Page 35 of Jump

My hands free, I wander to the fridge and take out the carton of milk. Coming back just as the machine finishes its job, I take my mug and drop a splash of white on top.

Thirty minutes later, I pull up to a stop outside Friendly Paws and snag my to-go mug of coffee and the infuriating thriller book I’ve yet to accept in my life.

I’m not going to read it. I refuse to give it my time when there are a million other, better books that do align with my tastes.

But hell if I can leave it behind. So… it comes to work with me.

“Hey, Jase.” I shiver under my coat and close the front door to keep out the icy breeze. Then setting my things on the counter, I peel off my heavy outdoor jacket and toss it on a waiting chair in the corner. Finally, I glance up and meet his friendly smile. “New haircut? You look good.”

He runs a hand through his fresh locks. “Yeah. Thanks. It was getting a little long for my liking.” He lifts his chin and tilts his head toward my coffee cup—or, more likely, to the book right beside it. “What’s up with that? Not your usual.”

“Hush.” I snatch it up and continue through to my office. And by my office, I mean a literal supply closet that I somehow, magically, fit a small desk into, even though I practically have to crawl across the damn thing to use it. “It’s just a book. And you have no clue what my usual is.”

“Man chests,” he calls around the corner I hide behind. “Or kissing. Or, like… flowers and stuff.”

I toss Matt’s book down and casually study the front cover. “This one has a man chest on it. What are you talking about?”

“That man chest has a bullet hole through it and crime scene tape surrounding it.” He stops in my doorway and catches me as I climb around my desk and drop into my chair. “That’s a whodunnit, Viv. You prefer the They did it, over and over and over again.”

“Shut up.” I look down at my hundred-year-old computer screen and hope the angle is enough to hide the blush warming my cheeks, as I smack the side of my monitor and wait for it to power up. “Why are you here already? It’s not seven yet.”

“It’ll be seven in six minutes,” he scoffs. “And I had things to do.” He leans against the doorframe and folds his arms. “You excited for tonight?”

About the gathering Matt doesn’t want me to attend? Or about the music I wanna hear, but he doesn’t feel is safe for me?

“Yep,” I say simply. “But we need a buddy system put into place immediately.”

Surprised, a single brow shoots high on his forehead. “Hmm?”

“Well, apparently, the lake is fraught with horny soldiers, and sea monsters ready to jump up and grab us. So we have to promise not to get too drunk, and to always be with a friend, lest we fall in and drown.”

“Ohhhhhhkay.” He drops his arms and steps in to my office. Then balling his fists and resting them on my desk, he scans the front cover of my book. “Are the sea monsters somehow connected to this book you probably won’t ever read?”

“I might read it.” A frown wrinkles my forehead, though I fully accept I was thinking the same thing just half an hour ago. How I refuse to be dictated to. How I have better things to occupy my brain. “It looks kinda interesting.” I shake my computer mouse and navigate to my email. “It’s a mystery. I like those.”

“There’s probably no sex,” he singsongs. “Like, at all.”

“Story of my life,” I mumble under my breath. “Why are you in here? Have you nothing better to do than badger me?”

“You’re cranky, huh?” He straightens his back and firms his lips; though, I suspect the latter is more to hide his amusement than to hide hurt feelings. “Misty’s due to have her puppies, so the vet’s been put on notice. I think it’ll be in the next few days. Once that happens, we’ll have five new mouths to feed.”

“But puppies sell,” I reply hopefully. “They’re cute and small and adorable. So we’ll adopt them all out, collect the fees, and pay to have momma spayed. That way, she doesn’t have to go through this again. As part of the adoption fee, we’ll include the cost of neutering the puppies, and we’ll provide each family a voucher to do them at six months. They’ll have already spent the money, which’ll mean they’re more likely to have the procedure done. Less reproducing means less mouths to feed in the long run. How’s Misty doing?”

“Pretty content.” Finally, he brings his attention entirely away from Matt’s book and up to my eyes. “We just have to wait for Mother Nature to do her thing. Oh, and we have a family coming in to meet Treasure today.”

“Yeah?” I cross my legs beneath my desk. “They seem okay?”

“Oh yeah. Eric and Katrina DeWhit. They’re pretty solid, and have a couple of kids. So if they decide to take her, I think Treasure will live a long, happy life in their home.”

“Poor Diesel will be heartbroken,” I snicker. “He’ll have to find a new love of his life.”

“Oh, when the time is right,” Jase dramatically sighs, “all will fall into place. Wanna talk to me about your bad mood yet?”

“No. Who is this guy you’re bringing to the lake?”

His smile notches up by a thousand degrees as he parks his ass on the edge of my desk. “He’s my cousin, actually. He’s in town for the weekend, and recently out of a long-term thing.”

“Oh good. More complications.” I grab Matt’s book and slam it into my desk drawer—my very own ‘tell tale heart’ that’ll send me insane. “He’s just my type. Is he military, too?”

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