Page 66 of Reckless Harmony

“Thank you, Nathan,” Rayna said. “I appreciate your help.”

She ended the call and leaned back in the seat, rubbing again at her forehead. It was only a little after seven, but she looked exhausted. Stark ignored the niggle of worry in his guts as she said, “Head to your office first. I’ll drop you at your car before I go to the clinic.”

He shook his head. “I’ll go to the clinic with you.”

“You’re not paying the bill,” she said, giving him a stubborn look. “I mean it, Stark.”

He glared at her, but she didn’t back down an inch, and he sighed loudly. “Fine, but I’m still going with you. The sooner we get that dog to the vet, the better.”

CHAPTER 23

“This isn’t the way to my office,” Stark said.

“I’m starving, and so are you. I can hear your stomach growling,” Rayna said.

“I’m not sure I can eat after seeing that poor dog,” he said.

She nodded. “I get it, but we need to eat. The good news is that the dog is doing better and no longer suffering like he was. He’s been given pain meds and fluids, and now that Nathan has cleaned out the worst of the infection, he can start healing.”

She pulled into the McDonald’s drive-thru. “What do you want?”

He studied the menu board. “I haven’t eaten at a McDonald’s in years. Do they still have a chicken sandwich?”

She laughed. “Yes. How about I order for you?”

“Sure.”

She ordered the food and pulled up to the window. When Stark reached for his wallet, she shook her head and pulled out her debit card. “My treat.”

She paid, handed the bags of food to Stark to hold, and stuck the drinks in the drink holders before parking in an empty spot. She took a bag from Stark and opened it, grabbing a few fries and shoving them into her mouth, relishing the salty goodness.

Stark was staring at her, and she shoved more fries into her mouth. “Don’t fry shame me.”

“I’m not,” he said. “I’ve just never…”

“What?” She unwrapped her cheeseburger and took a big bite.

“Had a woman buy me dinner before.”

“Seriously?”

He nodded, and she stared at the container of fries he held. “It’s honestly not much of a dinner.”

He ate some fries. “They’re good fries.”

“The best fries,” she said. “I don’t eat much fast food, but I’d cut a bitch for McDonald’s fries.”

They ate in silence for a few minutes before he said. “Why are we eating in your car in the parking lot instead of going into the restaurant?”

“Buy a man dinner one time, and he’s complaining already,” she teased.

He rolled his eyes but didn’t look that annoyed by her teasing. She took a drink before saying, “If I go inside to eat, at some point, someone will approach me about a pet they need to rehome or complain about their neighbour’s cat who poops in their garden or the dog who won’t stop barking, and sometimes I just want to eat my fries in peace.”

“How long have you been running the rescue?” he asked.

“Almost four years now,” she said.

“Are you a registered charity?” he asked.

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