Page 63 of Until Landon
When I return, Dolly has her nose against the bone. She doesn’t trust the gift or the humans. Not yet.
“Dolly’s treat,” he says.
It is not a river, but a small stream of drool that falls from Barney’s mouth. It takes another five seconds before the bone is taken. Five long beats. Carefully, she opens her mouth and takes the bone. Jumping down, she heads for the corner. We all hold our breaths for a moment and then celebrate quietly.
“She did it!” Kim whispers as she ends her conversation.
Biscuit and Barney revert to themselves and rush me. The noise level returns to normal. At least it hasn’t bothered the new resident. She’s good with some audible chaos. It’s another way the attention doesn’t have to be on her.
“Here you go. Good boys!”
I get my fingers out just in time.
“What’s happening with Hunter?”
“His and Bing’s road trip is off. Remember I told you they were going? Asher’s job got pushed ahead another few weeks. By then the free room their friend offered in Memphis will be off the table. That’s the whole reason they picked the city.”
“If they want, I have some jobs for them. Here, or at the bar. Or maybe they could help with my move. I have to go to my condo the last few days of the month. That’s when the old lease ends. They could help me move my stuff into the lake house. I’d have to hire help anyway.”
“That could work.”
“What if I get creative with the pay?”
“Like how?”
“I’ll let them stay there for a week. I’ll give them enough cash for food and whatever. Like three hundred or so. And, they’d have the lake and the wave runner. Nobody to bother them. Yeah. It could work. Think they’d be interested?”
“Of course. I mean I think so. But let’s think about this.”
“What’s the hesitation?”
“Experience. I know kids. Boys in particular. They are not as careful as adults, and they like to mess around. First of all, do you really think the wave runner is a good idea? Remember how it was to be that age, Landon?”
“Yeah. Okay. I’ll loan them the paddle board.”
“That’s much better. It’s a good deal for them.”
“Listen, it’s a great deal for all of us. I get moved, they get a vacation at the lake, and Hunter and I get to know each other a little more.”
“What do you think, Ronnie?”
“I think it sounds good.”
“Talk to Hunter, he has my number. I’ll be at the bar all day. There’s a few tweaks I need to make there.”
My father’s eyes immediately land on me and his eyebrows knit together.
“What the hell are you doing to the bar? I don’t remember being included in decisions about my own business.”
Oh shit. I was so used to his disinterest, I didn’t notice exactly when things changed.
“It isn’t anything major, Dad. I’m just righting what went off course. Like the blinking wall sconce and the funky toilet handle.”
His shoulders relax an inch. I leave out the plan to repaint the decades old wall color and change the shitty booths.
“If it’s anything more than that, I want to be consulted,” he says, making sure I remember who is boss.
“Done. Now that we’re on the subject, what do you think of the booths? I looked at them the other day. There’s cracks and rips that can’t be patched anymore. And they’re too close together. Everybody’s legs are stuck out the sides and Shannon has tripped twice.”
