Page 108 of The Ampersand Effect

“The owl she rescued? Yeah. Any progress?”

“Yes, but Grant and I are worried she’s gotten too attached. It’s going to be a hard day when she has to release it. I wish there were camps or programs where she could interact with animals… without bringing them home.”

Tobin stopped dead in her tracks.

Grier effortlessly mirrored the abrupt stop, confidently pivoting on one foot to face her as the crowd flowed around them. She raised an eyebrow, sipping her smoothie with a speculative look.

Tobin’s gaze dipped to Grier’s mouth.

She was definitely tonguing that straw on purpose—whether to torment her or just enjoy watching her squirm, Tobin couldn’t tell—and Tobin allowed herself a brief moment of indulgence before her brain caught up with Grier’s words.

Her eyes snapped back up to meet the gleam of curiosity in Grier’s.

She placed her hands on Grier’s shoulders—careful not to spill her smoothie—so excited she could barely contain the words before they came tumbling out.

“Grier!”

She pulled Grier into a bear hug, lifting her off the ground and spinning her in excitement.

“You’re a genius!”

Grier giggled in her arms, letting her body melt into Tobin’s as they spun. When Tobin set her down, she bent back to take in Grier’s delighted face.

“A beautiful, brilliant—sexy—genius!”

“I’m not one to deflect a compliment,” Grier replied, pressing a quick, chilled kiss to Tobin’s lips. “But care to explain this particular instance of my superior intelligence?”

Tobin laughed. “I think you—we—just solved both of our problems.”

Then she leaned in and kissed Grier deeply, one hand sliding to the back of her neck—forgetting she still held her smoothie in the other. Grier squeaked at the sudden chill but pressed in closer, intensifying the kiss and thrilling Tobin even more.

Breaking the kiss, Tobin laced their fingers and tugged Grier along, already walking determinedly back toward the Fetch a Friend booth.

“The rescue is struggling,” she called back over her shoulder.

Grier’s brows pulled together in confusion, but she kept pace with Tobin’s excitement. “If we can convince Anchor to do a kids’ camp, we can helpbothof them. Delta gets animals she can’t bring home, and Anchor gets income and help at the kennels. It’s win-win!”

Tobin risked another look back at Grier as she hurriedly wound her way through the crowd, and saw her raise her eyebrows as she contemplated the suggestion.

“That’s actually not a bad idea.”

“Right? It’s not a permanent solution, but it might literally buy the rescue another month or two—enough time to find a more sustainable source of income.”

Tobin was rattling through scenarios and explanations in her mind, preparing a mental pitch for Anchor as they approached the booth.

Even a single camp this summer could make a difference. They could charge families a modest fee, enough to help Anchor quiet some of her creditors. It would introduce more kids—and by extension, more families—to the rescue. Maybe they’d find forever homes for a few of their current dogs. Maybe they’d spark long-term relationships with volunteers or donors.

It was a start. And right now, that mattered.

When they reached the Fetch a Friend booth, both were out of breath, heaving with excitement—and their hands were still entwined.

Devon hadn’t moved from her seat at the table, but her expression had shifted. She was squinting at Tobin’s disheveled appearance, the curious twitch of her lips deepening as her eyes flicked to their clasped hands.

“You missed me so much you had to literally run back to tell me?” Devon quipped, her eyes ping-ponging between Tobin and Grier, the corners of her mouth twitching with poorly concealed amusement.

Anchor approached the table before Tobin could deliver the snarky comeback dancing on the tip of her tongue.

“Tobin? What’s going on? Are you okay?” “Camps,” Tobin panted, still catching her breath.