Head Over Paws

by Debbie Burns

  “Is that what you called to tell me?”

  “No, but you took too long. My break’s over. Now I’m getting ready to shave the balls of a hairy cairn terrier so he can get the old snip-snip.”

  Gabe chuckled. “I’ll think about that as I shove down the sandwich one of my techs just picked up for me. Wait, what am I saying? No, I won’t.”

  “Yeah, well, I wouldn’t be thinking of me if I could help it either. Listen, I only have a minute. What time do you get off?”

  “I should be finished around five. Why?”

  “Do you have date with Olivia tonight?”

  “Yeah. Again, why?”

  “Because I want to show you something. It won’t take long. Forty-five minutes max. Bring her along. Chances are she’ll know about it before you do.”

  “Know about what?”

  There was a rustling sound, followed by silence. A few seconds later, Yun was back. “I gotta run,” she whispered. “I’m supposed to be in the prep room, and I just got the stare-down from Godzilla Lady. Meet me at High Grove when you get off, okay?”

  Gabe agreed—to no idea what—and hung up. Before calling Olivia to confirm she was fine switching things up for a bit to start out their night, he spent a minute searching for ball emojis and sent off a quick parade of tennis balls, basketballs, and a round, furry purple gremlin emoji to Yun. When she didn’t respond, he figured she already had her hands full.

  Whatever it was his friend had in mind for tonight, he had a strange feeling that it was going to turn out to be something good.

  * * *

  “I’m starting to think about switching careers.” Olivia transferred her phone to the other hand to adjust Samson’s leash.

  “Seriously?” Ava asked on the other end of the line, clearly too immersed in packing her stuff to pick up on the sarcasm in Olivia’s tone. “You’ve only been a teacher for a year.” Her words were nearly drowned out by the high-pitched, sticky sound of packing tape being unrolled across a box.

  “I’m thinking I might make it as a lady-in-waiting, since that’s all I seem to be doing anymore.”

  “Oh, that was sarcasm, I see. Have you really got grounds to complain? You’ve just hooked up with the perfect guy.”

  “This isn’t about a guy.”

  After she finished prepping for tomorrow’s classes at the end of the school day and still had time to kill before meeting Gabe, Olivia had texted him that she’d be happy to take Samson for a walk. He’d given her the door code on their second date, but it was still something she wouldn’t have done without his permission. Luckily, he hadn’t been in surgery and had texted back that doing so would be great.

  Since she still had a half hour before she needed to leave to meet Gabe and Yun at the shelter for who knew what, she headed with Samson toward Tower Grove Park.

  “It’d be weird if it was, considering it’s obvious you’re crazy about him. I mean, you’re even walking his dog before a date.”

  “That’s because I happen to be crazy about his dog too.”

  “So, what’s this lady-in-waiting thing about then?”

  “I can’t stand not knowing if I have a chance at a position next year. Principal Garcia told the few of us who aren’t guaranteed to return that she’d let us know by last Friday. Now it’s Tuesday and still no word. Then on top of that, there’s Aunt Becky. I asked her about keeping Morgan there till I figure things out, and apparently she’s thinking about it.”

  “Do you have any reason to talk to her?”

  “Aunt Becky?”

  “No. Your principal.” Loud clattering on Ava’s end made Olivia wonder if her sister was using an adequate amount of packing paper. “Crap,” she mumbled into the receiver.

  “Not really. Maybe. My last-hour kids are putting together a proposal to do an end-of-year supply drive for the shelter. Once it’s finished, I will.”

  Samson lumbered along as they headed deeper into the park along a pedestrian trail. He hoisted a back leg to pee on a light post, then hoisted it again in another two feet to mark a LEASHED DOGS ONLY sign.

  With the late-afternoon sun warming her back and a picture-perfect view at every turn, Olivia was in no hurry to urge him along. She’d known the park would be incredible in full spring, and it was. Brilliantly colored flower beds lined fountains and mulch islands, and the redbuds were in full bloom.

