Page 2 of Wishing for the Lumbersnack (Lumbersnacks of Appleridge #1)

CHAPTER TWO

Serafina

Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God.

I fanned myself with a brochure on the desk as I paced back and forth in the small lobby area.

Sure, good-looking men walked in here from time to time, but usually with a beautiful woman on their arm or children on their shoulders.

But not him. Not Deke.

He strutted in, not ashamed in any way that a big burly guy like him wanted to adopt a cat.

A tight button-down flannel shirt hugged his torso, the sleeves rolled up halfway, exposing taut, tatted forearms. I pictured both of his arms covered in ink up to the outline of his biceps and wondered what his washboard stomach looked like, igniting long hidden fantasies from deep inside my subconscious.

It had been a long time since I’d been with anyone and he awakened something inside me, something I didn’t want to think about only because I could never fulfill that aching need. At least, not how I wanted to.

But I need to focus. He was here to adopt, and I didn’t take that lightly.

I had a strict adoption process, nothing too crazy, but I wanted to ensure my kitties go to loving families.

Families that don’t give up when it gets hard or move and don’t bring their pets along or those that neglect.

I worked hard to ensure they had good homes, and I wanted to follow through on that promise to myself.

Ever since I was a little girl, other people intimidated me.

People my age, older, younger, boy or girl, it didn’t matter.

I often couldn’t find the words to express myself.

But animals brought me a sense of peace.

Especially cats. They were my favorite. Hence why I opened my rescue with the money left to me when my parents passed.

Both had died within a year of each other, my mother from cancer, and my father from a heart ache thought I’d bet money it was really from heartbreak.

After my mother died, he wasn’t the same. Neither was I.

“Okay, I think I found the one.” Deke walked out from the back room, his voice booming, a large, contagious smile stretched across his handsome face.

I took a moment to appreciate how handsome he was, from his deep-set brown eyes, his sexy, dark full beard, and hair with buzzed sides and longer hair on top.

He was too damn cute, and I white knuckled the sides of my desk with both hands as excitement zapped through me.

He had me feeling giddy inside, and I couldn’t have that.

“One of the black fluffy ones with a small white patch on their face.”

“Ah. That’s little Buggie. She’s sweet.”

“Buggie?” Deke chortled. “For some reason, I love it. And a girl, I knew it. I even bought a pink sparkly collar.”

Inside, I was swooning like a little girl dreaming about her Disney prince. This guy was unreal.

“She’ll love it.” I busy myself with putting together an adoption packet. “How’s Friday for the adoption meeting? Is that enough time to fill out the application?”

“Yes, shouldn’t be a problem. I work a half day on Fridays. I can be here by one?”

“Sounds good, Deke. Did you want to hold her before you go?” I asked, avoiding his eyes.

“I’d love to.”

He fell into step behind after I passed him by on the way to the back room. His eyes burned through me, my backside on fire, as if I were laying outside in the hot sun with no shirt on, my bare skin singed.

When I scooped Buggie from her cage and placed her in Deke’s arms, his entire face and body melted into a puddle of goo, and I melted right along with him.

He brought her up to his face and nuzzled her fluffy fur against his beard, the small kitten beginning to purr.

Swoon times infinity.

I was a goner.

Friday couldn’t come soon enough. I spent the next two days and nights thinking about him.

Thankfully, the days were busy and went by quickly, as a couple of new litters came in and needed a lot of care.

Becca, the woman I’ve hired to help, caught up on ordering supplies and various paperwork, along with cleaning the rescue center.

Back at my cabin, I cleaned and caught up on tasks I’ve ignored for way too long. It was as if my thoughts infused me with some sort of energy I didn’t know I possessed.

Finally, Friday morning arrived. I was more than ready to put myself out of my misery. Though I doubted it would help to see him again. I’ll only want him more.

The morning dragged on, but lunch came and went and so did the time, the clock on my desk reading ten past one. Deke was ten minutes late.

Another five minutes went by, then another and still no sign of him. My schedule was full this afternoon with two other meetings lined up and I couldn’t get behind on the first one already.

After fifteen minutes passed, I gave up on waiting and headed to the back to check on the cats and fill their water bowls.

The bells on the door chimed, and my body instantly reacted. Like an ice cube dropped down my shirt, my spine stiffened.

“Serafina? Hello?” Dekes voice called. The way my name rolled off his tongue had me squeezing my legs together in a desperate attempt for any type of friction.

“Back here!” I called, bracing myself for him walking through the door and me turning into a puddle of goo.

Jesus Sera, get ahold of yourself!

“Hey. I’m so sorry I’m late. Something came up at work and?—”

“Did you bring your paperwork?” I cut him off, wanting to get right to the point since we were already running behind.

Dekes face fell, and his mouth dropped open. “Shit! I knew I was forgetting something!”

My shoulders hunched forward. This guy was all over the place. How am I supposed to let him adopt a kitty when he couldn’t even make it to the meeting on time or remember his paperwork?

“Let me run home and grab it real fast.”

“I’m sorry, Deke, but I have another meeting soon. We can reschedule. How’s next Wednesday?”

“Next Wednesday? But I was hoping to bring her home today. I’ve got everything set up at home for her already.”

“But someone I haven’t even approved yet your application.”

“Why wouldn’t you?”

“I go through a vigorous screening process to make sure I place my cats in good homes. I’m not so sure you’re ready for pet ownership yet.”

“What? Because I’m a little late and forgot my paperwork? Please give me a chance. I’ll be a great caregiver and won’t ever give her away or back in a shelter. You have my word.”

“I’m sorry, but your word isn’t enough.”

“How about you come check out my home? We can have the meeting, go over all the paperwork, and you can see what set up I have. I’ll even get references, and I know the vet in town, so I’ll have him write a letter of recommendation.”

Deke looked so proud and cute at the same time. Maybe I should give him a chance and not so easily write him off.

As much as I wanted him out of here so I could stop fantasizing about him every five minutes, I couldn’t deny a kitty a good home. “Okay, okay, fine.”

“You’ll let me adopt?”

“I’ll take you up on the home visit. When?”

“How’s tonight? Six?”

“Okay. Don’t be late.”

“To my own house? Very funny. See you tonight.”