harvey is very agitated. I’m not sure what else to do.”
“Has he eaten?”
“Not in two days. I think we’re going to have to?—”
“I’ve got it. He tolerated my presence last week. I’ll get him to eat, just don’t finish that sentence,” I interject, standing and adjusting my shirt. “If that’s okay with you, Dr. Owens?”
She looks stunned, her gorgeous hazel eyes sparkling in the shitty overhead fluorescent lights. I want to see what she looks like when the sunlight hits her, when the wind blows throughher hair. “Yes, yeah, that would be great. I’m willing to try anything . . . if you really don’t mind.”
I walk up to her, turning my back to her assistant, Kendra, occupying the door, whispering low enough for only Bristol to hear. “Anything for you,my love.” And because I’m a bastard, I wink at her before turning and excusing myself from the room.
I easily find the kennels from memory, finding the dog they’ve named Harvey in the very far kennel. He’s shaking, hiding as far back as he can get himself in the corner, and my heart breaks knowing what must have happened to him to get to this point.
If I could fucking kill everyone who’s ever harmed an animal, I would make it my life’s mission. But since that’s not an option, unless I want to consult Saige on how to become a vigilante, this will do.
“Hey, buddy. It’s okay, you’re okay,” I shush as soothingly as I can as I slip my big-ass body slowly into the kennel with him. I take a seat in the far back, on the other side of him. Once I get semi-comfortable, I pick up a handful of food and rest my hand between us, my palm open flat.
Minutes go by, maybe an hour, as I lose myself to my thoughts. When he doesn’t take the bait, still shivering and periodically releasing a low, pitiful cry that shatters the remaining bits of my heart, I do the one thing I can think of to help him. I sing. Well, notsing-sing, but I hum. The first song that comes to mind makes me internally laugh because the lyrics are accurate.
I hum it softly, over and over, until Harvey finally lies down, resting his head flat against the cold ground, but he’s looking myway. I can feel the heat of his stare, the curiosity, the hope, and it’s the hope that breaks me further. He’s terrified, broken, beaten, but he hasn’t lost that little spark inside him, that innate perseverance to survive that we all have, because without it, without hope, there would be no reason to keep going. We’d perish.
I sit perfectly still, humming Elvis Presley, and then my heart stutters in my chest when I feel his cold, dry nose sniff the side of my palm, followed by his tongue, carefully eating up the food in my palm. A tear escapes my eye as I face forward, letting him eat in the comfortable low tune of my song.
When he’s finished, he moves back to his corner with a relaxed sigh and falls asleep. I wish I could get him to eat more, but progress is progress. And now that I’ve gotten over one hurdle, I’ve got a plan for how to get over the rest.
Leaving the kennel, I straighten out my clothes and walk down the hallway toward the reception area to sign out when I find Bristol, her hand over her mouth, tears welling in her eyes, pooling over and cascading down her face.
I move into her space quickly, gently pulling her hand down and using my thumbs to wipe away her tears. Jesus Christ, I never want to see her cry again.
My heart doesn’t know how to react, my brain warring with my self-control.
“Why are you crying, sweetheart? Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine, you, you were just so good with him, Rhys. The song?—”
“—helped relax him,” I tell her, relieved it’s nothing more serious.
“I know the song; I just can’t place it. It’s so beautiful, familiar. It worked so well.”
I smile at her, knowing she’ll figure it out sooner or later.
“Can I come in tomorrow? I’ve got an idea that might help with Harvey.”
“Of course you can. You don’t have things to do? A job? What do you even do?”
“I work from home; I handle the management for all our businesses. I want to be here; promise me you’ll keep him here?”
“I promise. We aren’t a kill shelter. We’ll only euthanize if it’s necessary.”
“Thank you, my love. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Her eyes flutter closed as I turn to walk away, but her hand wrapping around my wrist stops me. I turn back to face her, eyes heavily lidded, face a beautiful pink.
“Rhys. Why are you calling me that?”
“Because I can’t help falling in love with you.”
Chapter Sixteen
BRISTOL
