Page 14 of Pugs & Kisses

A news chopper flying overhead drowned out Bryson’s response, but Evie had always been good at reading lips.

Especially his. She’d spent an entire summer suppressing the urge to burst out laughing at the silly comments he would mouth as Dr. Landry explained the procedures he was performing on rescues at The Sanctuary. Among other things.

Yeah, she had intimate knowledge of Bryson Mitchell’s lips.

Once the chopper flew past them, Evie answered the question he’d choked out.

“Yes, I am serious,” she said. “I no longer work at Maple Street Animal Clinic.”

Based on the way his forehead creased, it looked as if he was having a hard time processing her statement. That made two of them. She still had not fully grasped that she would no longer work here either.

But Evie was having just as difficult a time processing the fact that Bryson was standing in front of her. He started to speak, but she held up a hand.

“Before you ask another question, I need you to provide some answers. What are you doing here? And by here I mean in New Orleans?” She gestured to his clothing. “And why are you wearing scrubs? I assumed you’d flown back to Raleigh after your presentation Saturday night.”

His brow arched in surprise.

“What? You think I don’t know that you live in Raleigh?” Evie said with a laugh. She may not have had contact with him for the past eight years, but she had googled him once or twice.

Okay, fine. She’d lost count of the number of times she’d looked him up over the years. Scores of veterinarians probably did the same. His research was some of the most exciting to happen in their industry in decades.

Yeah, you looked him up because of his research.

“I no longer live in Raleigh,” Bryson said. He gestured to his clothes. “And I’m dressed this way because I came straight from my new job at the surgical hospital in Metairie.”

Evie tried to close her mouth, but she would have had an easier time running a full marathon backward. She could not have heard what she thought she heard.

“Excuse me? Your new job where?”

His phone rang. He grabbed it from the back pocket of his scrubs.

“That’s Odessa,” Bryson said before swiping across the screen and answering. “Hey, Odessa, tell Doc I’m on my way. I’m with Evie now.” He glanced at her. “Give us another fifteen minutes.”

Evie shook her head, as if that would help to clear the jumbled mess crowding it.

“Bryson, what is this new job? And what’s happening in fifteen minutes? What is going on?”

“I can take Bella,” Bryson said, reaching for the dog carrier.

“I’ve got the dog,” Evie said. She held up the carrier. The adorable papillon staring back at her was the exact opposite of the kind of dog she would expect him to own. “Hi, Bella, I’m Evie,” she said. She returned her attention to Bryson. “Start explaining, please.”

“Are you holding my dog hostage?” Bryson asked, a hint of amusement coloring his voice.

“Maybe,” Evie said. “Now, answer my questions.”

The left side of his mouth tilted up and Evie was immediately catapulted back to that summer she’d spent staring at that smile. She shut the door on the memories. She was not going there.

“Well?” she prompted.

“To give you the short-and-sweet version, I’m the new surgeon on staff at the Animal Surgical Center of Southeast Louisiana.

And, if you have time, Doc needs us at The Sanctuary in fifteen minutes.

” He held up his hands. “Don’t ask me what it’s about because I don’t know.

Odessa called as I was leaving the hospital.

She said Doc has been trying to get in touch with you, but his call keeps going to voicemail. ”

Evie frowned. “I have my phone on do not disturb,” she said. Only the people in her favorites could get through to her. “And you don’t know what Doc wants?”

Bryson shook his head.

“Did he—” she started, but the sight of a Mercedes-Benz turning into the driveway that ran alongside the clinic put a halt to her words.

“Shit, that’s Cameron,” Evie said. “I wanted to be gone before he got back.” She handed Bryson the dog carrier. “I need to get my dog from the daycare in another forty-five minutes. Hopefully whatever Doc needs won’t take too long.”

“I’ll meet you there,” Bryson said.

The Sanctuary was less than a ten-minute drive from the clinic. She caught sight of the gray Jeep Bryson had driven off in and parked her SUV at the curb in front of the nondescript building next to The Sanctuary.

Bryson was waiting at the entrance. With the dog carrier in his left hand, he used the other to open the door for her.

“Thank you,” Evie said.

Odessa stood from behind her desk when they entered. She didn’t look in distress, which Evie took as a good sign.

“Is everything okay with Doc?” Evie asked.

“I already told this one here that Doc is fine,” Odessa said, hooking a thumb toward Bryson. “There’s been a few… developments,” she said. “He just wants to discuss them with the two of you. He’s in his office.”

