Page 57 of Carter

I can’t help but smile. “Yeah, this is Teddy.”

“She’s beautiful,” Nash says.

I huff a small laugh. “She sure is. Have a seat out there. As long as you don’t mind getting dirty?”

“You don’t want to know the things I’ve had to touch in my day,” he comments as he sits on the ground. His back is on the wall right beside the door, so I can see his legs sticking forward, but not the upper part of his body. He’s close though. If I stuck my hand through the rungs, I could touch him. His hand is right there, strong, rough, resting on the cement beside him.

I turn my attention away, back to Teddy.

“Come here, girl. It’s okay. Nash is a friend.” Her tail wags and she looks like she wants to move but she doesn’t. “Come on,” I say again. “It’s okay.” I hold my hand out, and she comes back, her body low to the ground. She stops beside me, looking out at him cautiously, like maybe we’re in cahoots. I guess we are, but not in the way she’s worried about.

“Turn your hand palm up,” I say. “Something about that makes her feel better.”

He does as I say without hesitation, turning his hand over so it’s facing upward. I stare at it, wondering what it feels like, but again, pull my attention back to Teddy.

“See, girl. He’s fine. He’s a good guy. He’s helping me with Ryan’s case.”

I lift my hand just an inch or two, showing her that I’m here. She touches it with her nose, then settles beside me, resting her head on my leg again. Relief washes over me.

Animals always know if people are bad. They have different senses than us humans. And though she is afraid of just about everyone, if Nash was giving off bad vibes, I think she’d have stayed where she was.

“When I first started coming here, I couldn’t get into the cage without her growling at me,’ I explain. “It was never a violent growl, just a warning to tell us to stay back. We thought they’d have to put her down. But eventually, she stopped. She let me in. Each visit got easier and easier, and now she lets me pet her.”

“You’re doing a good thing,” Nash says, his voice calm and even.

“I wish I could do more.”

“You can only do what you can. Nothing more.”

My fingers brush through Teddy’s soft fur as we sit in silence. Well, as much silence as there is in a shelter. One dog barks non-stop, but thankfully it isn’t a loud bark. It does get a few of the other dogs going now and then though. Teddy is always byherself, away from the other dogs because they stress her out. We do our best for her with what we have.

“How long are you staying?” I ask.

“However long you are.”

My chest warms, and I can’t help but smile. It’s a smile I feel over my entire body and I’m glad he can’t see it.

“I’m going to stay with Teddy for another ten minutes or so. Then you can help me with the rest of the stuff. Since you’ll be here.”

“What exactly is the rest of the stuff?” he asks.

“Cleaning litter boxes, refilling food, which you will be so good at because those bags areheavy.” I smirk. “Then we get to walk the dogs.”

I hear him huff a small laugh. “Sounds great.”

Ten minutes pass quickly. I tell Teddy I have to go, but I’ll see her before I leave, like I always do. The moment I shift, she runs back to her corner. I leave the kennel and turn to face her. “See you later, girl.”

I look down at Nash, who is still sitting on the dirty ground. He’s dressed in jeans, boots, and a long-sleeved t-shirt. Hazel must have shown him where to leave his jacket. Strange seeing him in something that isn’t slacks and a button up—and missing the gun that I usually see at his hip.

“Do you need help getting up?” I ask.

He rolls his eyes and gets to his feet, standing to his full height. I look up and up. I forgot how tall and big he really is. Or maybe I just never realized before. He has to be at least 6’2”, which gives him about five inches on me.

I hadn’t noticed how in-shape he is before now, probably because of his clothing choice. But with the shirt he’s wearing, I can see the tone in his arms and chest.

“Come on,” I say, turning to head out the door before I start getting weird thoughts about him.

Cleaning the litter boxes is never anyone’s favorite thing to do around here, but Nash handles it like a champ.