Read Online December (The Page Sisters Book 1) by Michelle Watson - Free Book Online Page B

job. I love these animals.
    After ordering the feed, I naturally go to the coolest thing I get to do. I knock on Mr. and Mrs. Wilson’s joined office. They own the Lazy Ville Sanctuary and they are the primary vets and trainers here. They’re also the most awesome, most down to earth bosses ever. “Come on in.”
    “It’s me,” I say, pushing through the door. 
    They both have their heads in stacks of folders. “Ah. My beautiful December,” Mrs. Wilson greets smiling warmly.
    “Sweet December,” Mr. Wilson says, glances up from a folder. “You must be ready to see Sunflower.”
    “You all know me so well,” I tease.
    “Yes, we do.”
    They’ve known me since I was a child. I’ve been coming to this zoo since I was six. And I told them that I would grow up to work here one day. Here I am sixteen years later. Dreams do come true. We exchange small talk as we make our way to Sunflower’s enclosure. I bounce between the calmer two.
    Sunflower is lounging in her manmade wooden hut when we arrive. But she gets up and yawns, stretching from her front paws to the tip of her tail like a big kitty and then she prances down the planks to greet us all with ardent head rubs up against our legs. We’ve had her since she was a cub, but I’m still in awestruck at how beautifully powerful Sunflower is. She’s solid muscle underneath a silky coat. I can never forget that Sunflower isn’t a household cat. She’s a wild huntress with eyes as old as the universe. Mrs. Wilson gives Sunflower a command to lie down. Mr. Wilson pulls out his stethoscope from his lab coat and begins to check her vitals.
    I kneel next to him and talk their heads off. They both listen to my insanity good-naturedly. I tell them that Danny is back and how peeved Josh is at me while Mr. Wilson tells me what to touch and how to touch on Sunflower. Mrs. Wilson rubs Sunflower’s shiny fur and tells me not to settle for anything. Mr. Wilson makes a gruff comment on how he’d hate to bring his black belt from retirement and put it to use on both Danny and Josh. I would hate that as well, but only for Danny and Josh’s sake. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson are the fittest sixty-year-olds I’ve ever known. They both have abs of steel and various degrees in kick ass.
    I smile at my bosses, who treat me like their daughter instead of an employee. They don’t have children, and I’ve become like their adopted daughter.
    My day is getting better.
     
     
    ***
     
     
    “What the hell happened on the fourth?”
    Gray’s bright golden eyes lift to mine and he stares at me, his expression confused. “Your birthday?”
    “Yeah,” I say, rolling my eyes and my tone being sarcastic. “But I’m referring to that night, genius. What happened?”
    He takes a bite of his stuffed burrito and laughs, fried beans and rice falling out of his packed mouth. I can honestly say I wouldn’t mind leaping over the table to choke him in front of every Taco Bell customer and employee. “If you can’t remember what you did, then it’s time to put the bottle down. I don’t get why you drink so much when we go out, anyway. It’s not like you drink when you’re home.”
    I shrug. “I’m a social drinker.”
    He takes another big bite of his burrito and snorts. “I’ve noticed.”
    “Gray,” I sigh exasperated. “Tell me. I need you to fill in the blanks.”
    “Uh-huh,” he says, his eyes following a busty brunette with Dolly Parton-sized tits up to the front counter.
    She glances over her shoulder and blows him a kiss from her grease pink frosted lips. He reaches out and catches it in his palm with forced effort, then rubs it over his heart, winking at her. Shaking my head, I pop the plastic lid off my cup and pick up an ice cube to throw it at his face. The ice hits him right in the nose.
    His annoyed honey-colored gaze flickers to mine. “What the hell, December. Stop cock-blocking.”
    “You need to cool down, Gray,” I say through laughter.
    He runs a hand through