During a late-morning lull, I retreated to my office. Elbow deep in spreadsheets and inventory numbers, I heard Betty’s laughter filter down the hallway. It wasn’t her normal cackle. This was a flirtatious giggle, like a young girl’s mating call. Uh-oh. I pushed back from the desk and jumped out of my chair. I quickly made my way to the front of the store, prepared to rescue an innocent man from Betty’s zealous clutches.
Instead, I stumbled upon Leo Montana, who was far from innocent, standing a hair’s breadth from Betty. Not one iota bothered by her quirky look and attire. He’d brought his dog, Bugsy. Bugsy wasn’t the ragtag mutt I had pictured in my head, but a dapper-looking miniature pincher sporting a red-and-white polka-dot bow tie. The little guy lay contently in the crook of Leo’s arm, pointy ears at attention.
“Hello,” I greeted, slipping between Leo and Betty, purposely separating them. Although I wasn’t sure whom I was protecting from whom. I refrained from the automatic line that it was good to see him. I wasn’t one-hundred-percent convinced he might not have a hidden agenda.
I held my hand, palm up to the dog. “This must be Bugsy.”
At hearing his name, the smallish Min Pin lifted his head. He sniffed intently. Deciding I passed the sniff test, his tiny pink tongue bathed the palm of my hand. He must have smelled the treats I’d grabbed for Missy.
Leo was dressed in charcoal slacks, dark silk button-up shirt, and tasseled loafers. With his gray hair slicked back, he was only missing a gold chain to complete his throwback-to-the-seventies look. Possibly the reason Betty found him so attractive.
“Melinda, you didn’t tell me about your lovely business partner.” His charismatic tone and scent of egg roll grease filled the shop. What was with the Chinese food?
Business partner? I shouldn’t be surprised she’d given herself another promotion. At this rate, by the end of the week, she’d be the sole owner and I’d be the part-time help.
I eyed Betty. She actually blushed under Leo’s charming attention. I knew she’d be enamored with him. She loved the bad boys.
“Isn’t he hot stuff?” Betty shoved away from me. “Keep your hands off, Cookie.”
Seriously? “Not a problem.”
Betty snuggled closer to Leo, slipping her arm though his. She rubbed his forearm. “I like your choice of fabric.”
Bugsy lifted his head and looked at her. She patted him softly and told him he was a good little dog. I tried to imagine Raider, a rambunctious Saint Bernard, and teeny Bugsy interacting. I cringed. I didn’t foresee that to be a successful playdate.
“Leo is coming to the Mobster Film Festival. We’re going to meet up. Isn’t that right, Big Fella?”
Leo patted her hand tenderly. “The delightful Ms. Foxx has agreed to accompany me.”
When did that happen? They’d just met. This possible relationship was moving too fast.
“What do you think about that, Cookie? I’ve got a date.” My feisty assistant jutted her chin, announcing she’d finally snagged her man.
Their date was in a month. Way too long to listen to her fawn over a potential love interest, yet plenty of time to get her to change her mind if he turned out to be a conman.
“Oh!” She bounced on the toes of her sneakers excitedly. “We should double date with Cookie and her handsome man.”
“Grey and I aren’t going together,” I said, then quickly changed the topic back to Leo. “Is there anything specific you’re looking for now that you’re here?”
He unlinked his arm from Betty in one smooth motion. “I’m open to suggestions.”
“I’ve got all types of ideas.” Betty fluffed her white hair, wagging her lipstick eyebrows at Leo.
He shared a mischievous grin with his true love of a whole five minutes. “I can’t wait to hear them.”
Well, I could.
“We were talking about dog accessories,” I reminded them.
“She’s a real party pooper.” Betty pouted. “You need to loosen up, Cookie.”
“Cookie? I like that. Fitting.” Leo surveyed the boutique with a discerning eye. “I like what you’ve got going on here, Melinda. A number of local products, top quality, a wide variety of merchandise.”
