Tramp ignored me utterly. Silas chuckled and patted his head before grasping his legs and easing him to the floor. “You’re just too big, aren’t you? But I see you. Don’t you worry.”
“I’m working,” I said, “so we need to take this party to the kitchen.”
“I thought something smelled good.” Maverick sniffed at the air. “Ooh, are you making cookies?”
“Not for you.” I started back to the kitchen. “I decided to make some samples to take over to the dog park next week. I’m going to try to set up an online shop for gourmet dog treats.”
When my matchmaking attempt failed so miserably, I’d figured I might as well focus my energy on getting my business life on track. Plus, it made for a good distraction.
“Oh, that’s awesome!” Maverick said. “Right, Silas?”
“Yeah. Totally. The next time I book a doggie wedding, I’ll hire you to cater.”
I grabbed two oven mitts from the drawer beside my stove. “Is that a thing?”
Silas chuckled. “No, but it totally should be.”
Maverick grinned. “I bet I could put together some bouquets that were safe for pets to consume.”
“Decorations and food,” Silas said, “can’t beat that deal!”
I grinned over my shoulder as I reached into the oven to retrieve my dog biscuits. Two minutes in, and Maverick and Silas were already making me feel better.
“I’d pay good money to see that.”
“Hey, in this town, crazier things have happened,” Silas said.
“Too true.”
I pulled out the cookie sheet and surveyed my biscuits. I’d done them in the shape of a banana to be cute. The ingredients included banana, yogurt, and a variety of oats. The beefy treats were cooling in the shape of little bones.
I had a ton more ideas I wanted to try, like sandwich cookies filled with vanilla and peanut butter and paw-print wafers decorated with dog-friendly icing.
All the biscuits were healthier than anything you’d find in the grocery store, sourced with fresh ingredients and oven-baked. I loved how healthy they were, but more than that, I enjoyed watching owners pamper their pets and show them they were treasured. Of all the world’s creatures, I thought that a dog’s love was the purest.
“These look so good,” Maverick said, picking up one of the bone biscuits. “Do you think a person could eat it?”
I laughed. “Maybe technically? I don’t advise it, unless the idea of a beef biscuit appeals to you.”
Silas rattled through drawers until he found the corkscrew. “How about I feed you wine instead?”
“Good idea,” Maverick said as he plopped onto a barstool. “Though those banana ones are adorbs.”
I slid one onto a little plate and put it in front of him. “Knock yourself out.”
“There’s no…I don’t know, horse meat or something weird?”
I glared at him. “Of coursenot.I wouldn’t feed that to my dogs.”
“Hey, you were the one warning me not to eat those other ones,” Maverick said with a teasing smile.
He took a nibble, tilting his head in thought. He smacked his lips. “Hm. Little dry.”
I rolled my eyes. “Everyone’s a critic.”
“Here.” Silas placed a wineglass in front of him. “Drink up.”
Tramp came around the corner, giving us his best begging eyes as Silas handed a second glass of wine to me.
