Cupid to the Rescue: A Tail-Wagging Valentine's Day Anthology

by Lisa Mondello

  She took another sip of wine and then drained the glass quickly. All those comments from past boyfriends finally made sense.

  Jett’s eyebrows drew together. “You’re not working tomorrow?”

  “I will be working at home. I still have a lot to do on that proposal for a very large property acquisition.”

  “Better take it easy or you’ll have one hell of a hangover in the morning.”

  Her lips twisted into a grin that suddenly felt too exaggerated. “Nice of you to worry about me.”

  As amusement stretched across his face, and he got up from the floor. When she did the same, she stumbled. But he caught her by the arm before she fell toward the fireplace.

  “It’s a good thing there isn’t a roaring fire in there,” he said, his voice silky sexy and low, making her head spin.

  “It’s gas.”

  His eyes widened.

  “I mean the fireplace. Not, you know…gas. It’s a gas fireplace. I never put it up so high that the flame is roaring because it scares me and I’m afraid the condo is going to blow up and then I’d be a wreck and… It’s just…never mind.”

  “Ah. I thought you were blaming something on Cupid again.”

  His warm blue eyes melted her as much as a hot flame would. But then she remembered the conversation.

  “Cupid? Oh, you mean the dog.”

  Heat seared her cheeks far more than any fire from the fireplace could have. What was she thinking? She couldn’t handle wine. She never drank these days. And her reasons went way back to college when she and Lacey had landed in jail and had to call their Goddess friends to bail them out.

  She turned away and glanced at Cupid, who was still rolled over on her back with her legs spread-eagle, her favorite position. Tana had a gorgeous man in her condo and did he really think she’d just passed gas and was blaming it on the dog?

  “Don’t you laugh at me,” she said quietly to Cupid, who wagged her tail in response.

  When she turned around, Jett wrapped his arm around her waist to steady her.

  “I want to kiss you again,” he said.

  She drew in a deep breath. “I want that too. But there is something I want to say and I hope it comes out right.”

  “Can you wait until after we kiss?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  His eyebrows narrowed as he released her. “Okay. What is it?”

  She was about to reach for her wine glass to take a sip for courage, but her glass was empty and she’d already had more than enough wine.

  “I like you. And I think this may be one of those ‘you know’ moments.”

  A smile stretched across his face. “I’m glad you see it that way.”

  “But I know a bit about myself. I’m wondering how you’re going to feel about me…when I give Cupid back to the shelter.”

  His shoulders sagged just a little, but it spoke volumes of what that meant to him. Tana knew she was right to worry.

  “You see, I do love animals. But Cupid comes with a past just like Duke. Duke’s past was tragic and he came to you for all the right reasons. Cupid came to me for all the wrong reasons. I think in order for me to move forward in this relationship, if that is what we’re doing, then I need to completely cut ties with Art or that might spill over into us. And I don’t want that.”

  He nodded. “Art is in Milwaukee.”

  “But Cupid is here. I know it may sound crazy to you.”

  “It does.”

  “It’s just too…”

  “Complicated. Right. I forgot you don’t like that.”

  “I think it’s best I finish things with Cupid and then if you still want to see me…we can see where things go.”

  He drew in a deep breath that stretched his shirt against his broad chest. “I guess I should go,” Jett said, already backing away, phone in hand. “Duke is waiting for me.”

  The distance suddenly felt so extreme. It was probably the wine. Her head was swimming and thinking of things she’d been dreaming about for the past thirty minutes. Hell, she’d been dreaming about getting naked with this guy all day. But now he was retracting like a window shade hiding behind a curtain valance. She knew why. Damn, she knew she’d explain herself wrong. But she had to be honest. If they had taken the next step and Jett had spent the night, it would have been hard for her to fully cut ties with Art. Not with Cupid still here.

  “I can call for a ride for you,” she said.

  He lifted his cell phone. “I’ve got it covered. Thanks.”

  He turned his attention to his cell phone and started typing into the app. As she cleaned up the dishes from their picnic dinner on the floor, she kicked herself first for her lazy tongue and second for drinking so much wine. She was going to feel it in the morning, along with a whole lot of regret. It was a good thing she didn’t have to go into the office to finish this proposal. Aside from looking and feeling like roadkill, she didn’t want to see anyone.

