Page 97 of Puppy Love

“Thanks, boss,” he says, his eyes avoiding me as they travel up the wall. “It’s twelve.”

My gaze flicks up to the mounted clock.

“Oh! Thanks!”

He nods with assurance, and I grab my water bottle off the shelf before leaving the play area.

“Are you ready to go on a walk?” I ask as I open the door to a suite. I’m still not comfortable putting Reese in daycare. I know what happened that night was a fluke, and I have full confidence in all of my employees to prevent it from happening here. But I can’t stomach the risk of it. Reese wriggles his way through the opening, letting out an aggravated huff as he paws at the cone around his neck. I open the snaps, releasing him, and we begin to walk toward the lobby.

As we pass the salon, I peer through the window. Cam is bent over, attempting to lift a rather fat golden retriever onto the table. The golden sprawls his legs out uncomfortably, flattening himself like a pancake onto the floor.

That ass points in my direction, like it’s calling my name. I know I shouldn’t look, but I know how it feels in my hands, and that’s something you just can’t ignore.

But when Cam turns around, she’s frowning. Her brows are dipped down, and she wipes a bead of sweat from her forehead. That isn’t anything different from her normal resting face, but after Monday, I don’t think I can ignore it. I look down at Reese, then back up at her. She looks stressed, and if she keeps trying to lift that dog the way she is, she’s going to break her back. I push the door open, poking my head inside.

“Do you need help?” I ask. Cam looks up at me with an irritated expression.

“Do you think I’m incapable?” she huffs. Small rays form around her nose as she wrinkles it at me, and I can’t think anything of her but the fact that she’s adorable.

I put my hands up defensively. “Woah, Sparks. Just trying to make sure my one and only dog groomer doesn’t snap her spine.”

I step further into the room, not intimidated by her coarseness. All it does is remind me of the day we met.

“I was about to walk to Al’s for lunch. Wanna come?”

I know inviting Cam to get lunch with me isn’t exactly the smartest move. It’s not like I’m always bringing other employees to Al’s with me, and after that conversation with Hayden, I’m scared he might not be the only person who’s noticed my feelings. But I can’t see how someone could think anything more of it, when nobody knows anything at all.

Besides, she looks exhausted, and frustrated, and overwhelmed, and I’m not the type of person to just ignore it. I can’t ignore it, no matter who it is. It is my Sunny-appointed duty to spread the cheer, and Al’s is just the place.

Cam looks up at me skeptically. “Al’s?”

An exaggerated, shocked expression spreads across my face, and I give her a dramatic gasp.

“Have you never been to Al’s Taco Truck?” I ask. Cam shakes her head, and I cross my arms over my chest, leaning against the wall.

“If you want to taste heaven, you’ve gotta try it.”

“I don’t believe in heaven,” she retorts.

“Oh, you will.”

When we approach Al’s truck, I immediately pull a gold, jagged stone out of my pocket.

“What’s that?” Cam asks, her head tilted as she eyes the stone.

I knock on the truck’s window to let Al know I’m here. “You’ll see.”

Al doesn’t even look up when he slides the window open. He just continues preparing my lunch.

“How’s it going, mija?” he asks, topping off my tostada with a generous layer of cheese. I flash Cam a grin, then set my palms against the windowsill and rest my chin on top.

“It’s good,” I say. Al finally looks up, his eyes growing wide when he sees Cam.

“Vi, you didn’t tell me you were bringing company. I would’ve prepped it ahead of time!” he exclaims, like a mom who didn’t vacuum before her teenager brought over a friend. I laugh.

“It’s okay, I wanted her to see the menu. Al, Cam. Cam, Al.” I introduce them quickly, then gesture to the menu painted on the side of his truck. “Get whatever you want. On me.”

Cam stares at the menu, her eyes widened.

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