Page 101 of Dandelions and Smoke

“Eh, it was before I walked in on you guys,” he clarifies.

“Did you want something?” I ask, pinching the bridge of my nose.

He laughs with a look on his face that comes off like a warning, before settling into a mischievous grin. “Blake told me that we’re needed at the house.”

“Why?” I tilt my head and think about all of the reasons why Blake might need us both to come over, but come up short.

“Apparently,” Billy laughs, throwing up his hands, making air quotes. “She has lost her mind, and he needs backup.”

With very little to go on, I wrap up what I’m doing, and Billy and I head over to Blake and Rory’s house.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Billy says the moment he steps into the house. His eyes grow wide, and his jaw practically falls to the floor.

I stop short the moment I see Rory. She looks at ease, happy as she stands in the middle of the kitchen, undisturbed by the way Blake is glaring at her as she cuddles a baby raccoon.

“Chief, make her get rid of it. This thing is not staying in my house. I’m pretty sure its Mom tried attacking both Emma and Levi. I don’t want to be next when she comes looking for her baby,” Blake exclaims, standing behind Rory, running his hand through his curls before settling them helplessly on his hips.

While Blake looks like he’s one screw short of blowing a gasket, his face turning red and the vein in his neck pulsing, Billy looks like he can’t fully wrap his head around what he’s seeing. His brows are pulled down together so closely it looks like it hurts. Walking over to get a better look, I can’t help but find this adorable and completely unsurprising.

“It’s just a baby,” she coos, and I swear the little fur ball starts to purr.

I’m trying desperately not to laugh, but Blake is making it very hard. I’d hate to ruin the bromance we’ve worked so hard on over a baby raccoon.

“Not a baby,” Blake argues. “That’s a rodent. A menace. Put it back where you found it before it gives us all rabies.”

“How rude,” she says, looking up to grin at me before scratching under the baby raccoon’s chin. “You’re not a rodent. You’re adorable.”

The baby purrs louder this time, confirming what I thought I’d heard. Crossing my arms, I watch as it nestles closer to her.

“She’s like the raccoon whisperer,” Billy muses, eliciting a loud groan from Blake, who looks at me.

“Make her get this dumpster dweller out of here, please. I beg you.” He steeples his hands in front of me.

The man is desperate.

Rubbing my knuckles against the stubble on my jaw, I look at the two of them together and try to see it from his perspective, but can’t. “I mean…”

“Oh no.” Blake drops his hands.

“It’s kind of cute.”

“He’s lost his mind too,” Blake says, looking to Billy now instead for help.

“They’re perfect for each other,” Billy says, cracking a grin.

Muttering something in Spanish, Blake smacks his forehead with such force that Rory and I can’t help but laugh.

“Where’d he come from?” I ask, carefully reaching out a finger to rub its head.

“I went out to the mailbox to see if Callie and Tom’s engagement party invites had arrived yet, and that’s when I heard this little guy stuck in the garbage can.” She rubs her nose against his, and his little hands grab her face.

“Congratulations,” Billy says, patting Blake on the back. “You’re the proud uncle of a raccoon.”

Blake walks away with an exasperated huff, stomping his feet the whole way to the living room. “Keep it out of my room!”

After promising Blake that he’s going to love Rocky by the end of the week, we bathe the furball and pick up everything we need from the pet store to raise a baby raccoon. Surprisingly, it’s not much different than what someone would buy for their cat or dog. Once my truck is packed with all sorts of necessities like food, carriers, a dog bed, and a ton of extra toys, making this the most spoiled raccoon in Turtle Bay, we head back to the house. We’re almost out of the Village of Turtle Bay and back on the main road when my phone lights up with a call from Levi.

“Hey. What’s up?” I say, answering the call over the truck’s speakers.