Which meant Oscar was just going to have to take one for the team. Even if it meant he hated Ryan after.
The thought made him uncomfortable, but the long-term survival of the sanctuary was more important than whether or not Ryan made any friends. He’d be gone once his divorce settlement went through.
Oscar would still be there, and if they didn’t get a decent cash infusion soon, they’d bescrewed. He wouldn’t have a sanctuary to go to.
“I’m sure we can spare him for a few days,” Ryan said cheerfully, smiling at her. “Right, Oscar?”
Oscar went completely stiff beside Ryan, betrayal rolling off him like a physical force. Which was fair.
Ryan had been here to make thingseasierfor him, not harder. This was the opposite of what he’d expected, and the fact that it was for his own good probably wouldn’t earn Ryan a whole lot of forgiveness. He’d never liked doing unpleasant things for his own good, either.
“I’m expecting you to come along as well,” Mrs. Kowalski said before Oscar could answer. “I wouldn’t take him away from you all weekend.”
Beside him, Oscar laughed.
To everyone else present, it would have sounded like a good-natured little chuckle, maybe even excitement at the thought of a weekend away.
Ryan knew, though, that Oscar thought he’d just gotten exactly what he’d deserved.
And if he’d been willing to throw Oscar under the bus to save the sanctuary…
He would have been a hypocrite if he wasn’t willing to go along with it himself. There was no way he could back out now. Especially since the check still wasn’t written.
“Of course,” he said, cold dread settling in the pit of his stomach. He’d just barely gotten used to being in one strange place, and now he’d have to get used to another. “We’d be honored.”
Mrs. Kowalski smiled, filling out the amount on the check with a flourish and then signing it quickly.
The sound of the paper tearing wasalmostworth the absolute certainty that Oscar would hate him now, and that they’d be stuck spending a weekend together. Not that spending a weekend withOscarseemed like the worst imaginable fate.
Well, not for Ryan, anyway. Oscar might have had better things to do with his time.
“I’ll hand this to you, since you’re the accountant,” Mrs. Kowalski said.
Ryan glanced at the number, and for a moment he actually felt as though his eyes might have been bulging out of his head.
Twenty thousand dollars.
That was the kind of money that’d make a difference. It wouldn’t solvealltheir problems, but it’d help.
Spending a weekend in a summer house was probably worth it for that. Ryan had definitely worked harder for less money in his life.
“That’s incredibly generous of you,” Ryan said, reeling from the rush of success. He’d done this. He’d managed to make at leastsomedifference to the sanctuary, and May would be proud of him.
Nothing could have stopped him glowing right now.
“For the work you boys do? It’s worth it. My children and grandchildren will have wildlife to enjoy because of your tireless dedication to taking care of it. This is the least I can do.”
Ryan nodded, filing that line away for later use. It wasn’t that he foundcharityhard to understand, but he wasn’t entirely sure what made them want to donate to a wildlife sanctuary that dedicated itself mostly to saving reptiles. Spot was the cuddliest creature Ryan had met so far.
Calling a tigercuddlywas a stretch, although she seemed to like him well enough, and he’d caught himself petting her and talking to her as though she really was just a huge house cat a few times now.
The swamp air was affecting his brain, he figured.
“Well, we’re grateful for all the help we can get,” Ryan said, noticing that Oscar had fallen completely silent.
Maybe this was his punishment for volunteering him. Now he’d have to do all the talking.
“I’m sure you are, sweetheart. I’ll leave you two alone now that I know I’ve got you all to myself next weekend,” she said, glancing across the room and waving to someone she’d spotted in the distance.
