Page 22 of California Sunsets

A Willie Nelson song came on and the dog stopped. Cocked his head. And then began to howl along with the music. Erin and Jay looked at each other and burst out laughing.

“Is he a country and western fan?” she asked.

Jay grinned. “A Willie Nelson fan, anyway.”

They waited, fascinated, as the pup continued to howl and then howled again, and then the song ended and The Yellowjackets came on. He sniffed around the room in complete unconcern. Jay then tried Frank Sinatra. Nothing. Other male country singers. Nothing. He went back to Willie Nelson, trying a different song this time, and the dog threw back his head and howled.

He looked at Erin. “I think you’re right. He’s telling us what he wants to be called.”

“Willie?”

Jay was looking at the dog with a fascinated expression on his face. “No, I can’t call my dog Willie, but I could call him Nelson. That’s a fine name, even if it doesn’t start with aB.” He tried experimentally, “Nelson? Nelson, come.”

The dog perked up his ears and turned around.

He tried again. “Nelson, come here.” The dog ran toward him, tail wagging. Jay glanced up at Erin. “You were right. He let me know. His name is Nelson.”

She nodded. “I like it. It suits him.”

Jay nodded, clearly happy to have solved this one. “Are you sure I can’t tempt you with a celebratory hot chocolate?”

Erin paused. She was starting to think that Jay could tempt her with just about anything. She looked at him for a moment—that rugged stubble, the shaved head, the easy golden tan were all familiar to her. But the softness in his eyes? The tenderness as he patted Nelson? All that was so new. And so sexy.

She had to be careful. She could feel herself getting carried away with it all—the romance of the sumptuous house, the sweetness of the dog. And Jay in the middle of it all, busy and happy and thoughtful.

She shook her head. No hot chocolate. It was too creamy and delicious. Besides, chocolate put her in a naughty mood. “I’d better be going,” she said lamely. “Could I have those keys?”

Jay looked disappointed, but he quickly recovered and went to fetch the spare keys.

As she was leaving, he said, “Hey, I know you’ve done so much for me already, but could you and Buzzy come for a walk with us early tomorrow morning before I fly? You heard the lady at the shelter. She says he needs socializing and Buzzy seems like he’d be a good influence. Also, if you and Buzzy are going to stay here, we should make sure they get along okay before I take off.”

She had to agree. Everything Jay said made sense. Plus, a small, niggling part of her was happy she would see Jay again so soon. But again, she pushed it away. Trying to imitate Jay’s natural businesslike manner, she made a plan to meet him at the beach at seven in the morning.

They stood for a moment on the doorstep, and there was an awkward moment when she didn’t know whether to just walkoff or hug him or give him a fist bump. They were in uncharted territory here. Ever since that intense hug full of longing on the beach, she felt as though she had to be careful. She didn’t want either of them getting the wrong idea. Jay wassonot for her, and she wassonot for him, even though she was finding herself more and more drawn to the man.

In the end, he solved the hug/no hug problem by reaching out and giving her a pat on the upper arm. “Thanks for your help, there, short stuff.”

Just his use of that nickname seemed to reset the relationship and remind them both that she was Archer’s kid sister. “Good night yourself, there, big shot.” She’d started calling him that a while ago, sometimes reminding him that the initials wereBS.

* * *

Buzzy wasn’t very happy when she got home. He sniffed her, obviously able to tell that she’d been spending time with another dog. This must be how a betrayed woman felt when she smelled another woman’s perfume on her husband.

She gave her sweet dog extra attention and a dog treat. “It wasn’t like that, honest. You’re my one true love.”

When she got the leash and took Buzzy for his own walk—an extra-long one with plenty of ball throwing—she could tell that all was forgiven. But when they got back, she explained to him that he’d be spending a lot of time with Nelson over the next few days. She only hoped they’d get along. She couldn’t imagine what would happen if her dog and Jay’s didn’t like each other. It could be the end of the budding friendship growing between her and Jay.

However, the next morning she discovered right away that her fears were unfounded. She and Buzzy walked down onthe beach to find Jay and Nelson already there. Nelson came running toward her, obviously remembering her from the night before, and seeing Buzzy, he ran forward, tail wagging, pretty much his whole wriggling body and posture saying,Please like me!

Buzzy played hard to get and didn’t immediately extend the paw of friendship. He walked around a bit, they sniffed butts, and then Buzzy began to run. His favorite thing was to run along the beach, ears flapping, tongue lolling out. Nelson took off in hot pursuit. For a little guy, he was really speedy. They raced around, jumping all over each other, circling each other, rolling in the sand, while she and Jay walked along behind them enjoying the spectacle.

As the dogs dropped to the sand side by side, panting, she said, “I think your socialization experiment is working.”

“I think it’s hero-worship, not socialization.”

She chuckled, a little proud. It was true—the younger Nelson jumped up the second that Buzzy did. And then they were off and running.

“How was he last night?” she asked. “Any trouble settling in?”

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