by Judi McCoy
“So the business will be up and running soon?”
“My guess now is three weeks, but I’ll need to build up stock before I open. There’s a lot involved in making my treats, you know. I’m thinking of hiring someone to lend a hand.”
“Good luck with that,” Ellie told her. “I’ve been through three assistants in the past six months and interviewed a half dozen others. Joy was the best. I’m still hoping I can convince her to return.”
“I just need someone to bag the cookies once they’re out of the oven and have cooled, attach my tag, and stock the cases—and maybe sweep and straighten up.”
“So you plan to open the shop and man the register, bake the goods, do inventory of the cases and shelves, and clean the kitchen, then close up for the day?”
Sara’s eyes opened wide. “When you put it that way, I guess I’ll need two assistants.”
“You could stick a Help Wanted sign on the window.”
“Great idea. It’ll be up tomorrow.” She rubbed her nose. “Have you had lunch?”
“I ate at Joe’s,” said Ellie, happy that Sara had given her an opportunity to pry. “He’s my college buddy. I’ve known him for over ten years.”
“Really. Funny he never mentioned you.” Sara scratched Pooh’s perked-up ears. “Pooh Bear seemed to like him on sight, which doesn’t happen too often. She’s a lot pickier than Tigger about the men she meets.”
“Joe is a great guy. What did you think of him?”
Sara’s lips thinned. “Ah . . . well . . .”
“I’m talking about a guy six feet tall, with a fabulous head of black hair, killer brown eyes, and a great sense of humor.” Sara’s bland expression made Ellie think maybe she had another man in mind. “That is who we’re talking about, right?”
“The guy you’re describing did come in, but all he did was stare at me, mumble something about running the coffee shop next door, and go on about me serving coffee here. He did pet Pooh, which I liked, but he was kind of weird.”
“Hmm. Joe must have had something on his mind.” Like the hots for you. “He’s usually quick with a comeback or a clever line. And he’s a talker.”
“A talker? Uh-uh. Not this guy. Do you know what he meant when he mentioned something about serving coffee here?”
“Sort of. I think he’s hoping the two of you can work out a deal. You give a coupon to each of the people who buy a dog treat here offering them a free cup of coffee at Joe’s shop. He hopes they’ll stop in, buy some of his people food, and become regulars. It’s a giveaway for you and a business gimme for him.”
Sara smiled at the explanation. “That’s a good idea. And maybe he could give his customers a coupon for ten percent off anything they buy here as a trade-off.”
“Now you’re with the program.” Ellie glanced at her watch and stood. “Oops, we’ve got to get moving. I want to finish my afternoon runs before the snow starts to fall.”
“I’ll walk you out.” Sara pushed away from the table. “Will I see you on Monday?”
“We’ll stop by if we can. And do me a favor?”
“Sure. Anything.”
“Give Joe another chance. Drop in when his afternoon traffic slows and tell him your idea about the coupon exchange. He’ll get better. Honest.”
“I can do that,” said Sara. She closed the door and waved through the glass, mouthing “Bye.”
Ellie zipped her jacket and gazed at the still-dark gray clouds. “What do you think happened to Joe? Sara’s description didn’t sound at all like the man I know.”
“I think Joe’s a goner.”
“I cannot believe he acted like a jerk.” They headed across Lexington to Park. “Do you think she’s telling the truth?”
“Why would she lie?” He gave a full-body shake. “The weather report is right. It’s gonna snow up a storm.”
“And you know this because . . .”
“Because I feel it in my bones. It’s just somethin’ I can tell. Animals are like that, you know.”
“I do know.” They crossed Madison and headed toward Fifth Avenue. “I was hoping to go to the club and talk to Bill Avery again. He wanted to tell me something the other day, but I never got around to having the discussion.”
“You’re gonna go out in a blizzard?”
A snowflake floated past Ellie’s nose before she could answer. Then another . . . and another. Seconds later, the air was filled with big fat flakes, swirling like icy moths as they made their descent. “Okay, fine.” They turned left on Fifth and headed for the Beaumont. “I guess I’ll have to stop at the club tomorrow, after the roads are cleared.”
