If Patricia had been anyone else I could envision growing a lovely friendship. But no matter how much I enjoyed being with her, every moment felt like I was behind enemy lines. Thanks to Andrew, I couldn’t be friends with her, because I knew that the closer we became the more I’d hear about him. And I wasn’t about to smile while she told stories about his weekend trips toRexford with Zadie, or whoever his girl of the moment happened to be.
I gave Rainbow one last rub and followed Patricia out of the pen. It was only four, but the sun was already dipping low and the nip in the air was becoming a full-on chill. The Gibson home looked postcard-homey in the distance, with a few lights turned on inside casting an inviting glow.
“Would you like to warm up with a cup of coffee with me?” Patricia asked.
“Thanks, but I should go, I have a puppy who keeps time like a train conductor and it’s almost dinnertime.”
“That’s right, Andrew told me about little Edith! Maybe she can come and meet Murray sometime? He loves puppies.”
“That would be cute.” I smiled broadly to make my answer seem less vague. I shifted back to a more comfortable topic. “I have a few busy days ahead of me, but I’ll try to come work with them within the next week.”
“Perfect. You can visit whenever you like, our door is always open.”
It made me a little sad that I’d never be able to take advantage of her hospitality.
chapter eighteen
I’d accidentally adopted a tyrant in a dog-suit.
Edith was starting to show some shockingly asshole-ish behaviors and it felt like there was nothing I could do about it. Every dog is a product of natureandnurture, but it seemed like whatever backwoods gene pool she’d sprung from was overpowering my efforts to help her become a sweet, well-adjusted dog. She was snarky and bossy with Birdie and it broke my heart that my tired old girl let the puppy get away with it.
If Birdie was barking at something out the window Edith would rush over to muscle her out of the way soshecould bark. When Birdie took a drink of water Edith nosed her face into the bowl until Birdie was pushed out. I thanked my senior for her patience with the annoying behavior but felt sad that her golden years were being interrupted by a dog with no chill.
I did everything I could to gently redirect Edith when possible, but some of the behaviors were so subtle that I couldn’t referee in time. I’d brought the puppy into my home envisioning a sisterly, or better yet maternal, bond between them, but what I’d gotten was low-grade psychological warfare.
The worst part? Edith wasbrilliant. She loved training and picked things up so quickly that I had to sprint to keep up with her amazing little brain. I always joked to my clients that smart dogs were a blessing and a curse and here I was experiencing it in real time. Of course, Birdie was a clever dog too, but there was something about Edith that pushed her into evil genius territory.
Birdie was up on my bed as I got ready for my evening, her eyes flicking between me and her tormentor. The puppy was taking her frustrations out on a particularly challenging food puzzle, alternating between barking at it and angrily gnawing the knobs instead of pushing them around like she was supposed to.
“I know, I know.” I sighed, giving Birdie a sad smile. “I’m trying. At least she’s not bothering you.”
I pulled the flat iron through my last section of hair, then craned my neck to make sure I’d gotten all of it. Tonight I was actually getting my butt up off the couch and making good on the rain check I’d promised Carly at my Howl-o-Ween party. She’d conned me into going to the closing night of the fall festival at Abbot Farm with her and Joe, before the farm shifted into prime Christmas tree mode. It was the second week of November and I appreciated that they didn’t try to rush the holiday, since there was so much to love about autumn.
“What’s the right look for Hallmark holiday movie activities?” I asked the dogs.
I settled on jeans, a thick black knit sweater with a few layers underneath, and my favorite black lug sole lace-up boots. I had a red buffalo check jacket that I never wore that was perfect for the doing-it-for-the-’gram vibes of the evening.
I hustled the dogs out for a quick walk and Carly and Joe pulled up right as I was leading them back inside. “Gimme three minutes.”
Carly flashed me a thumbs-up from the passenger seat.
Once Edith was settled in her crate with a stuffed Kong and Birdie was finally relaxed now that her tormentor could no longer reach her, I headed downstairs.
“Hey!” Carly turned around in her seat and welcomed me in an overly excited voice as I climbed in their old Cherokee. “I’m so glad you agreed to come. This is going to be a fun night.”
“Yup.” I managed to meet her level of enthusiasm as I fastened my seat belt. “Thanks for letting me be a third wheel.”
Joe glanced at me in the rearview mirror as he eased away from the curb. “You’re actually not a third wheel. We’re meeting someone there.”
I mentally scrolled through their friend group, trying to figure out who it could be. “Anyone I know?”
“Yeah. My new trainer and your neighbor.”
I grabbed for my seat belt, my thumb on the buckle like it was an ejection button. “You invitedAndrew?”
“I did.” Joe eyed me in the rearview mirror again. “He’s a really cool guy.”
I looked over my shoulder at the retreating sidewalk and wondered if I could jump out of the car and run home.
