Page 26 of Here Comes Santa Paws

“It won’t, but yes.”

We looked back to Carol, who panted, looking up at me, standing next to a steaming pile of shit the size of my fist.

“What happens with that?”

Elias pointed at the plastic tube hanging off the end of the leash. “You grab it with one of those bags, then throw it away.Dog poop always needs to be picked up.” I could tell he was holding back a laugh, but it escaped when he looked at my face.

“It’s not funny.”

“You’re right, it’s not. It’shilarious. It’ll be warm. Don’t want you to freak out about that. A lot of people are startled by the temperature.”

“That’s fucking disgusting.”

What the hell had happened to my life? Less than a week ago, my days had been quiet and happy. Now I had a dog moving in—temporarily—some sort of budding flirty friendship or whatever with my neighbor, and warm shit hanging from my fingertips.

I nearly opened my mouth to ask if he knew I was his grandfather’s physical therapist. I suspected that if he knew, he’d say something. Why hadn’t Jim told him? If Jim hadn’t said something, it wasn’t my place to divulge who his medical providers were. Though, not mentioning it didn’t sit right with me. Hopefully, Jim would say something soon.

Chapter 13

Roman

When I invited Elias inside,he handed me a giant lint roller with a red bow.

“The shedding can be a lot.” Elias approached Carol, where she rested on the bed I’d placed next to my couch. “Hey, girl. How are you?”

The dog had shed way more than I expected in the last twenty-four hours. At this rate, I’d probably have enough fur by the end of my fostering period to make a mini Carol.

“I might need a dozen of these to stay on top of it.”

Elias’s lips twitched as he moved to sit cross-legged a couple of feet from her. Carol cracked one eyelid and watched him suspiciously.

“Nice bed.”

So what if I’d picked up a new one when I went to the pet store at lunch today. “It has memory foam. Proper support is important for joint health.”

Elias nodded sagely. “She looks cozy.” He pulled something from the paper bag he’d brought and placed it near her head. Carol didn’t fully open her eyes, but she sniffed and then gobbled up the treat. “I grabbed a fresh bag of these for you. They’re her favorite.”

That was thoughtful. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” His cherubic smile wasn’t as grating as it’d been before.

“She didn’t eat much of the food I left out for her, and she seems to be sleeping a lot. Is that normal?” I stood nearby with my arms crossed over my chest.

Elias stood and walked over to the kitchen. “How much did you give her?” He set the bag of treats on my bistro table.

“The amount you told me to.”

He wasn’t fazed by my attitude. “Has she vomited or been whining or anything? Is she drinking water?”

“No vomit, inside at least. I hadn’t thought to check the backyard. She is drinking water.” There’d been a distinct drop in the water level between my refreshing it this morning and getting home from work.

“Good choice of dog food.” He jerked his chin to the bag of premium food I’d also grabbed today. “That’s what I have at home, but it’s too pricey for us to use at the shelter.”

“The person at the pet store told me how to transition her from what you gave me to this. Is that okay to do?” I probably should’ve asked.

“It’s totally okay.” His encouraging smile triggered one of my own.

Tension leached from my shoulders, and I cleared my throat. “She was pacing the living room earlier. Is that unusual?”

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