but it had been a long time since she’d had anyone to spend money on. It had felt good to buy Daisy a crate, a fluffy bed, way too many squeaky toys, and some cute bowls. And treats and food. And a collar, and then she’d had to make one of those little engraved dog tags.
“The reason she’s miserable,” Zep continued, “is that she’s worried we won’t come back.”
Well, the poor puppy had been staked out and left for dead. Of course she was worried. At the store they’d been able to scan Daisy for a microchip. She hadn’t had one. They’d stopped by a vet and had her checked out. Beyond being a bit underweight, she was healthy.
“Once she realizes we’ll come back, she’ll calm down and she won’t howl like that. Eventually she’ll see her crate as a nice place to rest,” Zep promised. “The important thing is we always come home and let her out. It will take time, but she’ll learn to trust.”
Maybe she and Daisy had a few things in common. “I don’t know if I should keep her. I work long hours.”
“Do you want to keep her? If you don’t, then you just spent a ton of money on a dog you don’t want. Are you worried the owner is going to show up and want her back?”
“If that asshole shows up, I’ll arrest him,” she declared. “It’s illegal to tie a dog up in any way that threatens the dog’s life and health. I’d love for him to show up and try to take Daisy.”
“I don’t think he will, warrior princess. But that wasn’t the question. Do you want to keep her? It’s okay if you don’t. I can take her and I’ll find someone. I won’t take her to a shelter. I’ll keep her with me until the right family comes along. I’m pretty good at matching people and pets.”
She was already in love with the dog. Even though the little Lab had already started chewing on the furniture. Luckily she was pretty neat and organized. There wasn’t much for Daisy to mess with, which was likely why the toys she’d bought had been a huge hit. She’d spent the hour before they had to go to dinner playing tug with the dog.
It had been a nice day after her parents had gone back to the B and B. The conversation with Armie had been awkward. He’d laughed his ass off and teased her about their failed love affair. Then she’d been left with Zep, who she’d worried would press her.
Instead he’d made her some toast and coffee and offered to drive into Houma to get the supplies they would need for the dog. They’d gotten Daisy in the back and spent the nicest afternoon she could remember. They’d wandered through the store and she’d watched as Zep had patiently started teaching Daisy to walk on a leash. He never once lost his cool, never seemed to get frustrated with the puppy. When she misbehaved, he used a firm voice. When she was good, he gave her a treat. That bag he’d shown up with the night before contained a bunch of treats, as though he would try to make friends with any creature he came upon. He’d taken Roxie to a tiny place that sold sandwiches, and she’d discovered she liked shrimp po’boys. They’d eaten them in a park and he’d told her more about his dad.
He hadn’t pushed her. He hadn’t tried to get her into a position where they got physical. It was odd because knowing that everyone thought they were pretending had helped her relax around him. She hadn’t been scared someone would judge her for being with him or laugh for thinking she might be able to keep him. She’d simply let herself be, and it had been lovely.
But she knew this couldn’t last. “I work twelve-hour shifts sometimes. I don’t think that’s fair to a dog.”
“So? Take her with you. As long as she’s properly trained, no one is going to mind having a dog up at the station house. Hell, Lila has Peanut at the clinic with her most days. We’ll get Daisy a police dog vest and then you can put her on the payroll.”
Sometimes Peanut came in with Armie. Peanut was a sweet golden retriever mix who usually slept at the sheriff’s feet. Would anyone care if she brought her dog to work? In the past it would have been wholly unprofessional, but