Page 41 of Unaware

“Oh. Well, that’s a totally different ballgame. If he’s into you like you’re into him, I doubt he’s purposely avoiding you. Maybe he can’t contact you. Who knows what this security company has him doing?”

I wrung my hands together. “What if something happened to him? How would I know?”

Jennifer leaned back in her chair. “I guess you wouldn’t unless he put you down as his next of kin.”

“We weren’t that far into things,” I mumbled. I felt sick to my stomach. I’d never worried about a man so much before, not even my tough old pop. I got to my feet and began to pace the room. “We’d only started to get to know each other on a deeper level. This is the first time I’ve even . . .” I trailed off and changed tack. I didn’t like to advertise my lack of sexual experience. “I mean that I’ve allowed myself to, you know . . . have feelings like this for a guy, and then he’s snatched from me.”

Jennifer got to her feet and held me by the arms. “Okay, take a deep breath and relax.”

I followed her breathing exercise and felt my panic subside.

“Good. Now I want you to think. Do you have a contact number for anyone in Virginia Beach?”

“No.” I shook my head. “I don’t even know surnames.” I wracked my brain for clues. “Wait, yes I do. The name of the company is Cole Security, and the owner’s name is Jackson Cole. But he doesn’t live in Virginia Beach. Apparently, his home is in L.A.”

“Okay, that’s a start. You sit down and drink your coffee and try to get back to work. You leave this with me, okay? I’ll try to find you some contact details,” Jennifer said as she guided me back to my desk and lowered me into the chair.

“Okay.” I squared my shoulders.

She paused at the door, her dark hand resting against the doorknob. “Oh, and if you really want to foster that pit bull mama, I can organise the paperwork for you if you’d like?”

My eyes lit up straight away. “Can you?”

“Of course. Anything to see you smile again,” Jennifer said.

She pulled the door closed and I was once again alone with my thoughts. I drowned them out by looking over my afternoon consult schedule.

* * *

It was rather late by the time I got back to my apartment. It had taken a while to gather all the items I needed to take care of the pregnant pit bull.

Lily was dishing out dinner and Zoey was setting the table when I got there, and both turned to me in unison.

“Hey. You’re home late,” Lily observed.

I loved how these two made the place feel more like a family sharing an apartment than roommates who meant nothing to each other. We were becoming a tight-knit family unit who looked out for each other in this big, bad city. They were both so apologetic about us not spending enough time together during the beginning of our vacation, but after Logan was snatched away from me, they both rallied around me like no one ever had before. Maybe it didn’t take the pain away, but they had certainly softened the blow. They’d also been wonderful at putting up with my sour mood.

“Yeah, I had to prepare for our new roommate,” I replied.

“We have a new roommate?” Zoey asked.

I indicated the pit bull on the end of the pink leash I’d picked out for her. “Meet the as yet unnamed abandoned pregnant pit bull. She—”

I was interrupted by both women cooing at the dog. They got down on their knees and smothered her in love. The dog shrunk down, but at the same time, she seemed to welcome the attention. Thankfully, Lily and Zoey were both smart enough to notice the dog’s nervousness and toned back their carrying on.

“She doesn’t have a name?” Lily asked.

“Not yet.”

“What’s her story?” Zoey asked as she stroked the dog’s head.

“It’s a mystery,” I said with a shrug. “She was dumped in an alley and brought in for a health check-up and neuter by the pound, but she’s already pregnant, which creates a much higher risk surgery, so that has to wait. I refused to send her back to the pound. She’d end up being put down or lost in the system, so I decided to take her on. She’s too sweet to keep going through all that.”

“So, you’re fostering her?” Lily flashed a playful smile. “Or maybe you’d prefer to adopt her?”

I tried to hide my excitement over that option. “I’m not sure now is the right time for that. I’ve got so much happening in my life.”

“Are you kidding? Now is the perfect time for you to take this on,” Lily replied.

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