Page 52 of Once Upon a Boyband
Percy sighs. “I guess it was about time. It’s been a while.”
It happens a few times a year that one of us will show up to work only to find a cat or dog abandoned on the office’s doorstep. Dad had security cameras installed because it’s illegal to dump your pets at a vet’s office or anywhere else, and that helped cut down on how frequently it happens. But some people either don’t care or they’re desperate enough to take the risk anyway.
I hate it when anyone dumps an animal. But I like to think the people who dump them here at leastwantto do the right thing for their pet.
Dad finally frees the leash, and the chocolate lab on the other end of it looks at him with big brown eyes and an expression that makes me think she’s been through something.
“Poor thing,” Dad says. He hands the leash over to me. “Want to take her inside and check for a microchip? I’ll pull up the security cameras.”
Unfortunately, whoever dumped the dog did so wearing dark clothing and a ski mask, so there isn’t much we can do to discover who it was, but Dad sends the footage over to the Lawson Cove police station anyway. The dog isn’t microchipped, and she hasn’t been spayed, but otherwise, she seems to be in good health.
“I just called the county,” Percy says. “They don’t have room for her.”
“I’m not surprised. They were slam full last week.” I pull my phone out of my pocket. “I’ll just text Adam and see if he can take her.”
“You’ll just text Adam,” Percy says. “Aren’t we fancy.”
“What are you talking about? We communicate with Hope Acres all the time.”
He grins. “No,Iused to communicate with Hope Acres all the time by calling the business number and talking to Adam as a representative of this office. Now you’re shooting DMs right into his pocket. It’s not the same thing.”
I send the message then put my phone face-down on the counter and cross my arms. “Are you done teasing me?”
“Yes,” Percy says. “But please tell Adam if he comes by today, he should absolutely bring Freddie with him.”
“You want me to just casually slip that in there, huh?”
Percy shrugs. “Maybe Freddie would be interested in seeing the kind of work Adam does.”
I chuckle. “I see straight through you, Percy Hamilton.”
He leaves me with the chocolate lab to check in our first patient. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he calls over his shoulder.
Adam responds almost immediately, saying he’d love to meet the dog, and he’ll try to stop by this afternoon.
I send him a thumbs up, then throw myself into work, doing my best to ignore my growing anticipation at the thought of seeing him again.
I don’t do a very good job.
After I forget patient names twice and completely zone out while a pet owner is walking me through the admittedly very long history of her cat’s urinary health, I find my dad and beg him to take over for the morning. He isn’t seeing patients today, just working on business accounts, so he’s more than happy for a reason to abandon his desk and cover my last two appointments before lunch.
I know my brain will eventually get used to this.
To Adam being someone I can text.Kiss.While also beingtheDeke Driscoll. But right now, I can’t even think about it without wanting to laugh. Or possibly cry? Probably both, honestly. It feels like there’s a magic eight ball lodged right between my ribs, shaking itself up every few minutes to give me a new emotion. Disbelief, joy, excitement, fear, happiness. It’s all there, and I never know what I’m going to get next.
Just after lunch, Percy comes flying into the backroom, one hand pressed to his chest as he waves a hand in the general direction of the lobby.
“He’s out there!” Percy whispers. “Adam is in the parking lot, and he has Freddie with him!”
I take a steadying breath. “Perfect. Go out and say hello, and I’ll bring out the dog in just a second.” I pat myself on the back for sounding so remarkably calm.
Am I thrilled that Adam decided to stop by? Yes.
Am I going to lose my cool and freak out like I’m still in middle school?
Okay, alsoyes.But only on the inside.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
