Feliz Naughty Dog - Roxanne St. Claire Page 0,24
warmth of a blush creep up her cheeks, and he laughed easily.
“That’s not my name,” he admitted. “So we have that in common.”
“It’s not?” She shook her head. “Then why…”
“My dad’s real last name is Dildenberg. Stop laughing right now.”
She bit her lip. “That is…unfortunate.”
“He was an actor back in the eighties, and his agent made him change his name for obvious reasons, and they came up with Darling since he was supposed to be, you know, the next Leo DiCaprio or George Clooney.”
“Did he get famous?” she asked.
“Not as an actor. And not really famous, because no one knows the producers outside of the Hollywood circles, but yeah. He’s made movies I guarantee you’ve heard of.”
“And your mom?”
“She remarried and now she’s a…professional wife.” He made a face like there was way more to that story.
“Is your dad remarried?”
“No, he just has a harem of wannabe actresses.” He rolled his eyes. “Never knew who I’d find in the kitchen when I came down for breakfast.”
“You live with your dad? I would have thought your mom.”
“He’s the lesser of two evils,” he explained. “And my mom travels with her husband, who is…” He leaned in and looked from one side to the other. “The drummer for Split Second.”
“The band? The Split Second? My dad loves their music.” A slow smile formed as she put a few puzzle pieces together. “So your father is a rock star.”
“Stepfather, who I barely speak to.”
“Wow. So, what’s so messy? I mean, lots of people have divorced and remarried parents.”
“The mess is money,” he said without a second’s hesitation. “Money—at least the kind they both have—makes people messy. And stupid. And mean. And careless. And…” His voice trailed off as he shifted his gaze over her shoulder. “Could that be the FBI agents?”
She turned, saw two men, and assessed them. “They meet the description.”
“Let’s watch where they go.” He shifted his chair, one hand sliding into Tor’s collar as if he half expected the dog to run after the two men.
But when the men went to the line for Chick-fil-A and ordered, Pru and Lucas leaned back and shared a look.
“Should we go tell them their target went to Penney’s?” he asked.
“I don’t know.” Pru shook her head and scanned the mall for any sign of the grannies. “Gramma and Yiayia have been known to make mistakes in their, uh, interpretation of things.”
“The Dogmothers?” He chuckled. “I love that they have a team name.”
“They’re matchmakers,” she said. “And they claim six committed relationships, including several marriages and one set of twins on the way.”
“Matchmakers?” He choked a laugh. “They still exist?”
“In my family,” she said, shaking her head and hoping he didn’t put two and two together and come up with…Prucas. God help her. She propped her chin on her palm. “So, you just moved yourself to Bitter Bark from Los Angeles? You weren’t, like, sent here as punishment?”
“Contrary to public opinion, I was not escaping the long arm of the law, or forced to do community service for my misdeeds, or part of a gang, or whatever gossip you heard.”
“But some rumors were right. Or close, at least.”
He rolled his eyes. “The truth is, my dad told me if I wanted to keep this dog, I had to move out.”
“What?” She blinked at him.
He shrugged. “He’d been looking for a way to get rid of me ever since one of the harem thought I should join in their fun.”
She drew back, slightly horrified. “Now that one hasn’t hit the rumor mill.”
“I declined,” he said quietly. “I really am shy. And kind of not into…that. Anyway, Tor and I took off the next day.”
“To stay with your aunt and uncle…ish.”
He looked like he was about to say more, then reconsidered it, shifting his attention to the sleeping dog next to him. “Has it been five minutes? Can we test his skills?”
“Sure.” She handed Lucas a treat, and instantly Tor was up, looking at the Milk-Bone. “Remember what word to use. Only once and his name.”
He nodded and held the treat just out of reach. “Down, Tor.”
Tor blinked, but didn’t move.
“Down,” Lucas repeated. “And…nothing.”
“Attention! Attention!” They both spun around at the order from a man in a red jacket marching through the tables, holding out flyers like he was selling newspapers.
“Isn’t that the cashier from the pet store?” Pru asked.
“Yup.”
“We have a missing puppy from The Animal House pet store! If you see this dog or someone with this dog, he needs to be returned ASAP.”
Lucas