Shelter Dog (Cashby)

Chapter 15

Alan's PoV
I decided to walk to work this morning. The funny thing is, I was still thinking of Austin. Two months was such a short time, and I guess in a sense I kind of felt like an idiot. It made me doubt myself and the relationship as a whole but Austin was so incredibly sweet to me almost all the time. He's everything I want in a guy, and then some. He has all of the key points and then more of the little quirky things that latch on and hold everything together like glue.

Everything about him was lovely. His imperfections and the flaws on his skin. The scar that separated the tattoo on his chest. Everything. It was just lovely.

I walked into the office and sat my stuff down next to Taylor's, and I was humming quietly. I felt happy and uplifted from this morning, like there was a light in my heart that was just making the world better. Maybe it was because I had swallowed some of the doubt I had mentioned.

"Who or what's got you so happy?" Taylor asked almost in a sigh. The girls had apologized to me and we had mended things but I still wasn't exactly keen on telling her who I'm dating.

Sometimes Austin came in, and Taylor was actually scared of him. Visibly. Jenna had this thing going on where she actually makes Austin seem like a bad person, which I couldn't fiercely defend or say she was trying to spite me because... Well, she didn't know that we were dating. So Taylor would actually tremble when he came in, sometimes. Or she would start coughing and excuse herself or say she had to get water. Once she even cried because she thought I was going to make her go up front and talk to him. That's how terrible it was and I was actually scared of what she would say and how work would be if I told her. Then again, I think her mental stability affected how she acted too. Taylor was quite troubled in some ways, but on most days she held her head up high and I admired that. Anyways, Austin on the other hand, he thought her reactions were hilarious.

"Nobody, nothing" I said, breaking the silence that had ensued.

"Liar" she accused, smacking me lightly on the shoulder.

"Am not" I grumbled, pouting at her. A smile lurked behind my pout and I know she knew I was lying. I just didn't know if she would just accept my denial or not. She didn't.

"Are too!" She exclaimed, pushing me roughly and laughing.

"Okay fine, just somebody" I muttered with a smirk, swatting her away from me and trying to get some files out to enter into the computer.

"Alan Anthony Ashby" she said firmly, approaching me again with a stomp.

"I'd rather you meet him instead of me telling you" I gave the sorry excuse. I figured it would give me a few days to come up with a better one. I didn't lie, but it was an excuse nonetheless.

"Fine" she grumbled. "I'm gonna hold you to that" and my heart skipped a beat because I knew she was and for a moment I was absolutely terrified.

The day drug on and on, but we did manage to make a few adoptions. An older woman went through our process and is currently fostering two cats and a litter of four kittens.

Quarry was a fixed and declawed male cat who was quite young - approximately 2 years - and gets along well with other cats, and he was also very friendly and vocal.

Then there was Squirrel, also a male cat, but he was a lot older. He seemed to be on his last legs, and his fur was rough and slightly matted. He had very tired eyes and I really did enjoy his company. He was going to be the next shelter cat if he had the chance. He was very kind and I think he deserved a warm life. The woman is considering adopting him and giving him an actual forever home. She said she would get back to me.