Page 114 of The Guy Who Fake Dated Me

Somehow my feet detached from the concrete and moved toward the front door. My breathing sped up, and sweat broke out all over.

“Remember the cute puppy videos,” Brooke reminded me. “They’re all just fluffy dorks.”

“Except the ones that bite,” I said in a shaky voice.

“Except for them.”

I blanched at the comment, and Brooke laughed. “You’re ready for this.” She opened the door and dragged me through.

Unlike the shelter we’d gone to for the wedding, this one was decorated with cute paintings of animals, and there was a pile of chewable toys in one corner. Two people waited in the handful of chairs. One held an orange cat that gave me a flick of its ear. I resisted the urge to glare at it. It was probably related to the cat from Kyle’s wedding. A woman had a golden retriever lying at her feet. Even I could tell the poor dog was miserable. She—I assumed because of the pink collar—looked like a kid who had a fever.

Brooke took us to the front desk and gave the man behind it her best Texan smile. “We have an appointment to look at a few dogs. The name is Victoria Cooper.”

The short, bearded man smiled back and nodded. “They’re ready for you.”

My hands went clammy, and my lungs felt weighed down.

“Great.”

I focused on the way the guy ogled Brooke, who could charm anyone with that Texan accent, wide smile, pixie cut, and hourglass shape.

Sure, she was curvy like the rest of the Crew, but she looked more like a slightly round pinup girl. Wearing overalls. Sorry to all the men in the world, but she’d rather fix a tractor than don a dress.

Although, she had agreed to keep the dress I’d sent her so she could wear it on special occasions.

Instead of standing in the rows and rows of animals waiting to be adopted, they ushered us into a side room furnished with a couple of chairs and a smattering of dog toys. A shelf hung near the door for us to put our purses on.

“They’ll bring in the first dog in just a minute,” Desk Guy said.

Brooke left me in the room as she stepped out with the man. I could only imagine the conversation consisting of her telling the guy not to bring any aggressive dogs because I was scared to death.

She’d be right about all of that. I knew animals could sense fear, and I’d tried to temper my own dread in the car, but I’d failed. Despite Brooke doing her best to talk me down the whole way here.

I owed Brooke big time. She’d dropped everything to come and help me with this. Granted, she didn’t actually have to be there to run her ranch in November. There were plenty of helpers to do that, and she and her dad had a general manager that took care of most of it. She was a hands-on girl who felt the most alive when she was in the thick of everything.

The handle of the door turned, and I jumped when a click sounded. My heartbeat sped up, and I pressed my lips together so I wouldn’t scream.

Brooke stepped in and smiled. “We’re all set.”

I let out an explosive breath. “Don’t scare me like that.”

“Like what?” Brooke grinned mischievously.

I hadn’t noticed her hand until she tugged the leash hanging from it, and some sort of golden doodle came in with her. It stood knee-high, had blond-ish fur, and was leaning against Brooke’s leg.

“This is Benjamin.” Brooke shut the door and knelt down next to the dog, who immediately started giving her kisses.

No tongues.

I did my best to smile. This was not the dog who had bitten me. That one had short black hair and a more pointed snout. Brooke gave me a look, and I managed a squeaky, “Hi, Benjamin.”

The dog turned at the sound of his name. He stared at me and could probably hear my heart trying to beat its way out of my chest.

“Come on.” Brooke walked on her knees toward me, bringing Benjamin with her. The dog didn’t hesitate, but he didn’t look thrilled.

“Hold your hand out,” Brook instructed me.

“This didn’t go well last time,” I muttered, but I obeyed.

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