I Need You (Learning to Let Go) (13 page)

Sara rolled out of bed, wincing as she started walking towards the bathroom. Darrin hadn’t been the most tender lover last night after they had their massive blow up. On the contrary, he had pounded into her mercilessly, causing her to orgasm several times before he finally released an orgasm of his own. Sara had hoped that his aggressive love-making was his way of clearing any pent up emotions. Not that she didn’t enjoy herself, but his almost primal actions didn’t make her feel any closer to him. He usually was extremely vocal during sex; giving her words of encouragement, telling her how beautiful she was, or how good she made him feel. That was all missing last night, leaving him eerily silent.

After a long, hot shower, Sara dressed and left a sleeping Darrin in bed. It was a blessing that he was still sleeping, avoiding any awkward moments this morning. She wanted to get this meeting over with, and get back to her trailer for some downtime by herself. It was unlikely that she would be bringing home any animals today; the only pets that needed foster homes right now were a litter of puppies that were still too young to take away from their mother.

So this was going to be all preliminary work, and then she would be notified when there was an animal ready for a foster home. Sara couldn’t help but smile at the thought of a cute, little smooshed face of a puppy, with the sweet, yet sickly puppy breath, and the playful tugs and nips as they pulled on your clothes. Maybe Darrin had made a good decision in signing her up to do this. It always was a joy to have another living creature totally dependent on you, and taking care of their needs. This was going to be the best of both worlds because there was no long-term commitment to make; she would just be a temporary home for one of them.

The Amulet Humane Society offices were on the same lot as the Vet Clinic, which were both ten miles north of Darrin’s farm. The scenic drive passed by in a blur as Sara re-examined the prior evening’s events. It was safe to say that no headway was made by either of them last night, and now their relationship was strained, to say the least. Maybe she shouldn’t have given in to him so easily; she should have fought tooth and nail. Sara mentally quivered when she replayed Darrin’s words,
You fucking told me you would take me anyway you could get me!
Then he had to really lance her heart open when he practically accused her of treating him like a paycheck on legs.

Sara slammed her hands against the steering wheel. “Damn it!” Petty emotions boiled up inside her as she fought back the urge to cry again. Her cell phone had already rang once since she left the farm, but she had just ignored it. Now she had decided that she was going to shut her phone off, quickly get this stupid interview over, and then fall off the face of the earth for the day. The first place Darrin would go would be her trailer, so she needed to come up with an alternate plan.

It was too risky for her to be around Darrin today; they both needed some time to think and Sara caved every time she saw his poetic face. The curl to his lip when he smiled. The laugh lines around his eyes when he teased her. The way his biceps flexed when he was working in the shop. The way his jeans hung off his hips when he was shirtless. The way he held her tight when she needed comfort.

Yeah, she was so screwed if just thinking about him was enough to make her mind melt into a puddle. She needed to have some self-preservation where he was concerned. There were some legitimate points made last night, and while Sara had him pressed to the wall, she should have pushed for more. But she hesitated when he gave up on their relationship so quickly and pointed to the front door. Darrin told her she could leave if she couldn’t deal with him the way he was. Emotionless. Introverted. Withdrawn.

The worst of all the problems she was facing this morning, was the ever present ache in her chest when she and Darrin were apart, which right now was feeling like a gigantic chasm. Even wider than the Great Divide. It couldn’t be healthy to be so co-dependent on someone only after dating for such a short time. But she had known him her entire life; had always considered him a surrogate protector of sorts. Maybe she was confusing her feelings of longing for Darrin with her need to feel safe with someone. Or maybe there wasn’t a difference?

Pulling into the entrance to the Amulet Vet Clinic and Humane Society, the vast expanse of yard was split in two by the driveway. The space to the west of was a huge fenced in yard dotted with patches of dead grass, yellow grass or no grass at all. The east side of the property was basically a parking lot for assorted farm vehicles. There were a handful of empty parking spots closest to the main building, with only one spot to the far east end being occupied. Sara felt sheepish as she pulled her aging car in next it. The emblem on the back end marked that it was a high end luxury car, but anyone could tell by looking at the sleek machine sitting next to her that it belonged to a very wealthy person.

