Read Online Rescue (Emily and Mason) by Nadene Seiters - Free Book Online

wonder for a
second just how old he is. He looks as if he’s in his late twenties, but looks
can be deceiving. Maybe I can get into his personal files to snoop around.
    “Gail went home to take care of Daisy and her pups; you want
me to clean some cages?” Maybe we got off on the wrong foot. I shouldn’t let a
crush get in the way of a good relationship with my boss.
    “As long as you find something worthwhile to do you can stay
on for today. Make sure that all the cages are cleaned, the animals are fed,
and try to clean up any messes so that the adoptees don’t feel as if they’re in
a zoo.” I’m relieved that his petty attitude is gone considering a life just
was lost in front of us. I assume it never really gets easier to have to
euthanize an animal.
    There’s only one face I want to see right now. I hope I find
her where I think I will. As soon as I’m done washing my hands I towel them off
and almost bolt out of the room. My stomach’s reeling at the look on that dog’s
face; hopefully a living dog with a girl next to it will cheer me up. My
footsteps are sure as I head down the hall for the dog kennel.
    As soon as I get into the room I freeze. Even my heart seems
to realize that it’s too loud and quiets down to a steady pulse, my breathing
caught in my throat. Baby is right on Emily’s heels as she walks down the rows
of cages with the puppy in her hands, wriggling. She’s holding a tiny bottle to
it, supporting it with one hand.
    When I finally inhale a breath quietly Baby’s ears flick
back, and she turns her head, her tail hanging loosely. Emily seems to be in
tune with the dog and turns at the same time, her eyes wide when she looks
back. As soon as she sees it’s me she relaxes. I feel a twinge of pride at that
and give her a slow smile.
    Baby’s growl knocks me right out of my daydreaming of Emily
and kicks my heart rate up a notch.
    “Baby, pen.” Emily doesn’t even have to point. Baby calmly
walks into her pen and turns around at the front, eyeing me with her hackles raised.
    “I’m sorry, I kind of ruined her training,” I tell Emily,
taking a hesitant step into the room further. She pulls the bottle away from
the puppy and hands it over to me, shoving the fuzz ball down her shirt. I
can’t help it. I get a glimpse of a hot pink bra strap and feel my gut
tightening.
    “No, it was bound to happen at some point. I’m glad it was
you though; anyone else and she might have bitten them. She’s used to your
presence.” A rush of pride has my chest swelling, and I go over to the sink to
rinse out the bottle for her.
    An easy silence fills the room as Emily sits down inside the
enclosure opening with Baby, patting her gently and rubbing her ears. I don’t
get too close to the pen, not wanting to put Emily or the puppy in her shirt in
danger by upsetting the German shepherd.
    “How long do you think before she’s ready for a home?” Emily
shrugs one shoulder nonchalantly and stands up, pulling the puppy out of her
shirt again. She holds it out to me in question, and I take it, wrapping it up
in the bottom of my t-shirt so that it stays warm.
    “It depends. All dogs are different. We had a mastiff in
here that would knock over anything in its sight and bite, no questions asked.
It took me six weeks to get him to stop lunging at the cage bars before I could
even put a foot inside the cage. Baby’s not that bad, really. Any professional
trainer probably could do what I am quicker than I am.” It sounds as if she
doesn’t really understand the magnitude of what she’s doing.
    “You’re saving her life; it’s not a small feat.” Emily blushes
at my obvious praise. To give her space, I pull the puppy out of my shirt and
hand it back to her. It’s restless with me anyway. “I’m going to go work on the
Collie over there, she’s up next.”
    Just seeing Emily and Baby working together makes me forget
about my earlier pain of having to put down the stray. I won’t mention it