He rests his head on the ground, groaning slightly. “What hurts?” I ask again, and he tightens his arms around me just a little more. I inhale his deep woodsy scent, and it smells as though he’s been outside working, chopping wood by the campfire.
It’s incredibly sexy.
Everett sighs. “I’m fine. That damn dog is trying to kill me. Are you okay?”
“You broke my fall.”
He grunts, shifting his body, and I realize that I’m still lying on top of him as he’s on the cold, damp concrete. I quickly scramble to get off him and help him sit up. “I wasn’t sure I wasgoing to get to you in time. Thanks for that, Brutus,” he says to the dog, who looks completely unaffected by the commotion he caused.
“Wait, is that Brutus like the Ember Falls mascot?” I ask as it dawns on me.
“That’s him.”
I push up and walk over, sitting on the step, and pet him. “Hey, Brutus, you’re a very sweet boy, aren’t you?”
“No, he’s not sweet. He’s a turd. I need to bring him to the office today for his shots, and he took off. Of course I didn’t have my shoes on, so I had to get those, which is how he got over here so fast.”
I smile. “You wanted to hide from the mean vet, huh?”
Everett huffs. “Yeah, the mean vet who pays for his treats, food, and takes him to the f-o-o-t-b-a-l-l game,” he says, spelling it out.
“Well, Brutus knew where to hide out. You can come here anytime you want. As a bulldog myself, we have to stick together,” I tell the dog, who then flops to his side, offering me his belly to scratch.
“Great, another woman he’s got wrapped around his rolls.”
I laugh and shake my head. “Here, hand me the leash.”
Everett gives it over, and I snap it onto his collar and hand the loop to Everett. He tugs on the leash. “Come on, Brutus. We need to go.”
Brutus does not move. In fact, he becomes even more deadweight than before.
“Aren’t you supposed to be good with animals?” I tease, trying to contain my laughter.
“All but this one. Come on, boy. Want a treat?”
The dog lets out a snort and I giggle. Everett huffs. “I give up.”
Seems Brutus has no intention of moving either. “If his shots aren’t urgent, he can hang out here. I’m just painting.”
“Painting?”
“Yeah, the house needs a fresh coat of paint. You know, out with the old and all that.”
“The inside or outside?” Everett asks.
“Inside first. I don’t think I’m adventurous enough to tackle painting the outside of a house yet.”
He grins. “I don’t suggest it. I tried once and had to call a professional to come fix my mess.”
“I’m only doing things I feel like I can manage. Painting seems like a good place to start.”
Everett eyes me warily. “Have you ever painted before?”
“No, but it’s paint and a wall. Put it up and then it dries.”
I spent two hours in the hardware store getting all the information the two old men were willing to disperse. A lot of it contradicted the other, but the basics were there. I need to tape the ceiling, put cloths down, cover everything, then roll.
“I mean, sure, that’s the goal, but you have to make sure you tape off everything, trim, and use the right roller.”
