by Rick R. Reed
The pair headed over to the Wallingford neighborhood, where they went to May’s, a Thai restaurant famous for having the best pad Thai in Seattle. In a city where Asian food could be found practically on every street corner, this was no idle boast. And the pad Thai really was the very best, prepared tableside, with the noodles steaming in a banana leaf.
As they ate, Aaron said, “Do you think this is going to work out?”
Becca shifted a mouthful of noodles and chicken to one side of her mouth. “What? Us living together? I think it’s going fine. Besides, you’ll find yourself a job soon, and then you’ll get your own digs.”
“That’s not what I meant. The dog, Mavis. Did we make a mistake? I mean, getting a dog in a best-case scenario is a lot of work and pretty high-maintenance, but getting a special-needs child just multiplies the stress and work factor even more.” Aaron realized this was something he should have said at the adoption fair. But what was it they said about hindsight?
“True. But we’ve opened our home to her. We’ve told her, in effect, she has a family now. So we just have to deal with her needs and make the best of them. I’m sure that with love and patience, she’ll come around. She’s such a sweetheart.”
Aaron had to agree with the assessment but couldn’t help but wonder how Mavis would fare once both he and his sister were employed. He couldn’t imagine the shy creature warming to a dog walker or—God forbid—doggie daycare.
“You’re right. It’s just that I’m usually more cautious about things like this. We rushed into it, and I hate doing that.”
“You mean like how you were cautious with Jake?”
Becca’s mention of his ex caused Aaron to frown. He shook his head. “Not fair.”
“Well, I seem to remember someone calling me to tell me he met this great guy, and not only had he met him but was moving in with him… in the space of, like, a week.”
“You got me there.” Aaron was embarrassed, but he had been young and in love. Who, under the spell of that particular combination, had not done foolish things? Jake had been sexy, mesmerizing, persistent, and he had come along at just the right time—when Aaron was discovering that bars and hookup sites on the internet were not all they were cracked up to be, especially if someone wanted something more substantial that went beyond the physical. “But I’d hope that, even at my young age, I was learning from my mistakes.”
Becca gave a wry grin. “Apparently not.”
“Why are you being such a bitch? You were the one pushing me to get her.”
“And I stand by that, as you call it, pushing. I think it was a good idea, even if it was spontaneous. Mavis needed you—and you needed her. I could see that, and I didn’t want her to go to anyone else. I suspect the two of you will bond famously.”
We already have, Aaron thought, the idea coming to him unbidden. Just like with Jake, he had fallen in love in minutes, maybe seconds, and there was no reversing that. Common sense and a hard, cold dose of reality be damned.
Aaron knew, deep in his heart, he was a helpless romantic.
Chapter 5
WHEN THEY got home, they discovered Mavis had overcome her fear of exploring the apartment.
Becca’s shriek, however, sent Mavis scrambling right back under the bed. Aaron’s sister’s scream was followed by a wail, a wail one might have assumed was coming from a woman who had lost the person she loved most in the world, a wail that indicated Becca’s very heart was being ripped out.
“My Jimmy Choos!” Becca collapsed on the floor beside the pair of red patent leather stiletto heels. She gathered the shoes up in her arms, almost as if they were a baby, pulling them close to her ample bosom and sobbing. “My Jimmy Choos!” she wailed. “They’re ruined.”
Before Becca had gathered the pumps up to herself, Aaron had seen how they had been chewed beyond repair. It didn’t take a detective to figure out pretty quickly who was the culprit, the slaughterer of designer footwear.
Mavis watched from under the dust ruffle with terrified brown eyes.
“They’re just shoes,” Aaron offered, which at that point was probably the worst thing he could have said.
“Just shoes? Just shoes! I’ll have you know these cost me twelve hundred dollars! I don’t come by twelve hundred dollars quickly or easily. These were an indulgence, something I did for me.” Becca sniffed. “They made me happy.”
Aaron squatted down beside his sister, putting a placating hand on her shoulder. “There, there, Carrie Bradshaw….”
Becca glared at him, and Aaron suddenly understood the cliché shooting daggers with one’s eyes.
“I’m sorry. I know the shoes meant a lot to you. Mavis didn’t know, though.”