  “Well, I suggest you help those kids finish it up and get in there,” Ava said. “Once you’re face-to-face, just ask if there’s anything she can tell you about next year’s openings.”

  “That’s actually a good idea.”

  “I’ll pretend I didn’t hear the ‘actually.’ And I know you like it there, but any other callbacks?”

  “Not a one. I think it would be different if I could get a year or two of experience at one school. Switching midyear like that in my first year out of Teach for America didn’t do any favors for my résumé.”

  “You shouldn’t be dinged for taking temporary positions.”

  “My thoughts exactly.”

  Ava was starting up about all the junk Wes had accumulated in their basement storage when another call came in on Olivia’s line.

  “Oh crap, Ava. Someone’s calling from Westbury Middle. I’ll call you back.”

  Olivia switched over without waiting for Ava to respond and offered up her perkiest hello.

  “Olivia Graham?”

  “Yes, this is her.” Or is it she? Damn, I can never remember.

  “Olivia, this is Principal Garcia. Am I interrupting anything?”

  As Samson pulled in his haunches to take an impressively sized poop, Olivia replied that she wasn’t.

  “I wanted to apologize for the delay in getting back to you about next year’s returning teachers. I suspect a couple of you have been waiting on pins and needles.”

  “I’m sure it’s a complicated process.” Her ribs seemed to be locking tight around her heart. It was Principal Garcia’s tone—stiff and formal. Olivia knew before she said it. This wasn’t good news.

  “The thing is, we’re such a small school that we have to make the most accurate call we can when it comes to anticipated class sizes for the next school year.”

  The ground at Olivia’s feet began to spin. All those desperate hopes toppled like a row of dominoes even before she spoke again, confirming her fears.

  “We were close to being able to add another group of core classes for our eighth graders, but we can’t do it. I’m sorry I’m not calling with better news.”

  Olivia stumbled through a few minutes of awkward conversation. She’d come close but not close enough.

  Samson had finished taking his poop and turned to look at her as if to ascertain why she’d not yet begun to bag it like every other poop he’d ever made. But Olivia’s feet were frozen in place, worse than in those dreams in which she really wanted to run but couldn’t make herself do it for the life of her.

  “Everything will be announced officially tomorrow.” Principal Garcia’s words had gotten high and soft. Far away. “I wanted to tell you personally. You’ve done a remarkable job with our students and acclimating to our school. If a position opens up next spring, I hope you’ll apply. In the meantime, I’m happy to give you my highest recommendation.”

  Somehow, Olivia managed to thank her and keep the tears of frustration and disappointment at bay. She hung up and fished the pet waste bag from her back pocket on autopilot. Instead of stepping forward to bag it, she folded over, bracing her hands against her knees, the less-than-pleasant smell wafting across her nose, making her even closer to being sick than she already was.

  “Oh shit. Total shit.” She looked at Samson and he gave a single wag of his tail, his head cocked as he watched her. “Total, total shit.”

  Chapter 24

  By the time Gabe pulled into the shelter
parking lot at a quarter after five, he spotted Ava’s Jeep, Yun’s Corolla, and Olivia’s Cruze parked in the lot along with the cars of a few staff members. He was heading for the entrance when he heard someone calling him from the narrow strip of woods off to the side of the property.

  Suspecting there might be a loose dog, Gabe jogged over. “Everything okay?” He was taken a touch off guard when he found Olivia, Ava, and Yun all at varying degrees of depth inside the woods. Yun was the farthest in, pushing through thick cedar branches; Olivia wasn’t far behind her; and Ava, in a pair of heels and dress pants, was hanging back on the edge of the grass.

  “Everything’s fine,” Ava said as the other two headed out. “Just doing a quick round of geocaching.”

  “Really?”

  “No.” She gave a soft laugh as she joined him at the curb. With a flip of her hand, she sent her long black hair tumbling over her shoulder. “Fair warning. I tend to lay on the sarcasm as thick as mascara. Olivia says it’s a defense mechanism for avoiding the scars of my youth.”

