Page 45 of Call it Reckless

Holding out my hand to greet them, I wondered what the hell was in the water around here. Teagan was drop-dead gorgeous, dressed casually in a simple dress but with killer heels, hair so soft and shiny, and subtle makeup that highlighted her natural beauty. And Megan was beautiful, too, only in a more exotic way. Her dark hair was short with a streak of purple on one side. She had a tiny diamond piercing in her nose that emphasized a similar sparkle in her dark blue eyes.

Teagan gestured to a chair with a graceful twist of her hand. “It’s nice to see you again. Please join us.”

I didn’t want to intrude, but all of their smiles appeared welcoming. “Only for a few minutes. I just placed a to-go order.”

“Bristol just moved back to town and is opening an auto garage with a salon attached,” Emalee announced. “So now, we can get our oil changed while getting a haircut or a pedicure.”

Megan’s eyes brightened. She pointed her fork at me. “That’s brilliant.”

“What an ingenious idea!” Teagan sat up straighter and pulled a lock of her hair in front of her face, scowling at it. She leaned toward me like she was going to tell me a secret. “The hair salon here does an okay job, but I feel like I’m going to my mother’s hairdresser,” she half-whispered. “I want something younger, more stylish, you know?”

“Paige is an amazing stylist. I’m sure you’ll love her.”

Megan added, “And I never go to the mechanic here. Donny gives me the creeps. He’s always staring at my boobs. I end up driving over to Mountain View, which takes a lot of extra time.” Her smile brightened. “You’re much needed here, Bristol. When do you open?”

“Thanks.” Her words surprised me. “In a few weeks. My sister, Cameron, is overseeing the work and she says everything is about done. They just need to finish some painting. Paige and I are wrapping up hiring and making sure everything is in place.”

“Well, I, for one, can’t wait,” Teagan said just as I heard my name being called.

Agreeing we should all get together again soon, I left in a good mood. I zipped up my jacket as a sharp breeze stirred up some sidewalk debris. The dog I’d seen was still there. As soon as he saw me, his head lifted, and his tail wagged. “Hey, buddy. It’s a bit chilly out here for you, isn’t it?”

He whined, which I took as an agreement. His doggy eyes were so sorrowful I wanted to take him home. I wasn’t sure I could do that, but maybe I could do something else.

I opened my bag and gave him half of my sandwich, which he gobbled down in two bites.

“Wait here another minute, okay?” I crooned. He licked my hand.

I stepped back inside the diner and asked a waitress about him.

She cast a frown at the door. “He shows up here every few mornings. We think he’s a stray, or maybe lost by a tourist that was in the area. He won’t let any of us near him. Sometimes, we set out a little food tray, but he won’t touch it until we leave. He disappears as soon as he eats, then shows back up another time.”

“Can I get a cup of water for him? I’d also like to order a plain burger, also to go.”

Knowing what I was up to, the smiling waitress went to the kitchen. I saw her speak to one of the cooks through the open window, and she was back in a few minutes. She’d placed the requested water in a Styrofoam bowl and brought two burgers instead of one on a paper plate. I broke up the meat and walked outside, putting it in front of the dog. Without wasting a second, the poor beast gobbled it up and drained the water bowl.

As I took the trash and stepped back, his ears flattened as he lay down and rested his head on his paws like he expected to be left again.

I bit my lip, hating to leave the defenseless creature on his own. I had so many things to do: pick up our business cards and work order forms we’d ordered from Things Remembered, a local stationery store, create the ad we wanted to be included in the local weekly paper, shop for office supplies, check emails… the list went on. But as another chilly breeze whistled around us, I couldn’t ignore how those brown eyes watched my every move.

I closed my eyes, mentally shifting around my schedule. Blowing out a breath, I stared at the dog. “What do you say? Shall we see if you belong to anyone? Maybe we can reunite you with your owner.”

His ears perked, and his tail wagged. “Okay, buddy.” I tapped my leg. “Let’s go for a walk. I’m going to take you to see a friend of mine.” Hopefully, Zach was working today.

My new canine friend got to his feet and followed me but kept about two paces behind as I walked my bike toward the vet’s office. As soon as I stopped, he did, too. It was that way for two blocks. At the clinic’s door, he lay down again, and no matter how much I begged, he wagged his tail but wouldn’t budge.

Layla, the receptionist, was very sympathetic when I explained the situation and asked to see Zach. She gave me a temporary leash, but when I tried to put it around the dog’s neck, he quickly backed away, a shiver passing through him.

Layla saw what was going on. “Don’t worry,” she said, coming to the door. “Dr. Abbott will be right out.”

As soon as I returned the leash to Layla, the dog inched closer. “It’s okay, boy,” I said, crouching beside him, careful to keep my movements slow and easy.

Zach followed another client outside as she left. “Hey, Bristol. I hear you have a new friend.”

As soon as Zach approached the dog, his ears laid flat against his head, and he bared his teeth. I was stunned. While the dog seemed timid earlier, I hadn’t seen any signs of aggression.

When Zach stepped away, the dog relaxed. Softly, Zach said, “Interesting. He trusts you.”

I spoke softly into the dog’s ear, whispering words of praise and petting him, curling an arm around his furry neck.

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