AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Jesus Christ! Your dog can spell?”
Jake watched Frankie’s shoulders shake as she collapsed into another fit of laughter, bracing herself against the kitchen counter.
Something about her carefree laugh squeezed around his heart momentarily. Her happiness radiated from her, and he felt its warmth wash over him, the small hairs on his arm prickling to attention. He stepped closer and almost got taken out at the knees by the still-racing Buster.
She reached into a drawer and retrieved a leash and a handful of poop bags from their hiding spot, tossing them to him. “If he can see them, he pulls them down and chews on them until you take him out. And yes, in addition to being his personal stylist, Daisy has been teaching him to spell. Knowledge is power and all that.”
“Great. What other words does he know?” Jake asked as he blocked one of Buster’s laps long enough to grab his collar and get the leash clipped.
“Bed, vet, food, and water so far.” Frankie opened the door and Buster lunged, nearly pulling Jake over the couch in his enthusiasm to get outside. “Good luck!” she yelled after them as he got pulled down the stairs.
“I’m gonna need all the luck I can get,” Jake muttered. Dog walker wasn’t on his résumé, but if he could wear Buster out enough to let them eat in peace, he’d do it.
Jake followed Buster’s lead down the stairs and around the front of the six-flat apartment building the Valentis owned and partially occupied. He pulled up short when he literally ran into Natalie and Daisy walking hand in hand, with Enzo behind pushing the twins in a double-wide stroller.
“Hi, everyone! Out for a walk?”
Of course they are, idiot.Jake would’ve slapped his forehead if he’d been able to let go of the leash. But he needed both hands to keep control of Buster, who started up his happy circles again, this time while tethered—which spelled disaster for Jake’s ankles.
“Sit! Stop! Stay! Fuck!”
Nothing he said seemed to have an effect on the dog, but the humans were laughing hysterically.
“I don’t think you want him to learn that last one.” Enzo chuckled and wiped tears from his eyes. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you unable to wrangle something under control.”
“Sorry. Daisy, don’t learn that one either.”
Natalie wrapped her arm around the front of Daisy’s shoulders and pulled her back out of Buster’s way.
“We were just going to get some I-C-E C-R-E-A-M. He knows that word too," Daisy whispered. "He can't spell it yet, but I can."
Natalie grinned. “So, um, what are you doing over here?”
“Frankie invited me for dinner and to talk about the show.”
“Dinner. Really?” Enzo paused before adding, “Good luck with that.”
Jake suppressed a smile as he tried not to think of just how lucky he’d like to get tonight.
Natalie’s eyes crinkled with mischief. "So what did you think?"
"Think of what?" Did she guess? Did she know? Enzo surely suspected after freeing them from the cellar. Had Frankie told anyone about them? What had she said? How long had he stood here silently staring? Man, this relationship business was hard. That was why he generally avoided them. Well, reason number forty-two…
"Sheesh, Jake." Natalie shook her head in disgust. "You didn't even notice?"
"Notice what?"
"Do yourself a favor when you go back up and open your freaking eyes."
Natalie's advice rubbed him the wrong way. What had he missed?
Enzo clapped a hand on his shoulder, breaking the tension. “Well, don’t let us keep you from your…”
“Don’t say it!” Jake tightened his grip on the leash.
“…stroll,” Enzo finished with a grin.
Jake laughed in relief. “Thanks for that. You too.”
