“Nah, he loves to play, and he’ll get all the playtime he can handle here.”
Jamie glanced over his shoulder to where Tramp was now running up a ramp and leaping onto a spongy landing pad, then scooting through a tunnel to find Bruno.
“It really seems great,” he said, sounding wistful. “I don’t know that I can ever bring him every day, though.”
“Well, just see if it helps his behaviors at home. Maybe once or twice a week would make a difference?”
Jamie nodded. “That’s doable.”
We retreated to the front lobby. Sammi had already beaten us there. She was checking in another of our clients. I walked Jamie to the door.
“You’ll be back at six?”
“Yes.” He licked his lips. “Um, thanks. I really appreciate this.”
I nodded. “Sure. What are friends for?”
“Friends,” he said softly. “Right. Thanks.”
He went out the door, and I turned to find Sammi watching us with a smirk. I rolled my eyes. “Shut up. So, I made a friend. What’s the big deal?”
“No big deal,” she said.
“You’re acting like?—”
The door opened behind me and Jamie stepped back inand pushed a box into my hands. “A thank-you for today. See you!”
He whipped back out before I could say anything. I looked down at the little square cardboard box.
“What’s that?” Sammi asked.
“I don’t know,” I said, carrying it over to the counter.
“Well, open it!” She tried to grab it, and I held it out of her reach.
“Easy there! It’s my present.”
She huffed. “Fine. Open it then.”
I pulled open the flaps, unsure what to expect. Hopefully, it wasn’t some kind of love token. I was pretty sure Jamie understood I was only looking for friendship, but wedidmeet on a date.
The bone-shaped dog biscuits I found were not what I expected. I laughed. I really should have known.
I showed Sammi the box.
“Ooh.” She snatched it from me. “I’ve heard these are great.”
“Heard?”
“I never make it over to the dog park, but yeah, Jamie gives them out sometimes.”
“Yeah, he bakes them,” I said.
It was a bit weird to think of the night I’d texted him while he was baking, because at the time I’d been so sure he was a woman, and I’d had flutters in my gut as we’d flirted.
I cringed inside, feeling a little like I’d led him on now. Even though I’d been led on too.
Sammi was watching my face a little too closely.