Evie led the way to Doc’s office, which was at the very end of the hallway, at the back of the building. Bryson remained a couple of feet behind her, but it didn’t stop her from feeling his nearness on her skin.

She rapped on the closed office door.

“Doc?” Evie called.

The door instantly swung open, as if Doc had been standing there waiting for them.

“Hey, hey! Come in!” he said, waving Evie and Bryson inside. He gestured at the dog carrier. “Who’s this?”

“This is Bella, the most spoiled papillon you’ll ever meet,” Bryson said.

“Well, let her out of that cage,” Doc said. “She needs to run around.”

“She’s fine,” Bryson said. “She’s had a full day today. She’ll be snoring in about three minutes.” He set Bella’s carrier on the floor and perched against the edge of Doc’s crowded desk. “What’s going on, Doc? Why did you call us here?”

Evie tried valiantly not to stare at the way the corded muscles in Bryson’s arms flexed as he folded them across his chest. It didn’t work.

She turned her focus to Doc, whose expression had darkened considerably since his jovial greeting. Something was definitely off here.

“What’s wrong?” Evie asked. “Are you sick?”

“I’m fine,” Doc said. He let out a sigh. “It’s the rescue that’s in trouble.”

“The Sanctuary?” Evie and Bryson asked simultaneously.

“You asked about the mentorship program the other day, Evie,” Doc said. “The truth is, the program hasn’t been in operation for more than a year.”

Evie’s hand flew to her chest. “Doc! Have you been handling the workload here by yourself?”

He nodded.

“Why didn’t you say anything before now?” Bryson asked.

“Stubbornness, if you ask Odessa,” Doc said. “Honestly, I thought I could turn things around on my own. I’ve been applying for grants, and I dipped into my retirement.”

“Doc!” Evie said again.

“You’ve been funding this place on your own?” Bryson asked.

Doc responded to their concern with a dismissive wave.

“I’m fine. What am I going to do with the money?

It’s not as if I have family to pass it on to,” he said.

“These pets are my family. But it’s not enough, and as much as I don’t like to think about it, I’m getting old. I can’t do this on my own.”

“You shouldn’t have to,” Evie said.

Guilt engulfed her. She’d neglected The Sanctuary over the past year. She’d assumed all was going just fine but hadn’t bothered to check in on Doc or the rescue.

“I’m sorry for not being here for you,” Evie said.

“It’s not your—” Bryson said.

“There’s no need for—” Doc said.

Evie stopped them both, holding up a hand. “I should have been here,” she reiterated. “I’m sorry I haven’t been, but I am now. What do you need from me, Doc? I happen to be between jobs right now, so if you need to restart the mentorship program, I’m willing to lend a hand.”

Doc shook his head. “Eventually. Maybe. But that would come later. With the increasing cost of food and medicine, I’m more concerned with keeping the doors open,” Doc said.

He looked to Evie, then to Bryson. “I asked the two of you to come in today because I’m hoping you can help come up with a way to save The Sanctuary.

Based on where things stand right now, we have enough to operate for another two months, maybe three if Odessa figures out a way to stretch the budget. Do you think you can do that?”

The two of them? As in her and Bryson? As in her working with Bryson?

“I know you’re still settling in, Bryson, but—” Doc started.

“I’m good,” Bryson cut him off. “I can handle it. What about you, Ev? Are you in?”

“I—” She looked to Bryson, then quickly averted her eyes, focusing on Doc. “I have to think about it,” Evie said. She immediately felt like a filthy rock at the bottom of a scum-filled pond. But how else was she expected to react to the thought of working alongside Bryson?

“I understand,” Doc said. “It’s a big commitment. And you all lead busy lives.”

She wasn’t imagining the disappointment she heard in Doc’s voice. She felt even worse.

“I’m sorry, but I need to pick up Waffles,” Evie said. “He’s been at doggy daycare all day.”

She stood and chanced a glance at Bryson. There was disappointment on his face, too, but it was accompanied by something else. Something closer to annoyance.

The fucking nerve of him. He steps back into her life after eight years and has the audacity to be annoyed that she wants to take a minute to process all of this? The fucking nerve!

“I’ll be in touch, Doc,” Evie said before leaving the office.

She didn’t know what she was going to do, but one thing she would not do was allow herself to be rushed into this. She had been through too much in only one week’s time. She would not commit to working alongside Bryson Mitchell unless she was sure she could handle it.

If she would ever be able to handle it.