wrong. If he showed up and
asked her out, she would most definitely go against her rule of
never dating a client. She was a bit chagrinned that she would cave
on the rule with the first chance, but she hadn't been able to stop
thinking of him all weekend. She could imagine how good it would
feel to have his arms wrapped around her; his jacket alone made her
feel more safe and secure than anything else she'd experienced. Sam
winked at her and sauntered out of the office as if she knew
something Riley didn't.
An email from one of her past professors was
waiting in her inbox. She opened it, hoping there was good news.
Apparently, there was a candidate named Ryan whom the professor
believed would make a good fit. She emailed back, asking if he'd
have Ryan send in a resume and letters of recommendation. Pleased,
she turned away from the email and started reviewing her charts.
The morning seemed to drag by and fly by simultaneously. She
couldn't seem to figure out if she was excited or fearful for the
clock to strike eleven. At 10:45 her heart was beating as if she
were sprinting around a track. She had just finished her final
appointment before the mysterious Garrett was to make his
appearance. She was in the back room with the boarded animals,
giving them some TLC and trying to attain some calmness from the
act when she heard the ding of the front door. Five seconds later,
all hell broke loose.
*
Garrett woke up suddenly. He had a crick in
his neck from falling asleep in the driver's seat. While rubbing
his neck, he looked around for what disturbed his catnap. Ah ha, it
must have been his cute little Kismet; she was walking out of her
home with a cup of coffee in one hand and her dog's leash in the
other. He felt like a lovesick puppy when he saw her wearing his
jacket again. It warmed him all the way through to know it was
giving her comfort. She paired it with skinny jeans and running
shoes. Her hair was up in her usual messy ponytail. She stopped at
the side of the road and looked up into the trees, her breath
crystallizing in the cold morning air. He'd never seen anything
more beautiful. As she walked down the road, he started his truck
and drove to a local diner to grab some breakfast before heading to
the jobsite.
Jason was waiting for him in the trailer as
he walked in. "Hey Garrett, I have to ask - why did you send a text
looking for a dog?"
"Ummm, well." Garrett wasn't sure how to
proceed. Jason had always been his best friend. When he lost Sarah,
he had emotionally shut down and in the process turned all
friendships away. He wasn't sure if Jason would ever forgive him
for that and he didn't want to be an opportunistic friend.
Although, he could really use Jason's support right now, but he'd
shut him down for so long it didn't seem fair to expect friendship
only when he needed it. He scuffed his boot on the linoleum and
tried to figure out what to say.
"Look Garrett, I know you haven't been keen
on sharing since you lost Sarah." Jason cringed as he said her
name. He hated the haunted look Garrett always had when anyone
mentioned her name. However, this time Garrett showed sadness in
his eyes, but not the cold, empty look usually seen there. He
plunged on, hoping Garrett was ready to hear what he had to say. "I
can't understand the pain you went through... are going through,
since I've never found a mate, but please know I've never stopped
being your friend, and I'm here anytime you need a sounding board.
It seems like you've had a stressful time lately. We're pack and we
all need each other's support at some point. Besides, I heard you
went out with Sonya the other night, how'd that go?" Jason stopped
his speech and waited expectantly, hoping he didn't push Garrett
further away. Male shifters were not the touchy feely type.
Sonya? Garrett snorted. If Jason only
knew, ha ha ha. His friend's loyalty awed him, especially after
pushing him away and turning his back on him for the past few
years. His Kismet must be
asked her out, she would most definitely go against her rule of
never dating a client. She was a bit chagrinned that she would cave
on the rule with the first chance, but she hadn't been able to stop
thinking of him all weekend. She could imagine how good it would
feel to have his arms wrapped around her; his jacket alone made her
feel more safe and secure than anything else she'd experienced. Sam
winked at her and sauntered out of the office as if she knew
something Riley didn't.
An email from one of her past professors was
waiting in her inbox. She opened it, hoping there was good news.
Apparently, there was a candidate named Ryan whom the professor
believed would make a good fit. She emailed back, asking if he'd
have Ryan send in a resume and letters of recommendation. Pleased,
she turned away from the email and started reviewing her charts.
The morning seemed to drag by and fly by simultaneously. She
couldn't seem to figure out if she was excited or fearful for the
clock to strike eleven. At 10:45 her heart was beating as if she
were sprinting around a track. She had just finished her final
appointment before the mysterious Garrett was to make his
appearance. She was in the back room with the boarded animals,
giving them some TLC and trying to attain some calmness from the
act when she heard the ding of the front door. Five seconds later,
all hell broke loose.
*
Garrett woke up suddenly. He had a crick in
his neck from falling asleep in the driver's seat. While rubbing
his neck, he looked around for what disturbed his catnap. Ah ha, it
must have been his cute little Kismet; she was walking out of her
home with a cup of coffee in one hand and her dog's leash in the
other. He felt like a lovesick puppy when he saw her wearing his
jacket again. It warmed him all the way through to know it was
giving her comfort. She paired it with skinny jeans and running
shoes. Her hair was up in her usual messy ponytail. She stopped at
the side of the road and looked up into the trees, her breath
crystallizing in the cold morning air. He'd never seen anything
more beautiful. As she walked down the road, he started his truck
and drove to a local diner to grab some breakfast before heading to
the jobsite.
Jason was waiting for him in the trailer as
he walked in. "Hey Garrett, I have to ask - why did you send a text
looking for a dog?"
"Ummm, well." Garrett wasn't sure how to
proceed. Jason had always been his best friend. When he lost Sarah,
he had emotionally shut down and in the process turned all
friendships away. He wasn't sure if Jason would ever forgive him
for that and he didn't want to be an opportunistic friend.
Although, he could really use Jason's support right now, but he'd
shut him down for so long it didn't seem fair to expect friendship
only when he needed it. He scuffed his boot on the linoleum and
tried to figure out what to say.
"Look Garrett, I know you haven't been keen
on sharing since you lost Sarah." Jason cringed as he said her
name. He hated the haunted look Garrett always had when anyone
mentioned her name. However, this time Garrett showed sadness in
his eyes, but not the cold, empty look usually seen there. He
plunged on, hoping Garrett was ready to hear what he had to say. "I
can't understand the pain you went through... are going through,
since I've never found a mate, but please know I've never stopped
being your friend, and I'm here anytime you need a sounding board.
It seems like you've had a stressful time lately. We're pack and we
all need each other's support at some point. Besides, I heard you
went out with Sonya the other night, how'd that go?" Jason stopped
his speech and waited expectantly, hoping he didn't push Garrett
further away. Male shifters were not the touchy feely type.
Sonya? Garrett snorted. If Jason only
knew, ha ha ha. His friend's loyalty awed him, especially after
pushing him away and turning his back on him for the past few
years. His Kismet must be
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