Chapter Eleven
Erin was more than happy to accompany Jay to the animal shelter. First of all, she absolutely loved dogs—all dogs, big and small and medium—so an evening surrounded by dozens of cute canines looking for new homes was as about as dreamy a proposal as staying in with a good book. She was also pleased that Jay was happy with the article, and that she’d done the right thing in holding back those personal details. She believed him when he said he’d take some time to think about sharing his story so that he could inspire other young kids like him. And she was thrilled he thought she was the right person for the job. She didn’t like to admit it, but with Pat’s praise at the paper being almost nonexistent, Jay’s telling her she was an excellent interviewer meant a lot. He had so much experience with all kinds of media that he really knew what he was talking about.
She snuck a look at him as he drove, his rugged profile concentrating on the road ahead, and tried to imagine how different things might have been between her and Jay if she’d known the truth about his past. Not in a romantic sense, of course. That was out of the question. But maybe they would have become better friends, bonding over their love of books—and now dogs. She was so pleased that he might choose to take on a tricky dog in need of unconditional love—the kind of love that she was starting to realize Jay might need too.
She took a moment to appreciate the gorgeous sunset as they drove along the coastline. It didn’t matter one bit that she’d lived here her whole life—the pinks and flaming oranges still took her breath away as they illuminated the white sand of the beach. The shelter was a little way out of town and she enjoyed the purr of the engine and the way Jay handled the powerful car.
When they pulled up at the shelter, she heard a chorus of dogs barking through the open windows. It was as though each of them was yelling, Pick me. Pick me. Pick me .
Jay parked and said, “Is this place really going to close due to lack of funding?”
“It’s definitely under threat,” she said, shaking her head. It made her so sad to think that some of these dogs might never find a home. “There’s a big fundraising effort underway, but there’s also a primary school facing some funding issues, and there’s only so much money to go around. Even in a prosperous community like this one.”
Jay nodded thoughtfully, as though he were making mental calculations about how much to donate. She was glad he was so game to use his wealth for good. So many people who amassed a fortune kept it to themselves, but she knew that, like her siblings, Jay wasn’t one of them. As they entered the shelter, the sound of barking became close to deafening. Jay laughed and playfully covered his ears. However, the young clerk at the front desk was used to it and gave them both a friendly nod.
Erin greeted her and asked, “How are you doing, Emilia?”
She smiled. “Can’t complain, Erin. Busy as usual!”
Erin said, “My friend here would like to have a look at the rescue dog of the week.”
Emilia eyed him up the way a matchmaker might eye a potential suitor to see if he was worthy of meeting his match. He flashed her his most winning smile and then she gave a curt nod. “You got kids?”
“No. Is that bad?”
“No. It’s good. Rocco needs attention. Wait here a minute—I’ll go get him.”
Jay watched her leave and then said to Erin, “I’m still not convinced I can look after a dog. I travel so much. But I’m super curious to see this little guy. Maybe I can donate what they need to keep him alive for someone else to adopt him.”
Erin had a feeling that the minute Jay set eyes on this dog, he would make it work somehow. That’s just what dog people did.
Emilia returned, leading a dog on a leash. He wasn’t a big dog, and his hair was more like something you’d find on a welcome mat than a pet. He went to Erin first, sniffed her, and then went back to Emilia. Jay bent down and the dog’s big brown eyes fixed on him warily. He was clearly nervous. His short ears lay flat to his head and his tail wagged, but in a very tentative fashion.
They stayed that way for a moment, just looking at each other.
Then, in a soft voice, Jay said, “Hey, buddy.”
The dog took a few steps forward and stopped. Jay didn’t move. He remained still and then the pup slowly came to him. As he did, he sniffed, and then sniffed again, and then the wiry tail began to wag like crazy. Jay laughed, petting him and playing with his ears, and the next thing they knew, the little guy was jumping all over him and nuzzling him.
Emilia turned to Erin and said, “That’s amazing. He’s scared of most men.”
Jay grinned, clearly flattered. “He’s a scrappy little tough guy with a soft center.”
Erin couldn’t help herself. “Just like you.”
Jay turned to look at her, his eyes wide, and she realized that he was surprised to hear she thought of him that way. That she knew he had a soft center under all that bravado. She couldn’t tell whether he was pleased or embarrassed by her remark. She figured he wasn’t used to letting his guard down and it might take a while before he was truly comfortable with it.
“He’s a great dog,” Emilia was saying, “but he needs socializing. He’s been here longer than most because he’s not cute and cuddly. But he likes you.” She laughed. The dog was licking Jay’s nose. “Obviously.”
“I wish I could take him,” Jay said ruefully, “but I travel too much.”
All Erin said was, “Jay...” and let the rest hang in the air.
Jay stared into the dog’s soulful brown eyes. Then the dog put out his paws and lowered his body, his eyes never leaving Jay’s. She practically felt the dog saying, Come on, give me a break, please .
Jay let out a sigh. “Somebody gave me a chance when I had no hope,” he told the dog, “and it turned out pretty well. Let’s you and me take a chance on each other.” The dog licked his face and let out a little yip. Jay laughed and said, “I’ll take him.”
Erin watched as Jay paid the fee and filled out the forms to adopt a mongrel of unspecified origin that Emilia told him was mostly border terrier.
Emilia was pretty matter of fact through the whole process—she did, after all, do this every day—but Erin was impressed and wasn’t going to hold back. As they were leaving, she said, “Jay, you saved his life.”
But Jay only looked worried. He turned to her. “You have to help me. I don’t know how I’m going to find the time this little guy deserves.”