“Thanks. I’m rather proud of it. Feel free to let Bugsy roam around.”
His little dog squirmed excitedly as Leo set him down. The Min Pin trotted straight for a basket of dog toys and jumped inside to lie down. He blended in with the toys perfectly. He was adorable. Too bad Darby wasn’t here to snap a photo. The image would have made the perfect postcard or calendar picture.
Leo inspected the designer water bowls stacked on the end-cap he faced. His thick fingers gripped the bowls, testing their durability. “Very nice. You’ve been in this location for a while?” He moved past the collar and leash display, walking toward the pawlish and cologne.
“A few years.”
He nodded, digesting my answers. “I’m sure you have a loyal customer base.”
I frowned. “Sure.”
I grew more annoyed as he continued to analyze my business. It felt like I was in his crosshairs for a hostile takeover. Betty must have picked up on my irritation. She sidled up next to Leo, taking a bottle of pawlish from him and returning it to the shelf.
“Bugsy is a stylish guy, but Yappy Hour Red isn’t exactly his color. We have a number of fine-looking bow ties over here. Come with me.”
“I’ll follow wherever you lead, My Dear.”
Was it me or was there a little more swing in Betty’s hips as she guided him across the room? The more attention Leo showed Betty, the more she sounded like a young doe-eyed girl.
“Have you considered expanding?” he asked me over his shoulder.
“I’m not really interested.”
Betty spun around and grinned. “Think about all the stuff I could buy, Cookie.” Her eyes glazed over, mentally spending my money on dog products.
“Trust me, I am,” I deadpanned. “Thanks, but we’re happy where we are.”
He whispered in Betty’s ear.
She giggled. “You’re my kinda guy, Leo Montana.”
He fished a business card from his wallet and walked it over to me. “If you change your mind, I know a guy who owes me a favor. He can find you a deal.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” I accepted the card, happy to have his contact information. I might need it in the near future.
The card simply stated, “Leo Montana, Import/Export Expert,” and listed his email and phone number. It was the graphic that caught my attention—the world on a string.
“No problem,” he said smoothly. “He knows what he has to do if you decide you’re interested.”
Has to do? He sure had a way with words.
“What’s your top seller, My Dear?” he asked Betty.
She tugged him to her new favorite display. “I have the best sales record for pawlish, but this week the top seller is our brand-new porcelain treat jar. A sexy man like you needs one of these. It has multiple uses.” She ran her fingers suggestively over the jar.
Oh. My. Gosh. I didn’t even want to know where she was headed with that line. I was about to tell her to stop the madness when the bell jingled declaring the arrival of more customers. Thank goodness, I was saved from watching their awkward flirting.
Imagine my surprise when I turned to see Colin and Missy tumble into the store.
“Hey, Girl.” I bent down to hug Missy. I snuggled my girl as she excitedly licked my cheek, sandwiched with a few grunts and snorts. Bulldog drool puddled between my feet. She smelled like freshly mowed grass. I assumed they had come from the Bark Park.
“Is everything okay?” I looked up at Colin who stood a few feet away, his hands shoved in his jeans pockets. His light-blue shirt had grass stains on the shoulders.
&nb
sp; “Everything is fine.”
He didn’t look fine. He looked rattled, like his best friend had just died. “I hope you don’t mind we drop by for a visit. We finished play time at the dog park. I thought you might like to say hello before we headed home.”
If Darby’s studio wasn’t next door I’d have believed that was the only reason for their stopover. Maybe a talk with Darby would cure what had him so anxious.
“Why don’t you leave Missy here while you pop next door and say hello to Darby.”
He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “If you’re sure you’re okay with that. I’m technically on your time.”
Missy broke loose from my snuggling and trotted toward Bugsy. I watched, ready to intervene if needed as the two greeted each other with a curious sniff and nuzzle. Once Missy was satisfied she was still the alpha dog and Bugsy wasn’t taking over her territory, she ambled toward the back office, presumably for her bed.
