JUSTIN
No more women, he’d promised Amie.
No more crazy redheads, he’d promised Ava.
Okay, dogs could eat cooked meat, brown rice, eggs, carrots, broccoli…
Did he have broccoli? He should have gone to the grocery store days ago, but he’d just been ordering takeout instead.
Then he remembered that the Stuarts had a dog, a yappy little thing named Fluffy or Buffy, and they owed him a favour after he spent three hours putting up their Christmas lights and another hour taking them down.
They’d had the whole family over to celebrate in their new home—son, daughter, and five grandkids.
Richard Stuart had aged ten years by the time the clan left, and he’d been no spring chicken to start off with.
“How are you? Did I see that pretty girlfriend of yours leaving with a suitcase last week? She tore out in quite the hurry.”
“Ex-girlfriend. She’s my ex-girlfriend now.”
“Oh dear. I’m sorry to hear that.”
“It was time we both moved on. Marion, can I borrow some dog food? I’ll replace it the next time I go to the grocery store.”
“You got a dog? How lovely! What breed?”
“I just have an unexpected canine guest. He’s only staying for a night.”
“You found a stray? My sister had a beagle show up in her yard one morning, and he’s been there for six years now. Fur-babies have a way of getting their feet under the table when you’re not looking.”
“He already has an owner.” And Justin wasn’t going to get into the details with Marion Stuart because then the entire neighbourhood would be whispering behind his back by tomorrow lunchtime. “About the dog food…?”
“Of course, of course. I’ll get Richard to leave a sack of kibble under the portico, and you can pick it up whenever you’re ready.”
“I don’t need a whole sack.”
“Take it, take it. You should get a dog to keep you company now that you’re single again. Did I mention my friend Bunny has a granddaughter? Very smart—she works at the library.”
“You did mention it.”
At least ten times so far this year.
“Should I invite you both over for dinner?”
Hell no. “I have some big projects going on at work, and I’m not looking to get into another relationship right away.”
“Well, just you let me know where you are. In the meantime, you’ll be needing that dog food.”
Yeah, he would. A heavy sigh escaped. Justin had a feeling that his life was about to turn upside down again, but when he thought of Jessalyn’s hair tumbling over her shoulders as she reached into the car for a bag, he wasn’t even sure he minded.