Page 11 of When Hearts Surrender

“Paying your respects?” a quiet voice asks from behind me and I jump and face the interloper, my hand fluttering to my chest.

“You scared me, Cole!”

“Sorry, you looked like you were deep in thought, and I didn’t want to interrupt you. But I’m heading out now and want to check on you before I go. I know it’s a hard day for you.”

I gnaw on my lip and quickly release it.High-society ladies do not gnaw on their lips in public.My etiquette tutors from my childhood have drilled that into my mind, but somehow, my body has never gotten the memo.

Staring at my tall, blond friend, I let out a sigh. “It’s okay. I think I’m a mess today.”

“It’s the little guy’s turn with the drip. Of course, you’d be pissed. I know I am,” Cole grits out, his nostrils flaring. “Fuck these kill shelters.”

“Yes. Pieces of…shi-crap. Heartless monsters pretending to be do-gooders.”

He smirks. “Or you can just say fuck them.”

I blanch. Curse words are unbecoming in the elite circles my family runs in.

“Repeat after me, Belle.Fuck them.Come on, you can do it.”

“F—fuck them?” I whisper, my heart pounding wildly in my chest.

Not today, Ms. Goodie Two-Shoes. Not today. Today, you’ll be a rule breaker. It’s your year of yeses.

“Fuck them,” I growl louder.

Cole whistles and claps his hands in a mocking slow applause. “Damn, I think I can quit volunteering now. My work is done. I’ve corrupted the elegant Annabelle Law-McKenzie.”

I roll my eyes. “Shut up, Cole.”

He chuckles then quiets and looks around the empty hallway, filled to the brim with rotten cardboard boxes of stale food none of us dares to use, but Bob doesn’t let us throw out because he thinks that’d be wasteful. But what good is moldy food that’ll make the animals sick? Not that he cares. I honestly wonder why he’s in this business in the first place. Rumor has it there’s a grant he’s getting from a bigwig pharma lab who conducts animal testing.

It’s disgusting.

The florescent lights suddenly turn off, plunging us into darkness. The windows rattle violently against the hinges as the subway train makes its regular pass underground.

I let out a squeal, my heart in my throat once more.

“Guys, we’re still here!” Cole shouts, his voice echoing down the corridor, followed by raucous barking and yipping. He bangs on the bars of the cage.

“Sorry!” someone responds from far away and the lights turn on.

Panting heavily, I try to calm the racing pulse in my ears. I love the animals but hate this place. The creaky windows, dank corridors, and strange cloying smells that have nothing to do with animals.

“You want me to stay with you for a bit? Cry it out? Graffiti the walls in secret? Then, I can take you to Milton’s for your favorite ice cream.” Cole stares intently at me with those bright green eyes of his.

“Don’t you need to be with your family? You mentioned there is an event, right?”

His face falls, and he locks his jaw. “Yes. A memorial for the anniversary of a death in the family. Life is fucking short sometimes.”

He looks away, clearly not wanting to talk about it.

I shake my head and squeeze his arm in support. I don’t want to pry. “I’m good here. Go home, Cole. Be with your family. Thanks for stopping by.”

He nods, hefts his gray backpack over his shoulders, and takes a few steps toward the exit. He pauses and turns back, a brow cocked in question.

“I’m fine, honestly. See you the week after next, Cole.”

“I’m always here for you, you know. Anytime, Belle,” he murmurs, not looking at me.

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