Pawsitively in Love (7 page)

“Yeah. I don’t mind.” And the weirdest part was Evan almost looked forward to seeing Austin again. He didn’t have any reason to. Their meetings so far had been hostile… and then weird. Evan shouldn’t have wanted a repeat of that. But he couldn’t get the guy out of his head. His stumbling, almost endearing apology had been kind of cute after all.

“Well, at least let me give you some pie to take home. I had one cooling for tomorrow. Is that okay?”

Evan chuckled. “I’ll definitely take pie as an apology.” He’d just do another twenty minutes on the treadmill. No problem.

He felt a small tug at his shorts. “I really am sorry, Evah,” Scout said quietly.

“It’s okay, darling. Stuff like that happens when you’re a kid.”

It hadn’t happened to him. But he’d never had a dog. Or parents who cared enough to get angry with him. He’d had a lot of solitude, and he’d had Della. But it was what it was, and Evan wasn’t in the mood to think about it.

THE NEXT
day, he trotted his creatively marked dog down to Pawsitively Purrfect pet salon. They’d only had one open appointment, and Evan was more than happy to take it.

“Hey there,” Austin said when he walked in. “Didn’t expect to see you in here quite so soon, although I’m not complaining.”

It looked like controlled pandemonium. Two employees were grooming, with Austin looking over. They had a wet soapy Dalmatian in the tub, kennels with others waiting, a pissed-off long-haired Chihuahua in the middle of a trim, and one patient-looking golden retriever who sat on the floor next to Austin, seemingly unbothered by the mass of barks, flying fur, and hostility around it.

“What on earth happened to Dexter here?” Austin looked like he was holding in a laugh. Evan had already laughed about it himself, so there was no use getting upset.

“Neighbors’ toddler. She thought he’d look pretty with some decorations on him. Of course she found the markers.” Evan rolled his eyes, and Austin chuckled. “She was very,
very
sorry,” Evan said with wide eyes.

Poor little Dexter just wiggled happily, oblivious to his ridiculous markings. He obviously liked Austin. Austin reached down and scratched his ear. “We’ll get this stuff off you, buddy.” He looked up at Evan. “Shouldn’t be a big deal to get most of this out of his fur. There might be a tiny bit of a shadow left over, but it’ll come out eventually.”

“Yeah. Just… whatever you guys can do will be great. I feel bad for the poor little guy, but he doesn’t seem to mind it.”

“Not a problem. We have one more appointment, then we can get started on Dex.”

“Is she up next?” Evan gestured to the golden retriever. Now that he took a closer look, her fur looked shiny, clean, and perfectly groomed. If she was there for an appointment, her owner was a little obsessive.

“Oh, no. This is Maggie. She’s my dog. She hangs out here during the day with me.” Austin reached down and gave her a scratch. Explained the chill attitude. She was used to it, probably. “We’ll have Dex out of here in about forty-five minutes if you’d like to come back.”

“Great. I’ll be here.” Evan figured he’d have time to go to the store and unpack his groceries before he had to go back for him.

“See you then.”

AUSTIN COULDN’T
believe he’d managed to have one friendly, coherent conversation with Evan Partridge. The guy made him weak in the knees. Because he was seriously hot, of course, in the tall, dark, and handsome category, but also because he was a little scary. He was
so
pretty and well-groomed and perfect. Austin made sure his clients left his shop looking like that but he could never even hope to manage that level of perfection himself. It must’ve driven Evan insane to have his pretty little dog a mess for the entire day and a half it had to have been since he left the message on Pawsitively Purrfect’s voice mail.

“Hey, Russ?” Austin called.

“What’s up, Boss?”

“Take good care of the little pug, Dexter, okay? He’s my friend’s dog, and I want him to look great when we’re done with him.”

“Sure thing, Boss,” Russ said.

Russ had actually been on time for once. Probably the first time literally in a month. Austin smiled. Happy Evan Partridge, responsible Russ, and a busy day of appointments to fill his cash register. All in all, not a bad Monday.

Austin didn’t know when he was going to learn not to be so smug. Of course the moment he thought everything was finally going smoothly would be when a major fucking disaster hit. He’d just come out of his office when he saw it. Austin didn’t know what he noticed first. The pile of blue, pink, and purple fur on the ground or one very shaved pug puppy named Dexter still standing on the clipping table. He just about passed out at the sight of it.

