Page 36 of First Love, Second Draft

“What did you have in mind?”

Swinging open the front door, Gloria made a show of shrugging her shoulders. “Honey, do I have to be both the looks and the brains of this outfit? I don’t know. Think of something. And while you’re at it, watch the wet floor. I just mopped. Mind putting the bucket away for me? Thanks, doll. See you Saturday at the Pumpkin Festival.” She tossed a wave over her shoulder.

Matt caught a glimpse through the window of Gloria tossing another wave at someone before she pulled out of the parking lot.

Matt stepped closer to the window to see who she’d been waving to. The shelter sat a few miles outside of town. People didn’t usually swing by unless they were dropping off or picking up animals.

He didn’t see anybody. Which was good because the shelter was already filled to the brim. If somebody came in with another stray, he had no earthly idea where to put them. Matt couldn’t wait for Thad to get back from vacation, so he could stop pretending to be in charge of this place and hand the reins back over.

“What’re you looking at?”

Matt jerked backwards, spun, slipped on the wet floor, and caught himself with his elbows against the windowsill. “Good night, woman. You trying to give me a heart attack?”

Rachel smiled triumphantly. “Ha. Now you know how I felt when you snuck into my house the other day. At least I didn’t come in breaking down the door and screaming like a fool.”

“Hey, there’s no fool to be seen here.” Matt stepped forward, kicking Gloria’s bucket. A gush of soapy water flooded the floor.

“My shoes!” Rachel squealed and jumped onto the reception desk. “Mouse!” She squealed a second later, jumping off the reception desk when she noticed the guinea pig.

“Careful.” Matt caught her by the elbows before she slipped and fell, then hefted her back onto the desk. “This floor’s going to be a skating rink until it dries. You’re safer on the desk.”

“With the rodent? I don’t think so.” Rachel peered into the cage. “Though I guess he’s not completely horrible to look at once you get past the whole mousey aspect of him.”

“Make you a deal.”

“What sort of deal?”

“Pick out a cat and a dog, and I’ll throw in the guinea pig for free.” He scooted onto the desk next to Rachel and patted the cage.

“And where exactly is the deal in that?”

“You get a mouse catcher, a security guard, and a cute little cuddle-bug all for free.”

Rachel wrinkled her nose. “I thought I was just here to clean litter boxes and take dogs for walks in exchange for you fixing doors, setting mousetraps, and giving me a ride to work this past week.”

“True. But if you want me to keep doing all those things, these are my new terms.”

“Well, seeing as my insurance finally coughed up a rental until my car is finished getting repaired, I actually don’t need any more rides from you. So if we’re going to be throwing out new terms, then my new terms include helping me replace my entire front porch and ridding the house of every species of arachnid and varmint. Deal?”

He jutted a thumb over his shoulder. “No deal until I see you start cleaning out some litter boxes first.”

“Watch me.”

“Watch me watch you.”

Without thinking, they both hopped off the desk. Then immediately smacked against the wet tile floor the very next moment. Well, Rachel hit the floor. Matt mostly hit Rachel.

“Ow,” Rachel groaned.

“I am so sorry. Are you okay?” Matt asked. His right arm was somehow pinned beneath her back while his left hand was caught in her curls. “You didn’t hit your head, did you?”

“My head is fine. My rib cage, however—” She wheezed dramatically.

“I’m crushing you, aren’t I? I’m so sorry. I don’t know why Gloria insists on mopping every day she works. It’s not like the floors get that dirty. I think she just likes to mop.” The more he attempted to free his right arm, the more tangled her hair became with the watch on his left wrist.

“Ouch.”

“Sorry. If I just get my other arm—”

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