Wild Open Hearts (Bluewater Billionaires) - Kathryn Nolan Page 0,31

said. “Way back. You?”

“Same.”

Jimmy looked at Elián. “I’m actually the only law-abiding citizen that works at Lucky Dog,” Elián chuckled.

Jimmy grinned. “The straight man. I like it. So can we see the dogs or what?”

Elián and I walked Jimmy around the kennels, let him ask questions about our program and dog ownership in general. He’d grown up with dogs, loved them, and felt strongly that it was time for him to have one.

We stopped outside Beatrix’s cage—the giant, snarly bull mastiff. He liked her.

“She’s a big girl,” Jimmy said.

“She’d require a steady hand,” I said. “Firm training. But I think she’s a sweetheart beneath all that armor.”

“What excites you the most about owning a dog?” Elián asked him.

Jimmy tapped his fist on the gate. “I don’t know, man. I’m trying to find my way right now. Legally. I think it’d be real nice to work a nine-to-five and come home to a dog who didn’t think you were a piece of shit, you know?”

“Yeah, I know,” I said. Beatrix was wary in her corner but Jimmy didn’t seem bothered. They looked to be a match, at first glance, but I wasn’t so sure. We kept walking, Jimmy talking with me about bikes.

We finally reached Betty and Veronica, two bonded Yorkies who’d been rescued from a dog hoarding situation. These lap dogs were going to have to be adopted together as a pair.

“Who are these ladies?” Jimmy asked. Betty and Veronica danced over to the cage, panting excitedly as he pet them.

“They come as a set,” I said. Elián was hiding a smile behind his hand—we’d done this job enough to know a true match. And as much as we wanted to see Beatrix in a loving home, Jimmy might not be the one.

“Can I go in?” he asked.

I nodded, opened the kennel door. “They didn’t need much in terms of rehabilitation, just love. Their owner had kept them with forty-seven other dogs on a farm near the Redlands. Barely any food, barely enough water, lots of fights every day. I think these two protected each other.”

Wes had wandered over from the office, smiling at the sight in front of him.

“Jimmy, you found yourself two, huh?” Wes said, hands in his pockets.

“These two?” Jimmy asked. Betty was licking his face and he was laughing. “Nah. I’m going for that giant dog over there.”

“Sure,” Wes said. “I mean, whatever makes you happy, bro.”

If Luna was here, would she be capturing this on video? Could we share this story and be real about it? Because this was the center of my work: the love and companionship that existed between humans and animals. Its power to change them both.

And even more than that—it was also the friendship between Wes and Jimmy. The trust there. The trust between them and the dogs. It was the beating heart of Lucky Dog and I guessed, if I had money, I’d give it… here.

Ideas like this would pop up from time to time, and I’d feel the urge to tell someone. Like a room full of donors or a foundation. But fear never let me go. Never let me shake off being a Mason and the nasty reputation that came with that.

Jimmy was holding Veronica by one hand and staring into her eyes. She was panting, wagging her tail.

I knew a match when I saw one.

My phone vibrated—Luna again.

In an hour I’ll have a random fifteen-minute pocket of free time. Come then?

Okay, I typed back.

I expected another round of videos or maybe for an actual glitter rocket to explode from my phone. But instead, Luna sent me a picture of herself holding an envelope with my name on it. It looked suspiciously like a check.

And Luna looked beautiful in the picture: wild dark hair with tiny white flowers braided through the strands.

Hint hint, she texted back.

“I’ve gotta go,” I said. “Luna needs me.”

Wes and Elián shot me dual bemused looks.

“I mean, she has something for me,” I corrected, backing away. “I’ll be back soon. Probably. I’ve got grants or whatever.”

“Cool, boss,” Wes said. “We’ll be here with the Yorkies, holding down the fort.”

I strode toward the parking lot, swung a leg over my bike and pulled my helmet on.

I was going to see the Wild Heart office.

19

Luna

The comment read: Who knew an Instagram model was smart enough to pull off such a successful fraud? I mean she had us all fooled.

My stomach lurched like I’d been punched there. I clicked on the profile of the person who’d left