Page 27 of Unforgettable

She holds a hand out without a treat and lets the husky sniff her, and I hold mine out next.

“You think they’ll follow us out of here?” she says quietly.

“I couldn’t begin to guess, but I’d say we stand a good chance if you have plenty of that beef stick.”

“I have another one in my purse.”

“Of course you do.”

“Hey, they come in handy when I forget to eat,” she says.

“It’s brilliant. I want a purse just so I can carry beef sticks.”

She laughs and it just doesn’t get old.

“Okay, guys,” she says. “We’re gonna go someplace not too far and much warmer. Are you ready?”

“Yes,” I say in a high voice.

She rolls her eyes at me, but she’s grinning. “Why don’t you go ahead and open the door, and hopefully they’ll follow this.” She holds up the beef stick.

I slowly move to the door, careful to not be too loud. When the door is open, Scarlett leads the dogs out and once we’re on the street, they keep following her. Before we reach the busier street, she gives each of them a little bit, and then we keep going…all the way to the lodge.

“Oh…” She stops when we reach the back of the lodge and are near the condos.

“Are you okay?”

“Would it be okay if we take them to your condo, just for tonight? You’re in ten, right?”

“Uh, sure…yeah.”

“It’s just…you’re in one of our pet-friendly condos and I’m not. I don’t have the little fenced-in area and…there should be a dog bed in one of your closets actually.”

“I…haven’t unpacked yet, so there very well could be.”

She smirks and we head toward my condo. Once we’re inside, she gives the dogs the rest of the beef stick and grabs two bowls from the kitchen, filling them with water.

The dogs lap up the water like they haven’t had a drink in ages.

“Oh…look at that. Little guy is a boy,” she says. She leans down to check out the husky and comes back up smiling wide. “And the big guy is a girl.” Her head falls back and she cracks up, and the dogs stop and turn to look at her and then slowly crowd around her. Even the animals can’t help but bask in her glow.

She sits on the floor and pets them and I join her down there, laughing when the little one’s back side leans into my hand on whatever side I scratch.

“Well, you are full of surprises, Jamison Ledger,” she says.

“So are you, Scarlett Landmark. So are you.”

CHAPTERTHIRTEEN

FOR THE RECORD

SCARLETT

I wake up to a tiny pink tongue licking my hand and then my arm.

I crack open my eyes and the little guy moves to sit on my stomach, his tail wagging furiously.

I look over at the other couch across from me, and Jamison is asleep on his side with the husky tucked up against him, her eyes alert. She’s watching the little dog closely, like she doesn’t really want to move, but if he needs her, she’ll be over in a flash.

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