“Good luck with that.”
“It had better clear up enough that people can attend the judge’s party. If Mother has to cancel, she’ll have a conniption fit.” They walked into their first stop and found Natter grinning. “What’s so funny?” Ellie asked him as they aimed for the elevator.
“Not a thing. I just love a good snowfall, and I’m off duty in fifteen minutes.”
She glanced out the door and eyed the swirling flakes, so thick she couldn’t even see the traffic on the street. They raced into the elevator and rode it to their first stop. It was going to be a long couple of hours before they got home.
“I can’t remember the last time I’ve been this tired,” said Ellie as she and Rudy took the stairs into their building. The snow was falling full force now, and their afternoon walks had taken forever. Frozen and exhausted, she led Rudy up the steps to their condo. When they arrived on the second floor, the door to 2-B opened and Vivian stuck out her head.
“By the look of things, I guess you and the Rudster had a rough afternoon, huh?”
“You don’t know the half of it. Lulu wouldn’t walk, so Mrs. Steinman is ordering her booties. Sweetie Pie hates the snow so much she peed in the lobby of the Davenport, which killed Kronk’s cheerful demeanor, and Arlo couldn’t navigate the drifts, so I had to carry him, too. And don’t even ask me about Sampson. That little lard-butt complained the whole walk about not feeling well, and when I brought him home his mom and dad were arguing about the judge’s chances of getting that promotion.”
Ellie stopped to take a breath. “That woman’s blown hot and cold every day this week. I have no idea what kind of medication she’s on, but I don’t want any.”
“I’m sorry to hear all that.” Viv smiled. “Is there a chance you’d want to share dinner with Twink and me?”
“It depends on the menu.” Ellie rested an arm on the banister. “What are you offering?”
“Italian. I stopped at Mama Bella’s and picked up seafood Alfredo, garlic bread, and Caesar salad. There’s more than enough for two, and it just needs a couple of minutes in the nuker.”
Ellie raised an eyebrow. “Sounds like a special occasion.”
“It is, sort of. Twink and I are celebrating.”
“Celebrating what?”
“I’ll tell you while we eat.” Viv took a step farther into the hall. “We can do it here or at your place.”
“It’ll take me a while to get into something comfortable. You and Mr. T come to us. The door will be open. You know where to find the plates and stuff.”
“Great. We’ll see you in five.”
She and her boy continued up another flight; then Ellie unlocked the door. All she wanted was a pair of sweats, a snuggly sweater, and a good dinner. Lucky for her, Viv had the last part under control.
Inside, she hung her parka in the closet and toed off her boots while Rudy raced down the hall. “Don’t let me disturb you,” she said when she entered the bedroom and saw her boy frantically rubbing himself on the spread.
He stopped to look at her. “My fur’s wet and I’m still freezin’ my missing nuts off. I could use a good rubdown with a nice warm towel right about now.”
“Hang on while I change. There’s a towel with your name on it sitting on the warming bar in the bathroom. Then we have to get ready for company.”
Ellie pe
eled off her clothes, left on her black silk leggings, and slipped into her most comfortable fleece cover-up. Then she slid her feet into her bunny slippers. Fashion wasn’t on the menu for the evening.
“I’ll finish up in the bathroom and be right back,” she said to Rudy.
Walking to the sink, she studied herself in the mirror and ran her fingers through her curls. She’d found a hair salon that was closer to home and still had room for Saturday appointments. Her initial visit was scheduled for tomorrow, and she hoped the name of the salon, Serendipity, would match her first time there, because it was serendipitous that she’d have a fresh cut for the party. If not, her mother would spend the entire night ragging her about her too long and unruly hair.
After removing what little remained of her makeup, she washed her face, dried off with the towel from the heated bar, and hung a new one in its place. Then she returned to the bedroom. “Here you go.” She sat on the bed and Rudy scooted to join her. “Relax and let me do my thing.”
After giving him a brisk rubdown, he rolled over so she could reach his belly.
