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“You’re not getting a car,” Chloe says, hooking her arm through CeCe’s, then looks me over. “Good night, Roman Hart.”
“Nice meeting you both. Good night.”
Watching her walk away sucks, but the thought of strapping in for seven years when I don’t have a guarantee beyond three here with the Jags. And then who the hell knows what’ll be next? Hell, I don’t know anything about her, except I want to know more about her—and she’s not even open to that.
Seven fucking years, I think as I walk back over to my family.
Hudson holds out his hand. “Keys. I’m not drinking, but you sure as hell look like you need to.”
* * *
When we walk into the house, Elle starts yipping.
“I can take her out,” Jillian offers on a yawn.
“I’ll do it. We have a system.” I grab the leash.
“Which is, he opens the cage, scoops her up, and runs to the door so she doesn’t piss on the floor as soon as she steps out,” Hudson explains.
“True story.” I chuckle as I bend down and do just that, and she yaps, and squirms, and licks the hell out of my face.
When I walk outside, the SUV pulls in, and I cringe slightly, not wanting CeCe to think I’m out here, trying to catch a peek at …
Well, there you have it, folks. She’s right; it’s now awkward.
* * *
Tuesday
Bells jingle as we open the door and walk into the waiting room of the animal hospital that Jillian called to set up Elle’s first visit. It’s colorful and has good energy. Elle’s tugging at the leash, trying to make friends—or maybe enemies—with a giant rottweiler, says she agrees. Not gonna happen.
I bend down, grab her up, and hold her tight as I approach the desk.
The older woman smiles as she asks, “Who do we have here?”
“This is Eleanor, and she has an appointment.”
She taps on her keyboard. “She’s all checked in. Have a seat, and we’ll call you when we’re ready.”
“Oh my God, look at these little collars,” Jillian says as she all but skips to the wall of pet supplies.
As Jillian looks through the collars and leashes, I catch the big bastard eyeballing my girl, and I hope he knows what I’m thinking—he’s gonna have to go through me first.
A blonde with an iPad, dressed in scrubs covered in little paw prints, walks out into the reception area. “Brutus? The doctor will see you now.”
When Brutus and his owner start toward the door, Elle starts to yap and squirm.
“When the big guy is back behind that door, you can get down.”
As promised, I let her down and watch as she explores the area.
It’s only a minute before the girl is back out. “Elle, let’s get you checked in.”
Inside the little exam room, the girls smiles. “I’m Cora, and I’m going to get Eleanor’s weight, measurements, vitals, and some information for the doctor.” She bends down and picks her up before setting her on a raised table that also works as a scale and somehow manages to keep her on it. She asks about a million questions, half of which I have no answer for, and I feel like a dick.
When the door opens and CeCe walks in, wearing a white lab coat with Dr. Shaw embroidered on it over her green scrubs, she’s looking down at her tablet.
Jillian giggles. “Hey. Aren’t you Elle’s neighbor?”
