Page 105 of Must Love Dogs… and Hockey

Lilly

A couple of days later I get a call about another job. Yay! The dog’s name is Percy. He lives in Easton’s building, ugh, but that’s okay, I actually have another client who lives there and I’m sure I’ll never see Easton.

Even though I want to.

I head over there to meet Percy and his owner. I know Easton’s in Toronto for a game tonight, so I’m not worried about running into him today. Dennis, the dog’s owner, brings Percy down to the lobby. I sit on one of the chairs to wait for him. Javier’s not working today, or I’d go chat with him, although maybe that would be awkward.

The elevator doors slide open and a man steps off. He’s dragging a clearly reluctant and nervous black dog by the leash.

“Otis!” My jaw nearly smacks the coffee table in front of me. I jump up, my heart thumping. I look from Otis to the strange man, then back to Otis. Then I barrel toward them. “What’s going on?” I glare at the man. “Who are you?”

“I’m Dennis.” He frowns. “Lilly?”

“That’s me. Why do you have this dog?”

His frown intensifies. “This is my dog.”

Otis is going crazy over me, jumping and crying. I pick him up. I think he’s grown. He nuzzles his nose into the side of my neck, whining. “No! He’s not your dog. This is Otis. He belongs…ohhhhh. Oh no.” I gape at him. “You’reOtis’s owner?”

“His name is Percy.” He stares at me and Otis, who is now slobbering kisses all over my face.

“Where the hell have you been?” I demand.

Dennis takes a step back, narrowing his eyes. “What are you talking about?”

“And don’t you know he’s afraid of elevators?” The sight of Otis being scared and towed out of the elevator breaks my already broken heart.

“He’s fine.”

I take a big breath. The world has spun off its axis here. He’s not the only one confused. I need to get a grip. “He was scared. You need to look after him better.”

Dennis rolls his eyes. “He’s a dog.”

My stomach heaves and I get a sour taste in my mouth. But I need to calm down.

“Otis, I’ve missed you so much,” I croon, rubbing him. Then I set him back on the floor and face the man. “Look, I’m sorry. I know this dog. I know the person who looked after him while you were…”

“In Hong Kong.” He shakes his head. “My girlfriend…er, ex-girlfriend…who was supposed to look after him apparently abandoned him. I just got back and found out.”

Once again, my mouth goes slack. I blink rapidly, processing this. Oh no. Oh no, no, no. I snap my jaw closed and press my fingers to my mouth. This is why Easton messaged me that I wouldn’t be looking after Otis anymore? He had to give Otis back to this man?

This man who isn’t fit to pick up Otis’s dog poop.

A million thoughts ricochet through my brain. I don’t know what to say. Or what to do.

“I don’t know if this is going to work out,” the man says, his eyebrows pinched together, looking at me like he thinks I’m a little nuts.

“Let’s talk.” I gesture at one of the seating arrangements and we move toward them. I take a seat opposite him. Otis jumps into my lap. My heart squeezes and I stroke his head and back. “Tell me about what services you’re looking for.”

“I need someone to walk him twice a day,” Dennis says. “Morning and evening. I work long hours.”

“So he’ll be alone all day?”

“Yes.”

I nod, sucking on my bottom lip. I know people have to work; that’s why I have a dog-walking business. It’s not my place to judge people. But I don’t believe this man cares about Otis. “Are you sure you really want a dog?”

He sighs. He looks across the lobby. “I don’t know. I got Percy just before I got sent overseas. I didn’t realize how much work he’d be. The last few days have been crazy. He has to go out all the time or he, uh, has accidents in the apartment.”

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