Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 82940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
She nodded. “You and the dog will find a name that fits. Give it a day or two. You’ll figure it out.”
They’d arrived at his house and she could see Jay wanted to say something, but was hesitating. He’d get there in his own time. She was liking this new Jay, who took more than half a second before speaking.
Finally, he said, “I have a spare set of keys ready, but do you want to come inside for hot chocolate? I really want you there to help the little guy settle in.”
Erin smiled. It felt good to be needed like this. Really good. She should get back to Buzzy, but she was also dying to see how the unnamed border terrier/mutt mix liked his new home. After living in a crowded cage in a shelter, he was definitely moving up in the world. So she agreed.
Jay opened the door and showed her the code to the security alarm. But no sooner did he let the dog off the leash, rather than timidly staring at his enormous, multimillion-dollar new home, he took off to race from room to room.
Jay looked at her. “What’s he doing?”
She shrugged, totally surprised. “I don’t know. He’s a terrier. Maybe he’s searching out vermin.”
“Vermin? For the amount this place cost, his search better be in vain. I guess if he finds any, I’ll have to give him an enormous treat.”
They both followed the dog’s erratic movements around the house, and then he roared up the stairs at top speed. By the time Erin got to the top, right behind Jay, the dog was in Jay’s fabulous bedroom. He had leaped onto the bed and settled himself right in the middle of it.
She couldn’t help it—the giggles took over. “I’ll say it again—some training really is in order.”
Jay shrugged with a sparkle in his eye. She could tell he liked the feisty spirit of his new canine friend. “You’re not wrong.”
The dog leaped off the bed and ran down the stairs and into the kitchen. They followed at a more sedate pace and then Jay pushed a button on a fancy-looking control panel. Music came on. He said, “Maybe some tunes will calm him down.”
Shania Twain sang, Man! I Feel Like a Woman! while the pup sniffed here and there. When Taylor Swift came on, Erin hoped that the rescue dog might settle, but apart from stopping to slurp some water from his new designer water dish, he kept moving. Poor little guy, it must be so strange for him.
A Willie Nelson song came on and the dog stopped. Cocked his head. And then began to howl along with the music. Erin and Jay looked at each other and burst out laughing.
“Is he a country and western fan?” she asked.
Jay grinned. “A Willie Nelson fan, anyway.”
They waited, fascinated, as the pup continued to howl and then howled again, and then the song ended and The Yellowjackets came on. He sniffed around the room in complete unconcern. Jay then tried Frank Sinatra. Nothing. Other male country singers. Nothing. He went back to Willie Nelson, trying a different song this time, and the dog threw back his head and howled.
He looked at Erin. “I think you’re right. He’s telling us what he wants to be called.”
“Willie?”
Jay was looking at the dog with a fascinated expression on his face. “No, I can’t call my dog Willie, but I could call him Nelson. That’s a fine name, even if it doesn’t start with a B.” He tried experimentally, “Nelson? Nelson, come.”
The dog perked up his ears and turned around.
He tried again. “Nelson, come here.” The dog ran toward him, tail wagging. Jay glanced up at Erin. “You were right. He let me know. His name is Nelson.”
She nodded. “I like it. It suits him.”
Jay nodded, clearly happy to have solved this one. “Are you sure I can’t tempt you with a celebratory hot chocolate?”
Erin paused. She was starting to think that Jay could tempt her with just about anything. She looked at him for a moment—that rugged stubble, the shaved head, the easy golden tan were all familiar to her. But the softness in his eyes? The tenderness as he patted Nelson? All that was so new. And so sexy.
She had to be careful. She could feel herself getting carried away with it all—the romance of the sumptuous house, the sweetness of the dog. And Jay in the middle of it all, busy and happy and thoughtful.
She shook her head. No hot chocolate. It was too creamy and delicious. Besides, chocolate put her in a naughty mood. “I’d better be going,” she said lamely. “Could I have those keys?”
Jay looked disappointed, but he quickly recovered and went to fetch the spare keys.
As she was leaving, he said, “Hey, I know you’ve done so much for me already, but could you and Buzzy come for a walk with us early tomorrow morning before I fly? You heard the lady at the shelter. She says he needs socializing and Buzzy seems like he’d be a good influence. Also, if you and Buzzy are going to stay here, we should make sure they get along okay before I take off.”