Becca glared at the dog. “She has to go. Forget what I said in the restaurant. We can’t have some little shoe-eating monster living here. What if she goes after my Prada bag or my Christian Louboutins? What then?”
“Then I’m sure it would simply be the end of the world, dear sister. I didn’t know you could afford such things, anyway.” Aaron was getting more than a little irritated at his sibling’s material-girl side. Was she serious? Now she wanted Mavis to go? After she had pushed and pushed to bring Mavis home?
“I can’t. But I can’t help myself when I see a pretty pair of shoes.” Becca whispered, “I’m an addict.” She looked up at her brother with tear-filled eyes. “I throw ’em on the credit card and worry about the consequences later.”
Aaron shook his head. “It appears we both have a habit of doing things impulsively and then facing the consequences later. Is that any way to live?”
“I don’t know. But really, we should take her back. We’re not prepared to be parents.”
“Speak for yourself.”
“I can’t have her here, not now.”
Aaron cocked his head. “Are you serious? Over shoes?”
“I know it’s irrational, but I can’t leave this chewing thing alone in my apartment again. God only knows….” Becca thought for a moment, staring at the scared little dog under the bed. Aaron watched her expression change, softening from a fierce determination to a tiny but rueful smile. “Oh, brother, I don’t know. I do love the shoes, and it’s such a loss. You’d never understand.” She pointed at the dog. “But my heart does go out to that little monster.” She chuckled and let out a sigh. “No, of course she doesn’t have to go. But you need to promise me you’ll work hard on training her, getting her to understand that was unacceptable. Maybe you can get her some more chew toys? Things that will be more attractive than shoes?”
“Wait a minute. So you don’t want me to take her back?” Aaron smiled. “I knew you couldn’t be so heartless, not with all her problems.” He frowned. “Do you know what happens to dogs that aren’t adopted out within a certain time frame?” Aaron let the dreadful question hang in the air between them, like a dark and menacing cloud.
“Oh, surely they wouldn’t put her to sleep? She’s not that old. She’s just a little shy.” Becca shrugged. “But if you can get her sorted out, she can stay. I’m not having a sweet dog’s death hanging over my head. And I have fallen for the little critter, despite her tendencies.” Becca gave him a look that was all an appeal for forgiveness. Aaron knew she was sorry she’d said what she had about taking the dog back. And he was glad—he didn’t want to live in a world with a sister who could be so heartless.
“You’re hopelessly naïve, Becca. The world is overpopulated with unwanted pets. It’s a matter of practicality. They can’t save ’em all. But we can save this one.”
“Oh, I know. I just was crushed! I loved those shoes!” Becca looked at her brother with imploring eyes, and he saw a glimmer of sympathy and despair there. He also saw a flash of stubbornness and selfishness, trademarks he’d learned to accept from his sister. He wasn’t sure which side of her would win out.
In a matter of seconds, he got his answer.
“I’ll give you a few days, maybe a week to teach her to behave, Aaron. She’s shy, yes, and needs some wo
rk, but look at her—she’s adorable.”
“You mean that? You won’t go back on your word?” He had to put it in such blunt terms. He still wasn’t quite convinced Becca wouldn’t insist on taking Mavis back if she chewed up another designer item. But the trick was how to ensure that wouldn’t happen. He’d had very little experience training dogs.
“You make her see the light and I will forgive her… and let her stay.”
Aaron knew he had his work cut out for him.
He lay down on the floor and lifted the dust ruffle. Mavis stared out at him from beneath the bed, then crawled to him. She sniffed his hand and licked it. Oh, the girl had her wiles and knew how to use them! He couldn’t let her go. But what could he do? This wasn’t his home; it was Becca’s. And he had nowhere else to go. He scratched Mavis behind the ears. They were both strays, in a way.
Finally he forced himself to look away from the dog and blew out a big sigh. “Somehow, I’ll make sure she behaves herself,” Aaron said, even though he wondered if he was making an impossible promise. To himself, he had to admit he had little faith in his own ability to ensure the dog didn’t do what came naturally to dogs—chewing.
