She appraises me silently, gnawing so hard on her plump lower lip that a red mark lingers for a moment before disappearing.
“Hear me out, Summer. I have to go to my office and Rosco is going to be stuck in my apartment all night and most of the day tomorrow. That’s not fair to him. I’m desperate here.”
In truth, I’d never leave Rosco alone that whole time. I’d stay with him and try to do what work I could from home, but there’s no way that I could maintain my same level of productivity in that case and I have an important meeting to prepare for.
She groans, head falling backwards to expose the length of her tan neck. She glares at the ceiling before shaking her head and running a hand through her damp hair. “I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but all right. I’ll make an exception just this once. Do you hear me? It’s only the one time. I’ll watch him until tomorrow, but after that you do things my way. Got it?”
My feet lurch, carrying me toward her. She’s smaller than I am, her head staying tilted back to meet my eyes. The scent of her shampoo is thick and fragrant in the air.
“You have no idea how grateful I am for this. You’ve saved my hide, Summer.”
“Don’t thank me yet, buddy,” she responds, though her voice cracks just slightly. She swallows hard, eyes following the line of my strong jaw. Something flickers in her gaze, the same thing that swells in my own core at just the sight of her curved, lithe body. “If Rosco doesn’t behave himself, I’m taking him right back to you and you’re on your own, got it?”
“Got it. But he’ll be fine. Mrs. Donnell said Rosco never gave her an ounce of trouble and she walked him all up and down the city. The only thing I should warn you about is that he’s a bit of a bed hog, and he does snore. Sometimes he has bad dreams, too.”
“Tonight he’ll have to sleep in a kennel. I keep an extra in case of emergencies. I don’t know him and neither do my dogs so I can’t risk having him wandering around my home alone all night. It’s mostly dog proofed, but you never know what they can find.”
“Sure, of course. I understand. He’ll do fine in a kennel. Back home, I keep one out for him to retreat to when he needs a little break.”
She nods jerkily, taking half a step back. Her spine bumps against her wall, making her stumble toward me again.
“Tonight will be fine,” she reiterates, “but you should check around for other arrangements in case things don’t work out here. Has Rosco ever really been around other dogs?”
“Not really,” I answer honestly. “But I’ve taken him to the dog park a few times and he’s enjoyed it. He has a lot of energy, though I guess you wouldn’t know it right now.”
I look back toward my dog, taking note of his rigid stature. He looks visibly uncomfortable, panting with nervousness.
“It’s because he doesn’t know me or this place and he can tell you’re going to leave him,” Summer says. “To a dog in this situation, every time you leave he’s going to wonder if you’re coming back to get him.”
She frowns at Rosco and I can all but see her heart melting in her chest. Good thing he’s so cute, or I might not have been able to convince her to do this favor for me.
“Thank you again for watching him tonight. Here’s all my info. I’ll be at the office all night and tomorrow. Give me a call if you have any questions about Rosco.”
With a nod, she takes my business card and gives it a once over, an eyebrow lifting. “Oh. CEO? This is that big new skyscraper, isn’t it?”
“Sure is,” I respond, swelling with pride. I worked relentlessly to build a company deserving of such a building. “From the very top floor, everyone looks like ants.”
Instead of the usual admiration that lights people’s eyes when I talk about how successful my ventures have been, Summer regards me with uncertain condescension. Again, she proves how different she is. Again it catches me off guard. I feel my pride wither even before she speaks.
“You must work a lot,” she acknowledges simply.
“That’s right.”
She doesn’t say anything, but she looks at Rosco as though she’s trying to make a point. Irritation pulses though my veins, but I don’t argue with her. I do work a lot, but I also provide Rosco with a life filled with endless treats, toys, and food. When I have time, I lavish him with attention as well.
When I don’t react, she clears her throat. Without a word, she slides the business card into the pocket of her tiny shorts and gestures toward the door. It’s time to leave.
I turn around and bend down to Rosco’s level, welcoming him against me. He presses his forehead to my chest, his tail still stuck deep between his legs. He doesn’t whine, though his fearful silence might be even worse than a pleading sound. I know he doesn’t understand why I’m leaving, but I don’t have a choice.
“I’m coming back, boy,” I whisper in his ear, hoping that on some level he understands me. “You don’t have to worry about that. I’ll always come back. You’re my buddy. Summer is going to treat you right.”
His fur is smooth and soft under my hands as I rub his sides and then scratch his favorite place under his left ear. He lifts his head to gaze deeply into my eyes, as though he’s begging me not to leave.
“Who’s going to buy you that fancy food you like so much if I’m not making the big bucks?” I tease him gently.
I feel Summer’s eyes on me, suddenly remembering that I’m not alone with my best friend. I clear my throat and stand, noticing the previous condescension in her eyes is gone and replaced instead by faint understanding.
“I’ll be going then,” I mutter stiffly.
She nods and walks me to the door, opening it. When I step out into the hall, I turn back around to face her. Rosco remains frozen on the other side of the living room, staring at me with slightly lifted ears.
“You lock the door this time, got it?” I tease tiredly, suddenly more worn down than I’ve ever been in my life.
Summer’s face hardens again, my attempt at a playful snipe backfiring. She glares at me, not speaking but slamming the door shut. A second later I thankfully hear the bolt slide into place.
Chapter 4
Summer
The moment the door swings shut and Cooper is gone, Rosco suddenly remembers that his large paws aren’t frozen to the soft carpet. He bolts up, pacing and sniffing every corner of my small home. In his flurry of movement, I can almost see how Cooper was able to walk into my bathroom without meaning to, not that I was about to admit that. I’m just thankful my surprise intruder turned out to be harmless.
Rosco makes his way to the front door, pressing his whole body against it and whining sharply. It’s a call that rips through his furry throat, one that comes from his heart. Again and again he thrusts himself into the door, trying to force it open so that he can chase down his master. I can already tell that for Cooper, Rosco would run any length and jump any hurdle.
Though heartbreaking, it’s not the first time I’ve seen a dog react that way to their owner leaving. Usually, I’ve prepared ahead of time to soften the blow and ease the transition. Distraction is key, whether that’s giving the dog something to chew or play with or just snuggling them close. This time, I was so blindsided that I didn't have time to brainstorm on how to help Rosco adjust.