Page 12 of Sit, Stay, Love
She looked down at her black track bottoms and sweatshirt withRollin’ With the Homiesemblazoned across the front, both of which were smothered in dog hair. ‘What the hell are you talking about?’
He shrugged, hauled his tall frame off the couch and headed to the kitchen. ‘Do you want another beer?’
She glanced at the one she’d barely touched. ‘I’d better not. I don’t want to be hungover tomorrow. Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve been out to lunch? Like, properly out?’
‘We went out the other weekend,’ Toby said, returning with water for Sera and another beer for himself. He dropped back down beside her and put his feet on the coffee table.
‘Herriot, we went to the cafe at Flower Power so you could get fertiliser for your fruit trees,’ she laughed. ‘We literally went out to buy you chicken shit.’
‘It’s stillout.’
‘Your idea of out needs work.’
‘Not everyone has time to swan around with handsome movie stars.’
‘Heiskind of fun to look at.’
Toby suddenly got up and stretched. ‘Have you finished eating? We should probably call it a night.’
She glanced at the sunburst clock hanging above his television. ‘It’s just after eight. Aren’t we going to watch a movie?’
He shrugged. ‘I’ve got a full book tomorrow, and you have a lunch with Mr Hollywood.’
‘Um. Okay.’ She gathered her things and poked Buffy in the butt with her foot. ‘Actually, can I ask a favour? Do you have any clients who might loan me their dog? It’ll be a free training session. I’d rather not take one of the shelter dogs, I’ve never seen them in that kind of situation.’
‘What about Buffy?’
‘She’ll do anything I ask. I want to challenge him at least a little so I can see what we have to work with.’
Toby dragged his teeth over his bottom lip as he picked up their beer bottles. ‘I know just the dog. Swing by on your way to meet James and I’ll have something sorted for you.’
‘Nothing too extreme. I don’t want to frighten him.’
He smiled. ‘Leave it with me.’
The gigantic dog sat beside Toby, drool falling from its sagging jowls in enormous frothing droplets.
Sera shook her head. ‘You’re a shit, McManus.’
‘What? You said you wanted to challenge him.’
‘A little. I said alittle.’ Toby smirked, his eyes shining with mischief. ‘What, you couldn’t get a killer Saint Bernard?’
‘Not on such short notice. This is Kevin. A mastiff puppy.’
Her eyes widened. ‘This guy’s a puppy?’
‘Ten months old. He’s sweet, but doesn’t have much training.’
She couldn’t help but laugh. ‘Give him here.’ She shook her head as she opened the back of her van, put her hands on the dog’s giant rear end andshoved him inside. ‘I’ll see you later this afternoon, unless this thing drags me off somewhere.’
‘Do me a favour? Send me a video of today’s lesson, will you? I promise not to upload it to YouTube. Maybe.’
She gave him the finger as she drove away.
‘What… the hell… is that?’ The colour drained from Ethan’s face as Sera walked towards him.
‘That is a Kevin. He’s sweet. Just… large.’