“How about you punch out on the time clock while you’re visiting Darby? That only seems fair, don’t you think?”
Colin was about to say something when suddenly he caught a glimpse of Leo and Betty at the treat table. His face drained of what little color was left.
Well, I didn’t think I was asking too much that I didn’t pay for the time he spent romancing my best friend. “Are you okay? You look like you’ve seen your worst enemy.”
“Cookie, my man said he would purchase five treat jars,” Betty yelled across the store. Her rosy cheeks reflected her triumph. “I’ll get you the ones in the back that haven’t been mobbed and breathed on.”
She bounced toward the storage room.
Leo joined Colin and me. He looked at Colin quizzically. “You look familiar. Do we know each other?”
Colin swallowed hard. He averted his gaze, suddenly finding the pink diamond-crusted collars interesting. “No, I don’t believe we do.”
Well, I wasn’t a psychic, but judging by Colin’s reaction, he did know Leo. I went through the motions, anyway.
“Let me introduce you. Colin Sellers, meet Leo Montana, import and exports. Leo, this is Colin, Missy’s dog sitter. He’s new to town.”
Leo narrowed his eyes. He shook his head. “I never forget a face.”
“I think you have me confused with someone else.” Colin’s tight voice surprised me. Why would he insist that he didn’t know the other man, when it was obvious they’d met before?
“Sellers . . .” Leo was about say something when his eyes widened and he stopped. He quickly composed himself. “Now that you mention it, I think you’re right. You do have one of those faces.”
Now who was fooling whom? They recognized each other, but neither wanted to admit it. What was going on? I wondered if I should play along or call them out on it.
Colin cleared his throat. “Mel, if you don’t mind, I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Leo and I watched Colin skitter out of the shop like a scared bunny rabbit.
I didn’t mince words. “You know each other.”
Leo looked at me with a half-smile. “I thought we did, but I was mistaken.”
“No, you’re not. Look, he’s dating my best friend. If he’s hiding something or if he’s dangerous, I need to know.”
“I’m sure your friend is perfectly safe.” He reached out to pat my arm reassuringly.
I stepped back avoiding his patronizing reassurance. He was working too hard to convince me he was telling the truth. I scowled at him. “If he’s hiding something, I—”
“We’re all hiding something.” His joking manner seemed forced.
“No, no we’re not.” Okay, I was hiding Grey’s true job. Betty was being secretive about her personal errand. And of course, Grey. . . . I silently chastised myself for allowing myself to get side tracked. All of that was beside the point.
I narrowed my eyes and pointed at Leo. “If you hurt Betty, I’ll hunt you down.”
“Is that a threat?” He returned my hard gaze.
“Absolutely.”
He let loose a deep laugh, not in the least affected by my threat of harm. “I like you. You’ve got spunk.”
From my peripheral line of vision, I saw Betty come out from the storeroom, struggling with a cardboard box. Her white tennis shoes squeaked across the floor as she staggered toward us.
“Whoa, there,” I called out.
Leo and I rushed to her side. I grabbed the box; Leo grabbed Betty. She patted his clean-shaven cheek affectionately.
“Why didn’t you ask for help?” I chastised her. Why did she insist on acting like she was still sixty? I set the box on the counter.
“I told you he wanted five jars,” Betty squawked. “Did you think they were going to magically appear? Sheesh.”
While I felt like an idiot for not paying closer attention to what she had been up to, Betty made moon eyes at Leo. This flirtation was getting out of hand.
My cell rang, saving me from being subjected to Betty’s outrageous ogling. I reached behind the counter and grabbed my phone. “Betty, ring Leo up. I’m sure he has somewhere to be.”
She scooted to the register. “We take cash or credit card. Next time you make a purchase, I can give you the friends and family discount.”
I rolled my eyes at her offering a discount. “Hello,” I answered my cell.
“Hey, it’s Grey.” The rumble of his deep morning voice made my heart jump.
