Page 133 of Puppy Love

He smiles down at me, then steps to the side to let me see Major. My fingers glide through the soft white fluff on his head.

“So, what are you thinking?”

Hayden takes off the bag strapped to his side and sets it on the table with a very heavy thud.

“I think you just decided to open a training business.”

We sit down at the table as Hayden spreads out various papers, flyers and lists and price sheets. I frown at them.

“Hayden, I don’t think I can do this. I mean, I hated dealing with all of the management things at Furry Friends. I just want to train dogs, I don’t want to have to deal with all the paperwork and the—”

He waves a hand in the air.

“You’re just here for the initial planning. I already got you a receptionist. They’ll deal with all the appointments and the communications. All you have to do is show up and train.”

I frown.

“Hayden, I don’t have money to pay someone right now. Maybe later down the road, but I—”

He puts his palms down on the table, looking up at me.

“Violet, it’s me. I’m the receptionist.”

He says it like it was such an obvious answer. I shake my head.

“No, Hay. I am not letting you just work for free,” I scoff. Hayden rolls his eyes.

“First of all, it’s temporary. Just until you can afford someone officially. Secondly.” He presses his finger to the tip of my nose. I scrunch it. “It isn’t for free. It will be a trade. You help me keep this asshole in line,” he points to Major. “And I’ll help you with getting all of this started.”

I look at him earnestly.

“Hayden, that’s too much. I can’t ask you to—”

“Ah-ah-ah,” he says, putting his hand out. “Apologies for interrupting a woman, I will repent for my sins later, but no. You aren’t asking me. And no, I’m not going to let you tell me ‘no.’ We’re friends. This is what friends do.”

I smile at him.

“Do you really mean that, or are you just saying that because you pay me to hang out with you?”

Hayden raises his brows, his lips tugging into a teasing smile.

“Because I pay you, obviously.”

forty-two

Homemade Family

Violet

Kate McNeil is even more beautiful in person than she is on TV. Not more beautiful than Cam of course. But she’s thin and blonde and rather tall. At 5‘9“, she towers over Cam and I in a totally not-intimidating way. Two men lean against the training building, one holding a clipboard and the other a large video camera.

“It’s very nice to meet you,” Kate says, her perfectly straight white teeth shining behind her bright red lipstick. I give her a firm handshake, making sure to not break eye contact. The good thing about forcing confidence is once you do it enough, it doesn’t feel forced anymore.

“You too,” I say, then release the tall woman’s hand. My palm slides across the small of Cam’s back. “This is my girlfriend, Cam.”

Cam’s face immediately turns bright red, and Kate waits with her hand out until Cam realizes she’s supposed to be shaking it.

“Pleasure,” Cam says. Kate smiles sweetly.

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