I wanted to punch him. As he led us around and showed us several dogs, all I could think about was how close his hand was getting to her side or how much I wanted to dropkick him when he made her laugh.
“Oh my gosh, Garrett! Look at him!” she said, kneeling down to pet a golden retriever mix.
The dog instantly wagged his tail and nuzzled up to Mia.
“Sam is new to our facility. He’s young, probably only a year or two. It’s rare for us to keep retrievers in here for long even if they aren’t purebred. They’re a popular breed and very loyal,” Mr. Know-It-All said.
Mia looked up at me and smiled. The dog gave her a big lick, and she laughed. I couldn’t help but chuckle a bit.
“I think he likes you, Mia,” I said.
“Mia, that’s a lovely nickname,” Leo said.
“It’s my nickname,” I replied coldly.
Mia must have sensed the tension because she shot up from her crouch. “I think Sam is the one! Can you grab the rest of the adoption paperwork, Leo?” she asked as Leo and I continued to have a staring match.
“Sure. Be right back, Mia.” He grinned and turned to leave.
My hands fisted, and I fought back a growl.
“What the hell was that?” she asked.
“I don’t like him.”
“Well, that’s obvious. The question is, why?”
“He was flirting with you. He’s working, and he’s flirting with you. It’s very unprofessional.”
Her lip quivered as she tried to maintain a straight face. “You’re jealous,” she said.
It wasn’t a question.
“Am not,” I answered.
“Are to.”
“Am not. So, what if I am?”
Her grin widened, knowing she’d won the argument.
“I’m pretty sure the only male I’ll be cozying up to in the near future is the one right here.”
It was too bad she was pointing at the dog.
Lucky bastard.
Chapter Eight
~Mia~
“Do you want to help me unpack some of these boxes?” I asked, looking up from the enormous mess spread out in front of me on the floor.
Sam’s dopey brown eyes just stared at me blankly as he lifted an ear and cocked his head to the side. He did this a lot. I figured it was the doggie equivalent of, huh?
“You know, if you’re going to live here, you need to start pulling your weight.”
Sam wagged his tail and licked my fingers. He really was a sweet dog. When I’d asked what had brought him into the shelter, Leo had told me his owner was moving overseas and couldn’t take him. So, at least it sounded like he’d come from a good home before we found each other.
“Okay, but if you don’t help, there will be no treats later.”
I paused. I was carrying on a conversation with a dog. Had my life really come to this?
I gave Sam a long stare and eventually shrugged. “Eh. Oh, well.” I could do worse.
It was Monday night, and I’d just come home from a long shift at the hospital. Leah and I had shared the same work hours today, so we’d spent some time catching up after the weekend.
“So, did you have a good time on Saturday?” she asked.
“Um…well, it was interesting.”
“Interesting?” she repeated, obviously wanting me to delve deeper.
“I, uh…hadn’t expected Garrett to be there,” I answered honestly.
“Oh. Well, I hadn’t either. I hope you don’t think I was conspiring behind your back.”
“No, I don’t think you would do that.” She gave me a wry grin.
I amended my answer, “Okay, at least, I didn’t think that was your intention on Saturday.”
“Better. Never underestimate my evil powers, Mia, especially when it concerns two people I care about,” she said.
It made me feel special but also a little uneasy that she cared about me. I’d seen the way she looked at Garrett and me in that bar. She might not have put us together that night, but I had no doubt that she wouldn’t try in the near future.
I wished she would give up on that hope. I really liked Leah. She was fun, fearless, and loyal. I could see the devotion she had for her family and friends, and I was honored to be included in that small group, but I wasn’t the one for Garrett, not anymore.
I couldn’t be, not after everything I’d done.
He deserved so much better.
The default ringtone on my phone startled me out of my scattered thoughts, and I reached into my pocket to retrieve it. It was a phone number I didn’t recognize. Normally, I wouldn’t answer, but the area code was from Atlanta. I’d left friends behind with little explanation for my quick exit. I didn’t want them to worry, so I took a chance and answered it.
“Hello?” I said.
“Amelia,” the male voice said in relief.
I was momentarily stunned. How did he get this number? I’d changed my number, and I’d only given it out to a handful of people before I left. A chosen few had known where I was headed, and I purposely hadn’t included him.
“Aiden?”
“It’s so good to finally hear your voice. I was starting to think I might forget the sound.”
“How did you get this number?” I asked.
But I hadn’t meant to sound rude. He didn’t deserve that.
I immediately reworded my question. “I mean, how did you find me?”
“Maggie gave me your number. It wasn’t easy. She was very persistent for a long time, but she finally caved. You have a loyal friend. I’m a wreck, Amelia, an absolute wreck.”
“I’m sorry, Aiden. I don’t know what to say.”
“Say you’ll come back.”
Visions of our last night together came crashing back—candles, flowers, and tears. That was what I remembered the most, except for the part where I’d run and never looked back.
“I…I’m sorry, Aiden. I’ve got to go.”
I ended the call before he could say another word. He tried calling back once and then twice before he gave up. I couldn’t give him what he wanted. He didn’t see that now, but he would eventually. He just needed time and space.
Another hour or so passed, and I continued to empty out the boxes that had been gathering dust in my office. I wasn’t sure what I was going to use an office for—considering I worked in a hospital, filing patient records and avoiding pregnant women—but it was an extra room, and I didn’t know what else to use it for. I took a quick look at the computer stacked up in the corner and thought about setting it up, but I decided to put it off for another day.