  When her words left Gabe a touch dumbfounded, she added, “We’re just doing some brainstorming.”

  Although her hair color and skin tone were starkly different from Olivia’s, their similarities in face shape were undeniable, which made it tempting to assume he knew her better than he did.

  “With the exception of the little gulch, this seems like the best spot for a cut through,” Yun said as she and Olivia stepped out from the last of the overgrowth. “But Gabe was an Eagle Scout. He could put up a bridge over that in a weekend.”

  “I never made it that far in scouting, remember, but thanks for the vote of confidence. A cut through to what?” he asked, giving Olivia a wink in hello.

  She smiled, but it didn’t seem to reach her eyes and he could swear he detected a hint of tension on her face, making him wonder what might be going through her head. He closed off the distance between them and pulled her in for a one-armed hug and pressed a kiss onto her forehead. “Missed you,” he said, dropping his voice.

  She leaned into him, releasing a soft sigh. “Missed you too.”

  Noticing a cobweb she’d picked up, Yun tramped around, waving off the parts clinging to her hair and clothes. “To the property next door.”

  “To the jewelry store? What would be the point? I heard that guy hates this place.”

  “I heard that too,” Olivia said.

  “I hadn’t.” Ava swatted away an invisible gnat or mosquito flying by her face, making Gabe wonder if she was triggered by Yun’s cobweb-removal endeavor. As far as he could tell, the late-afternoon skies were bug-free.

  “But after meeting him,” she added, “I can’t say he came across as the animal-loving type either. Honestly, it’d probably be safe to go with not the loving type in general. But if that’s the case, I’ll make sure not to draw any undue attention to your connection here.”

  “Are you saying the jewelry store’s for sale?”

  “The building’s about to go on the market,” Ava confirmed for him. “From what I gathered, the merchandise is being returned or liquidated. He’s got some nice stuff. If he has a sale, I’m there.”

  Finished extracting herself from the cobweb, Yun planted herself a couple feet in front of him. “It’s perfect, Gabe. Just the square footage we’re looking for, and we wouldn’t have to do that much remodeling. And you know what they say about location.” With a touch of dramatic flair, she waved a hand toward the shelter.

  “We?” Gabe gave her his best skeptical look. “I don’t remember saying I’m a hundred percent sold on this idea of yours.”

  Yun shot the look right back. “Not a hundred percent, but you did say you’d broached the concept with Dr. Washington again and thought you’d made some headway. I’ve known you for nearly five years. That’s as close to a yes as you get without a considerable amount of poking and prodding.” Yun closed a hand over one side of her mouth and whispered to Olivia. “Just a hint for you, Olivia.” Louder, she added, “Besides, once it sinks in what it could mean to open a business together right next door to this incredible place, you’re going to be on board. I know it.”

  “You’ve seen inside?”

  “We came at lunch. And it’s the twenty-third property Ava and I’ve looked at. I’ve got a good base with which to measure it.”

  Gabe looked at Olivia. “Did you know this?”

  “Not until I pulled up. I think my sister was going for the surprise factor.”

  Gabe gave a conciliatory shrug. “So are we just scoping out the side yard, or is there any chance you made a second appointment?”

  “We’ve got an appointment,” Ava said, “and fair warning, the owner’s going to be there because he isn’t comfortable not being there to guard his merchandise while potential buyers are in his store. Despite a security system.” She cocked her head. “Which gives us a fresh opportunity to show him we can play hardball. So do your best to keep that skeptical look slapped on a little longer.”

  Yun stepped forward and poked him in the chest good-naturedly. “Ava’s not kidding. He may have spotted me dancing in the parking lot after we left earlier. So give us your crankiest, most skeptical, this’ll-never-work Gabe vibe. Even when you realize how perfect it is.”

  Gabe held up his hands in mock surrender and turned to Olivia. “Have I mentioned that Yun has a flair for the dramatic?”