“Ahh, that’s more like it,” he moaned, squirming on his back while she scratched. “Yeah, yeah. That’s the spot.”
When she heard the front door open, Ellie wrapped him in the towel and cuddled him in her arms. “I’m sorry you got frozen. Unless the weather report says it’ll be warm, you’ll wear a sweater from here on out.” She nuzzled her nose in his neck. “I don’t want you to get sick or anything.”
“No worries there,” he said, licking her cheek. “Like I keep telling you, nothin’ bad’s gonna happen to us. We’re together for the long haul.”
“I hope you mean that, because after Sam realizes what I’ve been doing you may be the only man in my life for quite a while.”
He wriggled out of her arms and did a full-body shake. “You still nervous about him finding out that you’re helping Bobbi-Rob and Bitsy?”
“He won’t be mad about Bitsy, because he isn’t going to understand the whole Madame Orzo thing. But he’ll be furious if he figures out I’m still lending Rob a hand, even though I’m doing it as an aside.” She stood and smoothed her sweater over her hips. “Ready to have dinner and spend some time with Mr. T?”
Rudy hopped off the bed and yawned. “Try to make it an early night. I need my beauty sleep.” He skittered in front of her and rested his front paws on her knees. “I just thought of something. Maybe you should take me to the groomer for tomorrow night, too. You never know who we might meet at the shindig. The last thing I need is Georgette complaining about my looks.”
Always amazed at the way she and her yorkiepoo tied into each other, she said, “I’m sure it’s too late to get a grooming appointment, but don’t worry. I’ll give you a good brushing and trim you up a little. That should do the trick.”
“Ah, not so fast with the scissors. I’m not sure I want you anywhere near me with the latest in murder weapons.”
“Dinner’s on the table,” yelled Vivian before Ellie could answer. “Hurry it up.”
“We’ll discuss your concerns later. Now come on. Viv says she’s celebrating. I can’t wait to find out what’s up.”
They walked into the kitchen and she blinked. Candles burned on the table; her real dishes, not the paper plates she used when she and Viv shared a meal, sat on proper place mats; and wineglasses, not plastic cups, glistened.
“Wow, this looks great. Did you win the lottery?”
Viv brought white take-out containers to the table using potholders, a definite sign that the meal was hot and ready to eat. “Not the lottery, but it’s good. I won’t know for sure for about a month.” She sat down and poured champagne in their glasses.
“Give me a second to make Rudy’s dinner.” Ellie aimed for the pantry and took out her boy’s dry food and dish. “Does Mr. T want a nibble?”
“Darn straight I do,” said the Jack Russell from his seat on Rudy’s fluff mat.
“I already fed him, but I’m sure he’d eat something,” Viv replied without hearing her dog’s comment.
Ellie grabbed the can of Grammy’s Pot Pie from the fridge, added two tablespoons of it to the dry food, and made an extra half portion of Rudy’s gourmet dinner. She parceled out the meal and set their plates on the floor side by side. Twink and her boy were never aggressive about their food. They knew they’d get fed plenty of whatever they needed.
Once the dogs began to eat, she sat and shook out her cloth napkin. “Before we talk about your good fortune, I have to ask: Where’s your current squeeze?”
“Dr. Dave’s at some seminar on difficult canine-labor situations. Apparently there are some small breeds that have to be delivered by a vet. He wants to cover all the bases with the dogs he cares for.”
“Have you already told him your big news?”
“I did, and he knows I’m celebrating with you. He’s taking me to a fancy restaurant for dinner tomorrow night.” Viv raised her champagne-filled glass. “Now here’s to me.”
“First tell me—what are we celebrating?”
“I got a promotion. A big promotion.”
“Then congratulations are in order.” They touched glasses and sipped the bubbly. “Now, dish. What’s the job?”
Viv scooped a serving of the seafood Alfredo on her plate, then helped herself to the salad. “So you know I’m a securities research analyst?”
“Well, I know you do something with finances at Harrison Amero, but I’ve never quite understood what.” Ellie served herself the Alfredo and salad. “It sounds confusing.”
