Page 16 of Bitter Truth
“What?”
I push back until I can see his eyes. “When you saw my bruise, you said you knew it.”
He releases me and turns away, crossing to the refrigerator. Says, “Just that something bad was going to happen. I’ve had a funny feeling all day.”
I’m not sure it’s the truth. If it is, it’s not the full one. I wish I could see his face, but it’s hidden behind the freezer door as he riffles around inside. “What do you have against frozen peas?”
“Peas are disgusting. They’re an abomination against other vegetables.”
“Agreed. But they’re great for icing a shiner.” Closing the door he gives me a smirk. “You’d think a girl like you would know that by now.”
“Haha. Besides, I’d rather bruise than use ice. I hate the cold.”
“Too bad.” Grabbing a dishtowel from the counter, he wraps a handful of cubes inside it.
“You can keep that,” I tell him.
“Nope. It will make you feel better, I promise. Now come here.”
“Uh-uh.”
I dart around the island to make my escape, but he’s too fast. I laugh as he catches me, half carrying me to the table, where he points for me to take a seat. Grabbing him by the tie, I press my lips to his.
“Can’t we do this instead?”
He gives me a grin, but it’s a weak shadow of the one he usually wears. “Tell you what. Let’s do this, fir—” The smile vanishes, replaced by a frown as he looks around. “What was that?”
“What was what?”
The kit chitters again from the crate in the corner, where it’s woken up from its nap.
“That?”
I stand and point as I nonchalantly say, “You mean my new raccoon?”
Jake gives me a look as he crosses the room. Slowly, he sinks into a squat in front of the crate, where the kit has an arm stretched through the gate grid, reaching toward him.
My heart melts as I watch him offer the raccoon his finger. His thumb tenderly strokes the tiny hand that wraps around it.
“Has Craig been by yet?” he asks, referencing the vet.
“He can’t make it until tomorrow. That’s why I stopped at the drugstore. To get some saline to flush his eyes.”
“He’s not scared of us at all, is he?”
“Doesn’t seem to be. That’s why I have him in here with me. He kept crying when I left him alone.”
“Was he a direct surrender?”
Sometimes, when people discover that they can’t handle the wild animal they’ve tried to adopt, they’ll surrender it to a rescue. In those cases, the animal hasusually become habituated to being fed and will need to remain in captivity. Though that’s not what happened here, given this guy’s behavior, I predict the outcome will be the same.
“Nope. Had a bait trap stuck on his head.”
Easing the abandoned towel filled with ice off the table, I set it quietly into the sink. Then, I return and take a seat.
“So, what do you think? Can I keep him?” I joke.
Jake smiles at the raccoon still holding his finger. “I think you’re going to have to. Which means he’s going to need a name. Any ideas?”