Leaving her phone on the seat, she grabbed her purse as she pulled herself out of her car. She walked around the backside of her own car, sneaking a quick glance at the deep red, stub nosed sports car before she headed inside the building. Sara wondered who would be waiting for her inside; she hadn’t remembered to ask Darrin any further questions about the meeting today, other than what time she was to arrive.

Once inside, the small entry way was split to allow access to either of the offices. The glass door on the right had a small cardboard clock taped to it that simply read “Closed.” The door on the left was bare, save for a bell that was hanging from the handle by a multi-colored pipe cleaner. Sara tested the door to see if it was open. Hesitantly, she walked into the reception area, letting the bell on the door jingle a few times before she let it close. The office was quiet, but all the lights were on. Walking towards the lowered counter in front of the office area, Sara grinned at a gigantic tabby cat stretched out across the counter. It paid her no attention as she walked up to the desk, except for a small twitch of its paw when Sara braced herself on the counter, leaning over to look for signs of life.

“Hello? Anyone here?”

After a few minutes of silence, Sara’s already sour attitude plummeted. There was no way that she was going to wait around for a rich as sin prick that obviously was only here because they had committed some white-collar crime and was sentenced to community service. That was the only explanation for the expensive car out front, and the lack of movement inside the building.
Well, screw you, buddy!

Sara was almost all the way back out the front door when she heard a gravelly voice yelling, “I’m in the back!”

Sara hung her head, almost smacking her forehead against the glass door as she commiserated the horrible day she was having. Sneaking out and crawling back home and into her bed was looking about impossible right now.

Turning on her heels, Sara walked through the double swinging saloon doors towards the direction of the voice. “Hello? Where are you?” she asked as she peered in the different rooms that she passed on the way down the hallway.

Suddenly, a sandaled foot jutted out from the doorway at the end of the hall, shaking about. Laughter followed. “Sorry, I’m in here.” Sara could hear the sound of running water and the sounds of a collar jingling as the obviously female person started to squeal. “Damn it, Nika! Don’t shake!” She came around the corner just as the large chocolate lab dog was finishing shaking its wet fur out, getting everything, including the woman, sopping wet.

The woman continued to laugh as she let go of the leash in her hand, leaving the dog free to shake again. This time, the droplets of water splattered all the way out to where Sara was standing. Both the dog and the woman were standing in a make-shift shower, and from the evidence scattered around the room, this was where the animals were bathed.

The woman said “are you done?” to the dog, as she hunched down near it’s freshly washed face, earning a wet lick on her neck in response.

“Ewww, Nika. Gross,” she said as she pulled her shirt up to wipe the slobber off her neck, exposing her bra covered, well-endowed breasts as she did so. Sara could feel the blush creeping up her face in embarrassment for the woman. Oblivious to her discomfort, the woman wiped off her face and then let go of her T-shirt enough that it haphazardly fell back into place.

“Can you hand me one of those towels behind you?”

Sara immediately complied, handing her a big beach towel with multi-colored sea shells on it. “Thanks,” she said as she began rubbing the dog’s thick coat vigorously.

“I’m Becca, by the way. Can you open that kennel door over there with the dryer on the front of it?”

“Sure. I’m Sara.” After getting the reluctant dog inside the kennel, and the warm air blowing across her fur, Becca dried her hands on the towel before tossing it across her shoulder.

“You’re here to talk about fostering one of the puppies, correct?”

Now that the other woman’s attention was focused solely on her, Sara couldn’t help but drop her gaze to the tiled floor. The brief glimpse of the devastatingly gorgeous woman was enough to make Sara feel self-conscience, but also the fact that the other woman held herself in a way that exuded self-confidence.

“Yes, I’m Sara.”

“So you’re the hottie’s girlfriend, huh?”

Hearing Darrin described that way made her head pop up, and her claws unleashed. Yes, the two of them were in the middle of World War III right now, but that didn’t mean that she wasn’t afraid of defending him.

