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He moved around to the other saddlebag and started unloading puppy food and puppy pads and a halter and leash, a small doggie water bowl and a smaller food bowl. From the corner of his eye, he saw her brush off an errant tear as she nuzzled the puppy, and it made him feel terrible, like he’d been cavalier and, not knowing anything about this young woman, just saddled her with a living thing she might not be in any shape to care for.
“I brought everything she might need, and tomorrow I’ll bring a crate. Crate training is good for a pup; it will make her feel secure when she’s alone. However, I also brought a small doggie life jacket if you want to bring her into town in the skiff. Word has it you were out and about today. And dogs are welcome in every building but Doc Branson’s Dental Emporium because he’s allergic.”
That made her laugh out loud. “I’m sorry about the dentist. But are people’s lives that boring here that my trip into town—me, the most boring human being on earth that I ran away to the swamp—is interesting?”
“You’re the first new blood under sixty this place has had in a long time,” he replied, also laughing.
“Oh no,” she said, shaking her head.
“Seriously, if the puppy is out of line or too much…”
“I love her,” she said, kissing the puppy again.
She looked up at Justin, catching the look of interest and maybe desire on his face. She was not letting this guy get away just yet. “Can you stay a while?”
“I’m here till dusk,” he said, staring straight into her eyes. Then in a softer voice. “And I can come back in a car later.”
“Is that right?”
She walked down the steps to put the puppy on the grass to pee. “She won’t run off, will she?”
“Not yet. Her legs are only four inches long, so even if she does, she won’t get far. Here, let’s do her halter and leash. Then she won’t get under the house.”
“Under the house! I forgot about that.”
They worked at getting the little dog leashed up, and she walked around the yard sniffing, and finally, she squatted. Then he walked around to the shed and got a heavy rubber bucket used for watering horses and filled it for Spooky. Justin Chastain knew his way around Bayou Cottage.
The ladder creaked as Steve came down.
“I’ve got your dish all set up. Do you want to log on?”
“Sure. I’ll be right with you.”
“Oh, man! You got a dog!”
“I did.”
“Whether she wanted one or not,” Justin said, chuckling.
“No, now that’s not true. I want one. She’ll be company for me out here.”
“She’s gorgeous,” Steve said, squatting down to pet her. “I love dogs.”
“You’ve got how many? Five?” Justin asked, laughing.
“More than five. The rest we hide,” Steve replied.
“Okay, ready to log on!”
She’d dug her computer out of the cedar closet, and after being unplugged for almost two days, it was still charged. Steve gave her a piece of paper with the log-in information and then set up the equipment inside the house while she played with her puppy.
“I’m going to head out,” Justin said softly, pointing at the sinking sun. “See you in an hour?”
She nodded. “An hour it is.”
He left on horseback after saying goodbye to Steve, who was busy running wires and doing technical-looking stuff.
“Okay, fire her up,” he said.
