Page 63 of Puppy Love

I look at her, and I know I fucked up when I accidentally lock eyes with her again. Those demanding, desperate eyes. How the fuck do you say no to those eyes?

“Parvo,” I say, dead-faced. She doesn’t laugh. “Fine. Um…”

I think for a moment. What is the name of someone charming, yet kind of a wreck?

“Westley,” I say finally. “Like The Princess Bride.”

Violet immediately nods in agreement, her crooked smile just as bright as her eyes.

“It’s perfect!”*

As our final act of showing Westley what love is, we stopped to get him a pup cup on the way to the shelter. Of course, he licked it clean in seconds and looked at us for more.

When we pull into the Pine Paws Animal Sanctuary parking lot, I actually start to feel sad. My gut churns, thinking about leaving Westley here alone.

I knew naming him was a bad idea.

“Are you sure you can’t keep him?” Violet asks as we unload him from the car. I look at her sadly.

“Just about as sure as you are,” I respond.

Pine Paws Animal Sanctuary is actually the best place for him, at least until he recovers. They’ll make sure he gets everything he needs, and they have so many volunteers that they don’t know what to do with them all. Avery stops in every week to take the animals on walks around the neighborhood. It’s good for their morale. Plus, they have a behaviorist that can help with his people skills.

“It’ll be good for him,” I say with assurance. I can sense Violet’s guilt, because I’m feeling it just the same. “They treat animals here like royalty.”

Violet nods her head, but she’s still upset.

“I know,” she says. “I just think everyone should have a family.”

I look at her solemnly before opening the front door, then nod. “Yeah. Everyone should have a family.”

A bell chimes as I push the heavy oak, a sound not so different from the one at Furry Friends. Westley steps through the frame nervously, his tail tucked and ears back which breaks my heart all over again.

14“Welcome to Pine Paws, how can I help you?” a man asks. The voice is low and familiar, the contents of my stomach curdling as every hair on my body stands up. My gaze snaps over to the man behind the desk, recognition pooling in his eyes as they lock onto me. While my jaw clenches, his lips pull into an arrogant smile. “I was wondering when you’d finally come to see me.”

A rock forms in the base of my throat, my grip on Westley’s leash tightening so hard my knuckles turn white.

“What are you doing here?” I ask through gritted teeth, my voice quieter than I intended. I’m either overheated or freezing right now, but I’m having trouble figuring out which. Cody walks around the desk, his green eyes locked onto me as he approaches. The nails of my curled fingers sink into my palms, my heart pounding heavily inside my chest.

“Didn’t Avery tell you?” he asks, his smirk growing as his head cocks to the side. “I work here now.”

I try to maintain eye contact, to prove I’m not the person I was, that I don’t back down anymore. But the piercing intimidation of those eyes and his supercilious grin forces my gaze to the floor.

They let you around animals? I want to ask. But I can’t even get my mouth to move in the way it needs to form words.

“Well!” Violet’s voice breaks the silence, and she settles herself in front of me, forcing Cody to take a reluctant step back. “Is that something she needs to know?”

I don’t see it, the bitter smirk on his lips, but I know it’s there by the way his voice sounds when he responds.

“And you are?”

My eyes flick up to Violet, her bold, unwavering stance a blockade between Cody and me. I don’t want her to be subjected to another second of Cody’s existence. Actually, I don’t want her to know who he is at all.

“Violet Wolfe,” she answers, firmly and professionally, sticking her hand out. My gaze focuses on Cody now, hoping to catch his reaction. I don’t know why Violet’s being this way, so proper yet assertive. I’d enjoy it, if I weren’t afraid of what Cody is capable of.

He sticks his hand in hers, and both of their hands grow white as they squeeze overly-hard. Violet doesn’t even flinch, which I have to admit is impressive. I know how strong Cody can be when he wants to.

“Cody,” he says, that stupid smile still stuck to his face. Violet may walk around with a smile I know she doesn’t always mean, but that’s the worst thing about Cody. He means it, and not in a friendly way. “Cam’s ex.”

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