“Seriously? You expect me to buy that, considering the last three guys I dated said the same thing before never calling me again? Thanks, but no, thanks. You can go now. Leave the nachos.”
She stuffed a cheesy chip in her mouth and waved me off. I shook my head. I didn’t want to stick around and argue with her when her mind was made up, considering she was pretty bitter about it. So I moved back to the bar, glad that there was a crowd of out of towners so I had more opportunities to find someone else.
I felt my phone vibrate and took it out of my pocket. It was a local number I didn’t recognize. I answered it.
“Hey, Raul? This is Allie Shaw from the vet’s office.”
“Allie. Hi,” I said, my heart starting to pump like I was in seventh grade and the prettiest girl just remembered my name.
“How are you doing?” she said, all friendly.
“I’m—a little frustrated at the moment. Give me a sec to step outside. It’s loud in here.”
“Sorry to interrupt. I just wanted to tell you that the little guy you brought in today is going to be fine. He had an infected cut on his paw, and he’s been treated and released. I’m going to foster him myself, and we’ve emailed the bill with itemized charges to you.”
“It was nice of you to let me know how he is.”
“Also, he wasn’t micro-chipped, so without that or a collar, definitely a stray. I was just grabbing some takeout and wanted to let you know what was going on.”
“Thanks,” I said, “It was good to hear from you.”
“If you need any other info, just call the vet or use this number. I’ve always got my phone on me,” she said lightly.
“That’s good to know. Listen, Allie, are you—”
What did I want to know? Was she single? Was she interested in a fake marriage with a guy she met once over a stray dog?
“Busy tonight?” I finished.
“I’m hanging out at my place with my sisters tonight, so the dog will get loads of attention,” she said.
“Oh, well that sounds really nice for him,” I said, trying to keep the disappointment out of my voice.
“Hey, listen, I need to go, my food is ready. Thanks again for your generosity with the dog, Raul. Take care.”
She hung up, but I held my phone for a second, looking at the number. I put her name in an address finder app. In no time, I knew the street address of her building. Allie had been warm and helpful. And she was pretty as hell and the lemon smell of her skin had made me want to move aside that ponytail and kiss the back of her neck. Even now my stomach plummeted at the thought.
So, she was going to her place to hang with her sisters tonight. That meant she was probably single. I felt my hopes starting to rise. Maybe we could get to know each other. Maybe we’d hit off and in a few weeks’ time, I could consider asking her to marry me—all open and above board between us, no secrets. Maybe she’d let me put my mouth on her skin and see if she tasted of lemon chiffon the way she smelled. I swallowed hard.
I couldn’t come up with a reason to hang around the bar where I wasn’t finding any decent prospects. Especially when I knew where to find the woman I hadn’t been able to get out of my head since that morning. There was no denying the fact that I wanted her. Maybe it wouldn’t work out that she could be my temporary wife. But I might be able to take her out, take her home, take her to bed. All of it sounded appealing.
4
Allie
The dog kept yipping and leaping at my leg, nipping at the leg of my scrubs as I tried to keep hold of the leash without dropping two pizzas. I managed to get into my building, and my sisters waited outside my ground floor apartment.
Megan took the pizzas while I unlocked the door, and Addy demanded details.
“What exactly did he look like? Is there any excuse we can think of for you to call him?” she said.
“I already did. I gave him a totally unnecessary update on this little monster,” I said fondly.
“Oh Christ I thought it was a fat rat,” Megan said, looking down at the admittedly ratty looking mutt.
“Don’t listen to her, Dumbledore,” I said, “she doesn’t recognize greatness when she sees it. You should meet her boyfriend.”
“You named the dog after a wizard?” Addy said as we went inside.
“Yeah. He’s gray, kinda has a beard. It makes sense.”
“To you maybe,” Megan said, “Oh please say this has sausage. I am so in the mood for meat.”
“I know my girls. Yours has three meat toppings, and the rest of us are eating supreme because we’re not afraid of vegetables like you are.”
