Loving Lewis

Chapter 3

When I pulled into the lot at Paws Crossed the next day, a streak of orange and yellow had just begun to peek over the horizon, announcing the arrival of dawn. I whipped into one of the many open parking spots and turned off my car, but didn't get out. For a moment I just stared out the windshield, watching a parade of morning color chase away the blues and purples and blacks of the night.

Today was going to be just as terrible as yesterday was. I knew it wasn't a very good attitude to have, but I'd never been one of those annoyingly optimistic people who thought the world was all rainbows and butterflies. There was also the issue of me leaving the cleaning supplies scattered in front of the kennels last night. I'd stormed out without saying with saying goodbye to Mrs. Lewis, and I doubted Mr. Southern Charm picked up for me.

Would Mrs. Lewis be pissed at me? Would I get yelled at? I wondered momentarily how my parents would react if I got fired. Considering the cold shoulder I'd been receiving from my father since the Twin Peak incident, he'd send me off to boarding school before I could mutter the words Friends with Greenwood. Sighing, I opened the door and climbed out of my car into the brisk morning air. Might as well face the music. If I did end up getting fired, at least it was still early enough to go home and crawl back under my covers.

As I crossed the blacktop, I stifled back a yawn. No amount of coffee was going to make waking up at five o'clock in the morning okay, but I didn't have a choice. Today I was learning the daily feeding routine for the dogs, and diet preparation started at six sharp every day. The back door of the shelter was already unlocked, and I could hear Mrs. Lewis clamoring around the kennels to the chorus of happy barking as I slipped inside. Before joining her, I went to the office to stash my purse and punch in.

"Morning, Quinn!"

My head jerked up in surprise. Mrs. Lewis was seated at her desk, nursing a cup of coffee as she went over some kind of paperwork.

"Oh!" I said, placing a hand on my heart. "Hi. You totally scared me."

"Sorry! I didn't mean to," she said, and I flinched. Her tone was way too cheerful for this early in the morning. "By the way, great job on the kennels yesterday."

I felt my eyes widen at her compliment. "Yeah?"

She nodded, a huge smile spreading across her face. "They look fabulous. I've never seen someone do such a thorough job their first time around."

No one had ever complimented me on cleaning something before, mainly because I never cleaned things, and when I did, it was half-assed. Must have worked out all my pent up anger with a scrub brush, I thought to myself. Then the words "first time" registered in my brain and my shoulders slumped at the thought of cleaning the kennels all over again.

"Um, thank you," I muttered. Maybe if I did a less than an impressive job the next time around she wouldn't ask me again...

"You're very welcome. I'm so glad you decided to volunteer with us, Quinn. I can already tell that you're going be a wonderful addition to our family here at Paws Crossed."

As I shoved my purse into one of the small lockers along the far wall, I couldn't tell if I felt more relieved or shocked. Not only was Mrs. Lewis glad that I was here, but she wasn't mad with me. But if she wasn't upset, did that meant Mr. Southern Charm cleaned up the mess I left on the floor last night? That didn't make any sense. Why would he help me after I was so short with him?

"Quinn, before you go," Mrs. Lewis called, and I turned back around to face her as she stood up from her desk. "My husband and I are redoing our beach house over the course of the next few weeks. I'll have my hands full with the renovations and won't be able to spend as much time at the shelter, so my nephew Holden kindly agreed to give me a hand. If you have any questions when I'm not around, feel free to ask him. He's been working here every summer since he was fourteen and knows his way around."