AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter 28
What kind of dog does Dracula have? A bloodhound. ~ Text from Hailey to Aiden
“What happened last night?” Suzie asks as she sets a cup of coffee and a cinnamon twist in front of me. “Pops closed the bar down lickety-split. He promised you’d fill us in today.”
He did, did he? Typical man. Leave all the explaining to the woman. “Have a seat.”
She squeaks in excitement before backing up to sit in the chair behind her. She squats to sit but completely misses the chair. “Oops!” She says as she glides to the floor. She doesn’t try to break her fall. She merely holds up her coffee and donut as she goes down. “I’m okay.”
I didn’t ask. I wait until she’s seated before I tell her what happened.
“Why didn’t you stay with Aiden?”
My mouth drops open. “What? Who cares where I slept? Aren’t you concerned with my safety or curious who is behind this?”
She rolls her eyes. “You’ll figure everything out. You always do. But a boyfriend you’re hot and heavy with?” She wiggles her eyebrows. “Not an everyday occurrence.”
“I’ve had boyfriends,” I argue.
“But not a boyfriend you’ve had a crush on since high school,” she points out.
I open my mouth to disagree with her, although I’d be lying, and she knows it. I change the topic instead. “What do you think? Who could this stalker weirdo be?”
She shrugs. “No idea. You’re not exactly the kind of woman who spurs stalkers. Now, Phoebe, there’s a woman I could see having a stalker.”
I shake my finger at her. “You promised you’d stop digging into her background.”
“Digging into whose background?” Phoebe says as she enters.
“Hey, Phoebe. I didn’t know you were here today. I thought we were going to start your internship tomorrow?” Good save, Hailey. I pat myself on the back.
Before Phoebe can call me on my shit, the security alarm beeps, and the outer door opens. A dog barks. I look to Suzie. She looks as confused as me. We stand and walk into the reception area where Aiden stands holding the leash of a chocolate-colored dog.
I immediately stick out my hand. “Hi, sweetie. Who are you?” The dog licks my hand and then bumps my hand with his snout. “Does someone need some lovin’?” I scratch behind his ears. His tongues lolls out. “Aren’t you a good boy?”
“Girl, actually,” Aiden points out.
I look at the dog’s belly to confirm. “Yep, it’s a girl.”
He chuckles. “You needed to look for yourself?”
“Duh.”
I sit cross-legged on the floor and the dog sticks her big head in my lap. “Who’s a good girl?” I cuddle her close and kiss the top of her head. “I didn’t know you had a dog.” Shouldn’t I have known if my boyfriend has a dog? Zero points for Hailey on getting to know Aiden.
“I don’t.”
I look up from my cuddling. “Whose dog is this then?”
“If you get up off the floor, I’ll tell you.” He holds out his hand.
I look at the dog. “What do you think, girl? Should I get up or stay here and give you cuddles all day?” Her big, brown eyes stare at me as if she’s considering my question.
“Come on, honey. Get up. We need to talk.”
“If we have to do the ‘talk’, I’ll stay right here with my new best friend.”
“Hey!” Suzie grumps from behind me. “You are not replacing me with a dog.”
