Page 35 of Sit, Stay, Love
‘I don’t know why, but apparently he still wants me to help him.’
He laughed dryly. ‘Are you sure you don’t know why?’
‘Not after the last two disasters.’
‘Maybe it’s more than your gift with dogs.’
Her brow furrowed. ‘Why did you call?’
‘Do you have time for dinner tonight? I was thinking we could go out.’
‘Two dinners out in a week? What’s going on?’ She looked down at a brown smear on her jeans, touched it, smelled her fingers and grimaced.
‘You seemed a bit down the other day,’ Toby said. ‘And we’ve got to eat. I’m happy to do pizza here. We can finish bingingYellowstone.’ He took a breath. ‘Or I can take you out.’
‘Yeah, let’s do something. But can I ring you later to confirm? I can’t think right now. I’ve just noticed I’ve somehow got dog shit on the leg of my damn jeans. I need to change.’
He laughed. ‘The joys of the job. Ring me later. And, ah… good luck with James.’
She peeled off her jeans and tossed them in the washing machine, setting the dial to super wash. As she frantically scrubbed her hands, she heard theding-dongof someone entering the shelter reception area and rushed back up the hall to her bedroom.
‘He’s here,’ Tia said, poking her head around the door of Sera’s room. She looked her up and down. ‘Do you intend to wear pants today?’
Sera glanced at her pale, bare legs. ‘You don’t think just undies is a good look?’
Tia giggled. ‘Depends on what you’re going for, I guess.’
‘I had shit on my jeans. Can you entertain him while I get my act together please?’
Tia saluted. ‘Will do, boss,’ she said and skipped from the room.
Sera found Tia talking Ethan through the mass of polaroid photos on the wall of the rescue.
‘Of course, after the puppies came Buffy,’ Tia said. ‘It was rescue fail at first sight.’
Ethan peered at the photo of the chonky Staffy. ‘Lucky Buffy.’
Sera cleared her throat.
Ethan swung around and beamed. ‘Oh, hey.’
‘Sorry to keep you waiting. I had a poop emergency.’
‘Another one? I’m sensing a theme.’
Sera’s cheeks heated. ‘Dogpoop. I somehow got smeared with it this morning.’
He screwed up his face.
‘Was that too much information?’ she asked. ‘I can’t even tell anymore.’
He laughed. ‘It’s fine. I’m sure there are many dog poop emergencies here.’
‘And cat poop,’ Tia added gleefully.
‘Horse and sheep poop too,’ Sera said. ‘We’re surrounded by the stuff.’
‘Then let me whisk you away from all that crap,’ he said. ‘I have a couple of bánh mì with our names on them.’
