 by Roan Parrish.jpg)
Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 47287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 158(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 158(@300wpm)
River Mills loves working at the Dirt Road Cat Shelter in the cozy town of Garnet Run. They finally have a safe place to live and wonderful friends (feline and human), for the first time. But love? They’ve never had much luck … until gorgeous, confident Cassidy Darling bursts through the shelter door one night with an injured cat in his arms.
Cassidy loves all animals and when their lives are cut short, he loves honoring them through the art of ethical taxidermy. Craftmas, the local holiday art fair, is his biggest sales event of the year. When the cutie he met at the cat shelter the week before turns out to be running the booth next to his, Cassidy is thrilled. But River isn’t—taxidermy? Horrifying!
But as they get to know each other, River realizes that Cassidy is vulnerable and kind, and Cassidy learns River has the biggest heart of anyone he’s ever met—just in time to share a Christmas full of sexy exploration, emotional connection, and, of course, cats.
*Shelter in Garnet Run takes place after the events of The Rivals of Casper Road, but can be read as a stand-alone.
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
CHAPTER 1
River
Ten minutes before closing, headlights swept through the trees as a truck rounded the driveway and came to a stop in the parking lot of the Dirt Road Cat Shelter. People always did this—thought that as long as they dashed through the door before it was locked then they could take their sweet time playing with the cats.
Usually, River Mills didn’t mind. The chance of a cat getting adopted was well worth the loss of personal time. Not like they were really doing much after closing other than playing with the cats, anyway.
Tonight, though, they were exhausted. All they wanted to do was take a hot shower, smoke some weed, and have popcorn for dinner while they watched the final three episodes of Surprise, You’re Married. They were pretty sure three of the couples didn’t have a chance in hell of making it.
The doors flew open in a gust of cold wind, pine needles, and exhaust. A large, broad man who appeared to be wrapped in a blanket rushed toward them.
"I’m so glad you’re still open," the man said from inside his thick scarf. "I wasn’t sure where else to go."
River glanced up into concerned brown eyes. The man uncovered a bundle in his arms. The blanket wasn’t wrapped around him; it was wrapped around a small, trembling cat.
"I found it on the side of the road. I thought it was dead, but when I went to pick it up …"
The cat looked bad. Nearly frozen and undernourished, it probably would’ve died in the night if he hadn’t found it. River’s heart began to pound and a familiar tightness banded their chest.
"Bring it in here."
The man followed them without question as they found a box to keep the cat warm and turned on a heating pad. He placed the bundle in the box gently, stroking the cat’s ear with a fingertip before withdrawing.
River put the box on the heating pad and tucked the blanket around the cat. Better to warm it up first before checking for any other injuries or illnesses. The cat could sleep next to their bed so they could get up every couple hours and give it formula if it was strong enough to eat. Then they’d call Molly tomorrow morning and see if she could come take a look at the poor little thing.
River just hoped it would last that long. Nausea bubbled up in their gut. The last time someone had brought in a cat, it hadn’t made it. Too young, too weak, it had died in their arms three hours later.
"… Darling."
River tuned back in and the man’s hand was extended.
"What? Sorry."
"I’m Cassidy Darling."
Did you honestly think for one second that this dude was calling you "darling"?
They shook hands. The man’s palm was rough and dry, his fingers long.
There were people who introduced themselves with their full names, right off the bat. From most people, it seemed self-aggrandizing, as if their reputation preceded them. But from Cassidy Darling it struck River as anachronistic instead. A throwback to a time when a full name had the power to conjure an entire story.
"River."
They walked back out to the front desk, hoping he would get the hint and take off. But he stopped at the desk with them.
"Do you think it’s gonna be okay, River?"
His voice caressed their name and their scalp prickled pleasantly.
"Global climate change, inflation, the denial of bodily autonomy, and the rise of fascism suggest no," they muttered.
Excitement sparked in the man’s eyes and he unwound his scarf, opened his wool overcoat, and began to unbutton his gray flannel shirt.
"Uhh."
River froze, squinted their eyes half-shut, and held up their hand, as if they could ward off whatever was about to happen.
Their boss had definitely failed to address what to do if a patron strips in front of you in the employee handbook. Well. Less handbook and more pieces of paper covered in Rye’s cramped handwriting and River’s revisions held together with a paper clip in the bottom drawer.
Cassidy spread open his muted winter layers to reveal a bright yellow T-shirt that said Tell Me About It. He made a Vanna White gesture at the shirt.
"Um. Is that … Jokerman?"
"The font? I don’t know. My sister made it for me. I’ll ask her."
He was typing on his phone before River could say anything.
Ohh, he was agreeing with me. Via shirt.
"Her answer was a grin emoji. Does that mean it is?"
"I know it is. Never mind. I don’t know about the cat, but I’ll have the vet come take a look tomorrow."
"She says 'that’s the joke.' What the hell does that mean?"
Before, River had seen only a flip book of moods—worried, excited, confused. But when Cassidy looked up from his phone, River took in his features for the first time.
He had warm brown eyes and a short, full beard. When he smiled, it revealed a space between his two front teeth and smile lines around his eyes. A thin, gold ring gleamed in his nose and his brown hair was in a parted quiff with the sides faded.