by Matt Dunn
Tom’s looking even more confused. “Right,” he says, perhaps deciding now isn’t the time for twenty questions.
“So.”
“So.”
“One question,” Julie says.
“Which is?” says Tom, when she doesn’t elaborate.
“Why did you come around?”
“I told you. Doug turned up at the park on his own.”
“I mean the other night.”
“Ah.” Tom stares awkwardly at the patch of grass between his feet. “Well, because...”
“Because?”
“Because, I wanted to ask you whether you’d, you know...”
“Whether I’d what?”
Tom’s still staring at the grass. “Go out with me,” he mumbles.
“What are you? Five years old?”
“No, I just...” Tom looks up, and smiles that smile. “Actually, yes. Or rather, that’s how you make me feel.”
“Tom, I... The reason I might have come across as reluctant that morning is...” Julie swallows hard. “I’ve got...baggage.”
“Who doesn’t?”
“Yes, but...mine casts kind of a big shadow.”
Tom removes his hands from his pockets and folds his arms. “If you’re referring to Doug, I think that’s a little harsh,” he says, with a grin. “Especially since...”
“I wasn’t.” Julie smiles back at him. “Though since what?”
“Since he’s the one who brought us together.”
Julie looks at Tom for a moment, then she frowns down at me, and I will her all the encouragement I can. It seems to work, because she widens her eyes, then pats the space next to her on the lounge chair in a come-and-sit way, so I hop up and onto her lap, just as Tom virtually leaps across the garden to sit down too.
Trouble is, the lounge chair’s built for one, and it’s old, so the upholstery isn’t quite up to supporting the three of us. Suddenly there’s a loud rip, and I just about manage to jump clear before the part Tom’s sitting on gives way. For the second time today, he lands on his back on the grass, and a split second later, the rest of the material splits down the middle, and Julie falls on top of him.
“Well, that was smooth,” says Tom after a moment, and Julie starts to laugh. Then he joins in and before long, the two of them are virtually rolling around the garden in hysterics, and it’s at that moment I know everything’s going to work out just fine.
I’m so happy about this, I have a sudden urge to start chasing my tail. After a couple of spins, and for the first time ever, I actually manage to catch it.
Given how things seem to have turned out, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised.
* * *
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks be to:
Superagent Hayley Steed and the fantastic team at Madeleine Milburn (without whom Doug wouldn’t even have made it out of my laptop, let alone the back garden), and Kathy Sagan and everyone at MIRA/HarperCollins for giving him a US (pet) passport!
The Board. We’re still standing!
The usual suspects—Loz, Tony, John, et al.
The lovely Tina, for being there every step (and occasional misstep) of the way.
Joan, Karen and the Menorca Mob. Biking, boating and beer(ing) have been a blast!
Mekdi, Hector, Cristian, Dior and everyone at Barych in Mahon. Because everyone needs a “local.”
And lastly, especially to you, dear reader. This is my fourteenth novel. I couldn’t—and wouldn’t—have written it without you.
ISBN-13: 9780369703392
Pug Actually
Copyright © 2021 by Matthew Dunn
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
For questions and comments about the quality of this book, please contact us at [email protected].
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