Page 20 of The Good Boy

“You aren’t,” I say. “There must be something else going on with him. Dave is crazy about you, Kels.”

“Another woman.” Kelly nods as if she has already made up her mind.

“No, no, I’m sure that’s not it,” I say. “For one thing, no one would fancy Dave except you.”

“Just because you don’t fancy him,” Kelly says, “doesn’t mean other women don’t think he’s a catch.”

“Seriously, he is not a catch, but even if he was I’m sure he’s not cheating on you, Kel,” I try and reassure her.

“I hope you are right.” Kelly sighs as she stands up. “Well, I’m not going to get my mustache waxed standing here, am I? We are still meeting at Spoons at eight, right? What’s Rory going to wear? Not that, right? He looks like somebody inflated Miles.”

“Spoons at eight,” I say. “We’ll be there. I can’t make any promises on Rory’s look.”

“Okay, listen, Genie, Rory, this will be okay, okay?”

“Okay,” Rory and I say as one. Rory seems reassured by Kelly’s confidence, but I don’t feel it at all.

I don’t know what the solution to this predicament is, but I do know that this current arrangement is unsustainable. I’ve got work on Monday—what am I going to do with Rory then? What about Wednesdays and Thursdays when I take him to volunteer at the nursing home? I can’t give them a huge great man in tiny trousers to stroke, can I? Though, actually, I think Mrs. Colton would probably go for that.

No, I need to find a way to get us both out of this mess. First thing tomorrow Nanna Maria is going to have to unhand her lover and give me answers.

As for tonight, well, it’s my birthday and I do need a drink.

“Rory?” Rory is half asleep on the sofa, his legs in the air.

“Yeah?”

“You could stay home tonight, if you wanted? You don’t have to come to the club. It will be loud, and hot, and full of people.”

“I don’t want to be home alone.” Rory sits up. “I want to come with you. I always want to come with you. Don’t leave me behind. Take me, I can protect you.”

“I didn’t know you hated me leaving you so much. I thought you knew that I always come home.”

“But what if you don’t?” Rory says. “What if the murder cat eats you and I starve to death? All alone. I don’t even know how to work the telly. And what if the man from before comes back and tries to make me fight other dogs again?”

“I promise that won’t happen. He is never ever coming back. Okay, we will all go out tonight. For an hour and then we can sneak home.”

“Yes, together.” Rory nods. “We have to stick together for safety.”

Looking at him sitting there with his shoulders hunched, and such a worried expression, I wish I could just put my arms around him and kiss him on the top of his head. Ruffle his ears like I used to, and snuggle up under a blanket. I miss the Rory I know and love, almost as much as he does.

“Is there anything I can do to cheer you up a bit?” I ask.

“I could manage some cheese,” Rory says, and I realize my Rory is still in there. And now he needs me more than ever.

Chapter Nine

What happens is what mostly always happens when a bunch of women with kids and husbands and magically recently transformed dogs, and Miles, get together for the first time in ages, which is six shots of tequila each, followed shortly by undignified mayhem. Rory stands next to Miles, hands over his ears and eyes wide with amazement at the scenes of Scarborough after dark but not alarmed, like I was worried he might be.

“Who is that handsome hunk of weirdo with Miles?” my friend Lucy asks me, raising a perfectly shaped come-hither brow at Rory.

“Hi, Lucy!” Rory shouts at her. “It’s me, Rory. I’m not a dog anymore.”

Lucy blinks rapidly. “I knew I shouldn’t have played pill roulette with Carmen. I need to dance this off, stat.”

We watch as Lucy grabs Carmen, who drags Kelly onto the dance floor.

“Maybe don’t tell people that you are really a dog straightaway,” I tell Rory after I’ve peeled one of his hands away from his ears. “It’s a lot.”

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