  “I’ll wait outside by my sister’s building,” Jett said. He had the phone in one hand and the other on the doorknob, just as she’d imagined earlier.

  “You can wait here.”

  “The app has my sister’s address.”

  She nodded and tried to paste on a smile she didn’t feel. “Thank you for dinner.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  Jett opened the door and turned back. She remembered her vision earlier of him doing that very thing. But he didn’t come back for Cupid.

  “Just for the record, I think you’re wrong.”

  “About what?”

  “If you have to ask me, then you'll need to figure that one out.”

  Chasing Cupid: Chapter 5

  Her phone was beeping off the hook. Every time the damned thing pinged, it was like a sledgehammer to her head.

  With one eye pasted shut and the other barely open, Tana reached across her bed and grabbed the phone on the nightstand.

  “Does anyone actually expect me to read these texts?” she muttered.

  Cupid whined at the foot of her bed.

  “What time is it, Cupid?”

  The dog barked.

  Leaning in bed on her elbow, she struggled to focus on the time on her phone. It was nearly afternoon.

  She glanced at Cupid, who looked almost apologetic.

  “Oh, no,” she groaned. “Did you pee already?”

  Her cell phone rang and she practically jumped out of her skin as the sound shuddered through her. She pressed her thumb on the answer button and brought the phone to her ear.

  “Hello?”

  “You feel about as good as I do?”

  “Jett. Yeah, I’m pretty sure someone smashed my head last night like a watermelon.”

  “It was you.”

  “Yeah, I know.”

  “Did you mean what you said?”

  “What?” she rolled over on her side away from the light coming through the window. It made it easier to see Cupid who was now whining at the bedroom door.

  “Last night. What you said about getting rid of Cupid.”

  She thought back to last night. They’d had a wonderful time. He hadn’t kissed her when he left because…

  “Do you even remember what you said?”

  “Yes,” she said quietly.

  There was silence.

  “It’s your choice.”

  She rubbed her face with her other hand. “I know you don’t understand.”

  “No. I want to see you.”

  She sighed and played with the hem of the sheet. “Me, too. But I think I need to resolve things with Cupid first.”

  She heard his heavy sigh. “When are you taking Cupid to the shelter?”

  Cupid barked and assumed the position usually reserved for when she took the dog for a walk.

  “Monday, I think. Oh, Cupid, no! Jett, I have to go take Cupid out or I’m going to have a pond on my hardwood floors.”

  “Okay, go. But I think—”

  “I’ve got to go!”


  She hung up the phone and bolted out of bed. “Cupid, wait!”

  But it was too late. At least she had the good sense not to go on the rug.

  ♥ ♥ ♥

  “You told him what?” Trudy said, holding her cheeks with her hands.

  “Are you insane, girl?” Jade added. Jade’s attention was pulled away by Andre, who was yelling from the other room. Jade yelled back. “I told you she wouldn’t commit. Yes, she blew it.”

  “I didn’t blow it,” Tana argued, adjusting her laptop on the counter so she could finish making herself a cup of coffee. “And tell Andre he’s not part of this.”

  Koti sat at her kitchen table mixing something she was baking for Braden and just shook her head. “I wash my hands of you, Tana.”

  “No you don’t,” Monica said. “What exactly did you say to him?”

  “I held onto Cupid for two months longer than I should have. Why? Because I wasn’t cutting Art from my life. I realized that when I met Jett. If I keep Cupid, she will always be a reminder of Art and how pissed off I was when he left. I need… Cupid should be with someone who really loves her and doesn’t look at her as if she was dumped there. I’m not being fair to her.”

  “You don’t do that,” Jade said.

  Koti stopped stirring whatever she had in the mixing bowl. “Do you really do that to the dog?”

  “If you don’t want the dog, send her to me,” Trudy said.

  That idea was nixed by all of them. Except for Lacey, who was on a plane headed back to the States. Alone.

