The Wrong Man (5 page)

“True. Hollywood is a funny place. Some people buy into pretentious hype, you know? They like to name-drop and boast about who they’re working with as though association makes them a better person. I find that slightly pathetic. If you can’t make it on your own merit, you’re in the wrong business.”

Jake looked pensive for a moment.

“I totally agree. Did you ever see the movie
Harvey
? It’s an old Jimmy Stewart movie from the 1950s.”

“Sure, but it’s been a while.” I gave him a curious glance and fumbled for my keys as we neared BGoods.

“There’s a great quote in the film: ‘“In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant.” Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant.’”

“You may quote me,” we recited together.

We laughed at our timing and spent a funny moment staring at one another. I was usually quick with a quip or a silly segue to avoid strained silences, but my mind went blank. All I could think was
His eyes look bluer than I remember
. Mack saved the day by shifting his position to better scratch his ear. I used the diversion to reach down and say my goodbyes before looking up at Jake.

“Thanks again for the coffee. I appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome. Have a good day, Bran.”

I nodded and opened the door to my store, releasing a breath I hadn’t been aware I’d been holding. I swallowed hard and turned to look out the window. Jake was crouched in front of Mack, patting the old dog’s face lovingly. I could tell he was talking to him, but I couldn’t hear the words. Whatever it was, Mack was pleased. He slurped a happy kiss on Jake’s cheek, making him laugh aloud. I smiled at the exchange. It was… charming. Jake stood and caught me watching them. His grin lit his handsome features to perfection. My heart skipped a beat, but I played it cool pretending I was checking the integrity of the signage at the door. Fail. Jake waved and raised his coffee cup in salute before turning away.

M
OST
PEOPLE
would not be pleased with the never-ending chore of redecorating the large showroom, but it was my joy. I could spend hours fiddling with furniture configurations and deciding which colors best complemented the newest accessories. And I lived for seasonal changes. The holidays were my absolute favorite. Halloween through Christmas I was in heaven. No matter what time of year it was, a new shipment still gave me a thrill.

So when the door was locked, and the store was straightened to my exacting specifications, I sent everyone home so I could go through a new shipment in peace. The back-office area was a disaster zone littered with paper packaging, bubble wrap, and merchandise I had stacked in two piles. The first pile would go directly to the floor, and the other I would keep until the next shipment came in and I did a huge revamp of the space for the pre-summer season.

I was so immersed in my work, I didn’t notice I wasn’t alone until I heard a dog barking in the next room. I furrowed my brow in confusion and scrambled to get off the ground to see what was going on.

“Brandon!” Lizzy shouted above the Black Eyed Peas.

“Wha—” I came to an abrupt stop in the doorway.

Lizzy was dressed for a night on the town, but I had a feeling her companion wasn’t invited to join her. I turned the volume down, then crossed my arms and waited for her explanation. As much as I liked Mack, why was he here at eight o’clock at night? He looked perplexed too, but still happy to see me. He ambled over to sniff at me and cheerfully accepted my affectionate petting before lying down with his head propped on his front paws.

“Bran, huge favor. Please. I wouldn’t ask, but I don’t know who else to call. And you like Mack, right?”

“Sure, but—”

“I told you I’m going to the Troubadour tonight, and I’m leaving… like now. Jake’s late, and he’s not picking up his phone, which probably means he’s on a job and can’t. He was supposed to be back by seven, so I’m sure he won’t be much later. Will you please, pretty please, watch Mack till he gets back?”

“Hey, hold on a sec. First of all, I don’t mind hanging out with Mack, but I have to ask… is it really necessary? I mean, he’s old but that’s hardly a condition requiring all this extr—”

“He’s diabetic. I guess he almost died a few months ago, and Jake’s paranoid about leaving him for long stretches.”

“Diabetic? Dogs can get diabetes? I had no idea.”

“My mom’s cat has it. It’s not unusual in older pets. Mack’s had his shots today so he’s good to go. Just give him water, and I’m sure Jake will be by the store to get him within the hour. You’re staying till the cleaners get here, right?” She checked her watch anxiously before looking up at me. “Please, Brandon. I swear I won’t—”

“Oh, hush. Don’t make promises you can’t keep. Yes, I’ll watch Mack for an hour. It’s only an hour, right? I need to get out of here by nine.”

