Page 42 of Pugs & Kisses

E vie’s entire body ached as she climbed out of Bryson’s Jeep and followed him to his building’s elevator.

But the ache in her neck and back didn’t hold a candle to the one in her chest. Every dose of the monoclonal antibodies she’d administered this morning had felt like a shot to her own heart, because she knew with every dose, significant, expensive follow-up care would be needed.

Care the rescue could not provide without more funds.

They entered the condo and Evie burst into a jumbled mess of laughter and tears, the sight of Bella and Waffles sending her overwrought emotions past the breaking point.

“Hey, hey,” Bryson said, pulling her into a hug. “It’s okay, Ev.”

“Don’t mind me,” Evie said, swiping at her nose with her sleeve—his sleeve. “I’ve been on the verge of losing it for at least an hour. Something about seeing those two together sent me over the edge.” She pointed to the dogs. “I mean, just look at them.”

Bryson’s dog lay on Waffles’s back as if he were a pillow put there expressly for her.

Bryson huffed a laugh. “We’re lucky they get along so well.”

“We are.” Evie cocked her head to the side. “But they don’t seem like they’re boyfriend and girlfriend the way Ashanti and Thad’s dogs are. They get along more like siblings.”

“Bella is absolutely the frustrated older sister that tolerates the younger brother following her around.”

Evie held the sweatshirt out in front of her. “Do you have another one of these I can borrow? We can’t go near the dogs in these contaminated clothes.”

“I’ll grab a trash bag from the kitchen,” Bryson said. “Leave the clothes on the floor in my bedroom, and I’ll have another pair of joggers and sweatshirt for you when you get out of the shower.”

Evie took a quick shower. She was too exhausted to go through her normal washday routine, but she wasn’t willing to go near Waffles or Bella without washing her hair.

She lathered twice and rinsed, then when in front of the mirror, towel dried it as best she could.

She scooped her hair into a messy bun and secured it with the rubber band she’d grabbed at The Sanctuary.

She wrapped the towel around her chest and exited the bathroom.

Bryson stood at the foot of the bed, his chest bare.

“The shower’s all yours,” she said.

“I guess I wasn’t quick enough,” he said as he shucked off his pants and added them to the trash bag at his feet. He winked as he walked past her on his way to the en suite bathroom. “Next time, I’m joining you in the shower.”

“You’re always invited,” she called to him before he closed the door.

Evie spotted the jogger set folded on the edge of the bed. Sitting on top of it was the panties that Bryson’s house cleaner had found and added to his laundry. She slipped on the panties and the joggers, and heard the bathroom door opening as she pulled the sweatshirt over her head.

“That is so unfair,” Evie said to Bryson.

“What?”

“That you can shower in three minutes.”

“If you had been in there with me it would have taken me longer,” he said.

“I would hope so,” she said, unable to stop her smile. Evie blew out a sigh. “But now that I’m clean, I need to hug my dog.”

She went back into the living room and sat on the floor next to Waffles and Bella.

“How are they?” Bryson called from the bedroom.

“Still resting,” Evie called back. She rubbed Waffles on the head, not wanting to disturb Bella, who was still using her dog as a pillow.

“And looking as spoiled as ever,” Bryson said as he came into the room.

“In a way, I feel both grateful and guilty. I was able to rescue this one, but it just seems so unfair to all the other dogs I left at the rescue.”

Bryson sat opposite her. He lifted Bella from Waffles’s back and sat her in his lap.

“You can’t adopt them all, Ev,” Bryson said. “I know today was hard, but look at all the dogs we saved. We didn’t lose a single one. That counts for something.”

She sighed. “I know. I just wish I could have done more. I wish I could save their home. What’s the good in saving them this morning if they have to be shipped out to a kill shelter in a few days?”

“That won’t happen. I will personally knock on strangers’ doors and beg them to take the dogs first.”

“Oh, that’s a feasible plan,” she said with a sardonic laugh.

“I’ll offer free vet care for the first year of their lives. House calls.”

“Oh, really? World-renowned veterinary surgeon Dr. Bryson Mitchell turned mobile vet. You can ask Sally’s for the name of the guy who built their food truck.”

“That’s not a bad idea. The world needs more mobile vets,” Bryson said, leaning forward and kissing her.

“If that’s the case, maybe I should go talk to Sally’s,” Evie said. “Operation Rescue the Rescue was my excuse for not looking for a new job.”

