Page 66 of Brett and Rowdy
Rowdy needed art on a cellular level, and he needed to create it.
“Yeah. Maybe I can do one for you with demon sheep…” He chuckled, knowing Rowdy needed more than visual clues to get that he was laughing along.
“I’m so in, so long as they get their own llama.” Rowdy sat on the end of the bed. “The bathroom is just to the right, the closet is to the left, and the remote for the television is on the bedside table.”
He blinked, looked around. “There’s no TV, honey.”
“What?” Rowdy looked confused.
“No television here. I can’t see one.”
Rowdy leaned over and grabbed the remote, then one of the frames with the boring art became a television. Boom.
“Never mind. I found it.”
They got Mr. Mann settled, and then the shepherds started slinking in, ending up in puppy piles in beds all in the far corners of the room.
He did his business, barely registering the amazing, fancy-assed bathroom, and then soon he was crawling into the huge bed with Rowdy, who immediately wrapped around him and held on tight.
He thought he managed a “good night” before he fell into an exhausted sleep.
Chapter Fifteen
Rowdy woke up about six, Brett sleeping hard beside him, soft snores filling the air. By six thirty, he was showered and dressed, shaved, and sitting in the dining room.
All the dogs were out, he had a cup of coffee, and he could smell bacon and green chile. Life was good.
Thank God and Greyhound, he was home.
Rose bustled in from the pantry, the squeaky door announcing her like a butler. “Senior Rowdy. You made it.”
“I did.” And thank goodness for it.
“Who is the floopy dog?”
Floopy dog. So cute. “This is Mr. Mann. He belongs with Brett, my—” Lover? Friend? Collaborator in crime? Fuck buddy? “…guest.”
“He’s cute.” She bustled around, some morning show on the television. “And how is our little one?”
“Home for good. Exhausted. I’m sure she was up with Dad most of the night chatting.” Maddie and Dad were two peas in a pod, so they were either fighting or thick as thieves.
“It’s good for them. He’s missed her.”
“Yeah, so have I.” But he didn’t have to anymore. Now it was Ash’s turn. “What smells good?”
“Burritos. I think everyone’s going to want to come and say hi to you, so this seemed the smartest answer.” She chuckled softly. “I’ll make huevos rancheros Saturday morning.”
“Good woman.” He nodded—both about the food and the fact that he’d been gone for over three weeks. Everyone was going to want to bend his ear, and he needed to sink back into his work. “Well, there’s no bad where your burritos are concerned, that’s for sure.” He shook his head and smiled. “I’m damn glad to be home.”
“I bet you are. That was a long visit this time.”
He nodded, but he knew this was probably going to be the last long visit for a while. “But I’m home for the duration.”
“Good, we need you here. It’s time for a new foreman, I hear, so you’ll have your hands full.”
“Yeah. Eduardo says he’s gonna stay on forever, but Frank’s gonna leave us, finally. He’s thinking about retiring up to Colorado, so we have to find someone to help deal with all this shit. And Maddie’s got a ton of ideas, you know?”
And she could start with training the new foreman.
