It shouldn’t be that hard.
“Seriously, dude, what’s gotten your panties in a twist?”
Shit.
I was so out of it, I didn’t notice Nico return from the office.
Instead of answering his question, I tilt my head to the side. “What did the grouch want?”
Nico rolls his eyes. “I’m trying to get Sheriff on board with an idea, and while he likes it and he’s planning to suggest it to the town council, he told me not to get my hopes up since the budgetis tight, and if I really want it, I’ll need to figure it out on my own.”
“Why am I not surprised?” I mutter dryly. “What idea?”
Nico wiggles his brows. “How about I show you?”
“What is this place?” I call out as I get off my bike, my helmet tucked under my arm. Nico’s comment made me curious, so I joined him once our shift ended. It’s not like I had anything better to do. I look around the half-empty parking lot, only for my eyes to narrow when I spot a familiar black truck.
What ishedoing here?
“So impatient.” Nico elbows me in the side, snapping my attention to him. He tilts his head toward the building. “Let’s go inside.”
Setting the helmet on the seat, I follow after him, the AC slamming into my face the moment we step inside and enter what can only be described as complete chaos.
A high-pitched barking fills the room. Something falls, clattering loudly, paws scraping against the hardwood.
“Shit!Close the door!” a woman yells, sitting upright next to the registration counter. “She’s going to?—”
Her words are cut off as Nico steps inside, slamming the door closed. The little rat that’s running in our direction comes to a sudden halt, as does the ruckus in the room.
I blink a few times, trying to wrap my head around what I’m seeing, but before I can do that, the animal goes into another mad dash.
The dark-haired woman, who’s been trying to use the animal’s distraction to catch it, curses under her breath as she scrambles to her feet.
“C’mon, Poo,” she coos softly as she moves after the animal in measured steps.
“Man the door,” Nico mutters and then walks around the counter, coming from the other side.
“No need to be skittish, love.” The woman crouches down, extending her hand toward the dog as Nico slowly moves in on them. “If you come to me, I’ll give you a treat. You love treats.”
The word “treat” has the dog tilting its head to the side. It’s almost as if it’s debating whether it should take the offer or not.
The woman moves closer. “You don’t want the treats? I have your favorite.”
The dog’s eyes narrow slightly when it realizes it’s being cornered. It dashes to the side. The woman follows, and so does Nico.
I push from the door as there is another loudthud. Leaning over the counter, I find both of them crouching on the floor, mere inches separating them.
“Shit.” Nico looks at the woman. “You okay? Did I hit you hard?”
“I have a thick head,” she jokes, rubbing her forehead. Letting her hand drop, her whole face lights up. “You caught her!”
Nico looks down, and sure enough, the wigglingthingis pressed against his chest, trying to find a way to slip out of his grasp.
“Poo, you naughty little girl!” the woman chastises as she scoops her out of Nico’s arms and lifts her so they’re eye to eye.
The animal is so small that it could comfortably fit between my palms. It has to be some kind of poodle or something, because the majority of its body is covered in light-brown skin, with a few patches of dark-brown fur around its ears, tail, and legs, the thinned-out strands sticking out in different directions. It kind of reminds me of Einstein.
“What is that?” Nico voices out my own thoughts.