  Olivia clasped a hand over her chest, laughing, and this time her laughter reached her eyes, which sent a wave of happiness through him. “I’m not weighing in on this. Besides, she already had me at hello with a location that’s next door to the shelter.”

  As they headed back into the parking lot, they caught the attention of Patrick, who was almost to his truck, keys in hand. Although he said nothing, he gave them a dubious look.

  “We’re on a mission to check out the jewelry store,” Gabe offered.

  Patrick looked from Gabe to Olivia and nodded. “The sidewalk would be an easier walking route.”

  “Yeah, it seems so.”

  At this point, it seemed premature to say anything more about their purpose for visiting the store, so Gabe let it drop. If Patrick thought he was in the market to buy Olivia some jewelry, it was fine with him—certainly less complicated than starting premature rumors about the possibility of relocating his office next door.

  “Patrick, I can’t remember if you’ve met Yun or Ava. Ava is Olivia’s sister, and I went to vet school with Yun. I gave her a tour a few months ago.”

  Patrick glanced from Yun to Ava, then stared at the asphalt as he nodded. “Yes. To both.”

  “It’s nice to see you again, Patrick.” Ava spoke first, and Yun chimed in in agreement.

  “You as well.” After a swift nod, he added, “Good evening,” and got in his truck without another word.

  “Think it’ll be weird if the owner sees us walking over?” Yun asked as they took off across the parking lot.

  “A little, but he might assume we street parked,” Ava said.

  They headed across the parking lot and fell into twos at the sidewalk, Ava and Olivia in front. They were of equal height, except that Ava was in two-inch heels. Olivia was in jeans and a pair of unassuming Top-Sider shoes. Ava’s walk was not without a touch of swagger, while Olivia’s reminded him of someone who was just stepping into her confidence—tall, straight, and purposeful—which he realized was one more thing about her that moved him.

  By the time they were halfway across the jewelry-store parking lot, Gabe spotted an older man staring out a wide bay window. Like the shelter, the jewelry store was a brick, single-story building, but this one had a steeper peak in the roof and more windows along the front.

  Yun’s right, he realized, a rush of excitement surging through his veins. He’d helped at a few big shelter events this winter that had drawn crowds that spilled off shelter property. And whenev
er customers had realized he was the shelter’s primary vet, they’d asked for his contact information. He could only imagine how much new business he and Yun could get if they were right next door.

  They stepped through polished double-glass doors into the main showroom, which was lined with cases of jewelry.

  “Olivia and Gabe, this is Mr. Bouchard,” Ava said. “Thanks for letting everyone have a second look around today. Lots to think about, as I’m sure you know.”

  At best guess, Mr. Bouchard was nearing seventy, though there was a cloudiness in his gaze and an ashiness to his skin tone and that didn’t do him any favors. He was lean, had once been tall but was now stooped across the upper back and shoulders, and had a thick magnifying headband resting atop his head.

  Gabe shook his hand.

  Ava clapped her hands against her thighs. “So, if you don’t mind, we’ll leave you to your work, and we’ll have a look around.”

  “As you wish. I have security cameras in every room.”

  As if anticipating Gabe was being triggered, Yun shot him a “be nice” look. Not that he needed it. He didn’t care what a crotchety, old jeweler thought of him. What he cared about was figuring out if Yun was on to something here. His pulse was racing as he took in the building’s features: thick molding, newer windows, hardwood flooring that had just enough dings and stains to add a touch of character and forgiveness to the possibility of countless paws traversing it day in and day out.

  Olivia was quiet, taking everything in, as was Yun, though her eyes were big in that way they got when she was plotting out graphs and flow charts in her head. Not that Gabe blamed her. His mind was racing too. He’d never been one to brag about his imagination, but he had easy visuals of customers seated with their pets near the windows up front, fresh, bright coats of paint refreshing the muted burgundy walls, blown-up pictures of clients’ pets decorating the place, and a registration counter in place of the main display case. And they could have fun going all out to make it as welcoming as the shelter.