“Don’t shade me for my dislike of green pepper. It doesn’t go with everything,” she said. “Now about the guy.”
“Okay, so I looked him up,” I admitted, “and he’s got a ranch, a big one. There’s some pictures online of him and an old guy that may be his grandpa or an uncle at Stockman’s Association dinner.”
“Oh, let me see. No string tie, I hope.”
“No, he’s dressed normal. If normal is in perfectly tailored formalwear that shows off his cut body and makes me want to—”
“Cream your panties?” Addy supplied.
“I was gonna say throw myself at him. But either way, I guess,” I shrugged, taking a slice and munching it as I walked around putting water in a bowl for Dumbledore.
“Come here, Pansy,” I called to my Lab mix.
She got off the chair and sniffed around, more interested in the pizza than in the appearance of yet another foster pet. Dumbledore barked and barked. I picked him up and held him so Pansy could sniff him. She gave him a bored lick and wandered back to the chair when she figured out I wasn’t going to offer her any table food. Dumbledore wriggled out of my arms, and I followed him to the living room. He wiggled his butt and pounced onto the sofa, settling onto a leopard print cushion I keep there for fosters.
I washed my hands and rejoined my sisters who were arguing over the pizza toppings and why Megan’s boyfriend was an obvious asshole.
“I feel like maybe we’ve been having the same conversation since high school,” I said as I got a glass of water.
“Just because we have jobs and responsibilities doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy some gossip about guys and dating and sex. We’re independent modern women,” Addy protested.
“Independent women who have a shirtless pic of the guy from Outlander as your phone wallpaper,” I said sarcastically.
“I appreciate art. A shirtless shot of Sam Heughan is no different from having a picture of the David by Michelangelo on my phone. Both celebrate the beauty of the human form,” she said.
“You are going to be one hell of a lawyer,” I said with admiration.
“Yeah, after two more years of school and untold amounts of debt,” Addy said.
“Don’t whine. You’re the baby so you’ll always be younger than us, plus you’re going to make way more money. I mean, Allie here is a vet tech, not even the actual veterinarian. Me, I’m working my way up the retail empire. I might even be a district manager by Christmas. For now I’ll settle for my employee discount and being sales leader.”
“You’re selling more makeup than anyone in the store,” Addy said. “It’s not like it’s hard.”
“I take issue with that,” I said, “Obviously the fact that Meg is beautiful helps her to be successful, but sales is a really competitive field.”
“Thank you,” Megan said, grinning and taking another slice of pizza.
“Now back to the reason for this meeting,” Addy said, as if we were in a conference room, “Details about the guy.”
“Like I said, he’s really handsome. He’s a rancher. He was polite, smelled really, really good. He was very sweet with Dumbledore, and he seemed grateful when I called to tell him that Dori was going home with me.”
“Dori? We already have a nickname?” Megan said with an eye roll.
“Of course, he does. He’s teensy. Sitting up there like a tiny sultan on your pillow,”
I said, smiling at the pooch, “But back to Raul. He’s just—I mean I only met him for a few minutes, but I thought about him all day. I even found an excuse to call him.”
“Yeah, nothing like being stalked by the girl from the vet,” Addy said.
“Hey, I thought you were in favor of this! Appreciating art in the male form and all?” I said.
The doorbell rang. I looked up. My sisters were already here. Our parents were in an RV out east someplace. My friend Jojo was working nights so it couldn’t be her. Unless my neighbor was looking for her cat again, I had no clue who it could be. I brushed off my hands and peeked through the door.
“Oh God, it’s him!” I said.
There, framed in the small circle of my peephole stood Raul Santiago. His arms were full of packages. I ripped open the door so fast I was a little surprised I didn’t tear it off the hinges in my excitement.
“Hi!” I said too cheerfully.
“Hi. I hope you don’t mind my coming by. I wanted to drop off a few things for the dog. You were generous enough to take him in, and I’d like to help out.”