“Yes. Thank you, Brandon, you’re the best!” She threw her arms around me and planted a wet kiss on my cheek.

I rolled my eyes and untangled her limbs from around my waist. “Yeah, yeah. Have fun.”

I relocked the door after she left and looked down at Mack. Holy crap. This wasn’t like the first time she’d tricked me into dog sitting. I hadn’t known who he belonged to then. Now I did, and I was absolutely flabbergasted the universe was conspiring against me this way. It was unbelievable. I was going to have to have a chat with Lizzy. This could not be a regular occurrence. Not if my sanity was at stake.

However, none of this was Mack’s fault. I sighed as I bent to pet his head. “Here we are again. I’ll get you some water, but then I’m going back to work. Want to listen to some tunes? Come this way.”

Once the water was set near the register counter, and I’d turned the music back on at a much lower volume, I returned to the back room to finish up. I could only hope he wouldn’t knock anything over. I couldn’t watch his every move if I were going to get any work done. Mack followed me and stood in the doorway with his head cocked quizzically to the side.

“I’ve got to clear this stuff away and get organized. Summer will be here before you know it. People will be looking for refreshing, fun patterns to decorate their homes and outdoor spaces. You know how it is.” I glanced up at Mack. No, he didn’t know how it was, nor did he look impressed with my new and fabulous accessories.

I opened a new box and kept up a running commentary about anything from the contents within to what they reminded me of. Mack wandered toward me to sniff at the packaging, but he was quickly bored. He heaved a big sigh and lay down in the doorway. I understood immediately he’d chosen the spot on purpose. He wanted to be near me but also able to see the front door. Whether that was so he could protect me or be the first to greet his owner, I couldn’t say. Either way, it made me smile. I should have been completely freaked out having this kind of tangible connection to an ancient ex spending more time with me, but it was impossible to be anything but charmed by Mack.

A
N
HOUR
later, I set the last of the empty boxes outside in the alley and tidied up the office. Mack let out a series of loud barks and jumped to his feet when someone knocked softly on the back door. I shushed him as I let the cleaning team in. I was usually thrilled to see them but now I was concerned about Mack. Jake still hadn’t come to pick him up, and I had to get out of the way. More so, since I had a four-legged friend with shedding issues with me. I tried the number Liz had given me. No answer.

“Mack, I’m in a quandary. I’m thinking I should bring you home with me. What do you say? I don’t live far. My house is adorable. A cute little Spanish bungalow. I think you’ll like it. The only thing is, you’ll have to ride in my car. You cool with that? I’ll let your daddy know where you are. Don’t worry. We just need to get out of the way so Mona and her crew can do their job. Plus, I’m tired. It’s been a long-ass day, and I want to go home.”

Mack gave me one of his curious looks, probably wondering what the fuck I was rambling on about, before closing his eyes tiredly.

“All right. Let’s do this.”

I issued a quick set of instructions to Mona and thanked her before putting Mack’s leash on his collar and leading him out the back to my car. I’d parked my new MINI Cooper in the alley behind the store. It was relatively well lit, but I was glad to have the dog’s company. Dark, deserted streets were not my thing. I opened the passenger side door for Mack and told him to hop in. He glanced patiently up at me as if to say “no thanks.”

“C’mon, boy. It’s a short ride, I promise. Let’s go.”

I pulled upward on the leash and patted the car seat. Mack didn’t budge.

“Mack. Please. I’m tired, and I’m sure you are too. We have to get a move on.”

I sighed heavily as we studied each other. I contemplated the best way to get him to cooperate while I’m sure he wondered how the hell he’d wound up with some skinny idiot trying to coerce his big body into his tiny car. Just because a dog wagged his tail and let you pet him didn’t mean he wanted to go home with you, for fuck’s sake. I tried to pick him up, but it was nearly impossible without his help. He was simply too heavy.

“Fuck. Now what?” I looked up at the starry sky for inspiration. I was so exhausted, I could have cried.

I dug through my man-bag, as I sometimes called my briefcase slash computer bag, for my phone. I tried Jake again. It went straight to voice mail.

