My shoulders slumped. The honeymoon was over. I had a monster of a dog to take care of.
CHAPTERTWENTY
The storm wasn’t letting up any time soon, and another line of severe weather was expected to roll in later that night. My four-legged houseguest didn’t stop cowering in the corner the entire time I prepared his bed. “That thunder sounds big, but it won’t hurt you, buddy,” I called from the kitchen.
My comforting words fell on deaf ears as Moose’s sad eyes peered around the futon at me when I peeked into the room. I’d never known that dogs were almost as good at making faces as humans, and the expression on his face was pitiful. I walked over, sat down, and gave the top of his head a quick pat. “I’ll tell you what, if you promise not to eat it, I’ll let you have one of my throw pillows for the night. Deal?”
I grabbed the pillow behind me and held it out for him to sniff. He wasn’t interested in it, but he slunk out of his hiding place enough to rest his chin on my knee. I wasn’t quite sure what to do with my hands for a moment, but seeing the whites of his big, brown eyes as he looked up at me did me in. I stroked his velvety-soft head and smoothed the wavy fur sticking up around his ears.
Moose sighed and leaned his bulky shoulder against me. My heart melted a little. He was a teddy bear—a terrified teddy in need of some cheering up. I’d misjudged him just as badly as I’d misjudged Cash. It was time for me to pack up my gavel and black gown because I wasn’t cut out to be a judge. I wasn’t any good at it. It made me wonder how badly I’d misjudged Grandmother as well.
I’d already planned to build an honest relationship with her, but that didn’t do much to relieve my guilt about the current predicament I’d gotten myself into.
I played with Moose’s floppy ear, lost in thought about how I was going to make everything right. Deception had never been my style. The fact that I’d been willing to stoop so low to go after my dream was gross. I’d have been better off judging myself rather than everyone else around me.
But I’d make it right. I’d make everything right.
“Come on, big guy, let’s go see what I fixed up for you.” I gave a gentle tug on his collar, and he followed along, practically glued to my leg. I led him to the kitchen where I’d made a doggie oasis, far away from the window and the scary goings-on outside. “I hope you appreciate the fact that I’m sharing my favorite tie-dyed blanket with you. I’m going to be picking your hair off it for the next month.” I patted his head. “But it’s worth it if it’ll make you comfy tonight.”
I gestured for Moose to check out his bed, but he didn’t move. “Go on.” I pointed him in the right direction again. “Check it out.” Again, he didn’t budge. I sighed and dropped to my hands and knees. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.” I doggy-walked over to his bed, bringing the throw pillow along, and sat on the nest of blankets I’d arranged for him.
“Come on, you know you want to,” I said, patting the soft fleece. He came over, shuffled the blankets around with his enormous nose and decided it was safe enough to plop down. I put the pillow at the head of his bed, assuming doggie beds have heads, and slowly stood up. “Now that you’re all settled in, I think I’ll turn in for the night too. If you need to go to the bathroom just… don’t. Please don’t. See you in the morning.”
I tiptoed into my bedroom and shut the door as quietly as possible so I wouldn’t disturb my roommate. I hadn’t shared my apartment with anyone for a while, and I had to admit, it wasn’t half-bad having him in the house when he wasn’t knocking lamps over.
A text rang through, and tingles erupted in my stomach as I pulled my jammies over my head. I held my breath as I dashed over to my nightstand to see who it was. Flirty, late-night texts had sort of become a thing between Cash and I over the past week. But I hadn’t expected to hear from him tonight considering the ungodly hour he had to get up for work in the morning. I dove onto the bed and looked at the screen.
My excitement drained away when an unknown number was displayed. I dropped the phone beside me on the bed and rolled onto my back, wondering what Cash was doing right then. Probably sleeping and looking handsome while doing it. Would he dream of me tonight? Because I was pretty sure I’d be dreaming about him. I couldn’t get him out of my mind, although I wasn’t really trying all that hard.
Not even the sudden scratching at my bedroom door could wipe the smile off my face. Maybe Moose wasn’t going to be such an easygoing houseguest, after all. I opened the door and he slipped into my room before I could do anything to stop him. “I guess you’ll be sleeping in here then. Hold on while I go get your bed.”
A minute later, I returned from the kitchen with an armload of blankets and the pillow he’d promised not to destroy. To my utter disbelief, Moose had already made himself at home.
On my bed!
“No, no, no. That’s not going to work for me, my friend.” I dropped the wad of blankets in the corner. “Thisis your bed.”
I marched over, latched onto his collar, and gave it a good tug. Somehow that dog managed to quadruple his bodyweight in an instant. He was nothing but dead weight, and he was not budging. “I mean it. This ismybed.” I pointed to the corner and stomped my fuzzy-slipper-wearing foot. “Now, get!”
A massive clap of thunder sounded off at the exact same moment, giving me instant demigod status for my apparent ability to control the weather. But despite my insane level of coolness, Moose still didn’t move.
He looked up at me with his intelligent eyes, and I recognized the futility of trying to get him off my bed. Rolling over on his back, he pawed in the air at me with one of his big clumsy feet. I chewed the inside of my cheek, determined not to be affected, but when he sat up and cocked his head to the side, I threw up the white flag of surrender. “All right, you win. You can sleep on the bed but stay on your side.” I crawled onto the other side of the bed and fluffed my pillow. “And no drooling. I mean it!”
Moose answered with a wagging tail. I hoped that was doggie language for, “I won’t do anything gross in your bed tonight.”
I laid down, being careful to keep a good two feet between us. But my furry guest decided to scoot over and curl up against the side of my body. I sighed, remembering all the times I climbed into my parents’ bed on stormy nights when I was a kid. It was nice to be on the other side of the equation this time and be a comfort. “You’re going to be okay, buddy.” I rested my arm on his back and ran my fingers through his shiny fur. He turned his head and licked me.
For the first time since I was a little girl, I fully trusted that a dog’s licks didn’t mean he was taste-testing me. These were the magical doggie kisses I’d heard people talking about for years, and I was beginning to see the allure.
Once Moose had finished licking every square inch of my arm, he rested his head on my leg and closed his eyes. I laid still, soaking in the sound of the driving rain. My eyes were beginning to feel heavy when a second text from the same unknown number popped up on my screen.
I rolled my eyes, feeling a whole lot like an old woman muttering to herself about kids these days not having any telephone etiquette. “Who texts someone they don’t know at ten-thirty at night?” I muttered glancing over the message.
I sucked in a sharp breath and sat bolt upright in bed when I read it. It was Phil, the music studio owner, and he was inviting me to come hang out with Bobby Midas on Saturday. I read the last line over and over.Bring your guitar.
Not only was I invited to schmooze with one of the most epic producers of our time, but Phil wanted me to bring my guitar? Nothing but good could come of this. My heart practically beat out of my chest when I scrolled to the second text. “So, can you make it on Saturday, or should I invite someone else?”
My fingers couldn’t type fast enough. “I’ll be there!”