“I have no doubt that someone will scoop you up as soon as word gets out that you’re looking to join a new practice,” Bryson said.

“I knew you were going to be a great veterinarian back when we volunteered together, but seeing you in action today confirmed it. You are damn good at your job. Whatever you decide to do once this business with The Sanctuary is done, you’re going to be amazing at it, Ev. ”

A fresh set of tears trailed down her face. Evie didn’t realize how much she needed to hear those words. She didn’t realize how long it had been since she’d received praise from someone other than Ashanti for the work she did.

Bryson leaned forward and used his thumbs to wipe at the tears on her cheeks.

“Will everything make you cry today?” he asked.

“Not everything, but when you say something like that, what do you expect?”

He grinned. “It’ll all be okay, Ev.”

She gave Waffles a kiss on the head, then stood. “It’ll be even better once I’ve changed into clothes that actually fit me. Not that I don’t appreciate yours, but…”

“I think you look cute,” Bryson said. “But maybe I just like seeing you in my clothes.”

She tipped her head to the side. “What about out of your clothes?”

The flash of heat that entered his eyes said it all. Evie felt it on her skin.

He stood and walked over to her, clamping his palms on her hips.

“If I didn’t have patients to check on at the hospital, I would show you just how much I like seeing you out of my clothes.

” He gave her a swift but deep kiss. “Why don’t I bring you and the dogs to your place?

You can nap while I go to the hospital. Then we can go out for breakfast.” He looked at his watch and grimaced. “Lunch.”

“That sounds perfect,” Evie said.

When they arrived at her house, Evie headed straight for her bed. She’d been running on adrenaline all morning, but now that the parvo crisis was over, she was exhausted. She took off Bryson’s clothes and slipped under the covers in only her underwear.

She woke two hours later. Bryson had sent a message an hour ago, letting her know that the puppies were doing well but that an emergency ruptured gallbladder had come in.

He’d sent another text telling her that he was done with the surgery and would be back at her place by one. She’d slept through them all.

Evie grabbed Bryson’s sweatshirt from the floor and pulled it over her head.

She then dragged herself to the bathroom so she could tackle her hair.

But first she allowed herself to have the good, cleansing cry she’d been wanting to have all morning.

Knowing she wouldn’t be able to save The Sanctuary ate away at her very soul.

She wanted it so bad. She needed it. Those animals needed it.

When she thought about the tens of thousands of dollars her mother spent on that party last night—something that lasted a few hours and was now over—it made her physically sick.

The people who were there last night could save The Sanctuary with the change found between the cushions of their Italian leather sofas.

“Maybe we should give the rescue a cute name like Barkingham Palace. People like Bianca Taylor would throw money at it.”

She froze.

“Don’t get too excited,” Evie warned.

She’d gotten herself worked up over ideas before, only for them to fall flat. Or worse, to have some catastrophe ruin everything. Granted, none of those past ideas were this good.

But could she pull this off in such a short amount of time? Bryson would think she’d lost her mind.

“Fuck it. I’ll do it myself if I have to.”

But she wouldn’t have to. Bryson would not sit back while she did this alone. He’d stuck by her side throughout this entire process when others would have told her The Sanctuary was a lost cause.

She heard her phone ringing. She turned off her flat iron— her hair would have to wait—and went into the bedroom to answer it.

It was Bryson.

“Hey,” Evie answered.

“Hey, I’m at the door. Wanna let me in?”

“I’m not fully dressed,” Evie said. “Give me two minutes.”

She quickly put on a bra and threw on the cotton T-shirt dress she kept on a hook behind the closet door.

Waffles and Bella both followed her to the front door.

Bryson was smiling when she opened it, but his smile quickly dropped.

“What’s wrong?” Evie asked, sticking out her leg to prevent Waffles from escaping.

“You said you weren’t dressed.” He gestured to her. “I was hoping you’d answer the door wearing less clothes.”

“Oh, sure, because my neighbors totally want to see me answering the door half naked,” she said.

“I’m sure they dream about it on the daily.”

She rolled her eyes. “Get in here.”

As he told her about the emergency surgery he’d had to perform, Evie thought about the best way to approach him with her plan. She decided feeding him first was a better idea. People were always more agreeable on a full stomach.

“Are you ready for some food?” Evie asked. “There’s a little café not too far from here that serves sandwiches and salads. Why don’t you let me buy you lunch?”

And convince you to help me pull off the most outrageous fundraiser ever.