As though she could sense his buyer’s remorse, she said, “You know I will. It’s going to be okay.”
Jay seemed to relax a little. A warm feeling suffused her body and she realized that he trusted her. Really, truly trusted her. It felt good.
He said, “I guess living with me can’t be worse than getting yapped at by a hundred other homeless dogs every day.”
She laughed. “Definitely not. He’ll be living in the finest house in all of Carmel-by-the-Sea.” Without thinking, she added, “I’m jealous.”
Jay gave her a look she couldn’t read and she wished she’d kept her mouth shut. She hoped he didn’t think she wanted to live with him. It was just that his house was incredible. She decided to say nothing further, in case she dug an even deeper hole for herself.
Jay lifted the dog and tucked him under one arm. One well-muscled arm, she couldn’t help but notice, and while he was searching his pockets for his car keys, the dog licked his neck and then his ear. Her heart melted. Just melted.
“Are you going to keep his name?” Erin asked. Secretly, she thought Rocco didn’t suit the poor dog at all. “The shelter people give the dogs names if they come in as strays.”
“I don’t think so,” Jay replied. “It doesn’t suit him.” He looked down at the dog. “Is your name Rocco?” The dog sneezed.
Glad they were on the same page, Erin helped put the dog in the car. He immediately pushed his head between the seats. A little dog drool dripped on the butter-soft leather and there were a few strands of hair left behind on Jay’s designer polo shirt. He didn’t seem to mind, and she suspected that both these things would do him good.
“We need to pick up supplies,” Erin said as she settled into the passenger seat with the dog now on her lap. She directed him to her favorite pet store and he bought the fanciest dog food, the fanciest bed, the most ridiculously expensive leash and harness, and some complicated gizmo that kept the dog safely strapped in the car, as well as some chew toys and treats. This dog’s life was about to get a whole lot better—all his doggie dreams were coming true.
With the car fully loaded, Jay turned to Erin. “Will you come with me while I take him for his first walk?”
She’d been having a hard time keeping herself from turning into a puddle of goo watching Jay spoil his new pet, and this request didn’t help matters. He seemed surprisingly nervous, a quality she’d never encountered in him before. Frankly, it was endearing. As tactfully as possible, she asked whether he’d ever had a dog before. He shook his head and looked a little ashamed. She found it adorable, but wasn’t about to let him know. Instead, she agreed to accompany the two new best friends on their first walk. She didn’t even suggest that they pick up Buzzy first, who was waiting patiently for her at home. She suspected that for this first walk, it was important that Jay and the dog have some time to bond without distraction. She could stand well back.
Jay parked in his drive and as soon as he opened the car’s door, the dog bounded straight out and Jay had to chase him.
“He might need a bit of training,” Erin called, trying not to laugh. She watched Jay as he quickly caught up. It was turning out to be the cutest—and most unexpected—evening with Jay. He’d been a goner as soon as the dog leaned against him, as if he were saying, “I’m yours. And you’re mine.”
For a second, a thought flashed through her mind about saying that exact thing to Jay, but then she forced it away. Yes, they were getting closer, but they were far from belonging to one another.
Besides, the two of them could never be.
Jay motioned for Erin to catch up and she joined them as they crossed the road, then took their first steps together on the white sand. There were quite a few other dog owners on the beach, catching the last of the light. Jay was hypervigilant, sweetly protective, keeping the dog on the leash and poised at the ready with the poop bags he’d bought at the store. The dog was utterly delighted, trotting alongside Jay and yipping at the water. Those two were going to get on just fine, she thought. She definitely liked this softer side of Jay a lot better than the brash hustler.
They stayed silent, taking in the beauty of the beach and watching the dog absorb it all. But as they were walking, Jay suddenly stopped and banged his fist against his forehead.
“What is it?” she asked him.
“I’m going to LA for two days. I’ve just adopted a dog and I have to leave. What am I going to do?”
Erin tried to look reassuring. She knew what it was like to get carried away falling in love with a dog and forget all about practicalities. It was easily done. But maybe not for Jay, who was used to being the one pulling the puppet strings in Hollywood and keeping track of every deal and detail with his clients. He must be kicking himself.
She put a hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay. Calm down. We’ll figure it out. When do you have to leave?”
“Tomorrow!” he groaned. “I never do stuff like this. I wasn’t thinking. I’m going to have to take him back to the shelter.”
“You’re just panicking,” she said in as soothing a voice she could muster. “You’ve taken on a big responsibility, but you’re ready for it. I can help you.”
He said, “Obviously, if I had more time I’d hire the best dog-sitter in town, but I don’t have the time to vet somebody. And besides, it’s such short notice.”
The dog looked up at them with those large, brown eyes as if he understood everything they were saying and was worried he was heading straight back to the rescue center. It was heartbreaking. Nor did it require any more thought. “I’ll do it,” she said.
He blinked twice, clearly astonished. “Really? I mean, would you stay in the house for a couple of days while I’m gone?”
She had to bite back her smile. Did he really think it was a hardship to stay in the house of her dreams for a couple of days with two of the sweetest dogs in the world? “I’d be happy to.”
Two seconds later, she found herself in his arms as he hugged her tight. “You’re a life saver,” he said into her ear. Her lobe tingled where she felt his warm breath. He squeezed her tighter then, and as he did, she felt the strength in him, the heat coming off his body. The sea air whispered through her hair, telling her naughty secrets.
The hug lasted just a moment too long. And then he pulled back as though one of the dogs running around had just bitten his ankle. All business again, he said, “Great. That’s great. Come on back and I’ll get you a key and the codes to the security system.”