Page 110 of Christmas at Sturcombe Bay
Shelley studied the dog for a moment. “How about Tyler?” One floppy ear twitched and the dog lifted his big head. “I think he likes that! Come on then, Tyler. Let’s go see where you’re going to live.”
She unfastened his safety harness and took his lead, but he wasn’t at all sure about stepping out of the car — it had taken nearly twenty minutes and half a bag of treats to coax him into it in the first place.
Alex rattled the bag of treats again and it worked like magic. The dog perked up at once and scrambled clumsily out of the car to snaffle the treat. Then he rose effortlessly up on his hind legs to plant his huge front paws on Alex’s shoulders and slurped a long pink tongue up his cheek.
“Thank you.” Alex laughed and wiped his face with the back of his hand.
Shelley was laughing too. “I think he likes you.”
“You reckon?” He scritched the dog behind his ears. “Well, I like you too, you great lummox.”
Alex’s flat was on the first floor of the block. Fortunately, Tyler didn’t have too much trouble with the stairs. Alex opened the door and stood aside for Shelley to go in.
“This is nice.” She gazed around the sitting room. The place had the functional look of a holiday apartment, with laminate floors and magnolia walls, black leather furniture and some rather bland prints on the walls.
But it was light and airy, with French windows opening onto a balcony which had a wide view of the bay. And he had a Christmas tree. Not a big one, but nicely decorated with gold baubles and silver stars.
“It’s lucky they allow dogs,” she remarked.
“I did a deal with the landlord that I’d pay extra rent and cover any damage.” Alex smiled dryly. “He was more than happy to be able to find a tenant. Most of the other flats in the block are empty now the season’s over.”
Tyler was standing in the doorway, a slightly anxious expression on his large, melancholy face. Shelley had brought up the beanbag which Alex had bought from the rescue centre, and set it out on the floor beside one of the two sofas.
“There you are, Sweetie. That’s your bed.”
“Don’t keep calling him Sweetie,” Alex reminded her, laughing. “He’s already the size of a small horse, and he’s going to get bigger.”
“He’ll always be a Sweetie to me. Come on, Tyler — look. Something for you to lie down on.” The dog regarded the beanbag with suspicion. “Look, it’s really comfy.”
She sat down on it herself, but Tyler was still not convinced. Instead, he sniffed at the sofa, decided he liked it, and clamberedup onto it, settling himself with a small huff of breath and laying his big head on his paws.
Shelley laughed. “Well, it looks like he’s decided where he’s going to sleep.”
Alex’s mouth quirked into a wry smile. “I get the feeling my life is never going to be the same again. Okay then, boy.” He gave the dog a speculative glance. “How about some dinner?”
Tyler was very interested in that. Another purchase from the rescue centre was a large dinner bowl on its own plastic pedestal so he could reach it easily. Alex had barely emptied the tin of meat into it when the dog came bounding into the kitchen and dived into it.
“Wow! He wanted that.”
The bowl was empty in moments.
“Right. The next thing is to take him out to do his business,” Alex suggested.
“Poo bags.” She held a couple out to him.
“Thanks.” Another wry smile. “Though I reckon we might need a considerably bigger bag!”
It was only a short walk down to the middle steps. Tyler pranced along beside them, his tongue lolling out, his ears pricked.
“He looks happy,” Shelley remarked. “I think he knows he’s got a forever home now.”
“He walks well on the lead, anyway. They gave him some training at the rescue centre. Let’s see what he makes of the steps and the sand.”
Not much. It took more coaxing and more treats, but eventually he was persuaded down to the beach. He wasn’t too sure about the sand, but reluctantly agreed to try it. The sea, however, was another matter.
Alex let him off the lead and he raced down to the water’s edge to sniff at this strange phenomenon. But when a small wave rippled in over his feet, he leaped back as if he had been stung.
Shelley was almost doubled up with laughter. Suddenly a small brown and white terrier streaked past them, barking joyfully, and plunged straight into the water. Tyler stared in astonishment, then with a yap he bounced after him, dancing through the waves as if he hadn’t been scared at all.
