Page 21 of Coerced

There were several questions that ran through my mind, so I started with the first. “Are they all the same breed?”

“Nope. Patty is a bulldog, and Tiny is a mastiff.”

“I had a feeling you were going to say something along those lines. And would I be wrong to assume there are more than just dogs?” I pressed.

Wearing a proud smile on his face, he confirmed, “You would not. I also have two cats and a parrot.”

I stared at him in disbelief. Although I had a feeling he was going to confirm my suspicions, I hadn’t expected so many other animals.

“Do you… Are you a veterinarian or something?”

Paxton laughed again. “No. No, I’m just a big softie when it comes to animals. All of them are rescues.”

It shouldn’t have surprised me to hear Paxton admit to being a softie, especially considering the names he’d given his dogs. But if I was honest, I’d judged him based on his looks. And Paxton seemed like the kind of guy who could be rather menacing.

“That’s incredible. And it’s very noble of you.”

He shrugged, brushing it off. “Ah, they make life fun, so it works out for me as much as it does them. What about you? Do you have any animals?”

“A cat. She’s a British shorthair named Sasha. And I guess what you said is the truth. She’s my first pet, and I’ve only had her for two years, but I don’t know how I lived without her. She’s the only one I’ve got, though.”

“Hey, you’ve got plenty of time to add to your brood,” Paxton teased. He hesitated a beat before he asked, “So, how are you settling in? Are you enjoying the new place?”

For a fleeting moment, I wondered if he remembered my name. We’d only spoken once, but I wasn’t anything like him. It was likely he’d been friendly enough that day, but he probably didn’t think about our conversation once it was over. And I highly doubted he was like I was when it came to looking out the window at his new neighbor.

Ignoring those thoughts, I glanced back at the house briefly before I offered a nod in return and answered, “I am. It’s been nice so far, but I told myself this morning that my break is over and it’s time to start working again. So, I’m heading out today to look for a job.”

“Oh. Do you have something in particular you’re looking to do?” he asked.

I shook my head. “Not exactly. I was hoping to findsomething at a small local business. I’d prefer that over a big corporation. But beyond that, I’m not picky. If you’ve got any suggestions of good places to check out, I’m all ears.”

Paxton took a moment to consider the options and said, “I can’t say whether any of these spots are currently hiring, but there’re quite a few small businesses in town. You could check out Betty’s. It’s a relatively new diner here that opened only a few months ago. There’s also The Steel Pub that might be looking for some help. One of my coworkers, who’s a great friend of mine, is married to a woman who owns Grant’s Deli. She’s pregnant right now, and I believe her due date is sometime in November, so she might also be looking for some help for when the baby arrives.”

This was great news. Even if none of these panned out, at least I had a great starting place.

“Thank you. I really appreciate that.”

He smiled at me, his eyes shining as he scratched Brutus’s head. “No problem. I’ll ask a couple of my friends at work today and see if anyone has any other suggestions. A few of the guys are dating, engaged, or married to women who’ve got their own businesses, so maybe I can get you an in with one of them.”

I beamed at him. “That would be wonderful. Are you sure you don’t mind?”

“Not at all. But if I’m going to make that happen, I should probably get this guy inside and get going,” he said. “I’ll let you know if I come up with anything.”

“That sounds great. I guess I’ll talk to you later.”

He held my stare a beat before he confirmed, “You will.”

There was so much promise in that confident look and those two words. I didn’t want to make assumptions and think there was something more behind what he’d said and the way he said it, but I didn’t know how I could pretend he hadn’t just sent a shiver down my spine.

I swallowed hard, ignoring the way I felt, and jerked my chin down in acknowledgement. “See you later, Paxton. And it was nice meeting you, Brutus.”

Paxton lifted Brutus’s paw and waved at me. “Good luck today, Aria.”

Well, there it was.

Proof that Paxton did know my name.

I smiled, letting out a laugh as I felt my belly flip, and opened my car door. And after sending him a wave, I backed out of my driveway and took off.