Page 30 of Where There's Smoke
Melody bit her lip, stifling a laugh. “Oh, why do I suddenly not feel so bad?” she asked, scrunching her nose as I chuckled.
“Because it’s fun to spend grumpypants’s money?”
Her eyes sparkled, and my heart skipped a beat. “Is that bad?”
I shook my head. “Not at all. Once, when he upset Fitz, the guy retaliated by going and buying an obscene number of Lego sets on his card.”
“That stuff is expensive, I’m surprised he’s still breathing!”
“It was touch-and-go for a minute, but we only played with the stuff for a few hours before boxing it all up and donating it to a local children’s center. Elliot couldn’t exactly complain when it went to a good cause.”
Melody’s laugh was so bright, it attracted the attention of several of those surrounding us. She was magnetic, impossible to resist.
“So, next time Elliot is on Fitz’s bad side, maybe point Fitz toward my little rescue for a charitable donation?”
I cocked my head to the side, tapping my chin thoughtfully. “You know what, I think he could be very easily convinced to do that. Helping animals and pissing off Elliot? That’s a wet dream to Fitz!”
Chapter 15
Melody
Ever since my coffee run with Samson, I had been relaxed but also on edge.
My body was warring with itself, and it was downright confusing. Hell, I’d go so far as to say baffling or mind-boggling. Or some other rarely used word to describe something I didn’t understand. Something about Samson, Fitz, and even Elliot made my stomach tighten, but it wasn’t abadfeeling, just unusual.
I was unsettled, but at the same time, being around them made everything feel that little bit easier.
Better.
Everyone had been thankful for the caffeine and treats—the baked goods had only lasted an hour, with each alpha polishing off several. They had insisted I take a pastry before they had descended on them like a pack of rabid wolves, and the flaky chocolate croissant had been divine.
It was a lovely day, so while the guys were working, I took Dotty out to the deck and sat on a lounger with my e-reader that had been in my car, so thankfully it had survived the fire, unlike most of my possessions.
We were getting deeper into fall, and given the California weather, I was very thankful. The summer was too hot for animals, and the air conditioning was so expensive to run.
I sent a few messages, checking on my rescues. Luther, the boxer, had charmed a visitor at the shelter, and they wanted to adopt him. The application papers were being sent over to me to inspect today, and I had high hopes for him.
I had also been sent a surrender request for a bunny, and as I had no facilities, I had a call to make. Clicking on the familiar contact, I lifted the phone to my ear.
“Hello?” a friendly Cajun voice I knew well said in greeting.
“Rune,” I said, smiling to myself, “how are you doing?”
“Good, though I really should be asking you that. I can’t believe you’re shacked up at Seventeen!”
“It’s not the most ideal situation, but I’m making the most of it.”
“Well, as Sunny will tell you, it can work out rather nicely.”
“Oh, hush. Sunny is a special girl—that’swhy it worked out for you guys.”
“You saying you’re not special?”
“Rune…” I admonished, rolling my eyes.
“Okay, I’ll shut up. How can I help you today?”
“I just got a rescue request. Someone wants to surrender their rabbit, and it sounds like they haven’t had the best care…”
