When we reach the park, however, the gates are still locked. I read the posted sigh and sigh. “Maintenance,” I grumble, rolling my eyes and looking around. “Well guys, looks like we’ll just have to take the long way down the—”
Before I can finish speaking, a car blazes by, the horn blaring loudly. In a flash, a startled Rosco rips away from me, tearing the leash from my hand. He barrels down the road, his tail once again tucked and the long blue rope slithering after him like a snake. He moves like a sleek gray missile, so fast that I can hardly see him by the time I start charging after him with Sadie and Lola.
I shout his name, desperately willing him to stop, but he refuses. He whips down alleys and back corridors until I have almost no idea where we are. He only stops when he hurtles headlong into a chain link fence.
He tilts his head back, howling. His blue eyes are wide with panic, his chest heaving with exertion and terror. I tie Lola and Sadie’s leashes to a nearby lamp post, crouching down and extending my arms toward Rosco slowly.
“Hey, Rosco, I know that was scary . . . but you’re okay.”
Gentle, with as soothing a tone as I can manage, I speak to him and try to coax him to me. He refuses to acknowledge me, barking and howling for Cooper to come rescue him from the woman he doesn’t know and the car that honked at him.
My heart is torn in two, uncertain what the best choice might be. If I wait too long, he might figure out a way by me and escape again, but I also don’t want to corner him and make him even more scared.
With every second I hesitate, I can feel my grasp on the situation slipping. I have to get Rosco’s leash. I can’t let him break free again and run into traffic. The thought makes me wince and clench my teeth hard. It wouldn’t even matter how that would impact my business, all that would matter is that I let it happen and I would have to be the one to tell Cooper.
Cooper trusted Rosco to me, and I’m going to keep this fearful dog in one piece until I can hand him back over to his master.
“Rosco, come here, buddy. Come here.”
He panics and flattens himself against the fence, beginning to dig at the earth. Sand and soil go flying under his powerful body. If I don’t act quickly, he’s going to manage to dig a hole and get away. There would be no quick method for me to get Sadie and Lola over the fence after him, and I don’t know the streets here well enough to be sure where this alley leads.
If Rosco leaves my sight, it may very well be for the last time.
Though it goes against my intuition, I creep closer to Rosco, reaching for the edge of his leash. Swallowing hard, my fingers just barely brush the fabric when Rosco yelps and snarls, startled by my approach after being consumed in his digging. The moment he snarls, Sadie turns into a total bulldozer. She rips free of her own leash and collar and charges forward at Rosco, wedging herself between us. Rosco, even more terrified now, snaps at her leg, his jaws closing around her paw. The second his jaws hit her fur, she gives a doggish scream, collapsing to her side. Rosco instantly jerks backwards, cowering in a corner of the fence and whining in fear.
I grab Sadie against me, hurriedly inspecting her paw. Though it’s covered in slobber, there isn’t a mark on her. Despite his panic, Rosco hasn't broken the skin. Relieved, but furious, I set Sadie down. My fury isn’t directed at Rosco, however, but at myself and at Cooper.
How had I let myself be talked into this arrangement?
This is exactly why I don’t take in dogs that I don’t know. You never know what they might do, what triggers may set them off. This could have gone so very wrong, and I didn’t prevent it.
Sadie eases her paw onto the ground, testing it. When she realizes it doesn’t hurt, she sticks close to my side. I hold up a hand, quietly telling her to stay behind me. This time when I inch toward Rosco, he allows me to pick up his leash.
He turns from me, trying to hide, and I inch over and carefully pet his head. When he realizes I’m not angry, he presses against me, his whole body trembling. Lola, who’s been straining against her own leash this whole time, whines with worry. Sadie, having already forgotten the bite, sniffs Rosco before bounding back to Lola.
“I’m sorry, pal,” I sigh to Rosco with a heavy heart, “but I need to get you back to Cooper. This just isn’t going to work.”
Chapter 5
Cooper
“As you can see, gentleman, your company would benefit immensely by partnering with my tech firm. If you still need convincing, I’d be happy to pull up some estimates that my accountants have been working nonstop to formulate just for you.”
The board of investors before me exchange glances as they look over the portfolios I spent all night putting together for them after my accountants finished their part of the task. I of course had people that could’ve done it for me, but I liked being thorough. This way I knew exactly what each investor would be looking at.
I’ll admit I had a hard time focusing on the preparations for this meeting. All night my mind constantly wandering back to Rosco and the beautiful woman I’d left him with.
I’ve never met anyone like Summer before. Anyone except for me, I suppose. She has such fire in her eyes. I like that she treats her job like I treat mine—with passion.
The men around my boardroom table lean closer, quietly talking. I just smile, arms folding across my chest. I can already tell that they’re going to agree to the merger. I can always tell, sometimes even before the meeting starts, whether I’ll be successful or not. Nine times out of ten, I am. That tenth time, I just have to butter them up a little more. I take them out golfing or to the most expensive restaurant in town. Get a little Scotch in them, and they sign the papers over in no time.
Failure is not an option.
Despite me telling Suzette that she didn’t need to come in this morning and to enjoy her weekend at home, my personal assistant insisted on coming in for the meeting. She swore up and down that having someone else greet the businessmen instead of me waiting around for them would give a better air of my superiority and importance. By the time they arrived, I was glad she’d suggested it. Most of the other staff was gone and the building was empty, but as far as the investors knew, we were all hard at work here even on a beautiful Saturday morning.
“We just have a few more questions for you, Cooper,” the head of the board announces, closing his portfolio. “What kind of returns are we to expect in the first quarter, and what guarantee will you give us if that’s not met?”
“Excellent question, sir.”
I start to answer, trailing off when I hear a faint noise from beyond the closed office door. It’s a rustle, a door slamming, then someone raising their voice. Shaking my head, I block out the noise and focus on the people before me, trusting Suzette to handle whatever intrusion is transpiring. “I assure you that all expectations . . . ” again I trail off as the noise becomes louder.
Suzette’s voice, muffled by the door, shrieks something.
“Cooper?” the head of the board asks, arching an incredulous eyebrow, “What’s going on?”
I clear my throat. “If you’ll just excuse me—”
Before I can even take one step toward the door, it suddenly flies open. Summer stands there, chest heaving, eyes churning with fury. Beside her, Rosco is on his leash looking equally disturbed. His eyes widen when he spots me but he doesn’t move.