Suddenly Aaron felt a lump forming in his throat, and his eyes threatened to spill hot tears. What other choice did he have? Run away to Oz, like Dorothy did with Toto? The real world didn’t work that way. But he couldn’t resist quoting the Judy Garland iconic film.
“For twenty-three years, I’ve been dying to tell you what I thought of you—and now—well, being a Christian woman, I can’t say it!”
“Not funny.” Becca stood, crossed the room, and dropped her Jimmy Choos into the trash. “May they rest in peace,” she whimpered.
She turned back to Aaron. “Make it work, okay? And please don’t think I’m a heartless bitch.”
Aaron was tempted to keep quoting movies and snarl, “But you are, Blanche! You are!” But he held his tongue. Instead he said, “Listen, that guy we worked with yesterday when we adopted Mavis?”
The dog had now crawled onto his lap, allowing herself to be held.
“Christian? I could ask him to help me train her. He seemed pretty knowledgeable.” Aaron didn’t even know if such a scenario was possible. He already dreaded telling Christian that his sister wanted to send her back if she went near another designer shoe. He didn’t like how it reflected on him and his sister, anyway. But he had to try.
Becca sighed, shaking her head. “Yeah, you should see what he can do. If he can help Miss Mavis here see the light of day, I can’t say no to that.”
Aaron again held his tongue, stopping himself from muttering sarcastically, “Big of you.” Instead he said, “Thank you.” He placed Mavis down on the floor. “I’ll give him a call right now, see if we can work something out.” Aaron’s heart was heavy.
Mavis looked up at Becca and scurried back under the bed, as though she understood the conversation that had just transpired between the siblings.
“See?” Becca said. “The girl ain’t right.”
“Oh, shut up.”
Aaron grabbed his cell phone and stepped out of the apartment to make his call. He went all the way outside, just to get some fresh air and get away from the oppressive atmosphere in the little one-room unit.
Outside, gray clouds had moved in and the wind had picked up. A light mist, so common here in Seattle, had begun to fall. Aaron thought the weather was throwing up a mirror to his mood.
Christian picked up on the first ring. “Hello?”
“Hi, Christian, it’s me—Aaron? I’m sorry I had to cut you off earlier.”
“Oh, it’s okay. But only because you’re so cute. If you were a troll, I’d be hanging up now.”
“Somehow I don’t believe that’s true. But I’m glad.” Even though he knew next to nothing about the man, he had a pretty good idea he wasn’t so shallow or superficial. What would he be doing volunteering for the Humane Society?
“So what’s up? How’s Mavis?”
Aaron was glad he remembered her name. “That’s what I’m calling about.” He took a breath. There was no way to put this delicately. “She chewed up a pair of my sister’s expensive shoes. She was thinking at first that we should return her. But that wouldn’t even be possible, would it?” Aaron hoped he’d say no. Then he could relax a little. Even if Mavis was a so-called “bad dog” again, which wasn’t out of the realm of possibility, not by a long shot, he at least could rely on a policy that might prevent her from going back.
“No. The Humane Society has a strict no-returns policy.”
Aaron laughed with relief. “Really?”
“No. Not really. Sometimes things don’t work out with a placement. It happens. We could take her back. But what’s going on? I mean, besides the obvious? I know she needs a little patience, but that dog is going to make someone the most loving pet, if you give her a chance.”
Aaron’s heart gave a tug. “I know.” He told Christian about his sister’s ultimatum. Mavis must be made to understand….
“Your sister’s a shoe whore?”
“Oh God, don’t even get me started. You would have thought someone had killed her baby, the way she cried when she found them.”
“Can I come over?”
“What?” The question seemed to be a bit of a non sequitur.
“Can I come over? Maybe if I spend a little time with you, Mavis, and your sister, we can work something out. Something not so extreme.”
“You’d do that?” Aaron smiled. He didn’t even need to ask Christian to help out. The guy was some kind of angel.
“Sure. And just in the interest of being completely transparent, I do have an ulterior motive.”
Aaron grinned. “What’s that?”
“To see you. Maybe get in your pants.”
Aaron gasped and then let out a little embarrassed giggle he was not at all proud of. “Let’s just work on the dog first.”