“Okay, don’t panic, Brandon. Don’t freak. You will figure this out. It’s a long walk home, but maybe—oh! What do we have here?” I pulled a stale croissant from the side pocket of my bag. I’d eaten half of it this morning and for whatever reason didn’t toss it in the trash. Maybe I could use this to barter with the surprisingly stubborn dog. It sounded like a good plan, but the logistics of getting him in the car with the door safely shut would be awkward. Was a half a croissant even worth the effort to the old guy?

Whatever. I was desperate. I pasted a bright smile on my face and leaned over the passenger seat with the crusty pastry held just out of reach.

“C’mon, Mack. Want a treat?”

He cocked his head sideways and stood on his hind legs with his paws resting on the seat. Almost there. I gave him a gentle shove, but it had the opposite effect. He sat back down and passively eyed me. I swore under my breath and threw the croissant across the car. It landed on the driver’s seat, sending crumbs flying everywhere.

“Shit!”

In a flash Mack bolted into the car to retrieve the pastry. I shut the door quickly, leaning against the car for a moment. My heart was beating like a drum. Mission accomplished. Now to get home. I rounded the car and looked into the darkened interior to see the huge dog licking the upholstery clean. I wanted to recoil in disgust, but hey, he was a dog doing his thing, and if I wanted to get in my car, I was going to have to deal with sitting in his slobber for the short ride home. I took a deep breath and opened the door slowly. Mack set his nose on the window and made a stealthy push as though he were looking for an escape. I opened the door a little wider, and in a covert maneuver, pushed him back and sat down quickly, shutting the door behind me.

“Well, that was… difficult. Damn, boy, I’m not dognapping. We’re together for a short time till your daddy gets done with work. Don’t ask me how it came to be me and you tonight. I have no clue, but please behave. It’s a short ride, and I’m sure Jake will pick you up soon. Are we good?”

I looked over at my reluctant companion, who was panting and whining now. The poor thing was obviously afraid. Geesh. I had no idea how to console him. I opted for music, but he didn’t seem impressed. Even with Beyoncé. I spoke in a soothing voice, giving him a rundown of all the scenery along the way.

“That is my favorite coffee shop when I’m at work. I have another close to home. I love going to the farmer’s market, but for everyday stuff, I love Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s. I’m not sure how their dog-treat section compares to a pet store, but for people food, they’re both fabulous choices.” More whimpering.

“Only two blocks to go. You will love my house. It’s a bit on the small side, but it’s perfect for me. It’s got all those wonderful old Spanish bungalow features. Arched doorways and the kitchen tile is orig—not impressed, eh? Okay, let’s try music again.”

I’d heard the faint sound of a familiar Adele song on the car radio and turned it up. I decided to try singing. I wasn’t going to be offered a recording contract any time soon but hell, I’d tried everything else I could think of to soothe his nerves. Thank God we were almost there. When I finally pulled up in front of my house, I was a wreck, but Mack seemed better.

“Stay. Wait for me to come open your door. Do not bolt. We clear? Good.”

I grabbed my bag and slung it over my shoulder before stepping outside. I took a deep breath of fresh air before making my way to the other side of the car. I had a feeling Mack would run if given a chance. I had to get to his leash before I opened the door wide enough for him to sneak out and make a getaway. The last thing I needed was to be hunting for a runaway dog in the dark.

Sure enough, he pushed at the door with his snout and used his weight to widen the gap. I squeezed my hand inside and grasped the leash just as he succeeded, freeing himself.

“Mack!” I yelled as he yanked my arm in a gallant attempt to flee. After the initial shock of nearly dislocating my shoulder, I managed to pull him back. My heart was racing, and my palms were sweaty.

“And they say I’m high maintenance? Enough of this nonsense. We’re here. No more freaking out. C’mon.”

I led him up the tidy, hedge-lined path toward my front door, keeping him close to me. Or I tried to. He was very strong for an old guy. He pulled me back at the last minute and trudged over a flowerbed to get to the grassy area under a liquidamber tree to relieve himself. As desperate as I was to be inside my home, I was grateful he was trained. When he finished his business, he walked back and sat patiently at my feet.