“It’s not if you know what you’re doing,” Viv answered, chewing her pasta. After swallowing, she added, “Since H and A is a global bank, more than cash is involved. In my new position, I’ll be a trader.”
“Well, that certainly tells me a lot,” said Ellie. She took another slug of champagne. “Let’s get to something I can understand. How much was the raise?”
Viv grinned. “That’s the good part. My base is two hundred thousand, but I could make more. It all depends on how well I carry out the role.”
Ellie gulped down the mouthful of salad she was chewing. “Good grief, Viv. That’s like a—a—twenty-five percent raise.”
“You betcha it is. And I’m worth it.”
They continued discussing Viv’s plans, including a spa vacation to somewhere warm and a splurge at her latest favorite online site for shopping.
Ellie cleared the table and headed for the fridge while her friend finished off the bottle of champagne. “Ready for some Caramel Cone, or are you stuffed?”
“I’m stuffed, but I’ll take a couple of spoonfuls.”
She retrieved their used cartons from the freezer and passed Viv hers. Sitting down, Ellie scooped up a spoonful of the creamy caramel-and-chocolate treat. “So, when exactly do you start this new position?”
“Bright and early Monday morning. I can’t begin to tell you how grateful I am that you’ve been walking Mr. T for free all this time. Now that I got this huge raise, I can afford to pay you, so give me a number and I’ll write you a check tonight.”
Ellie opened and closed her mouth. “Vivian, we’re friends. I’d bring T with Rudy even if I wasn’t a professional walker. It’s no problem taking him along and—”
“Yeah, yeah, I get it. You’re my best friend, too, but I don’t want to take advantage of you.”
“Now you’re being ridiculous. Taking advantage is what best friends do.” Ellie got teary-eyed. “I don’t have a sister, but if I could choose one, she’d be you.” She sniffed and dabbed her nose with the napkin. “Now look what you’ve done.”
“Hey, stop, okay.” Vivian sniffed, too, then wiped away a tear. “I feel the same.”
Ellie retrieved a couple of tissues from a box on the counter, passed one to Viv, and blew her own nose. “Speaking of sisters, have you heard anything more from Arlene?”
“Just this morning. She picked a wedding date for this July, and I’m invited to the house. It�
�s supposed to be a huge deal, but I’m not sure I want to go.”
“You’re not sure you want to go to a huge deal in the Hamptons? Are you kidding? The way I understand it, that’s the place to be in the summer. Mingling with stars, going to parties, sunning on the beach . . . I thought it was the dream of all the society wannabes of Manhattan.”
“So I’ve heard, but—” Viv took a last spoon of ice cream, capped the carton, and snapped her fingers. “I know how I can repay you for walking Mr. T. Be my plus one at my sister’s wedding.”
Ellie gulped. “Me?”
“I know you’ve been there with Georgette.”
“But what about Dr. Dave? Shouldn’t he be your plus one?”
“Things got settled today. Dave is already scheduled to go to some big conference in San Diego. He wanted to take me along, but I’d already talked to Arlene so . . . Where did you go when you went with your mom?”
“I have no idea. It was years ago. And she hasn’t been since she met Stanley. Now that they’re married and he’s in a wheelchair . . . Are you sure I’d be welcome?”
“According to my ditzy sister, every friend and family member she has will be there, and their dogs, too. I doubt she’ll even know you’re in the house.”
“In her house?”
“Yes, hers. It’s the one she and Myron lived in most of the time, and the only one she kept after he died. The summer cottage has five bedrooms and six bathrooms, a two-story guesthouse, and a fabulous view of the Atlantic.”
Viv stopped to take a breath, then went on. “She said I can bring a plus one, and since I can’t bring Dave, my plus one will be you. T and Rudy can come too. They’ll have a ball.”
“Viv, I—”
“If you don’t want to stay with sis, she’s putting the overflow up at Montauk Manor. It’s a beautiful Tudorstyle hotel with a fabulous spa on the premises. And they’re dog-friendly, too.” She put her hands together in prayer. “Please say you’ll come with. It’ll be my treat.”
“But I don’t have anyone to take over walking my charges.”