Page 9 of The Love Trick

She smiles her famous smile, and I bask in the warmth it emits. As far as I’m concerned, it’s mission accomplished. I’d do anything to keep a smile on Addy’s face.

After all, she’s my best friend.

Chapter Four

Addy

“Comeon,Bruno.It’sjust a leash,” I say to the little Chihuahua mix, who happens to be one of my most ornery clients.

He hides beneath his owner’s table, peering up at me, and lets out a miserable growl.

I sigh, holding the pink leather leash in my hand. I don’t blame him for not wanting me to clip it on his collar. The pink hardly matches his ferocious personality, but his owner insists that pink is foralldogs of his size.

“It’s not my fault you have to use this thing,” I tell him, kneeling down and peering under the table at him. “I wouldn’t want to, either.”

He tilts his head at me. His massive, tent-like ears are way too big for his little brindle head. He doesn’t growl at me this time. Instead, he full-onbarks.

I tip my head back, frustration building in my chest. “We still have to pick up other dogs, little buddy. You’ve gotta come along now. I have to eat, too.”

His big brown eyes stay focused on me, and I’m thankful that Miss Louise isn’t here right now to see this. She’d probably be hovering over me, her fiery red hair all piled up on top of her head as she berates me for scaring her dog. She thinks little Bruno can do no wrong.

“You’re spoiled,” I inform him with a sigh. I stand to my feet. It’s musty and stale in the dining room, and I cough as I retreat from the space. Idon’twant to have to tell Miss Louise I skipped Bruno’s walk—even if I usually end up carrying him the entire way home.

As I turn around, Bruno finally juts out from the table and follows me to the sitting room. I let him, smiling to myself. He loves to play these cat and mouse games, but he can’tstandbeing left alone, either.

I then turn, placing my hands on my hips. “Ready to give it up now?”

He cocks his head at me, his pink tongue lolling out the side of his mouth as if to challenge me to try and clip the leash to his collar.

“I really need to get this day moving,” I mutter, leaning toward him. “I have to go to another one of thosemiserablewedding planning luncheons. Family bonding and all that.”

Bruno huffs, blowing out a little Chihuahua-style sigh, and I seize the opportunity to lunge, snapping the leash to his collar. Now that I have a hold on him, I’m finally able to fit the little monster into his harness and reclip the leash to that.

Who knew such a tiny dog could be so difficult?

“Your mother spends too much time toting you around in a bag,” I tell him in a loving tone, patting his little head and then wiping the sweat from my brow. “Let’s go. We still have to stop by and grab Tiny this morning.”

Tiny, the near one-hundred-thirty-pound Great Dane. How in the world were Bruno and Tiny scheduled for the same walk? Well, that’s beyond me, but the scheduling app I created for my clients clearly has some glitches.

I lead Bruno out of the townhouse and start our walk to Tiny’s home, which is only a few blocks away. My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I fish it out while I still can.

Mom:Try not to be late today. Great-Grandma Jean is coming.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” I grimace and glance down at my light-wash jeans and plain black T-shirt. There’s no way this outfit will meet her standards. Great-Grandma Jean has always been particular about appearances and tradition, expecting everyone around her to dress to the nines, no matter the occasion.

I glance at my watch.Shoot.I won’t have time to swing home and change before the luncheon. Imagining her disapproving gaze when she sees me in such casual attire, my mind races to come up with a solution.

Suddenly, I have an idea. With a deep breath, I pull out my phone and dial Blaze’s number.

“Yeah?” He answers his usual on the first ring.

“You know, sometimes it might be nice to hear a hello,” I joke. “But seriously, what’re you doing right now?”

“Uh, I’m at the gym. Why?”

“Oh, um, nevermind.”

“What is it, Addy?” he insists.

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