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“Someone has to have some standards.” She didn’t mean to make it sound like he didn’t, but in truth, he wasn’t all that selective, but maybe while she was working for him, she could help him define a few things, like what ladies were worth his time. It was worth a thought. But right now, the number one question in her mind was, “Who named you Red?” She took a good look at his hair. It was more brown than anything else.
“My mother. The way my dad tells it, I came out screaming and was the color of a cherry. I guess I’m lucky they didn’t name me Bing, Choke, or anything else that goes with cherry.”
She pulled out her phone and looked up dogs and breeds to find out what kind of dogs came in white. “He’s probably a mutt, but by the size of his paws, I don’t think he’ll get all that big.” She kept scrolling through pictures and comparing them to Lucky. “I think he’s either a terrier or a Bichon Frise.”
“I suppose it doesn’t matter. Nothing is going to change what he is.”
“No, but knowing will help you determine his likely disposition. According to this article, if he’s a terrier, he’s likely to be stubborn and hard to train. People call them terrors.”
“What about the other breed?”
“It says they are great family pets but need regular grooming and attention, or they can be destructive.”
“What if he belongs to someone? I don’t want to take a dog that already has an owner.”
“If he has an owner, his owner isn’t caring for him. The vet will check for a chip but let me say that this dog needs you. When was the last time someone truly needed you, and you stepped up?”
She watched as Red’s jaw tightened and his lips pulled thin. After several agonizing seconds, he said, “Fine, I’ll give him a month, but if he’s not happy, or I’m not happy, we need a different plan.”
They pulled into the electronics store, and she left Red with the puppy. “Lock the door.”
“You think Sarah will show up here? She doesn’t have a car. She told me she sold it to buy a ticket to the concert.”
“Couldn’t have been that nice a car.”
“Hey,” he said. “Our tickets sell for a premium.”
“Either that’s some expensive ticket, or she’s got a shitty car. I’m going with the latter.” She exited the truck and shut the door.
It didn’t take her long to find everything she needed, and when she got back, she knew Red would never get rid of that dog. He’d let him crawl under his shirt and snuggle against his bare skin. Lucky dog.
At the hardware store, she found a deadbolt and window locks that she could install that prevented the window from opening too far. On the way back to Aspen Cove, they stopped at a pet store and got Lucky a collar, a leash, food, and a kennel with a soft pad.
The day had turned out well considering how it started, but it all went downhill when they pulled into the driveway. The Yukon had been vandalized with red paint. The words “heart breaker” were sprayed across the side.
Before Red fully stopped, Viv was out of the truck and ran to the rental. “Oh, game on.”
CHAPTERTWELVE
Viv told him to call the sheriff while she swept the house.
“This has gone too far.” Red shifted Lucky to his other arm, pulled his phone from his pocket, and dialed the sheriff.
Aiden answered. “This better be life or death, Red. I warned you already.”
“Sheriff, it’s not about me. Someone has vandalized Vivian Armstrong’s rental car. It’s in my yard.”
“I’ll be right over.”
“All clear,” Viv said as she came back out and stood in front of the rental car. “This is going to cost a fortune to remove.” She knelt and ran her hand over the red paint.
“I’ve got a guy.” He called Bobby Williams, who answered right away. “Hey, Bobby, I’ve got a problem with some spray paint on a car. What do I do?”
Bobby wasn’t one for long conversations. “Butter Wet Wax,” was all he said.
“Got it.” Red ordered it from Amazon, hoping to get a Prime delivery, and then he went to Viv. “I’ll get this taken care of. It’s my fault.”
She stood and leaned against the SUV. “It’s all part of the job.”
