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“You almost off?” Asher asked.

“Another thirty minutes,” I said. “Do you have to…? Are your…?” I knew nothing about Asher, but my online counterpart did and if I asked him the wrong question now, he’d know we weren’t the same person.That’s a good thing, Wren. He needs toknow.

“My parents won’t care,” he filled in for me.

“Right. Cool.”

“I do have to grab my brother at five, though, so maybe you can do that with us before we get that coffee?”

Right, I had asked him out for coffee. “With you and Dale? You drove together?”Again?

“Yes, we did. Dale doesn’t…well, you know.”

I had no idea. Didn’t what? Get his hands dirty? “Right.”

Erin walked briskly by the row where Asher and I stood and then was gone.

“That’s my boss.” I rushed after her, Asher followed. “Erin!” I called out as she reached the door to the medical room.

She turned around, but I couldn’t read her expression.

“How did it go with the customer?”

“She was mad. I told her she’d be the first call if we received a similar dog in the future.”

“Sorry I couldn’t calm her down,” I said.

Erin smiled. “It’s okay. I think you like animals more than people sometimes.”

“Most of the time,” I assured her.

“Some customers are unreasonable. I wouldn’t have held a dog for two weeks without a deposit and paperwork either.” Her gaze turned to Asher. “Are you the famous volunteer?”

“I’ve only been here an hour, so probably not,” Asher said.

“If Bean likes you, you gain renown pretty quick around here,” she said.

“Oh, then yes, my picture should be up on the wall by end ofday.”

Erin laughed. “You should become a regular volunteer. We need someone Thursday afternoons.”

“Did Bean just hire me?”

“It doesn’t pay anything,” she said.

“Same as my last job. I’m in.” Just like that. Asher accepted just like that. Impulsive.

Erin chuckled as she let herself into the medical room.

“Are you trying to make everyone around here like you more than they like me?” I asked.

“That’s impossible.”

I bit the inside of my cheek. He didn’t know me. He knew Gemma or someone pretending to be her. Not me.

“What next?” he asked.

“I need to take pics of the new dogs to post on the Instagram page.” I headed for kennel C again.