I wish I had checked the caller ID before I answered. “Hey. You got my—”
“Can you come over?”
I turned my back to Betty and Leo. I tried to decipher Grey’s tone, but it was difficult over the phone. “To your house?”
“Yes.”
My mind raced with possibilities as to why he’d want me to come over. “Colin stopped by with Missy. Do you mind if I bring her with?”
“I’ll see you both in a few minutes.” He ended the call without a good-bye.
I shot Colin a text to let him know I had to run an errand and took Missy with me. I didn’t want to leave Betty alone with Leo, whom she eyed like a king-sized milk chocolate candy bar. But judging by Grey’s tone, I needed to leave now.
“I’ve got to run an errand,” I told Betty. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. No funny business while I’m gone.”
She glared at me. “Don’t forget. I have to leave at one thirty.”
“Just like every day for the past three weeks. I got it.”
That was another question. Where the heck was she going every day?
Chapter Twelve
I COULDN’T REMEMBER the last time Grey had called to invite me to his house. Six, seven months ago, maybe? He lived in the Laguna Beach highlands referred to as “Top of the World,” one of the highest points in southern Orange County, where the panoramic ocean view alone could cost a million dollars.
My stomach tightened as I pulled in to the driveway. I shut off the Jeep and looked at Grey’s house as if I were seeing it for the first time. Contemporary, custom designed with a European inspiration. Beautiful, inviting, and very Grey. I had the best memories of lounging on the back deck, watching the sun set.
Missy pushed her face against the window and whined. She knew exactly where we were. She pawed at the door, anxious to unload. I unfastened her harness and scratched behind her ears. The second the Jeep door opened, Missy leapt out, landing in a garden of impatiens and petunias. After a quick shake, she trotted up the stone walk to the front door, eager to get inside.
I grabbed my tote bag and slammed the Jeep door. “You already know the rules,” I yelled after her. “Stay off the couch.”
I was halfway up the walkway when the front door swung open. Grey stood in the doorway, an image I’d seen a thousand times. Today it was bittersweet. Yesterday’s jeans hung low
on his hips, his button-down shirt was untucked, his hair mussed, and a large coffee mug in his hand. He looked like he’d just ended a three-day bender. This was not his normal look. Something was up.
Missy raced inside, skirted around Grey, and made a beeline straight to the living room.
“You look like crap.” I brushed past him and headed for the kitchen out of habit. I froze mid-step when I realized what I was doing.
Grey closed the door. “It’s good to see you too.”
We watched as Missy explored tirelessly, ping-ponging from room to room. I knew what she was looking for: the dog bed that used to sit next to Grey’s leather recliner. My heart broke for her.
“Maybe I should have left her at home,” I whispered.
“It’s in the hall closet.”
I looked at him questioningly. “What?”
“Her bed. It’s in the closet.”
Grey walked down the hallway. Missy stopped searching and froze, head cocked to the side, eyes glued on Grey’s movements. Her stocky body trembled when Grey returned with her bed. He set it by his recliner as if it still belonged there. Missy climbed on it, circled a handful of times, tamping down the pillow until it met with her satisfaction. Once she was satisfied, she dropped to her belly with a sigh.
My heart melted. I was such a sucker.
“Thanks for coming,” he said, drawing me back to the reason I was here.
I followed him to the kitchen. He offered to make me a chai tea. My heart couldn’t take much more of reliving our old routine. He warmed a mug of milk and concentrated chai mixture in the microwave. I refused to question why he still had my go-to mix in his pantry.
“What’s happened?”
“I’ve been removed from the case.”
I shook my head. “I must have misunderstood. I thought you just said you were kicked off Operation Bow Wow.”
Despite his serious expression, a small laugh escaped. “Operation what?”
I shrugged. “I dubbed your case Operation Bow Wow. It seemed appropriate.”
He smiled. “I like it.” The microwave dinged. He pulled out the mug and handed it to me. “Unfortunately, I’m no longer in charge of Operation Bow Wow.”
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