when he died.”
“According to Paul, that benefactor was inspired by your enthusiasm for the animals. So you’ll have to take some of the credit, Tansy.”
Hearing her name spoken in his deep baritone sent a shiver of delight up her spine. “What can I say? I love my work.”
“Obviously.” He walked over to a bulletin board mounted on the wall to the right of the seating area. Tilting his hat back with his thumb, he scanned the array of snapshots.
“More bad pictures, I’m afraid,” she said.
“Not so bad. The idea of putting up pictures of folks with their newly adopted animals is terrific. You just need a better camera.”
“No, I need a better photographer.”
Ben scanned the pictures. “Don’t sell yourself short. I see potential there.” He turned back to her. “So The Haven ended up with these two houses, and you designated the bigger one as your headquarters.”
“That’s right. It’s mainly office space except for a couple of rooms we use as temporary holding areas for incoming animals. There’s not much to photograph in here.”
“Are you also housing animals in the blue Victorian next door?”
“No, that’s where I live, along with whatever animals I’m fostering at the moment. Right now it’s Ewok and Wookie.”
His eyebrows rose. “No one’s taken them?”
“Not yet.” She did her best to breathe normally, but her chest was tight with the thrill of seeing him again. “I had hoped their TV appearance would help, and by the way, the camera work on that segment was wonderful. Paul said a good part of it was your doing.”
“Animals make great TV.”
“Only if the person behind the camera has a feel for them. You do.”
He met her gaze. “Thank you. That’s nice to hear, but it didn’t result in a home for Ewok and Wookie. I’m sorry about that.”
She gulped and resisted the urge to fan herself. He was potent. “Many dog lovers prefer a certain size. They want small, big or in between. The big and small combo takes some getting used to. But I’m not splitting them up. Someone will come along.” Once again she wondered if maybe Ben would adopt them.
She’d developed a reputation for being able to match animals with their ideal human companions, and her instincts told her Ben would be perfect for those two dogs. He appeared to have the calmness Ewok needed and the athleticism to play with Wookie.
But there was something else, something more subtle that she’d picked up from watching the television clip. He obviously saw the dogs as creatures worthy of notice and respect. Not everyone did, and it was a trait she admired.
She really hoped he’d take Ewok and Wookie, but for some reason he wasn’t rising to the bait. Maybe he needed help to figure out that these dogs were meant for him. “Do you have any animals at home?”
“Nope.”
She was taken aback by his definitive tone. “Not interested?” Her spirits spiraled downward.
He shook his head.
She waited for an explanation. When none came, her disappointment bloomed out of all proportion to the situation. She wanted to blame Rose, who had woven fantasies all week long about how Ben could be her Prince Charming.
But she was a grown woman of twenty-eight who shouldn’t allow anyone to plant ideas in her head. And they’d both been wrong about Ben. He could be the most desirable man in the world, but if he didn’t want to share his life with companion animals, he was not the guy for her.
Animals were her life, had been ever since she was a little girl. Although it might sound corny, she felt that she had a calling to love and protect them. The concept of euthanizing those deemed unadoptable was blasphemy to her, which dictated that she had to work for a no-kill shelter.
Rose’s instincts and that wonderful film clip to the contrary, Ben wasn’t willing to offer his home to an animal, and he wouldn’t reveal why. She couldn’t imagine having a close friendship, let alone a romantic relationship, with someone who had that attitude.
She had to write him off as her prince and quit daydreaming. He was here to do a job, and once he had, she’d put him totally out of her mind.
“All the photo ops will be in the buildings out back,” she said. “Let me get my coat, and I’ll show you the—whoops, hello, Max.” She turned to greet the orange tabby that appeared unexpectedly, hopping up from behind the counter. “I’m surprised you made an appearance, kitty-cat.”
Max sat on the tan Formica, tail curled around his haunches as he fastened his green-eyed gaze on Ben.
“Max is our office cat,” Tansy explained. “Most people think that’s funny because office cats are supposed to be friendly and Max certainly isn’t. He takes aloofness to a whole new level. If I were to try and pet him now, he’d probably walk away. He’s never checked out a visitor, either.”
A soft rumble came from Max’s chest.
Tansy stared at the cat, who continued to focus on Ben. “Now you’re purring? What’s up with that?” She looked over at Ben. “Max hardly ever purrs.”
“Maybe I remind him of somebody he used to know.”
“I suppose that’s possible. He was a stray, so we don’t know his story. Since he’s both standoffish and neurotic, it’s unlikely he’ll be adopted, so we’ve designated him as our unfriendly office cat.”
“What’s neurotic about him?”
“When he’s stressed, he’ll chase his tail and chew on it. Sometimes we have to bandage it and make him wear the cone of shame so he won’t chew the bandage.” Tansy shook her head and sighed. “But I love him, anyway.”
“That’s why you’re good at your job. You probably have something you love about every dog and cat in the place.”
“I do. They’re each special in their own way, even curmudgeons like Max.” She consulted the clock hanging on the wall. “But enough about that. We’d better get moving if we’re going to have any time at all for you to take pictures this morning.”
“And I want to make sure I get them before the morning naps start.”
“Good thought. Let me get my coat and we’ll be off.”
So he knows animals tend to grab a midmorning nap. She thought about that as she walked around to her desk and picked up the dark blue parka she’d draped over the back of her chair. He might not want animals in his house, but he was familiar with their habits.
She shoved her arms into the sleeves of her coat and glanced down as she fumbled with the zipper. When she had it engaged, she raised her head, intending to tell Ben to follow her down the back hallway to the rear door.
Her breath caught. He stood at the counter scratching behind Max’s
