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Alyssa turned to Grim. “Also, I just got the cutest poodleand she’s so sweet, and I don’t want to have to drive her into Tyler forcheckups.”
At least he had some value. “Bring her by the shelter andI’ll check her out.”
“Are we okay, Nicole?” Alyssa asked. “I know I’m a bitch,but I do feel bad about saying those things. Especially when I think aboutthose Crocs. You don’t have any other shoes, do you?”
“How about you stop at I’m sorry and I’ll tell you I acceptyour apology and will ensure that Josh doesn’t visit his vengeance upon you,”Nicole replied dryly.
Alyssa’s smile brightened. “Oh, that works. I like my job.There aren’t a lot of places to work around here, and I didn’t like the city.The people there are… Well, I didn’t get along real well with them. I belonghere, so I need my job until I lock down a man. Though my momma says Ishouldn’t trust any man to take care of me the rest of my life. Mostly becauseDaddy is married to a woman who’s only a couple of years older than me now. Irefuse to call her Mom. I remember her from high school.”
“Alyssa, is there anything else you need now that we’veeffectively put a leash around Josh’s inner beast?” Grim was getting annoyedbecause he wanted to be alone with Nic again.
Alyssa shrugged. “No. I’m good now. I’ll bring Brit Brit by next week. See y’all at work.”
“That is a woman who knows how to protect herself,” Joshsaid with a frown. “I still think it would be better if I could fire her.”
“Is she bad at her job?” Nicole asked.
Grim didn’t care, but this was Nicole’s choice.
“No,” Josh admitted. “She’s a good accountant. She catchesthings other people miss. But I don’t like her being around you.”
“Well then I won’t be around her since I think I’m going tolearn how to run the shelter,” she announced.
That took Grim off guard. “You want to run the shelter?”
“From what I can tell right now you’ve got a patchwork quiltof people in charge. You’re not even open at all on Tuesdays or Thursdays orSundays. The city’s animal services are terrible. I can run the shelter duringdaytime hours, and we have volunteers and the paid employees covering the rest.I can talk Abby into helping me fundraise. I can do this.”
“I thought you were coming to work with me,” Joshcomplained.
“Babe, I think your family has ruined me for nine to five,sit at a desk all day office work,” she admitted as she picked up her fork.“Turns out I love waking up early and helping your dads with the horses. I lovefeeding the chickens your mom keeps and getting eggs for our breakfast. I lovedworking with Grim to make sure those puppies are healthy. My almost degree wasin business. I can run it. I can do it.”
Grim reached out a hand, covering hers. “We know you can,and I’m more than happy to turn it all over to you. Tell me when and where youneed me and I’ll be there. Josh is jealous because he thought he would get tohave you around all day. He was thinking that once we prove you can trust us,he could haul you into his office a couple of times a week and have his waywith you.”
Josh leaned against her. “That’s a pretty accuraterepresentation of how I feel.”
Her lips kicked up in a sexy grin. “I’m right down theblock. He can walk if he wants to see me, and I’m going to have a perfectlynice office. Once I show your mom, she’ll trick it out for me.” Her smile wentwide. “Did I mention how much I like having a mom? It’s one of the world’sgreat experiences. How did I get along without an older woman to advise andcoddle me?”
Josh chuckled and turned to his pie. “You say that now. Youshould have been around when Grim and I were sixteen and got caught drinkingbeer by the back pond.”
The memory was oddly sweet since it was the first time he’drealized he could screw up and Abby would forgive him. “She verbally tore astrip off our hides. And then we all sat down to dinner and Olivia kept askingus what beer we would pair with Mom’s pot roast.”
“Olivia was there,” Josh grumbled. “Literally sitting besideus, but she took off before Pops found us so she got away with it. Our sisteris a vicious brat, and I don’t envy the man who has to take her on.”
“Men,” Nicole replied with a laugh. “Olivia promises meshe’s finding two men to settle down with, and she won’t accept less. So I havethe job?”
Grim sat back. “It’s yours, baby.”
She started to chat about all the things she planned to doand Grim ate his pie, perfectly happy with how the night had gone.
* * * *
Josh parked the SUV and wished the night didn’t haveto end.
Despite all the crap that had gone down at the café, hewouldn’t change it. Yes, he’d still wanted to fire Alyssa, but Nicole seemed tobe having none of it, and he knew when to back off. But that didn’t mean hewouldn’t watch her.
“We’ll help you get Buddy up into your room,” Grim offered.
“Did anyone call and tell Mom we’re bringing home a veryshaky… I mean, we’re sure it’s a dog, right? It could be a large rodent,” Joshteased.
