Page 47 of Hogging the Hunk
“Yeah.” Asher squinted, thinking hard as he cataloged Remi’s current wildlife rescue projects. She was forever taking in the helpless creatures that might otherwise be overlooked. “A juvenile flying squirrel, two racoons, the biggest possum you’ve ever seen. We have some birds, too. One is a Cooper’s hawk that was hit by a car. My dog’s my favorite. His name’s Sharpie. I’m Asher, by the way.”
“Hi Asher. I’m Ellie.”
“You’re Dr. Fox’s daughter?”
Ellie nodded.
“Lucky. I bet it’s awesome having a dad that’ll let you have any animal you want.” Asher frowned, unhappy with Wil’s restrictions. “I really want a toucan. My dad said that’s one I’m going to have to wait until I move out to get.”
“That would be so cool,” Ellie agreed. “Dad, can we—?”
“No.”
Ellie gave me a pointed look. I wasn’t living up to my reputation as the rabid pet collector Asher assumed I was, though that certainly would have made Ellie happy. Now that we had one pet, she wanted more.
Massaging his fingers down Truffle’s back, Asher asked, “I forgot to ask what this little lady’s name is.”
“Princess Cutie Pie Snorty McTruffle. My dad and I call her Truffle for short.”
“Can you bring Truffle to show my mom? She would die if she missed seeing a Kunekune pig in real life.” Asher clasped his hands and begged pathetically. “Please.”
“Yeah, no problem,” Ellie agreed.
“Yay! Come on!” Asher gripped Ellie’s hand, and between Truffle tugging on her leash and Asher hurrying her along, Ellie was swallowed up in the mob before I could even remind Ellie no people food for Truffle.
I thanked my lucky stars for Asher. That kid had never met a person who wasn’t automatically his friend, and without even knowing it, he made it possible for me to go in search of Beckett.
“No one has ever turned down Asher, especially when he begs.” Beckett appeared beside me, holding two piping hot cups of hot chocolate with tiny marshmallows bobbing on the surface. “He could convince a tiger to lend Asher his pelt if he wanted to.”
Finding Beckett was easier than I thought. So far, all my plans were going off without a hitch.
“That’s a little morbid, but okay.” I chuckled and Beckett scrunched her nose, her eyes still smiling.
“You get the point.”
Beckett wore a cream, cashmere sweater that hugged her form, and dark wash bootcut jeans that emphasized her legs.
The woman could have worn a potato sack, and I’d still be drooling.
“You look nice,” I said, sipping the hot chocolate she handed me before I accidentally slobbered on myself.
“Same to you.”
“I was wearing a sweater with a Christmas tree on it, which Ellie described as putrid green. Apparently, there’s a line to be drawn if a holiday sweater is too ugly. She sent me back upstairs to change.”
The button-down shirt Ellie picked out for me was, funnily enough, the same one I wore the night I almost kissed Beckett. Even the pattern of the fabric mirrored the style of Beckett’s flannel PJs. I hadn’t made Ellie aware that I’d spent an evening with Beckett while she was dressed down, nor that Ellie had unintentionally dressed me to match that memory. That was something completely harmless for Beckett and I to share.
“Excuse me. Pardon me. Coming through.” Needling her way through the multitude, Granny bumped into me. Startling, like she’d bumped into one of the support beams, she followed my arm up to my face where she cracked a smile. “Ah, Milo. You made it.”
I raised my cup to her. “Wouldn’t have missed it. Sorry we’re a little late. I was just finishing up an emergency visit involving a daring cat and a car.”
Beckett sucked in a breath and grabbed my arm. “Is the cat okay?”
I liked the feel of Beckett’s hand on my bare skin. Warmth dispersed through my entire body, like there was a fresh dose of hot chocolate infused into my veins. “Minus a few inches of tail, she’ll be fine.”
“That’s why you’ll forever be a hero for Button Blossom.” Granny patted him on his shoulder. “What would we do without your goodness?”
A dark shadow crossed my face. I was no hero. I could rescue a thousand cats and it wouldn’t put a dent into what I owed the universe for every misdeed I’d ever done. Instead of pouring my worries out, like the Kents’ Christmas party was a giant therapy session, I dammed my concerns with a smile. “Thanks.”