Clay's Hope by Melissa Haag Read Free Book Online Page B

towel.
    “Next time, fold it over the edge of the
tub,” she said.
    If I had hands, I would have run them
through my hair. The only thing I’d done right since arriving was
using soap. It was depressing.
    She went to the kitchen and started putting
together two sandwiches. I stayed out of her way but watched her
closely. Each deliberate move held a subtle grace that highlighted
her calm beauty. Though I told myself I watched her to learn more
about it, the truth was that I just liked to watch her. Seeing her
soothed me.
    “I’m guessing your bowl of dog food will
always be full,” she said as she set a plate with a sandwich on the
floor.
    I glanced at the sandwich she’d made for me.
The simple meal meant she was continuing to acknowledge the man
within me. She sat at the table, completely unaware that she’d
given me hope again. I ate my sandwich in two bites.
    “So, we have a week before my classes start
up. What’s your plan?”
    Plan? I tilted my head to study her.
    “Did you want to try to enroll in any
classes? Study anything?”
    The only thing I wanted to study was her. I
lay down and stared at my plate. So far, the information I’d
gathered didn’t amount to much.
    “Okay...well, if you change your mind, let
me know.”
    She washed our dishes then went back to
reading. I waited for her to get comfortable then joined her on the
couch. She didn’t seem to mind when I leaned against her and read
over her shoulder. In fact, when she read, she didn’t seem to
notice me at all.
    Was that a good thing or a bad thing? For
now, I figured it was good. If she didn’t notice me, she couldn’t
object to me. Later, well, I hoped with enough time she wouldn’t
want to ignore me.
    * * * *
    Several hours and another dry ham sandwich
later, I stood by my bowl. It was in line of sight of the couch,
and I was thirsty. But thirsty enough to drink from the bowl where
Gabby would see? I wasn’t sure.
    Outside, I heard a car pull into the
driveway. A door opened. Steps thumped on the deck. Then the door
swung open, and Rachel swept in. She threw her keys on the counter,
and her eyes zeroed in on me. This couldn’t be good.
    In her left hand, she held a collar and a
leash.
    Hell, no.
    Rachel knelt in front of me with a smile. I
narrowed my eyes at her, and when she tried to wrap her arms around
my neck, I dodged.
    “Come on,” she said softly, trying to
wrangle me.
    I kept moving.
    “Just hold still.”
    Not likely, woman.
    She heaved a sigh and sat back on her heels
to stare at me.
    I’d been kicked out, ignored, poorly fed—two
sandwiches were a snack in my mind—told I stunk, and now Rachel
wanted to collar me. Not happening.
    “This is a joke,” she said.
    Gabby laughed from the doorway, surprising
me. I glanced at her and saw her amusement. When Rachel tried
again, I ducked under her arms. Gabby grinned wider and met my
gaze.
    “Here.” She held out her hand to Rachel.
“I’ll try.”
    “Good luck,” Rachel said with a chuckle as
she got off her knees and handed over the collar.
    I watched Gabby closely as she
approached.
    “It was the biggest collar they had,” Rachel
said. “I don’t even know if it fits. He wouldn’t let me get close
enough.”
    Gabby knelt in front of me, still clearly
amused.
    “Clay, if you want to be able to go anywhere
with us, you need a collar we can clip a leash on. Not just the
twine you have holding your tag around your neck.”
    Did that mean she wouldn’t try to leave me
behind again? I was still debating if I could put up with a collar
when she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around my neck. I held
still and closed my eyes. She could do whatever she wanted as long
as she kept touching me. Her light movement brushed over my fur,
and I barely held back a shiver.
    “At least it’s not pink,” she said with a
pat, and I realized she’d already removed my tags and collared
me.
    She stood quickly and turned away.
    “Hey, I wouldn’t do that to him,”