Page 28 of Keep You Safe
“Okay,me.” I could argue my way into awelater. “I can take care of them.”
“You’re not bringing dogs into the bunkhouse.” He pulled off to the side of the road to glower at me some more. “Talk about a circus.”
I disagreed. Casey would likely fuss over the dogs, and the others could simply fall in line. However, I had an even better idea.
“You have a whole mobile home to yourself.”
“Yep.” Grayson blew out a long breath like he was trying hard not to tell me off. “Pet free in case you haven’t noticed.”
“The dogs like you a lot.” I hadn’t missed all the pats he’d handed out at the vet’s office or the way he kept glancing at them in the rearview now. He wouldn’t admit it, but he didn’t want them to go to the shelter either.
“All dogs do.”
“You’ve had dogs before,” I guessed, hoping I could garner more sympathy.
“Grew up around ’em, yeah.” Grayson shrugged. He’d shared earlier about his parents, which sounded like a horrific situation, but his voice was fond now. “Last one, Ol’ Blue, passed on six years back, same year as my dad. Cattle dog, like these two. Best dog Dad ever owned. Died of a broken heart, I reckon.”
I made a wounded noise. “That’s so sad.”
“Nah, that’s life.” Grayson’s tone was pragmatic. “Blue was fourteen, old and cranky by then. Not unlike my dad.”
“You miss him.”
“The dog?” Grayson rolled his neck from side to side as if tiring of this conversation. “Guess maybe.”
“Him too, but I meant your dad.” Something about his grief made Grayson that much more human to me, not simply a walking fantasy, but a real man with a complicated and painful history. I wanted to hug him, but he’d undoubtedly flinch away.
“Every damn day.” Grayson put weight on each word. “You live and work side by side with someone for forty years, you’re gonna miss ’em like you’d miss your right leg. I get on though.”
“He’d be proud of you.” I couldn’t offer a hug, but I could try to comfort nonetheless. “Everyone says you’re a good boss.”
He snorted. “Now you’re trying to butter me up so I don’t turn this truck toward Durango.”
“No, it’s true,” I said earnestly. It was true that Kat and the others said he was fair, but it was also true that I wasn’t above using flattery to get him to keep the dogs. “You’re known for being fair.”
“Fair don’t mean I want a pair of dogs all over my place.” He gave me a firm look, but he still hadn’t turned the truck around, which gave me hope.
“Maybe they can just sleep at your place for a few days? Long enough to see if they have an owner?” I was banking on Grayson falling in love with the dogs. I wasn’t sure he got attached to much of anything, but his obvious grief when talking about his father made me cautiously optimistic. “I’ll post on the lost pet boards, and I’ll do all the work for the dogs. I’ll feed them for you. Walk them. Train them.”
“You’re going to train them?” Grayson’s forehead wrinkled as his tone turned skeptical.
“I’ll watch some videos on how to do it.” I waved a hand.
“You’ll watch some videos.” Grayson sounded like my idea was right up there with learning to fly without a plane, but I refused to be deterred.
“I can learn.” Sure, I was new to dogs, but I liked these two. Unlike Grayson, I tended to fall hard and fast, and I couldn’t stand the thought of what might happen to them if we didn’t take them. “If the dogs go to the shelter, the shelter people will likely separate Lorelei and Rory.”
“You named them?” Grayson groaned, tipping his head back and briefly shutting his eyes. “After what?”
“Only the best show to ever exist.” I rolled my eyes at how the walkingJeopardychamp could lack pop culture knowledge.
“I’ll take your word for that.” He exhaled and put the truck in Drive. “Guess names won’t hurt. But don’t you go getting attached.”
“You’re not turning around.” Giddy, I did a victory dance in my seat.
“They can stay long enough for me to make some calls to folks I know.” He sounded resigned. “Someone surely wants a dog.”
Maybe you.But I kept my mouth shut. A win was a win. I’d simply count on the dogs and me wearing him down with our charm.
