Page 91 of Take It Offline

Reese gasps, and I’m tangled up in her arms again. “Charlie,” she calls out. “She’s the one.”

He appears as Reese and I are swapping numbers, but she quickly dismisses him with a task list.

“I didn’t come here to be bossed around, you know,” he says as a massive fluffball named Zeus tugs on the leash, dragging him toward the door.

“But you take orders so well,” I tease.

Reese chokes on a laugh, her eyes shining with glee, while Charlie trips over his own feet.

“Christ,” he murmurs, and then he’s gone, the back of his neck flushed pink.

“Ready to get to work?” Reese asks as she passes me a bag of dry cat food almost as big as I am.

I almost topple over adjusting it in my arms. Damn, I’m going to feel this tomorrow. So this is how Charlie burns off all that pie.

“Why do I get the feeling I’m still being tested?”

Reese smiles. “Don’t question the process, young grasshopper.”

While we work, I meet her partner, Mae, and they fill me in on how they came to open the shelter, newly graduated and hopeful. How community donations help them stay open. When they debate the most effective way to increase funds so they aren’t playing catch-up every month, I can’t help but interrupt.

“Feel free to say no,” I hedge. “But my mom has been hosting fundraisers my whole life. I’m sure she’d love to give you some advice, and probably some contacts.” Just as long as she keeps the checkbook at home.

“Holy shit, Emma. Yes. Are you serious?”

“Of course.” And maybe I’m hoping giving Mom something to do in the city will sell the idea of moving.

“Okay, I gotta ask. Have you ever gone swimming in money? Because I used to dream about dive-bombing a pool of coins, McDuck style.”

I know then and there that I like Reese. How could I not? Her no-nonsense approach is so similar to Ivy’s. “No, but Ihave gotten a twenty-four-carat facial and been massaged with crushed diamonds.”

“Fuck.” Reese sighs. “Being rich sounds amazing.”

“If it makes you feel better, I had a terrible eczema flare-up from it. I spent the next week hiding indoors and trying not to scratch.”

“That does make me feel better,” she says so genuinely I have to laugh.

“So Emma,” Mae starts, “know any bachelors that would pass inspection from a sixty-two-year-old lit professor, by chance?”

“Um…” I stall.

Reese, thankfully, saves me from having to answer. “Your cousin specifically asked us to stop setting her up.”

Mae frowns. “You already tried to set her up with Charlie!”

“That was before I knew how ridiculous he was about Emma,” Reese argues, pointing to me. The instant the words are out of her mouth, they both go wide-eyed and silent.

Awkward.

Reese winces and turns to me. “Please don’t tell him I said that.”

“It’s okay.” It’s not like it’s the truth. She’s just being nice.

Mae gets called back to the front, and while Reese and I finish up, she introduces me to every single animal, backstory and all. I can see why Charlie spends so much time here. There’s so much love, I feel like I have a contact high.

“Sorry about the interrogation, but we’ve been wanting to meet you for weeks. Charlie’s never brought anyone here before.”

My heart jumps. It’s such a silly thing, but I can’t help it. I’m special, in this at least. If nothing else happens between us, I’ll remain selfishly happy that I got to be the first. The only.

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