Page 51 of All For You

“I’ll take the Lab mix,” I said, pointing at him. At least he could walk straight.

Knightley laughed. “This is not primary school recess. I’m assigning the dogs.”

He then did so.

My heart sank lower as the rest of the dogs were assigned to the others. The old lab went to Lizzy, who looked delighted with the pairing.

Finally, the verdict was obvious.

“And Darcy, your teammate is Topaz LeStar,” Knightley announced gleefully.

What the hell. The Dog had a stripper name? Harry was now almost on top of me with his camera. Thank God I hadn’t said that aloud. Suggesting outright that she had a stripper name would shove me back to the doghouse I’d been consigned to the first night. I smiled…beatifically, I hoped. Topaz’s eyes lit up at the mention of her name. Somehow knowing she’d been assigned, she bounded toward me.

“Dream team!” I punched the air. I’d never punched the air in my life.

“Doesn’t she have a fun name?” Knightley said with a definite knowing lilt to his tone, seeming almost disappointed I hadn’t made a total cock of myself. “And never was a dog so loved. Which is where she got all her confidence from. Sadly, both her humans died.”

Everyone else made an “aww” face. I snuck a look at Lizzy, who pressed one of her eyes as if she’d welled up. Blinking hard, she gave Topaz an admiring look that said,Aren’t you fabulous?

Two birds with one stone.Being Lizzy’s hero and nailing this filming thing.

“I, for one, am looking forward to working with Topaz,” I said resolutely and was rewarded with a beaming smile from Lizzy.

I gave commands.I flattered. I wheedled. I scolded. Topaz wandered around blithely, aimlessly, but always happily. She strolledaroundthe jump. She climbedoverthe tunnel. She went in theother directionon the obstacle course. And then, in the middle of it all, obstructing everyone, she sat down next to me and licked herself again.

I stopped myself from rolling my eyes. In what felt like emotional ping-pong, I checked on Wills. Oh no. Jane wasclearly trying to engage him, but he looked blank. I didn’t think I was imagining his studied disinterest in her. It appeared Wills hadn’t taken my advice to not take drastic steps. He was giving her the cold shoulder instead of cooling things a little. I’d have to speak with him later, without cameras around.

“She loves you. She loves being around you,” Knightley said in a booming voice, bringing me back to Topaz.

His loud words got the attention of Lizzy, running the old rheumy dog, who turned out to have a lot of life in him yet. Lizzy raced over, the old dog at her heels.

“Gosh, she does, Darcy.” She smiled at Topaz, then at me. “You two have an immediate bond.”

“Isbondhow you’d describe it?” I asked.

“I feel a forever home coming on,” Knightley sang out annoyingly. “It’s written in the stars.”

“The LeStars?” I asked him with a fake smile.

“Exactement,” he said, giving me an equally large but fake smile back.

“I would love to, but we don’t have room,” I said.

Knightley and Lizzy stared at me. Shit, yeah, fair point. I basically owned an enormous apartment in London and a, er, castle-like abode.

“But what about poor Max?” I asked. “He’ll be jealous. He won’t like it.”

“We’re talking about Max? The most laid-back dog in the universe?” Lizzy said.

Like me, Max was theleastlaid-back creature in the universe; it was that Oodles had brought out a playful side of him this weekend. He hadn’t even turned around when the Balfours had led him away with Oodles for a walk through the fields. Traitorous, ungrateful creature.

Topaz was grinning up at me, as though she knew exactly what was happening. I didn’t want any more responsibility in my life, someone else who needed me to take charge.

“Max is pretty territorial and jealous. I’m not sure about this.”

“I’ll take care of Max while Topaz gets settled,” Wills chimed in. “Walk him, feed him, you know, all the rest.”

Not going to happen. Max had started out as Wills’s dog, and though he had all the love and best intentions, Wills was unused to the responsibility and day-to-day routine that dogs craved. I blamed myself for his irresponsibility, as I’d taken care of everything for Wills since he was a child.