Page 4 of Dark Torment

OLIVIA

Work is my happy place.

As long as I’m surrounded by dogs and not people, I am in my element.

I know that my brother and father hate that I refused to get into the family business, but it just isn’t for me. I can’t see myself sitting at a desk, schmoozing rich buttholes into throwing their money at investments that my family gets rich from. It’s just not who I am, and I wouldn’t fit in with that world, anyway.

The only family that truly loved and supported my awkwardness growing up was my grandmother. She didn’t care that I was plus sized and eccentric, or that I get along with animals better than I do people. She just wanted me to be happy, and walking away from my father and all his money was the first step in achieving that.

The only thing of any value that I have from my old life is Gram’s house, and when the lawyers had told my father he couldn’t have it, I thought he was going to keel over.

His face became so red, his breathing laboured, as he yelled terrible obscenities at the poor lawyers, but he couldn’t change it.

Her Will was more solid than freaking Alcatraz, and Dad is never getting his hands on that house. I don’t even know why he wants the house if I really stop to think about it.

After mom died of cancer when Ben and I were little, he would go out of his way to complain about the house he grew up in, like it was some form of garbage dump unless he needed Gram to watch us.

As we got older, Ben started staying with Dad, becoming more like him with every day that passed. By the time I was ten and he was fourteen, I was basically living with Gram because they decided something wasn’t right with me.

I didn’t share any interest or likes with them, and I barely spoke, preferring to walk outside and spend time in nature. In my dad’s and brother’s eyes, I was a freak. Add on the extra curves I was carrying, and I was disgusting to them.

Didn’t stop them from trying to pull me into the business after she passed six months ago, though.

Like I told them then, I want nothing to do with the family business. That’s when they chose to cut off all contact with me, and I was alright with that.

I had already opened my grooming business downtown, and it was thriving. It’s all I’ve ever needed. I just wish they loved me enough to stick around.

“Hey,” Shelby hollers when she walks through the door, and I smile.

“Back here!” I yell back, scrubbing the soap into Muffins, a less than pleased Yorkie whose owner begged me to take him and clean him off. He’d fallen into some fish guts at the docks while on a walk this morning.

Why they would even walk their dog by a fish market is beyond me, but the poor pup stunk something fierce, and business is business. I’m not overly particular about what clients I take on as walk-ins as long as I have the time.

Thankfully, this morning I did.

“Why the hell does it smell like fish in here?” she asks, walking into the back room as I’m rinsing Muffins off.

I chuckle. “Because Muffins here decided to roll around in some fish guts at the market today. Such a silly boy, aren’t you?” I finish in a baby voice, and Shelby rolls her eyes as Muffins barks in agreement.

“Girl, you are lucky I love you, because sometimes this job is just too gross.” She gags, and I snort.

“I’m glad you love me, but don’t pretend like I’m not paying you, Shelbs.” I shake my head as she sighs.

“This is true,” she says in agreement before helping me towel and dry Muffins.

It takes another twenty minutes before he’s ready to go, and his owner walks in to pick him up right on schedule.

Once they’re gone, I sit down at the computer and start looking over the schedule for the day.

It’s a light one with only a few clients since we’re only open until noon on Sunday’s, but I’ll still be here for hours organizing stock and getting us ready for the coming week.

“How was your date with Robert last night?” I ask Shelby as I search through the inventory we had delivered.

Shelby has been my best friend since we were in middle school when she first moved to town.

She seemed drawn to my differences and, for some reason, was oddly protective of me. Not that I’m complaining. She’s the sister I never had, and the sibling I actually enjoy being around.

Even though she’s thin where I’m voluptuous, and her straight blonde hair is a massive contrast to my dark brunette waves, we fit together better than I could have ever imagined I’d find in someone who wasn’t family.

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