“What the
hell
did you just do?” he yelled out. Russ just stood there and shrugged.

He ran over and grabbed the papers next to Dexter. “Jennie,” they said. “Pug. Three years old.”

“Russ. Come
here
and look at these papers.”

Russ scrambled over to where Austin was currently about to pass out. His eyes were red, and he smelled suspiciously like he
hadn’t
been out for a simple cigarette break.

“What’s up, Boss?” he asked. Shit. Austin wasn’t in the mood to deal with Russ, but apparently it was the day.

“Where were you?”

“Break, Boss.” Russ had always called Austin “Boss.” It was almost a joke between them. Usually it was fine. It grated on Austin’s nerves after the past few run-ins they’d had over Russ’s behavior.

“How many breaks have you had today?” he asked.

At least Russ had the grace to look embarrassed. He knew he’d been caught. “A few.”

“And after one of those breaks, did you happen to mix up the paperwork for our two pugs?” he asked.

“What do you mean?”

Austin held up the folder and then pointed at Dexter. “This is not a three-year-old female. This is Dexter. He’s a baby. And a
boy.
He also wasn’t supposed to be clipped to the point of being nearly bald.” Austin pointed at the crate holding the much larger adult pug who still had all her fur. “That is Jennie.
She
was supposed to be clipped.”

“Oh, shit, man. I’m sorry.” Russ didn’t look that sorry. He looked stoned as hell, to be honest. Austin couldn’t take it anymore. He’d had his suspicions about what Russ’s “break” had entailed, and while Austin generally didn’t want to get on his ass about the weed, he couldn’t have him doing it on work hours.

“I need you to go, Russ. I need you to go now and not come back. I’ll send your last check in the mail.”

Russ didn’t seem to think it was worth arguing about. He didn’t say much, just turned and went back to where the employee lockers were in the small hallway by Austin’s office.

“Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit….” Austin was lucky as hell that there weren’t any customers in the shop at the moment because he was about to have a massive meltdown. Dexter, bald little Dexter, wagged his tail at the sound of Austin’s voice.

I have to call Evan.
Austin didn’t know what to even say. He looked over at the tiny little pug, shivering at the clipping station. Austin went over, unclipped him from the lead, and ran his fingers over downy nearly gone fur. His skin was stubbly and soft. He shivered happily at the light scratches.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. You haven’t had the best time here lately, have you?” Dexter wagged his tail some more and gave Austin a sloppy kiss. “Still such a good boy, aren’t you?”

Evan was due back any minute. Austin decided to hide in his office with the poor little bald dog. Better than staying out in the main floor and facing the music. Maggie looked up curiously when Austin walked through the door with the puppy.

“He looks silly, doesn’t he, girl?” Austin asked. A sick weight sat low in his belly. Austin cuddled Dexter to his chest and sank into his desk chair. Evan would have every right to hate him, sue him? Austin figured he’d never see Evan, or Dexter, again. And he’d already fallen hard for the little dog, plus he sure as hell liked looking at his owner.

Austin heard the front door bell clang from his office. Part of him hoped it would be someone else, but the pit in his belly told him it was definitely Evan. Austin took a gift card out of his desk. He had to do something to make it better. Anything.

Evan was waiting patiently at the front desk. His eyes blew wide open when he saw Dexter in Austin’s arms.

“There was a mix-up,” Austin said quickly before Evan had a chance to speak. “A huge mix-up.” Evan didn’t look too happy with that explanation. Austin didn’t blame him. “We had two pugs in here, and my employee, he mixed up their folders, shaved the wrong one…. I’m so sorry.”

Dexter wriggled happily in Austin’s arms. He wagged his tail. Evan reached out and took Dexter from Austin. He ran his hands over the puppy’s skin, which was soft and a tiny bit rough from the new buzz cut. He still didn’t say anything.

Austin was getting desperate. “It’ll grow back pretty quickly. A few weeks and he’ll look just like before.”

“You shaved my dog.” Evan spoke low and quietly. He sounded a little menacing.

“Yes, and it was a huge mix-up,” Austin repeated. “I’m so sorry it happened to you. I’m sorry it happened at all, but definitely more sorry it happened to you and Dex. You have no idea.” He breathed hard. He was living in one of his worst nightmares. “Can I make it up to you?”

Evan just stared.

