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The more he spoke, the more my attraction deepened into something more - respect, admiration.
We moved forward on the tour. Adjacent to the kennel area was a dedicated space for play and socialization. Here, dogs could interact under the watchful eyes of trained staff and volunteers. I smiled as the dogs played fetch and tugged on toys.
The shelter also featured a clinic where the dogs received necessary medical care. A cozy lounge area allowed potential adopters to spend quality time with dogs they were considering bringing home.
All of this made me realize the dog shelter was more than just a physical space; it was a place of hope, second chances, and unconditional love. Every corner radiated the dedication of the staff and volunteers who worked around the clock to provide a haven for dogs in need, as well as a testament to Ryder's commitment to making a positive impact on the animals and his community.
He introduced me to the staff, and I spoke with them about their work. When he stepped aside to go feed one of the newer pups, a couple college-aged volunteers gave me mischievous smiles.
“Now that he’s gone, we’ll give you the real scoop,” the guy promised. He told me he was a journalism major and hoped to do reporting, too, some day.
But he was only teasing. He and the other volunteer told me stories about how Ryder provided undivided attention to each pup during training sessions; stories about how gentle he was in teaching them commands, how patient he was...these were all things that showed me a new side to him –a compassionate and caring side.
He came back and we continued to go through the facility. When the tour ended, he turned to me with a soft smile. "So, did I convince you this is meaningful work?"
"You didn't need to convince me. I can see how much you care. It's really inspiring."
He glanced at his watch. “Hate to cut this short. It’s time for my gym session.”
“Go ahead. You’ve given me plenty of your time already.”
Ryder gave me a close-lipped smile that would’ve given our secret away to the whole world if anyone was watching. “Feel free to hang around if you want. The staff is friendly and can answer all your questions. “
“I may go ahead and watch a few training sessions.”
“Mine or the dogs?”
“The dogs, of course.” I kept it light and playful. “I see you in the ring every day.” Not that I didn’t want to see more of him outside of the ring.
“See you later.” He gifted me with a normal goodbye as he headed out. A dog bark in the kennels down the hall snapped my mind back to the moment.
Time to get in more research on the facility and my mind temporarily off Ryder.
Chapter Six
RYDER
Idrove to Warrior’s Den after meeting with Ava at the dog shelter. I knew I should’ve been focusing on training for my upcoming match with O’Connor, but I couldn’t get her out of my mind.
The past sixteen hours with her were amazing. I’m no daydreamer. At least, I never thought I was until this point. My mind trailed back to when she was in my bed, moaning, with her eyes shut and her curly hair covering the pillows.
I replayed my conversations with her like some kid on his first date. I liked the way her eyes lit up this morning when I told her about the service dog program. I enjoyed the sound of her voice when she asked questions.
I grabbed my duffel bag from the trunk. I paused as I was about to head inside the gym. Clearly, this woman was all in my head. She got me to let down my guard. I never opened up to anyone like that before.
I couldn’t lie to myself. It stung when she drew a hard line between business and pleasure. I got why she did it. She had a solid work ethic. I respected the hell out of what she did to get where she was today. And I wanted to punch the asshole in the face who broke her heart. Good thing I didn’t know his name.
“Hey, Ryder.” Chris, the office manager, greeted me with a nod and fist bump as I checked in.
“Hey, man.” I saw him glance at the time on the computer screen. He knew I was usually here before the gym opened. “Let me get this training in and I’ll chat with you before lunch.”
“Okay. Let me know what you think of that new preworkout we got in stock yesterday.”
"Will do.” I went into the locker room to change into my shorts and shoes for a few rounds of sparring practice. Outside on the gym floor, a couple guys, including my coach, were taking turns throwing jabs at a speedbag.
“Where the heck have you been, man?” Cody Stone, my coach, announced my late arrival. “You missed warmups.”
“I was overdue for a visit to the dog shelter this morning.”