Raul handed me dog food. A big bag of it, the good kind where the first ingredient wasn’t grain. I hoisted the twenty-pound bag onto the table beside the pizza boxes. Addy was literally frozen in place with a slice of pizza halfway to her mouth. Megan’s grin was a mile wide.
“Raul, these are my sisters, Addy and Megan Shaw. Girls, this is Raul. He brought Dori into the clinic today,” I said.
“Good to meet you,” Addy said, standing up and offering her hand. “Allie is already crazy about this dog you rescued. My sister is so good with animals. And she’s single.”
“Addy,” I hissed at her, turning back to smile at him while I promised myself that the next guy Addy introduced me to was going to hear about her nine posters of Harry Styles when we were in high school and how she still had one of them hanging in her closet.
“I’m Meg. Addy’s the smart one. Allie’s the sweet one.”
“And you are?” he said.
“She’s the salty one,” Addy said.
“Have a seat,” I offered, “Are you hungry? We’ve got plenty of pizza.”
“No, I’m fine, thanks. Where would you like these?” he said.
He was still holding a couple of bags of pet stuff. I’d been ogling him and silently cursing my sisters when he was still carrying packages.
“Here, I’ll take those. Dori, well, Dumbledore is over here.”
“You’ve named him after Harry Potter?”
“Not at all. I’ve named him after the headmaster at Hogwarts. If I’d named him after Harry Potter, I’d call him Harry,” I said.
“I think the introductions were wrong. You’re the salty one, not Meg.”
“Well, nobody’s sweet all the time. And I take my movie references seriously,” I teased.
I deposited the bags on the counter of my little kitchen and followed him to the couch. He sat down next to Dori and scratched her behind the ears.
“How’s your foot, piquito? Is it better? I bet you like it on this cushion. I brought you some treats, yes I did,” he crooned softly.
He was trying to keep it quiet, but he was sweet talking the stray dog. My heart and my ovaries gave an almighty lurch, and I bit my tongue hard. Hot. Damn. I picked up a paper plate and fanned myself. Meg finished stuffing pizza crust in her mouth while Addy grabbed their purses.
“We’re heading out,” Meg said around a mouthful of food.
“No, come on, we’re going to hang out,” I hissed, “Don’t leave.”
“Are you serious? Have fun,” Addy said.
“I want details tomorrow,” Meg said a little too loud.
“He heard that!” I whispered fiercely, “Are you two in middle school? Be normal and stay!”
“No way, babe,” Meg said, kissing my cheek.
They darted out the door. I stared after them helplessly. Yeah, part of me was grateful, but their departure was so obvious and tacky. They acted like I was going to rip off my scrubs and seduce a guy I just met. A guy who was, okay, petting the stray puppy and whispering to it in a way that melted my heart and my knees.
5
Raul
Allie was even more appealing than I remembered from earlier. I had almost convinced myself that I was imagining things. That she had been nothing more than a polite employee at a vet’s office, that my grandfather’s will had me looking for potential brides everywhere.
When she answered the door, the blue of her eyes struck me. They weren’t a pale, murky gray, but honest-to-goodness blue like the summer sky. Just seeing her made me smile. Her cheeks flushed when she saw me, and the blush made her friendliness and warmth even better somehow.
When her sisters cleared out—I could have thrown a parade in gratitude to them—I turned my attention to the stray dog. No longer ratty and forlorn looking, he’d clearly had a bath and been combed or groomed. His paw was bandaged, and he sat on a cushion on the sofa like some canine royalty. When I dipped my face toward him and petted him, he gave a doggie sigh that felt like total relaxation. I was glad to see he was so well cared for, safe and feeling better. I talked to him for a minute before I noticed Allie staring at me like a starstruck teenager. For an instant I wondered what I could do and what I would give to keep her looking at me that way, like I was something tremendous that had blazed into her normal life.
“What’s your placement rate once you’ve named a foster dog?” I said.
