‘He’s not going to bite,’ said Nora with a chuckle. She’d thought about getting a dog but it had felt like a big commitment. Now, seeing Bruce, she knew this was a good decision. A dog share was the perfect solution. Maybe love at first sightdidexist. ‘He’s the one, Jay. Don’t you agree?’
‘Er, well, he’s quite a big fella. But if you think he’s the one. And we’ve rejected at least 37 per cent, so…’
Nora gave him her best Paddington Bear stare.
‘Let’s let you two in and see what he thinks of you,’ said Elaine.
‘Great,’ said Nora. Jay swallowed hard.
Elaine went in first and received a warm welcome from Bruce. His big fluffy tail swished from side to side. Bruce then made straight for Nora. She rubbed his head and he pawed at her jeans.
‘You like that, don’t you, boy?’ Bruce walked around Nora, sniffing as he went. He approached Jay, who froze. But then Bruce had wedged his nose firmly in Jay’s groin.
‘Here, give him this,’ said Elaine, handing Jay a small dog treat.
Bruce’s bum hit the ground and he stared at Jay. Jay looked at the tiny treat in his hand and at the large dog. ‘He’s got a lot of teeth,’ he said.
‘They’re in good condition. He’s used to them being cleaned, so that’s something it would be wise to continue,’ said Elaine.
‘Putting my hand in there?’ Jay gestured with the treat. The motion had Bruce’s attention and in a flash he had swiped the snack from Jay’s grip. ‘Argh!’ shrieked Jay, rapidly checking his hand was intact and counting his fingers.
Nora giggled. ‘Are you OK?’
‘Me? Yes, absolutely fine. I was just taken by surprise. Only for a moment. Split-second thing.’ He double-checked his fingers.
‘I’ll leave you to it. Take as long as you like. I’ll be at reception when you’ve made a decision.’ Elaine reversed out of the cage.
‘You’re leaving us alone with him?’ said Jay, pointing at Bruce but quickly pulling back his fingers when the dog showed renewed interest in them.
‘I trust you,’ said Elaine with a smile. ‘Make sure the bolt is properly in place when you exit.’
Nora realized this was predominantly Jay’s pet and therefore it had to be his decision. She’d be disappointed if he didn’t choose Bruce but it wasn’t up to her. ‘Is he too big for you, Jay?’
‘Nooo,’ said Jay, stepping back as Bruce bounded over with a large toy dumbbell. ‘Good dog,’ said Jay, and Bruce promptly dropped the dumbbell on Jay’s foot. ‘Ow!’
‘Aww, he wants you to play with him,’ said Nora. ‘He likes you.’ Bruce stared at Jay and licked his lips.
‘Or he liked how I tasted and now he wants the rest.’
‘He’s fine, he’s a pussy cat,’ said Nora, rubbingaround Bruce’s pointed ears. He had such a thick coat.
‘That’s not a positive thing in my book. Remember, cats don’t like me, and he only does because he thinks I’m edible.’
*
Dixie felt a bit redundant. She’d tried passing Renee the tools she’d asked for but she wasn’t mechanically minded so generally had to hold up three things for Renee to choose from, in the hope that one of them was what she was after. Sadly, she wasn’t entirely sure that she excelled at anything much.
University had been fun but a 2:2 in Fashion, Patterns and Textiles wasn’t exactly going to set the world on fire. Looking at her friends she could see what their strengths were, but when she studied herself they were less obvious. She had friends who were able to sew and paint, some with their own businesses and others climbing their way up the corporate ladder. Then there was Nora who could do anything with numbers, and Jay who was a talented actor, he just needed a break. And here was the incredible Renee, who seemed to be able to excel at pretty much anything she set her mind to.
Dixie decided that comparing herself to others wasn’t healthy. Renee’s huffing and puffing had increased, which was cause for concern.
‘Renee, are you OK? Shall we take a break?’
Renee pulled her head out of the engine bay, rubbedher cheek and instantly left a grubby smear on her face. ‘I won’t be beaten,’ she said.
‘I’m not saying give up. Just maybe have a rest for a bit. How about a cup of tea?’
Renee appeared mildly repulsed at the suggestion. ‘Perhaps a cheeky G&T might give me inspiration.’ She put down her wrench. ‘I hate to say it, but this fella has sold you a pup.’
