Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 133849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 535(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 535(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
“That is a woman who knows how to protect herself,” Josh said 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 catches things 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 to learn 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 quilt of people in charge. You’re not even open at all on Tuesdays or Thursdays or Sundays. The city’s animal services are terrible. I can run the shelter during daytime 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,” Josh complained.
“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 love feeding the chickens your mom keeps and getting eggs for our breakfast. I loved working with Grim to make sure those puppies are healthy. My almost degree was in 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 you need me and I’ll be there. Josh is jealous because he thought he would get to have 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 way with you.”
Josh leaned against her. “That’s a pretty accurate representation of how I feel.”
Her lips kicked up in a sexy grin. “I’m right down the block. He can walk if he wants to see me, and I’m going to have a perfectly nice office. Once I show your mom, she’ll trick it out for me.” Her smile went wide. “Did I mention how much I like having a mom? It’s one of the world’s great experiences. How did I get along without an older woman to advise and coddle me?”
Josh chuckled and turned to his pie. “You say that now. You should have been around when Grim and I were sixteen and got caught drinking beer by the back pond.”
The memory was oddly sweet since it was the first time he’d realized he could screw up and Abby would forgive him. “She verbally tore a strip off our hides. And then we all sat down to dinner and Olivia kept asking us what beer we would pair with Mom’s pot roast.”
“Olivia was there,” Josh grumbled. “Literally sitting beside us, but she took off before Pops found us so she got away with it. Our sister is a vicious brat, and I don’t envy the man who has to take her on.”
“Men,” Nicole replied with a laugh. “Olivia promises me she’s finding two men to settle down with, and she won’t accept less. So I have the job?”
Grim sat back. “It’s yours, baby.”
She started to chat about all the things she planned to do and Grim ate his pie, perfectly happy with how the night had gone.
* * * *
Josh parked the SUV and wished the night didn’t have to end.
Despite all the crap that had gone down at the café, he wouldn’t change it. Yes, he’d still wanted to fire Alyssa, but Nicole seemed to be having none of it, and he knew when to back off. But that didn’t mean he wouldn’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 very shaky… I mean, we’re sure it’s a dog, right? It could be a large rodent,” Josh teased.
Nicole wrinkled her nose at him. “Mean, Joshua Barnes-Fleetwood. My new baby is a sweet puppy.”
“I mean I wouldn’t call him a puppy,” Grim argued and then managed to avoid the playful slap that came his way from Nic. “Not because he’s not a dog. He is. I checked and everything, but he’s at least three years old. You can tell by the teeth.”
“You guys have to be nice to Buddy.” Nicole sat in the back seat with Buddy’s crate, though the dog was still asleep and would be for hours according to Grim. In the morning they would start letting him get used to being around the family. “And no. I didn’t call your mom. Do you think she’s going to be mad?”