Page 64 of Puppy Love

I swallow, my throat growing tighter and drier.

“Yeah, I got that.” Violet smiles back, her eyes squinting in a way that tells me that, like Cody’s, this smile isn’t a friendly gesture either. They continue shaking each other’s hands, staring into one another’s eyes like whoever breaks first loses. I don’t quite know what it is they’d be losing, but I do know Violet has a fiery side to her. The pair of them could be explosive.

I clear my throat.

“Cody, Violet is my boss,” I clarify, which is entirely true but feels like a complete lie. I step to the side, eyeing him intently until he releases Violet’s hand. She continues staring him down until I jut an elbow into her side, silently commanding her to stop. “We found this guy outside Furry Friends. No collar or tags, and I doubt he’s chipped. We just came to drop him off.”

Cody nods, shooting Violet an indiscernible look before walking back behind the counter. The loud clicking of the keyboard fills the awkward silence. We follow, settling uncomfortably on the other side.

“So that’s where you’re at now then?” he asks, his gaze fixed to the screen as his fingers continue typing.

“What?”

“Furry Friends. I stopped by The Dog Shop not too long ago, but you weren’t there. I figured you finally realized you were too good for the place.”

A sarcastic laugh slips through my lips, and I glance at Violet, her brows dipping. What is so ironic about that sentence is the fact that Cody was the one who said I’d never move on from The Dog Shop. He said I’d be stuck there forever. But this is what Cody does. He makes you think he’d supported you all along, so when he says something cruel, you believe him about that too. I don’t believe in fate, but somehow, he convinced me I was destined for destruction.

“Well, seeing as you’re her ex,” Violet says, propping a hand on her hip, “I don’t really understand why that’s any of your business.”

Cody’s eyes snap up from behind the computer, an irritated glare glossing over his eyes.

“You’re a pretty involved boss,” he says, before breaking his stare to retrieve papers off the printer. I shoot Violet a look, one that says, “please don’t push him” but she isn’t looking at me. She’s still staring at him, a flame burning in her eyes.

This isn’t like the jealous look she gave Hayden at the bowling alley or even the envious talk of it in the days after. What Violet is holding in her gaze is something I didn’t even know she possessed at all.

It’s hatred.

Or extreme distaste, at least. It isn’t rare for someone to feel that way about Cody, but it’s completely new to me coming from Violet.

“Happy employees…” Violet grabs the paper from Cody’s outstretched hand. “Happy—”

“Violet, can I talk to you for a second?” I cut in, my cheeks flushing. Violet shoots me a confused look.

“Sure?” she says hesitantly, more of a question than an answer. I look up at Cody, forcing a painful smile.

“Can you give us a minute?” I ask. Cody cocks a brow, his expression unchanging, but I can feel the curiosity washing over his face. He nods.

“Okay, I’ll be back in a few.”

The second the “Staff Only” door swings shut, I spin to look at Violet.

“What are you doing?” I snap, my brows knitted together. Violet still looks puzzled.

“What do you mean?”

I sigh, shaking my head. “I mean why are you trying to pick a fight?” My voice wavers at the end of the sentence, but I try to stay composed.

Violet scoffs, holding her hands out argumentatively. “I’m not! He’s the one who got all up in your face like—”

“I don’t need you to protect me,” I say, firmly but trying not to come off too harsh. Violet could write a book on having only the best of intentions. But she doesn’t know what she’s up against. “Cody isn’t someone you mess with, okay?”

Behind her eyes, I watch pieces of a puzzle slowly slide into place, confusion turning to concern.

“Cam, did he hit you? Because—”

“What? No!” Air hisses from my nose as I shake my head, waving my hands frantically in front of me. The sad truth is, I wouldn’t think that was far-fetched. But Violet doesn’t need to know that. She doesn’t need to know any of this. “No it wasn’t like that. He’s just a dick, okay? And I want to leave. So please, please, just be nice.”

Violet’s eyes scan mine, her pupils dilating as they dissect every part of me. I try to take steady breaths, but they’re choppy and ragged.

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