Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 70004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
“Sounds like she was lucky to have you.” I stood up, wiping my face clean on my t-shirt, which inevitably bared my not-so-flat belly. His eyes dropped to my belly, then flicked back up to my face. “I’m lucky to have you, too.”
He shrugged. “Kept me company these last few months.”
“That makes me feel better that he was well taken care of.” I swallowed hard. “Do you…would…can I buy you dinner as thanks?”
He shook his head, his gaze flicking up to the country club behind me. “Not my favorite place to eat.”
I waved away that horrible idea. “Definitely not here.”
He tilted his head, looked like he was about to agree, but then someone called my name from behind me.
I didn’t have to turn around to know that Birdee was there.
“Oh, look. You found him,” Birdee cooed. “Now you can breed him like you always wanted.”
She had her eyes narrowed, however, making it seem like she definitely wasn’t happy about this.
The asshole.
“I’m sorry to tell you this, again, but I’m not breeding him.”
“But he’s unfixed. Why would you have a dog that’s unfixed if you didn’t plan on breeding him?”
I sighed. “Studies show that it’s healthier for the dog in the long run to wait a few years until you neuter them. The sex hormones in the dog allow proper musculoskeletal and immune system development.”
“The shelter should’ve neutered him before they even gave him to you,” Birdee sneered. “But, just like always, rules don’t matter to you.”
I gritted my teeth, biting back the reply.
And, because I couldn’t fucking stand her, I dismissed her and turned to the man and said, “Hopps?”
His brows rose, as if he never expected me to recommend Hopps.
It was a hole in the wall place on the river that served the day’s catch. They also served a damn fine hamburger and had no issues with pets.
“Sure,” he said, his gaze flicking back behind me where Birdee was still standing. “By ourselves.”
Birdee hissed in a breath.
I snorted out a laugh. “Definitely by ourselves.”
He nodded once and said, “I’ll meet you there.”
“Don’t know what a man like that would see in you,” Birdee said as soon as the man—who hadn’t introduced himself, might I add—was out of earshot. “He could do way better.”
I didn’t acknowledge her or her words, even though we both knew that they were true.
But that wasn’t what this was.
This was one hundred percent a thank you for watching my baby over the last half a year and that was it…
I caught Brawny around the collar and guided him to my truck.
I was happy to see that his walking skills had definitely improved.
He hopped up in the car without too much struggle, either, which was definitely an improvement from having to lift his big butt into the car on my own.
I guess that also came with getting older, though.
Which literally felt like a shot straight to the heart.
I’d missed so much…
The drive to Hopps was filled with lots of kisses and cuddles. By the time I arrived in the parking lot of my favorite restaurant, I was covered in slobber and hair.
I got out and reached for Brawny’s leash, but he beat me to the punch and hopped out before I was ready.
I reached for his leash, but he walked right away from me to the man that seemed to be waiting for him.
“You’re gonna have to bar him next time.” The man bent over and picked up his leash. “I can’t say that I’ve trained him all that well. He gets excited when we get into the truck because he thinks we’re going to the store to get a beef bone.”
“Ahhh,” I said. “He’s gotten way bigger, too. When I last saw him, he was at least fifty pounds lighter.”
Which again, broke my freakin’ heart.
“All those steaks I cooked him.” The man winced.
“You cooked him steak?”
He shrugged. “Got the money.”
I sure didn’t.
“He’s going to hate living with me, because I definitely can’t afford steak dinners for the beast.”
“He eats canned dog food, too.”
Couldn’t afford that, either…
Subject change was necessary, and I didn’t want to have to explain my financial struggles to the man.
That would bring up Birdee, which in turn would make me irrationally pissed.
And when I had to deal with that woman, it gave me heartburn.
I wanted to enjoy my dinner.
“Hmm,” he said as he held out the leash. “He’ll adjust.”
That made me feel good that he didn’t comment.
He also didn’t make me feel like shit about it, either.
That wasn’t something my sister or mother would ever let slide…
“Wow, two of my best customers together,” the old man behind the counter called out when the man caught the door. “Meo, whatcha having today?”
“Meo” looked to me.
I ordered and then waited for him to place his.
We were both getting the same thing: the catch of the day.