Austin felt the need to babble. He did it all the time when he was nervous. “I can groom Dex for free from now on. Myself. I won’t give him to an employee ever. Russ was… a problem. He’s not here anymore.”

“You fired him?” Evan sounded more angry than pleased by Russ’s rather quick but well-earned departure.

The day wasn’t getting any better. Austin decided that if the ground of his shop opened up and swallowed him, it would probably be for the best. Of course, that never really happened. He was hoping for a first.

“It was just one more thing on a long list of them. He wasn’t a good employee, and I think he was smoking weed on his break, but I’m not great at confrontation ironically, and I hate to—shit. Listen. This is a huge disaster.
I’m
a huge disaster, and I’m so, so sorry. Can I do anything to fix this?”

Evan looked at his happy, wiggly puppy and sighed. “Yes. Fine, sure. It’s been a long day. I’d just like to get Dex home and get some dinner.”

“Great.” Austin pulled out a gift card. “Just bring Dex in whenever you need anything—nail clipping, shampoo, dog walking, babysitting, anything. I swear. I’ll be in charge of him myself. He’ll be in great hands.” He knew he sounded like a moron. Like an overeager moron. But he couldn’t help it. The two biggest mistakes he’d made in his entire career so far, and he’d made them on the same dog—same owner too. It was horrifying.

EVAN CUDDLED
Dex in the car the whole way home. Dexter seemed okay, a little chilly maybe, but fine and happy. He’d gotten a treat on the way out from the adorable but infuriating Austin. He supposed that’s what he got for going out of his way to see a cute guy. He probably should’ve just washed Dexter in his bathtub and hoped for the best.

Peggy and Scout were waiting on the front porch of their house when he got home. Scout took one look at Dexter and burst into tears.

“Sorry,” Peggy said. “She’s been crying a lot lately. It’s one of those months, I guess.”

“D-Dexter’s bald,” Scout sniffed. “And it’s my fault.” She wiped at her eyes. Evan cuddled Dexter up closer to his chest.

“Do you want to come see him?” Evan asked. He was so out of his depth. He could handle witty banter with college kids, but when Scout started crying, he was toast.

Evan could tell Peggy wasn’t very happy about it, but she let Scout scamper past their fence to visit with Dexter for the moment. Her tears had cleared up suspiciously quickly. Evan wondered if they had been more for his benefit than actual sadness.

Scout gave Dexter a few scratches under his chin, and he licked her happily. At least Dexter seemed to take everything in stride.

“You’re still a pretty boy,” she said. “I won’t color on you anymore, I promise. My mommy and daddy told me it was very bad, and I’m sorry.”

He gave her another lick. Scout giggled and wiped his dog lick off her face.

“Okay, Dexter and I are going to go inside, Miss Scout. He’ll see you soon.”

“If you haven’t cooked yet and you don’t hate us, you’re welcome over here. I made pesto pizza,” Peggy said. Between the indefinite free grooming appointments and who knew how many free dinners, he seemed to be making out well. He’d just been there two nights before, though. And after the coloring incident, he figured he wouldn’t be eating over there for a while.

“Are you sure?” he asked. “I’d hate to impose.” He had some stuff to make a salad and some grilled chicken, but Peggy’s pizza sounded a hell of a lot more interesting than chicken and green salad.

“Nonsense. I made far too much for just the three of us, and you’ve been dealing with getting ready for finals. Come on over. Bring Dexter.” She gave him a rueful grin. “I promise all the markers will be locked away.”

“I’m sure Scout learned her lesson. I’ll be over in a few minutes.”

He was a little surprised that he’d taken the offer so quickly. After the crying, the shouting, and the shaved pug, Evan would’ve figured that he’d avoid people in general for a while, let alone the source of the drama. But he found himself smiling as he washed his hands and put a thin sweater on Dexter, just in case he was a little bit cold. Then he locked up the house and headed next door with a lot more of a swing in his step than he would’ve had if he were eating alone.

Odd.

Evan found himself getting more and more comfortable with Jeff and Peggy. He’d had friends at home. Sort of. More like colleagues he occasionally went out for drinks with. But Jeff, Peggy, and even Scout had pulled him into their little family like he belonged. Evan hadn’t even asked them to. He helped set the table and put Dexter on the ground to run around. He’d been out to use the bathroom while he was at Evan’s.