A little bit of sass pulsed through her veins as she answered, “If you mean Darrin, then yes, I’m his girlfriend.” Her voice louder than before.

Becca whistled through her front teeth. “That man is absolutely fine. I was just curious who had snagged his attention. That’s all.”

Sara could only stare with a puzzled look on her face. The woman was much taller than Sara, by six inches at least. Long, straight and silky black hair fell behind her back, not a piece out of place, even after wrestling with the obnoxious wet dog. Her skin was a golden color, and it was the same from her face all the way down past her denim shorts onto her bare legs. Sara was not bi-curious in the least, but this woman was beautiful.

Her awe of the woman quickly faded as she focused in on her surroundings again. “Did you have some things to go over with me?” Sara asked a little more tersely than she meant to.

Becca held her hands up in fake surrender. “Sorry about that. Didn’t mean to step on your toes. I have a problem with my mouth-filter when I’m out of the office. I have to be so straight-laced during the week, that when I’m out in the real world, I forget that normal people don’t have the same perverted sense of humor that I do.”

“Where do you work?” Sara asked after leaning back against one of the stainless steel counters in the room, her hands braced against the sides.

“I’m a litigation attorney in Madison. I come up here on the weekends to help out. My brother is one of the veterinarians here.”

Now all the pieces of the puzzle were starting to fall into place. “Ah, I see. I saw your car. I thought you were being forced to work here for community service or something.”

Becca’s bow shaped lips turned up in the corners as she answered, “No, but that’s a good suggestion. Kind of like that show, about reformed convicts and pit bulls.” Her face lit up before she continued, “You like my car? Isn’t that thing fucking awesome? It’s a Lexus ES350. One of the first hybrid sport luxury cars. I just got it last week.”

A hybrid car, at least
, Sara thought as she led them back out to the hallway, and then out the last door at the end of the hall. Becca had brought her outside, right next to a large kiddie pool that was sitting underneath the large awning attached to the side of the building. Inside the pool was a group of fluffy little fuzz balls; four chocolate and two white. Sara had to practically stick her hands in her pocket to keep from reaching in to pick up one of the sleeping bundles.

“This is Nika’s litter of puppies. They are about four weeks old now. They will be ready to go in about two to three weeks, depending upon how many don’t get adopted right away. The runt will have to stay with his mom for longer, though.”

Becca reached in to grab the smallest white puppy that was laying on the edge of the group. “This little rascal has had a hard few weeks, haven’t you, baby boy?” she cooed at the puppy before kissing it’s little head and handing it to Sara.

The puppy gave a couple of squeaks before nestling deep into her arms, yawning, then settling back to sleep again.

“I am going to guess that we will be able to adopt out most of this litter right away, but if there are any left, we will give you a call to take one home. We also have a few dogs on the vet clinic side that have been with us for a few months now, that we assume their owners are not going to come back for. If all the puppies go, would you be willing to take in an older dog?”

Sara nodded her head, not wanting to disturb the little bundle in her arms. Offering up silent prayer, she hoped that this little creature would be able to stay with her. Well, if everything worked out with Darrin. There was no way that the shelter would allow her to bring a large breed dog to her small trailer, even if it was just a puppy.

“Well, great then. Darrin already filled out the section on the living arrangements for the pooch, so all I need is for you to fill out the personal section, references, and all that. I assume you have had pets before?”

Becca took the runt out of her arms, carefully nestling him back in with his brothers and sisters.

“Yes, I grew up on a dairy farm. We always had dogs, cats, and horses, as well as the cows. I’m familiar.”

“We are required to do an on-site inspection of the property once the animal is placed with you, and you need to give us references of any vet clinics that you have used in the past. It’s standard procedure.”

“I understand.”

Becca led them up front to the office, pulling out a chair for her to sit in as she grabbed a stack of papers off the counter. “Here are the forms I need filled out. You can drop them off at the office later, or you can fill them out here. I’ll be here for most of the day.”