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Joey:

Guess we’re on the same page then

Kit:

I guess we are.

CHAPTER 17

JOYRIDE

The clock ticked toward six. I counted down the minutes until I could close up Paws & Claws and head out. I was the only one left here—and it had been dead for the last hour—making me more eager to cut out and go down a few beers with the guys.

Or better yet, meet up with Kit again.

I started toward the front door—to flip the sign to CLOSED—when Axel came in. I almost didn’t recognize him with his blond hair tucked up under a faded blue ball cap.

“Hey, man, just need to grab some kibble for a foster pet. That all right? I know you’re about to close.”

“Yeah, go ahead.”

I retreated behind the register and gave in to the urge to check my phone again. There was the usual text stream with the guys, bickering about who would bring the beer.

Nothing new from Kit, though.

I should have known he’d be hot and cold about this. He was conflicted. I should be too—but I wanted him too much.

Of course, it was different for us. I didn’t have any guilt about fucking Kit—not if Dakota was okay with it, like he said—just about everything else. Honestly, fucking around with Kit was the only time I didn’t feel guilty.

For him, it was the opposite.

Axel returned to the front counter, hauling a twenty-pound bag of dog food over one shoulder, two stainless-steel dog bowls, a collar and leash, and a roll of doggie waste bags in his hands.

He piled everything on the counter as I whipped out my scanner and started ringing up the purchases. “Sorry. Last-minute placement.”

“Someone’s going to get a new home tonight, huh? That’s cool.”

“Yep. Potato wasn’t the easiest guy to place, so this is very good.”

I laughed. “Potato? Really?”

He grinned. “Yeah, he got his name because he lays around like a lump. He’s a thick boy, but we love him just as he is.”

“Of course, he’s the bestest boy, I’m sure.”

It hadn’t taken me many shifts at Paws & Claws to pick up on the pet-loving lingo.

“Damn right,” Axel said with a laugh.

He tapped his phone to the Square terminal to pay the bill, and I bagged up his smaller purchases.

“The foster pet business seems to be keeping you busy, huh? Ghost mentioned you wanted him to take on more responsibility at the junkyard.”

“Oh yeah? He’s not too thrilled with the idea, is he?” I hesitated, and he waved away the question. “Never mind. I know he’s not. He wasn’t subtle.”

“He’s just a little uneasy because he’s not the best with people. He went through a lot of jobs before he landed with you guys. He’s really, really happy there, though.”

Axel nodded. “Yeah, I know. He’s a good worker. I don’t want to lose him, so we’ll see what we can work out. The foster program takes a lot of time. Plus, I’ve started doing this therapy dog side gig with Otis.”