Collin nodded. “She wants her present. Can I give it to her?”
“Let's take them to the kitchen where they eat. Then she'll behave.” Valerie shook her finger at the dog, who didn’t seem repentant.
The group rolled into the kitchen, where Valerie motioned to the mess on the counter. “Check it out. I'm already making another batch of doggie biscuits. Charlotte says they’re selling well. I can’t quite believe it myself.”
Collin held out the bones, and Tanya and Tucker sat on their backsides. When he didn't give them over immediately, Tucker barked. Collin laughed. “Okay, here you go.” He held onto the far end of each bone and gave one to each dog.
They accepted them as if they were due a treat and trotted to their beds to gnaw the afternoon away.
Collin brushed off his hands. “That went well.”
Ethan looked at Valerie in the way adults do when they think a child is so cute. That was awesome! Valerie was thrilled that they had that moment together. It made her feel like she was included in an inner circle.
“Do you want to cut out some dog treats?” Valerie asked Collin. Having him here was the buffer she needed to help her handle the incredibly handsome, though somewhat quiet, man wandering around her living room looking at decorations. He paused and shook the snow globe making Valerie smile.
Collin tugged on her shirt. “Your cookies smell funny.”
“They smell funny for people, but dogs love them.” Valerie laughed. She showed him the Tupperware container that held finished treats.
“She sells them in Aunt Charlotte’s store,” Ethan said, a note of pride in his voice that had Valerie warming all over.
Valerie beamed. “It’s been a Christmas of firsts for me. I never saw myself as a dog treat manufacturer, but I have so many ideas.” She felt an excitement bubble up inside. Instead of shutting it down, as she would have a couple of weeks ago, she opened the flow and let it all come out. “I made these chicken flavors, but there’s beef and veggie too. Not that dogs love the flavor of vegetables, but they could. Sometimes these guys eat the grass, so there has to be something in their systems that craves veggies. Oh!” She lifted a hand. “They eat the grass to clean their teeth so maybe I could put grass in the treats. Or find something else that would help them brush. Wouldn't that be fun to make toothbrush-shaped treats?”
Ethan’s eyebrows lifted. “Yeah,” he quickly added. “If I had a dog, brushing its teeth would be top on my list of priorities.” He said it as though he meant it, even though he sounded ridiculous. Valerie wasn't so far out of practice that she didn't recognize that he agreed with her because he wanted her to smile.
She totally did.
“Are we getting a dog?” Collin asked excitedly.
Ethan’s attention shifted. “No. So enjoy those two.”
They all turned to look at the beagles who had fallen asleep with their bones under their chins. Tanya’s lip was hooked over the edge of the bone as if she’d fallen asleep mid-bite.
The doorbell rang and broke the spell. “I’ll get it.” Valerie headed toward the front door. “I’m not expecting anyone, but sometimes Auntie has things delivered.” Valerie headed toward the front door.
“I cut out a few of these….” Ethan held up a cookie cutter and squinted at it.
“Wreaths.” Valerie called over her shoulder. “I thought they'd be fun to decorate.” She had visions of holly berries in groups of threes against the green topping she’d whipped up that morning.
Once she was out of sight, she skipped to the front door. Ethan was in her kitchen, cooking. Collin sat between the dog beds, petting the beagles while they snored softly, his confidence around them growing by the minute. She had the number for the pizza place taped on the side of the fridge in case they were here long enough to stay for dinner. She hoped they did. The house was full and cheerful with them in it.
The bell rang again. “I'm coming!” she called.
She opened the door and stared in shock at the blonde woman who brushed past her and walked right into her home. “Hi. Im looking for my son.” Pearl continued on into the house, uninvited. “Collin? Gosh, this place is huge. Who lives here, Elvis?” She tossed her coat at Valerie. “Be a dear and hang that up, would you?”
“Excuse me?” Valerie gripped the fabric.
“My son. Collin?” Pearl said son with all the authority of a woman who knows her place in the world–and knows that Valerie doesn’t belong in it.
Not that she was trying to take Pearl’s place! The thought hadn’t crossed her mind.
For a brief moment, she considered throwing the woman out and calling security to escort her off the mountain. But Pearl was Collin’s mother, and creating a rift with the woman wouldn’t help any future interactions–if there were any. This was all so new–a first date. If you could call making dog treats a date. She would. Ethan had. But, well, it was all just… new!
ItwasChristmas. Goodwill to all men–and women–and all that. She could extend a hand of friendship to Pearl.
Valerie pointed toward the kitchen “They're in the Christmas room.”
Collin saw her first and popped to his feet. “Mom! You gotta come meet Tanya and Tucker. Theyre sleeping but they're so nice and the loved the bones I brought them. Look!”
