continuing to smile at Beck.
“Can I ask you something?” I waved my hands dry.
“You can ask.” He tilted his head flirtatiously. “Maybe I’ll answer.”
“How old are you?”
That got me an eyeroll. “How old do you think?”
“I don’t know. That’s why I’m asking. I hope you’re out of high school.”
“I’m twenty.” He huffed unhappily. “But I don’t blame you for thinking I’m younger. You wouldn’t believe how many cops think I’m truant.”
Not legal drinking age. “What about your friend?”
“Callie?” His eyes held a playful challenge. “She’s three and a half.”
Cooper snorted. “Your other friend.”
“His name is Tug.”
“Tug?” I asked. “Like tug-of-war?”
“Exactly.”
I tried not to let my reaction show. “How old is he?”
“Twenty-five.” Beck’s eyes dared me to question this.
“How long have you guys been living rough?” Cooper asked.
“A while.”
“How long is a while? A few months? A year?”
“A while,” Beck said evasively. “What is this? Why do you want to know?”
“Just trying to get to know you, Beck.” I gestured toward the ground beside Callie. “Can I sit?”
Beck lifted a shoulder. “Suit yourself. But if this is the part where the town fathers ask us to move on, just get to the point.”
“It’s not.” Cooper sat on the wall behind us. “No one wants you gone.”
I gestured to myself and Cooper. “We only want to know if there’s anything we can do to help you.”
“You already helped with Callie. Tug and I are fine.”
“I’m sure.” There was a bedroll on Beck’s backpack. If he and Tug had a tent, I hadn’t seen it. “But maybe you need a roof over your head.”
“Is that so?” He took a breath to say more, but right then Tug came back with pizza on a paper plate and another bottle.
“Got you a couple slices, babe.”
“Thanks.” Tug took the pizza and folded it like a New Yorker before stuffing the tip into Beck’s mouth. What the hell? That was the second time Tug had hand-fed Beck like a goddamn baby deer. I got why Beck maybe didn’t want to get his hands dirty while he was playing, but he’d put his instrument away now, and he could eat on his own.
I found it weird and distasteful, but fucking hell…I wanted to be the guy feeding Beck, which made me queasy and got me hot at the same time. This was so wrong.
Beck chewed thoughtfully and then took the plate and the pizza from Tug. “S’good. Thanks. But go get some chicken for Callie, please.”
“I will,” Tug murmured. “You eat up, and I’ll go back for chicken and maybe find us some dessert.”
My heart raced so guiltily I made myself turn away until Callie stood and sniffed at Beck’s pizza eagerly.
He held her back. “Not for Callie.”
Unhappily, she collapsed on his lap. He absently stroked her ears while he ate the rest of his pizza. Eventually Tug turned his focus on me and Cooper.
“You guys need something? This isn’t a zoo.”
“Don’t.” Beck shifted away from him. “This is the vet I told you about. He checked Callie over this morning. They just stopped by to say hello.”
Tug’s gaze traveled over me and then Cooper. He turned back to me. “Sure.”
“What?” I snapped at him.
“Nothing.” Tug leaned against the wall and pulled the cap off whatever was in tonight’s brown-bag bottle. “You shouldn’t trust do-gooders, Beck. It never ends well.”
“It’s my job to look after animals here,” I said.
“Sure it is. You just give everyone free exams all the time.” Tug had some kind of grudge; that much was obvious. And nothing to do with me.
“Let’s go.” I guessed Cooper decided an argument was not worth his time. He got to his feet.
“Stop by tomorrow for the test results. If she’s good to go, we’ll get some flea, tick, and heartworm samples for you.” I let Tug warn me off for the time being.
“Thanks, Dr. Lindy.” Beck’s gratitude wasn’t effusive, but at least it wasn’t the outright hostility I was drawing from Tug. What kind of name was that anyway? Who called themselves Tug?
“Have a good night.” Cooper took off toward the cantina, and I followed.
“I don’t like that dynamic.” I glanced over my shoulder and found Tug glaring back.
“Judgy much?”
“Me or him?” I hoped Cooper was joking. “You saw how he takes Beck’s cash and brings back whatever he sees fit. Two pieces of pizza? That’s not enough for a twenty-year old male. Are they even getting vegetables? A piece of fruit?”
Cooper laughed at me. “They’re kids. They’re probably living off the food of love.”
That irritated me