Excuse me.
“What’s up, Ethan?”
Avery shoved her hands into her lab-coat pockets and took a deep breath. “Get off the phone. My time is valuable. I’ve got other animals waiting.”
Reed ended his call with a terse “I’ll call you back.”
The exam-room door swung open and Jess returned with the treats. The teenager glanced between the two adults. “Jeez, you two look like you’re about to take a swing at each other. What did I miss?”
Was that how they looked? Reed paled and stepped back.
“It’s nothing. Just a difference of opinion.” Avery cleared her throat. “Jess, if you want to help Thor accept your uncle, he should take over caring for him for a couple of days.”
“I don’t know.” Jess clutched her dog against her chest. “I want them to get along, but he’s my dog.”
“I understand. We can still do some things that will help.” She asked the teenager to sit in a chair by the door while she worked with Reed. “Both of you need to reinforce Thor’s good behavior with praise and treats, while you ignore the negative. Let me give you an example. Jess, if you’re holding Thor and he growls at your uncle, put him down and turn your back. If he doesn’t growl or act aggressively, Reed, you need to give him a treat and praise him in a high-pitched voice.” She demonstrated. “We call it a Minnie Mouse voice.”
“You’ve got to be kidding.” Reed shook his head. “You’re determined to crush my ego today, aren’t you?”
“Like yours can’t take the hit?” Avery teased.
“I’m willing to try if you are, Uncle Reed. Then you could help me give him his medicine.”
For a moment, despite the dark eyeliner, Jess’s wide brown eyes filled with innocence and she looked her age. How the hell could he say no to her when she looked at him like that? Had he ever been that innocent or trusting? Even before his mother died? “We’ll give it a shot.”
Avery spent the next couple of minutes working with him and the dog. At one point he looked at Avery and said, “Thor’s not the only one who needs reinforcement for positive behavior. I want some props for my effort here.”
“Good job, Reed.” Avery tossed the words out in a high, squeaky voice.
“That wasn’t what I had in mind.”
“Too bad. That’s all you’re getting.” Their light banter reminded him of how comfortable he’d always felt with Avery. He’d been in love with her for dozens of reasons, one being how at ease he felt with her, but that was before he damn near beat his dad to death. Before he’d talked to her father and realized he loved her so much he had to let her go because she deserved better than he could give her.
Being back here still wasn’t good for him, and she refused to live anywhere else. His thoughts stopped him cold. “I’ve got the idea. Jess and I can work on this at home.” Before Avery could say anything, his cell phone rang again. “We done here?”
Avery nodded, handed the dog to Jess and headed out of the room. He answered the call and told the client he’d call back in five minutes. Then he joined Avery and Jess at the front desk. Reed scanned the bill, amazed that the charges were bigger than the dog.
“Avery, what’s this I hear about the shelter not owning the land our building resides on?” The sparkle disappeared from Avery’s gaze, and she stiffened as though someone had tied a broom handle to her back. Reed turned to see a woman with short salt-and-pepper hair dressed in jeans and a T-shirt with an elk on the front stride toward them.
Avery made the introductions. “Reed, Jess, this is Harper Stinson, the shelter’s board president.”
Years ago, when he’d been on the board of his boss’s pet charity, Reed had learned a lot about the people who served on them. Some were crusaders. Others were out to make community business connections. Others still were bored housewives looking to find purpose. But no matter who they were, everyone had an agenda. What was this woman’s?
“So, you’re the Reed Montgomery that has everyone in town talking. I want you to know I’m keeping your family in my thoughts and prayers,” Harper said. “We’ll all be glad when your brother’s back home safe and sound.”
No one more so than him.
Jess tossed him a let’s-go look. “Thor and I will wait outside.”
As the door swooshed open and thunked close with Jess’s exit, Reed glanced at Avery. “I appreciate you working Thor in this morning. I hope you got some paperwork done after I left.”
When he turned to leave, Harper partially blocked his exit. “Since you brought up the topic of paperwork, Avery and I are developing a new business plan for the shelter. What do you think—”
“Reed’s a busy man. He doesn’t have time for shelter business,” Avery insisted.
Her stiff posture and the way she nibbled on her lower lip told him Avery had reached her patience limit. Something was going on between these two. Any businessperson worth two cents knew better than to discuss their business in public, especially in front of strangers.
“Avery’s right about that. I’ve got my hands full with Jess and my own company.”
“Our main sticking point is staffing issues,” Harper continued, completely ignoring his and Avery’s comments. “I’m sure you know that while no one likes to cut staff, sometimes it’s necessary to lower operating costs.”
Now he knew her agenda. Harper wanted him to back her up against Avery. “I’ve found people often latch onto that solution because it’s easier than working to find other ones,” he said.
He glanced at Avery and found her eyes shining with gratitude. When she smiled, his insides twisted, and he swore his chest puffed out.
Avery flashed him a tight smile. “Reed needs to go, since Jess is waiting for him. I’m sure she has homework to do. If you have any other problems with Thor, call me.”
As he left he almost pitied Harper. He’d seen that look in Avery’s eyes today, and unless he missed his guess, Harper was in for a stinging lecture on business etiquette.
* * *
AS AVERY USHERED HARPER into her office, she struggled to control her temper. How dare she burst into the shelter and take her to task in front of Reed and Jess? Worse yet, she’d tried to pull Reed into their disagreement and use him to get her to knuckle under.
As Avery sank into her worn desk chair, it squeaked under her movement. Before she could explain her position, Harper said, “Why wasn’t I informed the minute you received word from Sam Weston’s lawyers?”
“I wanted to research our options before talking to you.” Avery placed her folded hands on her desk. When her fingers started tingling, she loosened her grip. “If you need to talk to me about shelter issues, especially our disagreements, I’d prefer we discuss things in private.”
Three months ago, Avery had loved her job. Harper’s predecessor had valued her opinion and trusted her instincts.
