Not Your Ex's Hexes (Supernatural Singles, #2)(25)

She clicked on the Bronx Zoo’s website, and more specifically, the live camera feed for the very pregnant Jasmine the Giraffe.

Damian looked as confused as Miguel.

“You came across a laboring giraffe?” Damian’s brow furrowed.

“Yes! Well, no. Kinda. Live-feed cameras.”

Miguel rubbed his beard, speaking first. “Maybe it’s because I haven’t had my coffee yet, but I’m not following your direction here.”

She tapped on the growing number in the bottom left corner of the zoo’s camera images. “You see this? There’s currently five hundred and twenty-three people watching Jasmine pace in her stall.”

“Five hundred people are watching the giraffe right now?” Miguel asked.

Rose glanced at the number. “No. It’s now over seven hundred.”

“But all she’s doing is standing there.”

“Exactly!” She beamed excitedly. “And when Jasmine’s more active, or when it’s feeding time, or when her keepers give her a pregnancy checkup or set up for her enrichment time, that number easily soars into the thousands.”

“Why the hell would people want to watch a vet examination?” Damian looked confused.

“Why wouldn’t they?” She turned in her chair to observe him watching the live feed. “People love animals, many more than they do people.”

“They’re not the only ones,” Damian muttered.

“Adoption agencies do these puppy and kitten cams all the time. Think about the Puppy Bowl around the Super Bowl. People who wouldn’t have otherwise seen an animal, see them on the camera, fall in love, and then those animals find their forever home. Not to mention it almost always leads to donations. People love helping animals in need. All we have to do is revamp this idea and apply it to the sanctuary.”

Damian was already shaking his head. “You want to litter this place with cameras? I don’t think so. This is a vet practice, not a reality TV show. I want to treat the animals that come through here, not worry about someone staring at my ass while I bend over to start an IV.”

Miguel looked thoughtful. “People watch these things and send in donations?”

“All the time. For hours. They become so invested in the animals’ well-being they can’t not tune in.” Rose turned her attention to her more receptive audience. “Can you imagine someone falling so in love with Butternut or Squash, that when they’re healthy, they have a pasture of their very own to call home? Not only does a cam-feed have the potential of bringing in a steady cash flow, but kids watch. People ask questions on the chat feature. It’s a great connection—and educational—tool.”

Miguel glanced to Damian as if waiting for his response, and so did Rose.

He stared at the giraffe cam, his face devoid of emotion. Being unable to read his thoughts drove her near her breaking point. This could help the sanctuary. She knew it. And she couldn’t wait to set it into motion.

Finally, Damian shook his head. “I don’t like it.”

“What the hell don’t you like about it?” she snapped, exasperated. “Solving your financial woes, or matching the animals with their perfect owners?”

He shot her a glare. “I don’t like the idea of people memorizing the sanctuary’s comings and goings, not to mention monitoring my comings and goings.”

“What does your work schedule have to do with anything?”

Miguel answered, “Damian lives in the loft apartment upstairs … but I’m sure there’s a way to put the cameras on timers or something, right? Turn them off and on?”

“Of course.” She pulled her mind off the fact Damian lived in the upper level of the barn. “And then we could always manually turn the feed on if something special is happening, like if we receive a new resident.”

“I don’t have time to babysit cameras. I’m stretched thin as it is,” Damian interjected.

“There’s no babysitting involved. Ignore them. Do your thing, and the viewers will come. We’ll probably even reel in a few people who have things for grumpy demon veterinarians who can nicely fill out a pair of jeans.”

Damian cocked a dark blond eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

She rolled her eyes. “Don’t be so modest. With as many people as will be watching the animals, I’m sure an equal number will tune in to watch you. A sexy man is a dime a dozen. But a sexy man who loves and cares for animals is an entirely different breed.”

Miguel chuckled, smacking his knee. “Maybe you’ll get your own little fan club out of it, kid.”

“Just what I’ve always wanted,” Damian muttered. He shot a look at the cam-feed again. “Let’s say I entertain this idea for one hot millisecond. What you’re suggesting is putting multiple cameras around this place. Cameras cost money, not to mention, the time, knowledge, and expense of hooking them up and maintaining them. Then you add in these chat questions you mentioned. I don’t have time for all that.”

“I’ll make it part of my duties while I’m here. I don’t mind. And while I don’t claim to be a techie, I am savvy enough to lay the foundation. What I don’t know how to do, I’ll figure out with the help of the internet … and maybe Olive.”

“I have some old computer cams I was about to pitch.” Terrance appeared in the doorway. “You can have them.”