I winced. “He wasn’t sure about trying it. You can take it out of my check if needed, okay? I just…”
Sammi sat back in her seat, eyeing me speculatively. “This is surprising, Hank.”
“I’m sorry if I overstepped.”
“No, it’s not that.” She paused. “Well, notjustthat. I’d rather you didn’t offer our services for free. I just wouldn’t have thought you’d make an offer like that toJamie.After the date fiasco, I didn’t think you wanted anything to do with him.”
“I never said that. I just don’t want to date him.”
Her lips quirked. “Only offer him free doggy day care?”
I rolled my eyes. “Stop it.”
She chuckled. “You know, my wife’s ex was straight once too. Then he kissed her brother on a dare and fell hard.”
“Sounds like a good rom-com,” I said. “But I am not kissing Jamie. Just helping out a guy with a hyper dog.”
She opened her mouth, but the doorbells chimed.
Jamie came in with his two Labs, and I shot Sammi a warning glance.
She smiled brightly. “Well, who do we have here?”
“Hi,” Jamie said, coming up to the counter, while Tramp strained at his leash in the attempt to run around it and check the place out. “Hank said we could come in for a free trial? Is that okay?”
“Of course it is,” Sammi said. She grabbed two intake forms and set them on the counter between us. “Justfill out these forms so we know your babies a little better. It helps us take better care of them and everyone else. Most importantly, are either of them aggressive toward other dogs or people they don’t know well?”
“They’re both really friendly. Tramp, the yellow Lab, is hyper, but he plays well with other dogs at the park.”
“Okay, wonderful.” Sammi looked down on the black Lab. “And who is this beauty?”
Jamie stroked his dog’s head. “This is Lady. She’s very well-behaved.”
Sammi nodded. “Okay, I’ll take them into the day care while Hank gets you all checked in. Do you have any questions?”
“Um, well, you don’t physically discipline them, do you?”
“Never. We do have some doggy time-outs if someone causes a fight. You can read through our policies in the paperwork there,” Sammi said.
Jamie nodded, smiling tightly. “Okay.”
Sammie took Jamie’s dogs by the leash and led them to the playroom, setting them loose once they were inside.
“We’ll take good care of them,” I said. “I can show you around once you get the paperwork done.”
“Yeah, of course.” Jamie smiled. “I wouldn’t have brought them if I didn’t trust you.”
He spent the next few minutes filling out our waivers. Sammi stayed in the playroom with the dogs, and when I led Jamie to the doorway, Tramp and Bruno were already playing, each dodging behind play equipment, then out, a weird hybrid of hide-and-seek and chase.
Lady was half on Sammi’s lap, getting ear rubs and looking blissful.
“We’ve got the indoor space with some toys and play equipment, plus we take them outside, weather permitting.We’ve got a little pool out there for them to splash around in, but mostly we make sure they get potty breaks and a little space to run.”
Jamie followed me to the door to peek out at our yard containing a play set that looked a lot like it might belong in a child’s daycare, along with an above-ground pool.
“It’s a good setup,” Jamie said. “I just hope Tramp won’t get himself banned on the first day.”
He laughed nervously.
