Spooning Leads to Forking (Hot in the Kitchen #2) - Kilby Blades Page 0,70
Shea heard Dev ask from somewhere in the corner of her mind. She didn’t pay long enough attention to hear Jess’s answer.
The small one had to be Klaus, and he was a lively one too—every bit as cute as the Belgian Malinois puppies Shea had perused online. The other dog, a Golden Retriever, looked older—maybe at the end of her puppy days—but still relatively young. Klaus was playing tug with a rope bone held in the mouth of the other dog, who gently indulged the smaller pup.
For a solid few minutes, Shea watched them play. Jess and Dev faded into the background, standing behind her and carrying on a conversation as they gave her a chance to meet Klaus. Watching the Retriever made Shea fall just a little in love. They both had puppy energy—both a little wild and excited—only, the Retriever seemed sweet and Klaus seemed kind of like a jerk.
“Who are you?” Shea asked, reaching her hand out into the pen, to let her hand be sniffed by the Retriever. Both dogs took an interest in Shea and came up. Jess fell in line next to where Shea was standing. Dev came in on the other side.
“The Retriever? That’s Butterscotch.” Jess looked at the dog like she was a piteous creature, a hint of shame creeping into her bubbly voice. “She’s supposed to be a therapy dog. I took her in as a last-ditch favor to a friend.”
“Supposed to be?” Shea asked.
Jess lowered her hand toward the Retriever. Butterscotch rose up to sniff her and lick her hand, then angled her body in a way that asked to be pet.
Jess shook her head in sorrow. “Even I couldn’t train her into doing what she needed to pass. She’ll be a fine pet to someone, though. But for service purposes, we’re gonna have to fail her. Service dogs aren’t supposed to do that.”
“So you’re saying she’s available…” Shea baited.
Dev said “no” at the same time Jess said “yes.”
“There’s a process, but it can be done. You would have to adopt her through the agency who sent her here for training. But I have it on good authority, if she doesn’t pass for service, she’ll be looking for a home.”
Dev swooped in and cautioned Shea with a look before pointing out, “She’s not a guard dog if she can’t be trained.”
But Shea had done her reading. “Dev...being a guard dog owner is intense—a lot more intense than being dog mom to a regular pet. I keep telling you—I just need a companion.”
Shea could tell already, Dev thought taking Butterscotch would be a mistake. Mentally, she prepared her arguments and geared up for a fight, only his argument never came.
“Don’t know why you’re looking at me,” he finally said, then tipped his head toward their hostess. “You’d better ask Jess to get you what you want.”
One full hour, a pitcher of lemonade and two phone calls later, Jess had called the organization of the friend who had engaged her to attempt to train Butterscotch and received confirmation that Shea could take the dog. There was still more paperwork, and Shea’s official status was as a foster, but Shea was already authorized to take her home.
As they waved their goodbyes and loaded their precious cargo into Dev’s truck and settled themselves into their own seats, Dev looked over at her before he turned the key. It seemed like he was trying not to, but even he was smiling.
“You like your dog?” he wanted to know.
Shea was beaming as she glanced back at the crate.
“I think I’ll call her Butters.”
27
The Hammock
Dev
Dating a woman with a brand-new pet came with unexpected benefits Dev soon realized he’d been a fool to resist. Butters needed bonding, and companionship, and stability and routine. What it meant for Dev was that Shea wanted to spend days outside, getting Butters used to local hiking trails and the paths and smells around her house. Dev, of course, was eager to tag along.
But Butters was still too new to her surroundings to be left alone for long, It meant that Shea couldn’t go out as much, which—in turn—meant staying in. So far that week, staying in had led to lots of kissing and time with Shea in the kitchen as she’d compelled him to try little dishes she cooked. She was on a crusade to persuade him that food was for pleasure. He was only partially convinced, but he sure did love to watch her in the kitchen.