“I don’t want to get in the dog’s pants. She’s a female. I do not go there.” Christian chuckled.
Aaron shook his head but snickered. “What time?”
“How about right now?”
“That’s probably not a bad idea. The sooner we can turn my sister’s thinking around—and Mavis’s—the better. Where are you?”
“Capitol Hill. You’re in Green Lake, right? I can be there in fifteen minutes or so.” Christian then added, apropos of nothing—or maybe not—“I just showered.”
“Good for you. They say cleanliness is next to godliness. See you soon.”
Aaron quickly gave Christian the street address and then hung up before the man said something along the lines of liking to get dirty.
Chapter 6
AS PROMISED, Christian arrived at the studio apartment about twenty minutes later. When Aaron opened the door, he was taken aback. Something about Christian’s being here and his willingness to help someone who was little more than a stranger upped his attractiveness quotient considerably. Had Aaron noticed yesterday how hot Christian’s beefy form was? His bubble butt and tree trunk thighs were encased in a pair of old, worn Levi’s, ripped at the knees. He looked very boyish in a pair of black Converse All Stars and a gray University of Washington hooded sweatshirt. And had his hair looked so touchable yesterday? It flopped down near his blue eyes, a seductive mix of gold, white, and pale brown.
Aaron hadn’t realized he was staring until Christian said, “See something you like?”
Immediately heat rose to Aaron’s face, and he stepped back to admit Christian. “Come in!” he said, falsely cheery, with what he knew was a big stupid grin plastered across his face. “I’m sorry.”
“Hey, there’s no one in the world I’d rather be ogled by.” Christian entered the apartment, grinning, making Aaron glad Becca had run out for a coffee date with yet another candidate from Match.com. Christian looked around. “Cozy. That’s what the lending agent said about this place, right? Cozy? Cute? Low-maintenance?”
Aaron shrugged, closing
the door behind Christian. “I don’t know. Probably. I wasn’t here when Becca rented the place. But those would all make sense. I would say small or cramped.” He drew in a quivering breath, not quite able to put a finger on why he was suddenly so nervous. “It is tiny, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. A bit wee for a big guy like you. And his sister, who, if I recall right, wasn’t exactly petite.”
“Yeah, it is tight.”
“Mmm… I bet it is.” Christian grinned and winked at Aaron, which made him giggle helplessly.
Oh my God. I am making such a complete ass out of myself.
Aaron decided a change of subject—and fast—was in order. “Let me see if I can coax Mavis out. I’m sure she’d like to see you.”
Aaron started to kneel down beside the bed to peer under it for his new canine companion, but Christian stopped him by saying, “She’s right here.”
Aaron turned and was surprised to see the dog out in the open, excitedly sniffing Christian’s feet and calves, even jumping up on him. Christian grinned helplessly. “What can I say? Dogs love me. And Mavis and me, we have a little history.” He squatted down to pet her and scratch her behind the ears. “Who’s a good girl?” he cooed. “You are.” He sat down on the floor, legs crossed, and drew Mavis onto his lap. She looked up at him seriously as he spoke, sometimes cocking her head when his voice rose, his intonation shifted, or he asked a question. “Now, Aaron here tells me you’re having a little trouble getting used to your new home. Is that right?” He massaged her shoulders. “Mavis, Mavis, Mavis. You need to know this place is safe. They love you here. They want you. This is nothing like where you came from. You don’t have to be afraid.”
Aaron marveled at how the dog seemed to relax at Christian’s touch and the sound of his deep, velvety voice that, for some reason, made Aaron think of dark chocolate. “You really think she understands you?” It appeared as though she did.
“Nah. Not really. Her vocabulary is probably only limited to a few words, like ‘walk,’ ‘eat,’ and ‘outside.’” Mavis’s ears perked up at each word he mentioned, and Christian laughed. “But I think she understands my tone. I’m keeping my voice even, not baby talking to her, just slow and gentle, kind of letting calmness come out through my voice. That calm and confidence is what she’s responding to. See, what she did may have been out of anxiety. Dogs can get up to all sorts of mischief when they’re anxious or even bored. You use the right tone with them and it can go a long way toward getting them to relax. And when they relax, they’re more likely to do what you want.”
