Page 65 of Papa's Bébé


Font Size:

“It’s all right, Gummy. He’s not here to hurt the girls. He’s our friend. This is Matthieu. Matthieu, this is Gummy.”

Why the hell would someone name a dog Gummy?

The dog seemed to study him, then she let out a huff and strode past him. Wow, that dog had some attitude.

Just like her owner.

There was another bark from in the house and as Maya stepped through the back door and into the kitchen another small dog barreled toward her.

This dog was bigger than Gummy. He looked like he had some bulldog in him. But he’d never seen a dog like it before. His eyeballs were bulging. How did he see properly?

But somehow, he managed to avoid banging into anything as he raced toward Maya.

Then smack!

The dog ran straight into her legs.

“Dougie!” she said as she reached down and picked him up.

He licked her face enthusiastically.

“Okay, we’ve talked about the licking,” she lightly scolded him as she scratched him behind the ears. “He can’t hold his licker.”

He couldn’t hold his licker? Matthieu fought another grin.

She set Dougie down as a white, fluffy cat strode into the room on three legs. She ignored them all as she walked over to a food bowl that was pale pink with ‘Princess’ written along the front of it.

“This is Princess Priss,” Maya said as she walked over and drew a bag of food out of a kitchen cabinet. She filled up the cat’s bowl.

“So you have a cat too?”

Maya sent him a small look, then away. “Are you allergic to cats?”

Did she sound hopeful?

“Nope.”

“Do you not like animals?”

He snorted. “I like animals. You’re not going to get rid of me that easily.”

“Hmm. Come. I mean . . . um . . . please follow me.”

She walked down to a closed door and stopped, glancing up at him quickly. There was still a blush on her cheeks, but she also looked a bit worried.

“I have two more.”

“Cats? Dogs?”

“A dog and a pig.”

A pig? In the house?

“A pig?” he asked.

“Big Berry. She hangs out in my bedroom with Tank.”

“Tank?” Now that sounded like the dog who should be guarding the kitchen and barking when he heard people.