“Yes, ma’am?”
Angelo laughs, shaking his head. “Don’t call her ma’am.”
“Um, Miss?—”
“Director,” Angelo supplies. “Call her Miss Director.”
“Oh hush,” she tells him with obvious affection, then says, “it’s still Rivers. Why give up a good last name once you’ve got it?”
“Unless you get a better one,” Angelo says under his breath, a hopeful note to his voice.
Her eyebrows rise. “We’ll see.”
Well, I guess someone wants to marry Chloe’s mom.
With a laugh she turns back to me. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate everything you’ve done. Thank you.” Then she lowers her voice, her smile vanishing, her tone sharp. “And be good to my daughter.”
For fuck’s sake, am I wearing a sign above my head that saysI’m into her?
But then, as long as I don’t advertise my feelings at work, I’ll be fine. Even after I ask her to be my girl on Saturday night. Even when I tell her how I feel. It’s just best to make sure the workplace isn’t a love fest.
“Yes, ma—Miss Rivers.”
“Karen is fine,” she says.
“Thanks, Karen,” I say, then leave, heading home to let out my dog.
Home. It feels that way. The faint scent of cinnamon lingers on the towel Chloe used this morning from the bodywash I bought for her, and it mingles with the clean smell of freshly bathed dog swirling around my guy.
After a quick walk around the block, I settle in on the couch, the furry guy nudging my leg, craving some attention. Chloe won’t be here for a few more minutes, so I grab my tablet and review the plans for tomorrow’s Dog Day Afternoon as I pet Mister Dog.
The event at the community pool has ballooned. When Alexandra learned about it, she arched a brow and said, “We should set up a photo op with Jubilee.”
That sounded like a perfect way to connect the show to DogTails and to Chloe’s business, which is also sponsoring the event. I gave the only response I could: “Let’s do it.”
It’s since turned into a bigger photo opportunity with Saffron, Ava, and Veronica planning to attend, too, along with the director and the writer. Alexandra will be there as well, and some of the guest stars for the next episode.
Bring it on. Let them see what we’ve built at Dog Tails and with Chloe’s Paw-sitive Dog Training.
Now, I scroll through my email and spot a new one from Alexandra. It’s a list of items Jubilee’s handler says the little star will need tomorrow.
Fresh water for drinking. Easy.
An umbrella so she doesn’t get too hot. Fair.
And…no tennis balls within ten feet. Okay. I can ask Levi and Hazel to monitor tennis ball placement. They’ll love that.
I write them a text—pretty sure email for them is like a black hole—and schedule it to send in the early morning.
That done, I set the tablet down and scratch my dog behind his ears.Mydog. I’m still getting used to that. But it’s another thing that feels just right.
“What do you think, Mister Dog? You happy here?”
The fox-like pooch rests his snout on my leg. I take that as a yes.
“Yeah, me too.”
* * *
