I must have been on my third cup of coffee when I heard the soft click of toenails on the floor. I looked up from the living room couch where I’d settled with my laptop. I didn’t want to take a chance that I’d miss Anna when she woke up.
Jack entered first, beelining a path toward me with his long tail wagging. Anna shuffled in after him, her hair tousled and her eyes still half-shuttered.
“Morning, sleepyhead,” I called out, doing my best to keep my eyes above the neckline of the T-shirt she wore, which did nothing to hide nipples that puckered beneath the soft fabric. Even tired, mussed, and looking more like a waif than the Barbie-like version Mason dressed her as, she was still beautiful.
Startled, dark blue eyes met mine. “Good morning,” she said softly. “I was just going to take Jack outside. Is there a place that’s better for him to go? I’ll clean up everything, of course. I don’t want him to be a bother. I know you weren’t anticipating company, and I swear, I don’t want us to get in the way. In fact?—”
“Anna, stop. It’s fine. Bristol and Em bring their dogs over all the time. It’s not a problem.”
“Oh. O…okay.” She paused and took a deep breath, visibly trying to calm herself.
“Tell you what. I’ll take Jack out while you get dressed. I brought your suitcase in for you, figuring you might need some things in there.”
Surprise flashed across her face. “You found my car?”
“I knew it couldn’t be far. Thought I’d see what the damage was. It was unlocked, so I brought back anything I thought you might need.”
“I—um. Thank you. That was really thoughtful.”
“No problem. Anything I should know about Jack? Like, is he likely to take off or chase a squirrel?”
She nodded, a little uncertainly. “I…I’m not sure. He hasn’t had that kind of freedom before. I always take him out on a leash. But he’s well-trained, and he always comes when called. Seriously, I don’t want to impose…”
She stopped her rambling when I held up my hand. “I got him. Running will be good for him.” My gaze fell to her shirt again before I caught myself. I cleared my throat. “You should put some clothes on.”
She squeaked out another “okay” and scurried back to the guest room.
“Guess it’s up to you and me,” I said to Jack, who took a few steps, then turned his head back to stare at me as if to say, “What’s taking you so long?”
I led Jack through the kitchen and out into a fenced-in part of the yard, just in case he saw one of the bunnies I’d seen the past few days. This wasn’t the time to test if he’d choose to chase them.
At first, Jack appeared uncertain about the situation and stuck by my side. That caused me more questions. Who had a dog this size and didn’t let him run? Something told me that was more about her asshole of a husband than Anna.
I picked up a ball and lobbed it across the grassy area. Jack hesitated, glancing at me as if for permission.
“Go on,” I encouraged.
The moment the words left my mouth, he took off, his long legs eating up the distance in a short time.
I didn’t know how much training he’d had, but the second he snatched up the ball, he turned and bounded back and sat in front of me with expectant eyes.
“Oh, you like this game, do you?” I pried the ball from his mouth and threw it again. This time, he took off withoutencouragement. Seconds later, he was back again, his tail wagging for more. I let out a breath of laughter. We kept at it for several minutes, long enough for Anna to get ready.
I wiped a hand over my face, feeling the sun’s growing heat. “I think that’s enough, don’t you?”
Apparently, Jack didn’t agree. He lowered himself into a play bow and let out a sharp bark, his entire backside wiggling with anticipation. Clearly, he was not ready to quit our game of fetch.
“One more. But then we go inside, okay?”
Woof.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” I threw the ball as far as I could, wondering how Anna kept up with his energy level when they were at their city house. Or did she even try? Was there some dubious reason both dog and mistress appeared so hesitant?
Jack trotted back with the ball and dropped it at my feet.
“Uh-uh. Playtime is over. Time to go find your mistress. I’ve got questions. Hopefully, she’s got some answers.”
He whined but fell into step at my side like he’d been doing it all his life. I reached down to ruffle his fur. “You’re a smart boy, aren’t you?”
