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.He’d felt certain he wouldn’t be able to sell himself as a good fit for this kind of work, and that the animals wouldn’t like him, and that Brittany’s friend would fire him on the first day.Now, eight days later, David no longer needed to set his alarm clock to wake up in the morning.When he went home to his motel room each night, his body hurt all over, not to mention he stank to high heaven, but for the first time in ages he was sleeping fully through the night, even with the noise from the other motel patrons and the Interstate so close by.He’d seen the dark-haired motel guest in passing one more time, last evening.Last night, though, David had been so exhausted he could barely keep his eyes open, and so he hadn’t dwelled or freaked out over the way his pulse had raced when the guy had nodded at him briefly again.David had blushed and offered a small wave in return, but then ducked into his room and fallen into bed, into a deep sleep.With the back side of the sanctuary upon them, David gently commanded Brucie and Tippy to halt and sit.Both dogs immediately complied.He rang the buzzer to be let in, and the gate clicked open.After pushing the chain-link fencing all the way open, David let the dogs in first, then slipped through and pulled the gate firmly closed.As David walked the dogs to their respective kennels—good-sized runs that had half the living area outside and half inside—he nodded at another shelter employee while promising the other barking dogs he would eventually take all of them outside for exercise and play.Right then Erin, the owner of the shelter, moved into step beside David.“It’s nice to see you like this.” For such a petite woman, with such a soft voice, her tone always held amazing command.“I think it’s the first time I’ve seen you truly relaxed since you started working here.” When they reached Brucie’s kennel, she crossed her arms under her breasts and stared up at him.“Maybe the first time I’ve seen you hold your head up and make eye contact with someone for more than two seconds too.”The hairs on the back of David’s neck tickled and rose, and he fought the urge to drop his attention to the dogs.He couldn’t control his mouth turning dry as a bone.“I guess I was nervous at first.” He busied himself with fumbling to open the kennel door.“Sorry.”“No need to apologize.And no need to be nervous around here, either.” Taking hold of the kennel gate, Erin lifted it so it didn’t drag on the concrete, swung it open for David, and grabbed Tippy’s leash.David entered the kennel with Brucie, but his heart raced erratically.He could feel Erin watching him, judging his every move, and boring a hole through the back of his head with her stare.From outside the kennel, Erin added, “As long as the animals like you, and you don’t hurt them, and you do the jobs I give you each day, then I’m the sweetest peach in the barrel.” The moment David turned around, she made eye contact through the chain link, and she looked deadlier than the warden who’d made clear to David there would be “no problems or trouble tolerated” under his watch up in the Pensacola prison.“Mess with me, my animals, or my shelter, though,” Erin went on, “and I’ll turn sour on you faster than milk left sitting out in the July sun.”David reared.“No…I never…” Oh God, no.When the truth hit him, David’s heart stopped.I was locked up.From now on, people are always going to think I might become violent.Even against animals.Bile rose with bitter acidity in David’s throat, and he barely suppressed the urge to gag.God, I would never harm anyone or anything here.Heat burned straight through David, but somehow he managed to keep looking Erin in the eyes.“I know it might be hard for you to believe so easily right now, but I wouldn’t hurt any of the animals.” David’s throat hurt; everything in him told him to look away, but he held Erin’s gaze and admitted, “I like being here.I want this job to work out more than anything.I swear.”As fast as Erin had put David in her crosshairs, she smiled.“Good.We like having you here too.” She then beckoned David out of the cage, handed Tippy’s leash back to him, and instructed, “Now give the rest of the dogs their workout, and you can head home after that.” In a backward jog, she waved as she got farther away.“I’m off to pick up a pair of rabbits someone likely thought would be a cute idea to give their kids for Easter.”Not sure whether to grin back or slump against the kennel, David stood like a statue.“Bye.”Erin waved once more and then high-fived a wiry, compact, sandy-haired teenager coming around the corner from the direction she headed.The young guy, Sam, jogged David’s way.“Hey, man.” As he crouched to pet Tippy, he asked, “You want a ride part of the way home later?”What? For a good half a minute, David’s mouth gaped.After Sam gave him the side eye, David mentally kicked his butt into gear.“Are you sure?” Other than Erin, nobody had given David more than a cursory greeting since he’d started.“I-I-I don’t want to put you out.”Sam popped back to his feet and strode to a hall that led to where the cats were housed.“I overheard you mention to Erin the other day that you’re living at the Parkway.Right?”“Yes.” Kicked further into action, David trotted Tippy to her kennel, adjacent to where Sam stood.“Heading west, it’s off the Interstate.”Sam nodded.“I think I know it.I’m pretty sure I can get you a little closer than the bus will drop you off before I have to make a turn that takes me home.I don’t mind.I have a few more things to do too”—Sam glanced at his watch—“but I think we’ll be done around the same time.”Still hardly able to speak, David sputtered, “Okay.” He shot out his hand.“Thank you.”Rather than shake on it, Sam gave David a low-five hand smack.“No problem.I’ll meet you out front in a couple of hours.”“Okay.” As Sam disappeared down the corridor, David called out, “Thanks again.”David stood in place afterward, smiling and confused as hell, until a Great Dane puppy barked loudly, demanding his time outside to run, and pulled David’s attention back to work.* * * *As Sam pulled onto the side of the road and stopped his truck, he said, “Don’t worry about Erin and her ball-busting comments about not messing with the shelter.”Fuck.David stalled with his fingers gripped around the door handle; the blood drained out of his face.Sam added, “No, it’s cool, man.Don’t worry.I heard Erin give you the ‘don’t mess with me or my animals’ speech.She said something similar to me when I started working there too.I’m guessing she gives a version of it to everybody.I don’t think it’s… I don’t…” Sam cursed softly, and red slashed his cheeks.“It’s just… Look, I don’t think she said it because you were in prison.When she said what she did, you kind of looked like someone had shot you, and so I figured you probably thought it was because of that.It’s not.”Inside David’s head, a voice screamed, Goddamn it, why can’t everyone forget who I am! but he smothered the self-pity before it could escape his mouth.“It’s not a big deal.I have to get used to it.It’s part of my life now.”“Sorry.” Frowning, Sam fiddled with the steering wheel.“I shouldn’t have brought it up.”Crap.Now I’m making strangers uncomfortable.“No, I shouldn’t be so sensitive about it.Anyway…” David popped the door open and jumped out of the truck.“Thanks for the ride.”“No problem.Hey!” Sam stretched across the seat, held the door open, and looked up at David from a leaning position.“Whenever we’re working the same schedule, I’d be happy to drop you here on my way home.”For a split second, David stood up straighter.He almost said, Thank you [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]