Page 68 of Bad Nanny

Chapter 22

Puppy Love

Gabriel

The smellof coffee invaded my nose as I walked out of my bedroom, dressed and ready for work. It had been tempting to stay in bed, but with Josie having ditched me sometime during the night, it was much easier to get up.

The block party had gone better than expected, and Delaney hadn’t shown an ounce of anxiety. In fact, she made several friends, and Josie had arranged playdates with their parents. I’d even swapped numbers with a few of the other dads in the neighborhood.

It all seemed a little too perfect, but when I really thought back to my own childhood, my parents had been friends with the neighbors.

“Good morning.” I walked into the kitchen, surprised to see Josie already at the coffee maker. “You left last night.”

She yawned and exchanged her full mug with mine. “Yeah...I couldn’t sleep.”

I pulled her creamer out of the refrigerator, setting it on the island. “I wasn’t passing gas in my sleep, was I? I should have known better than to eat so many deviled eggs.” Four really was too many, and not to mention risky, even if they had been in an ice chest.

She snorted. “Well, now I’m glad I got up and wasn’t subjected to that potential horror.”

I wrapped my arms around her from behind and nuzzled into her neck as she popped in a new coffee pod for me. A very strange odor hit my nose, and I inhaled, trying to figure out what it was. “Uh, I don’t want to be mean or rude, but you smell funny.”

“So, there’s a little situation.” She turned, and I spotted little blonde hairs all over the front of her black tank top.

I picked one off and held it up to examine it. “Is this—” Fast clicking noises came from the hallway, and I turned right as a beast of a dog came running toward us.

“Hey, girl. How did you escape?” Josie knelt just as the dog tried to skid to a halt in front of us, her legs scrambling to not slip on the floor. “Whoa, calm down.”

The dog let out a whine and scurried into the living room, hiding under the coffee table.

There was a dog. In my house. I was literally speechless.

Josie went into the living room and sat down on the floor, her back against the couch. “I found her whining at the studio door last night, and she barged her way in when I peeked out. I don’t think she has a home; she was filthy, and her nails are so long. And look at how thin she is.”

The dog crawled out to Josie and right into her lap, licking her face. She was underfed, but that didn’t mean wewere keeping her. I needed to put my foot down before this got out of control. Well,moreout of control. “I’ll call animal control and?—”

“Don’t you dare, Gabriel Eggbert Badden!”

I blinked, momentarily lost because it was way too early for this without some coffee. Then the corners of my lips twitched, a laugh escaping despite my best efforts. “Eggbert? Really, Josie?”

She shrugged, a mischievous glint in her eye. “I had to come up with something.”

“My middle name is Michael.” The dog’s whimpering reminded me we were having a serious discussion. “I’m not equipped to have a dog right now.”

“I am.” She hugged her, and the dog put her head on Josie’s shoulder, looking up at me with puppy dog eyes. “She can stay in my studio. I’ll just need to remember to lock it, since she seems to be able to open doors.”

“She’s a pit bull. They’re dangerous.”

“The owners are the ones who make them dangerous. Aren’t they, girl?” She was cooing at the damn dog like it was a baby. “I don’t think she’s purebred, and even if she was, so what? I’d be more concerned with a chihuahua.”

“Delaney doesn’t need another big change.” I was grasping at straws now. Part of me knew I wasn’t going to win this fight.

“She’s a cuddle bug and slept in my bed all night. Eased all of my stress and anxiety.”

Stress and anxiety? What was she even talking about?

“You let a dog that’s been who knows where sleep in your bed?” I could understand if the dog had been here a fewweeks, but letting her sleep in the bed without even knowing her temperament?

“I gave her a bath with Dawn. She loved the water and didn’t even fight me when I put her in the tub. She sat there like a good puppers.”

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