“I’m screwed,” she admitted. “As soon as I named Dori, I knew he was a keeper. Look at him, like he belongs here. And you, you brought enough food for two months. He’s yipping. That means he likes you!”
I scratched the dog behind his ears again, and he yapped some more.
“I knew I’d never be able to let him go,” she said, a sappy smile on her face, her head tilted to one side as she looked at the dog. It was charming and self-aware. She knew her weaknesses and admitted to them. I liked her confidence.
“Then he’s a lucky guy,” I said.
“And a noisy one. He would’ve been snapped up at the shelter, I think. He has personality.”
“Is that all it takes to win you over? Personality?” I said.
“No. I’m pretty picky. He has big dark eyes, which I love, and a great smile. He’s happy and not stuck up or grouchy.”
“Is that your ideal man too?”
“Pretty much. Though I haven’t really met anyone who fits that bill recently. Most of the guys I meet just want causal sex.”
I laughed.
“That’s so not me,” she said with a shrug, “So why advertise for something you don’t want?”
“I don’t advertise either. Sometimes I just rescue a stray dog as a way to meet women.”
“Nice try but there are easier ways to pick up a girl. Ways that don’t need a flea dip.”
“Aw, you didn’t have fleas, did you?” I said, petting Dori.
“So you pick up lots of strays?” she asked.
“No, but I wish I’d thought to plan ahead like that. Then I could take credit instead of calling it good luck that I met you.”
“Was it good luck then?”
“Definitely. And not just for the dog. For me. Because the truth is, I haven’t met anyone I was interested in like this in a long time.”
“Did you just get out of prison?” she said, deadpan.
“No,” I laughed.
“Okay, just checking,” she laughed, “So tell me why a guy who looks like you hasn’t met anyone.”
“I grew up on my grandpa’s ranch. I run it now, and it keeps me busy. The only people I see are my employees and the delivery drivers.”
“What? No sexy tractor mechanics?” she teased.
“We do most of our own equipment repair,” I said, “and unless I have an appointment in town like I did earlier, I don’t get off the ranch very often.”
“So what you’re saying is you don’t try to meet anyone,” she said arc
hly.
“I guess you could say that. I’ve always been devoted to Santeria, and that’s just my first love.”
“Wait, you own Santeria? I went there once. When I was doing my vet tech internship I worked at a large animal vet practice out of Lubbock. It’s a huge operation isn’t it? Beautiful Appaloosas, if I recall.”
“Yes. We have some Blue Roans, good, sturdy working horses, but I’m an Appaloosa man. They have incredible endurance, and they’re independent. You have work together with your horse to get the job done, and I like the challenge of knowing I may have to prove I’m smarter than my horse,” I said.
“I’ve worked for vets that for sure couldn’t outsmart a horse. Even a good tempered one.”
“Do you ride?”
“I used to when I was growing up. One of Meg’s friends had horses, and we used to go out and ride on weekends. I bet you grew up in the saddle,” she said.
“Pretty near. Did you always want to work with animals?”
“Yeah, all my life. I shared a bedroom with my sisters growing up, and so we didn’t have room for a pet at our house. I mean, I did have some frogs one time until my mom found them—” she laughed, “she was pretty pissed off. I guess under the bathroom sink was not the smartest place I could’ve hidden them.”
“Should I avoid looking in your cabinets here? I wouldn’t want to go looking for a water glass and find a possum.”
“No, I only have dogs here. It’s in the lease. But I used to try and smuggle every animal home—every stray, every baby bird, a raccoon one time. Addie was completely sure it gave her rabies from drinking out of the orange juice carton.”
“Did it drink out of the carton?”
“I don’t really think so. I think she had a math test coming up and needed an excuse to miss it. But when she found out those rabies shots in the stomach were no joke, she got well all of a sudden. Still, it was bye-bye to Mrs. Raccoon.”
“You seriously had a raccoon in your house on purpose?” I said.
“It was adorable. I found it out in the rain by itself. So cute,” she said.
Playing Pretend Box Set Page 55
