3. “HEY JEALOUSY” #3
“Yeah, let me know how that works out. You should have started with something smaller, like a fish or a lightning bug.”
He frowned, already protective of King. “I chose exactly what I wanted.” That was a stretch. An hour ago, he wanted no dog.
“I’m just saying he’s going to take work and commitment.”
“You think I have commitment issues?”
“I don’t know. Who are you taking out tonight? Shalimar? Or is it Chanel No. 5? Or maybe it’s Jean Patou?”
“Are you having a seizure? What the hell are you talking about?”
“Your revolving door of women. Maybe next time you could find someone who smells a little less like an old-money grandmother.”
How the hell did she know what his dates smelled like? “You sound jealous.”
“Hardly. I’m honestly waiting for one of those women to finish the job, so you stop showing up on my back porch begging for scraps. Maybe Ryan can help find you a home, too. He’s wonderful with strays.”
“Jocelyn, there you are.” Mayor Quimby approached with a clipboard, pulling away Jocelyn’s attention before he could think of a comeback. “I wanted to go over the schedule for this afternoon.”
They briefly discussed festival logistics as if Jocelyn had some sort of authority on the subject. As far as Soren knew, she just helped out at these things, but the mayor seemed to think she had more of a handle on the festivities than he did.
“Let me check with Ethel.” Jocelyn lifted a walkie-talkie from her hip and quickly rattled off a question about rental equipment.
“Thanks, Jocelyn. We’d be lost without you.” Only then did the mayor notice him. “Soren, odd to see you here.” His gaze dropped to King, and his eyes widened. “Did you adopt a dog?”
“Sure did.”
“Wow. A town festival and a dog, all in one day? Who are you?”
Unsure what he’d done to deserve such a jab, he frowned.
Jocelyn clicked off the walkie-talkie and holstered it back on her hip. “The rental company took the wrong exit. They should be here within the hour. I told them to unload at the back of Town Hall.”
Mayor Quimby sighed in relief. “Thanks, Jocelyn. I’ll let the others know.”
Soren was amazed at how the others deferred to her. She was as chaotic as a hurricane, yet somehow capable of organizing events for the townspeople without breaking a sweat. Crazy that they would even trust a woman like Jocelyn Collins with such responsibility, but here she was, getting it done.
When the mayor drifted off, Jocelyn scowled at Soren. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“What? I’m impressed.”
“Shut up.” She walked away, leaving him and King standing there.
They followed her toward the table where she was stationed. “I’m not used to seeing you that way.”
“What way?” she asked, not bothering to look back as she moved at a clipped pace.
“In charge. Organized.” Honestly, it was a sexy side of her he hadn’t realized existed.
She glared over her shoulder. “Go away.”
“I’m serious, Joce. It’s a different side of you. Usually, I only see you on your back, tits out and begging.”
“Oh my God, shut up,” she hissed, then quickly collected herself and returned to her normally cool facade. “More like begging you to leave me alone.”
He laughed. “We both know that’s a lie.”
“I have work to do.” She settled in behind her table. “And you have a stable to build for your new horse.”
Cordelia went ballistic the second she saw King, springing up from her little dog cart—correction, stroller—and erupting into a barking fit.
King jerked back, terrified of the tiny terrorist, and Jocelyn laughed.
Soren gave the leash a tug when King tried to bolt to safety. “Don’t be afraid of that little pest. It’s just a rat.”
But King wasn’t convinced. He pulled back, dragging Soren with him, as far away from the gremlin-toting stroller as he could get.
“Your rodent is upsetting my purebred.”
“It’s not my fault your dog’s a big baby.”
Cordelia leapt out of the stroller and charged King. The Unicorn hoodie made her look like a deranged marshmallow set to attack a loveseat on legs. King jerked the leash, and Soren had to lock his knees to prevent being dragged across the green.
“Jocelyn, your dog!”
“For the love of Odin. Cordelia, come!”
The scraggly chihuahua continued to bark as she marched back to her mother’s lap, where she landed with the regal authority of a peeved princess.
“Man, she really hates you.”
“Me? She’s an asshole. She hates everyone.”
“Not true.” Jocelyn’s smile bloomed as she looked over Soren’s shoulder. “Hey, guys, when did you get here?”
Soren turned to find Wren and Greyson staring at King.
“What the fuck is that?” his brother asked.
“This is King. My new dog.”
“Aw, Soren, he’s beautiful!” Wren dropped to her knees and nuzzled King’s muzzle.
“Wren, careful,” Greyson moved closer. “You don’t know what kind of disposition he has.”
“Oh, please. Anyone can see he’s just a big softie. Aren’t you, King? Yes—Oh! And he gives kisses.”
Soren chuckled as his brother scowled. “Jealous of a dog? Really, Grey?”
“Okay, that’s enough.” Greyson helped Wren back to her feet. “When the hell did you decide to get a dog?”
“About twenty minutes ago,” Jocelyn joked.
“Well, I love him,” Wren said, holding her pregnant belly and radiating maternal beauty. She looked so happy since marrying Greyson. Turning her stare to Soren, she smirked. “This might be the most expensive accessory you own.”
His brother laughed. “Seriously.”
“You’re all hilarious.”
Cordelia stopped barking and leaned into Wren’s hand as she bent to pet the little demon. Then it jumped off Jocelyn’s lap and wandered back to King.
Soren kept a protective eye on the dogs while the others talked. This time, King bent to sniff the rodent, only pulling back slightly when Cordelia growled. Soren tsked when King stilled, deferring to the smaller animal. King froze as the chihuahua inspected his undercarriage.
“You’re supposed to be the alpha, King. Don’t submit to her crap.”
“Aw, they’re buds,” Wren observed. “How adorable. Cordelia’s the size of his paw.”
Soren’s gaze dropped to King’s feet, which were huge. “That reminds me, your father wanted me to tell you something.”
“What?”
“He said to put your feet up.”
“That’s the message?”
“That’s it.” He glanced down at her feet, which were puffed to twice their usual size. “Does that hurt?”
She shrugged. “Only when I finally sit down. But Greyson gives excellent foot rubs.”
He looked back at his brother, ready to break his balls, but his expression fell the moment he saw Olivia approaching. “Shit.”
Wren, Greyson, and Jocelyn all followed his stare as Olivia and a woman who looked like an older version of her approached.
“Soren, what an unexpected surprise.”
“Olivia. Hey.”
She smiled and glanced at his friends. “You remember my mother, Elizabeth.”