Page 23 of Must Love Dogs… and Hockey

Jesus.

Then she straightens. “Good luck finding his owner.”

She’s judging me for not keeping him. Or maybe that’s my guilty conscience making me mentally squirm.

“Thanks.” I walk her to the door, reluctant to see her leave. “Good luck to you too.”

She nods and lifts a hand in a wave as she walks down the hall toward the elevators. I watch her, then call, “I hope your day is as nice as your butt!”

She stops. Turns. Shakes her head. I’m pretty sure she’s smiling when she twirls back toward the elevator.

I slowly close the door.

Otis lifts his head and gives me a pathetic look.

“I know, I know,” I say. “I like her too. I should have warned you not to get attached. It’s never a good idea. It’s only a matter of time before things you love are taken away from you.”

—

My efforts to find Otis’s owner continue to be unsuccessful.

Midafternoon, Cookie comes down to my place to see how we’re doing. “Why don’t you just give him to a shelter? They’ll find a home for him.”

“How can I do that? What about his owner?”

“You can’t find him. And he doesn’t seem too upset, otherwise he’d be trying to find his dog.”

“True.” I tip my head back. “I guess I could do that. I’ve been so focused on finding where he came from.”

“You don’t want to give him up,” Cookie says with a smirk.

I scowl. “I can’t keep him.”

“Why not?” Cookie leans back on my couch and stretches his arms out. “You can afford it.”

“You know our schedule’s crazy.”

“Lots of guys have dogs.”

“They also have wives who look after them.”

“Not true. Brando’s single and he has a German Shepherd.”

I make a face and shrug.

“You can pay someone to look after him when you’re gone. You just did,” Cookie points out.

I could pay Lilly.

Wait! That’s a fantastic idea!

Or is it? She shot me down when I asked her out. Would it be weird? Stalkerish? I kind of thought she felt that attraction too. But we’re just talking about a business relationship here. “I like my freedom,” I say slowly.

“I get that. But a dog doesn’t tie you down as much as a kid.”

“Well, I’m sure as hell not having kids!”

Cookie laughs. “Yeah, yeah, we all know you’re happily single. But it might be good for you to have something you’re responsible for, besides yourself.”

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