Winter's Wonder: Pine Point, Book 2 Read Online Free PDF
Author: Allie Boniface
would bring him where he wanted to go. He checked the clock again. Ten minutes to five.
Just before he turned onto Jefferson, he swung into the drive-through of the local coffee place and, on impulse, ordered two large hot cocoas. “Yes to the whipped cream,” he said with a grin when the barista asked. Down boy , he told the stirring in his jeans, but that part of him had never listened to reason when it came to women.
Five minutes later, he was negotiating the pot holes of Lower Road until it came to an abrupt dead end at two long, low buildings. Pine Point Paws , read a small sign near the front door of the larger one. Peeling white paint outlined a cluster of paw prints at the bottom of the sign. Animal Abandonment is a Crime! read another bright red sign. Punishable up to $2500 . He didn’t see a single soul, human or animal, anywhere. A chain-link fence lined what looked like a dog run on one side. A walking path wound behind both buildings and disappeared into the fields beyond. Two overflowing garbage cans sat beside the curb near a pile of crates and carriers of all sizes. Even through his closed windows, he could hear the sound of barking, from high-pitched yelps to low, throaty woofs. What had he gotten himself into?
Well, he’d come this far. And he was more than a little curious to see where Becca Ericksen spent her time. Zane parked, took a deep breath, grabbed the two cups of cocoa and headed inside with his best grin on.
Chapter Five
Becca stared at the man who had just walked inside the Pine Point Paws front office. He was tall, dark and handsome and held two cups of what smelled like heavenly hot cocoa. Then she looked down at herself. Dirty jeans, salt-stained work boots and a long-sleeved shirt covered in cat hair. In one hand, she held a broom. In the other, the file of a no-show adopter. She watched Zane’s expression, a mix of curiosity and something else, probably a certain level of disgust, as he took it all in—and then she burst into tears.
“Whoa. Ah, Becca?”
She cried harder, until tears blurred her vision and her nose began to run. She dropped the broom and leaned against her desk chair—she couldn’t sit on it, since it was piled high with files and bills and a cat bed that needed cleaning. And she just cried. For a solid minute, the sobs burst from her chest and out of her throat. This was ridiculous. It was heart-breaking. Running an animal shelter was non-stop work, both physical and emotional, and she wasn’t sure how much longer she could do it. To add insult to injury, Mr. Good Looking, who didn’t even like animals, had just showed up to witness her frazzled state. Finally, she drew one hand across her face.
“I’m sorry.” Her voice hitched. She looked around for a tissue but couldn’t find any, so she just used her sleeve instead. “It’s been a really long day.” From the kennel behind them came the echoes of thirty-three dogs of various shapes and sizes. Julito and Kevin would be in at five-thirty to feed them, but she knew their barks of frustration came from being pent up in this cold weather, not just their hunger.
Zane held out a cup. “Hot cocoa?”
Hot cocoa . As if a warm beverage could fix all her problems? But she took the cup anyway. “Thanks.” She sniffled away her remaining tears.
He looked around. “Must be tough running this place by yourself.” He ran one hand over paneling that had separated from the wall near the door. A space heater hummed at his feet and two gray cats lay curled up next to it. The baseboard was split, and she had towels stuffed in the cracks along the window. “Needs work.”
Her face heated. “Yes, it does. But in case you didn’t know, the donations aren’t exactly pouring in.” She looked at a crumpled flyer lying on the desk. Spend Christmas with One of Santa’s Elves! read the bright red and green letters. Three of their good-natured senior cats were pictured at the bottom with Christmas hats plopped
Just before he turned onto Jefferson, he swung into the drive-through of the local coffee place and, on impulse, ordered two large hot cocoas. “Yes to the whipped cream,” he said with a grin when the barista asked. Down boy , he told the stirring in his jeans, but that part of him had never listened to reason when it came to women.
Five minutes later, he was negotiating the pot holes of Lower Road until it came to an abrupt dead end at two long, low buildings. Pine Point Paws , read a small sign near the front door of the larger one. Peeling white paint outlined a cluster of paw prints at the bottom of the sign. Animal Abandonment is a Crime! read another bright red sign. Punishable up to $2500 . He didn’t see a single soul, human or animal, anywhere. A chain-link fence lined what looked like a dog run on one side. A walking path wound behind both buildings and disappeared into the fields beyond. Two overflowing garbage cans sat beside the curb near a pile of crates and carriers of all sizes. Even through his closed windows, he could hear the sound of barking, from high-pitched yelps to low, throaty woofs. What had he gotten himself into?
Well, he’d come this far. And he was more than a little curious to see where Becca Ericksen spent her time. Zane parked, took a deep breath, grabbed the two cups of cocoa and headed inside with his best grin on.
Chapter Five
Becca stared at the man who had just walked inside the Pine Point Paws front office. He was tall, dark and handsome and held two cups of what smelled like heavenly hot cocoa. Then she looked down at herself. Dirty jeans, salt-stained work boots and a long-sleeved shirt covered in cat hair. In one hand, she held a broom. In the other, the file of a no-show adopter. She watched Zane’s expression, a mix of curiosity and something else, probably a certain level of disgust, as he took it all in—and then she burst into tears.
“Whoa. Ah, Becca?”
She cried harder, until tears blurred her vision and her nose began to run. She dropped the broom and leaned against her desk chair—she couldn’t sit on it, since it was piled high with files and bills and a cat bed that needed cleaning. And she just cried. For a solid minute, the sobs burst from her chest and out of her throat. This was ridiculous. It was heart-breaking. Running an animal shelter was non-stop work, both physical and emotional, and she wasn’t sure how much longer she could do it. To add insult to injury, Mr. Good Looking, who didn’t even like animals, had just showed up to witness her frazzled state. Finally, she drew one hand across her face.
“I’m sorry.” Her voice hitched. She looked around for a tissue but couldn’t find any, so she just used her sleeve instead. “It’s been a really long day.” From the kennel behind them came the echoes of thirty-three dogs of various shapes and sizes. Julito and Kevin would be in at five-thirty to feed them, but she knew their barks of frustration came from being pent up in this cold weather, not just their hunger.
Zane held out a cup. “Hot cocoa?”
Hot cocoa . As if a warm beverage could fix all her problems? But she took the cup anyway. “Thanks.” She sniffled away her remaining tears.
He looked around. “Must be tough running this place by yourself.” He ran one hand over paneling that had separated from the wall near the door. A space heater hummed at his feet and two gray cats lay curled up next to it. The baseboard was split, and she had towels stuffed in the cracks along the window. “Needs work.”
Her face heated. “Yes, it does. But in case you didn’t know, the donations aren’t exactly pouring in.” She looked at a crumpled flyer lying on the desk. Spend Christmas with One of Santa’s Elves! read the bright red and green letters. Three of their good-natured senior cats were pictured at the bottom with Christmas hats plopped