  “She’s not a care package,” Tana said, grabbing the coffee pot from the coffee maker even though it was only halfway brewed. She filled her mug and then pushed the carafe back in place, sloshing the coffee inside the glass. Then she placed the mug on the island where she had already put the cream and sugar containers.

  “You do know this is bullshit,” Monica said. “You are using Cupid as an excuse.”

  All the girls nodded and muttered their agreement.

  Tana moved the laptop to the island and slid into a stool.

  “You’re just scared,” Jade said. “This guy does it for you. I can tell by the way you talk about him. Have you slept with him yet?”

  “No.”

  “You haven’t?” Trudy asked.

  “What’s holding you back?” Monica asked.

  Koti turned her face and yelled, “Don’t listen to this conversation!” She made a face. “We’re not a bunch of old ladies!”

  “Did he really say that?” Jade asked.

  Monica laughed. “I told you to put that kid back up there.”

  Koti crinkled her nose. “Will you stop talking about my kid like he’s a tampon.”

  “Gross,” Trudy said, turning away in disgust.

  Tana picked up the stick and put it in front of the computer. “Focus.”

  They all went quiet. But she didn’t know what to say. Finally, Jade lifted her hand.

  “May I speak?”

  “Please.”

  “You know what you have to do. So just do it and be happy. Look, you know when it is right. Tana, I think he’s the one. So what are you waiting for? If you have to move on, then do it. It’s time.”

  “It is,” she said quietly. “I’ve got to go. I love you guys!”

  Koti and Monica blew kisses at the screen. Trudy and Jade did a whoop whoop with their fists. And then the screen went dark.

  ♥ ♥ ♥

  Jett had spent most of the week in a crabby mood, barking out little requests and getting the evil eye from his receptionist. He’d apologized, but there was no excuse. Even Duke knew something was up when Jett had an argument with the framers and insisted that a window was put in the wrong place. Jett had been wrong. Duke ran to the camper to get away from him.

  He didn’t know how she’d done it, but Tana had gotten under his skin. He’d gotten in the car several times over the last week wanting to go over and see her. She’d said she was going to bring Cupid back to the shelter last Monday.

  He didn’t know why he cared as much as he did. If she were just a random person telling him the story of a boyfriend who lied to a shelter about getting a dog, he would have told her the right thing to do was to return the dog so the shelter could find the right home. He’d even gone so far as calling a few shelters to see if a beagle had been surrendered within the last week. But Jett had no idea which animal shelter Tana’s ex had gotten the dog from. It wasn’t his place to interfere when Tana had made her decision.

  She’d gotten rid of the dog and still hadn’t called him.

  His mood hadn’t changed when the weekend came and he had a day off. Usually, he liked those few days to spend really giving Duke some attention that he didn’t get during the week when Jett was working. The framers were making progress on the house and they didn’t need him around to get in the middle of things, especially after his argument with them earlier in the week. After his walk with Duke, Jett put the dog in the camper with his food and a bowl of cool water and then got in his car. He needed some time alone to think. If Tana wasn’t going to call him, then so be it.

  She’d said she liked him. But as he drove, he realized he didn’t like her. He was falling for her. She may have been okay with giving up Cupid. But he wasn’t going to give up her without a fight.

  ♥ ♥ ♥

  Tana heard the doorbell ring and groaned. She was late paying the fine she’d gotten for Cupid and received a yellow note taped to her door as a warning that Mr. Baxter from Unit 25B would be stopping by to pick it up. She walked to the door, picking up the envelope she’d put her check and the note in last night after she’d gotten home from work.

  As she swung open the door she said, “Mr. Baxter, I’ll have you know Cupid’s vet said her weight is perfectly fine.”

  But it wasn’t Mr. Baxter.

  “Jett?”

  “Have I been replaced?” he asked, a look of panic clouding his normal confidence.

  “What?”

  “You said Cupid’s vet.”

  She stared at his face in the way she always was able to tell if he was playing with her. He wasn’t. Not this time.

  “What are you doing here?”

  He drew in a deep breath and stood at the door even though she stepped aside to let him in. “I wanted to give you space to finish your proposal and to deal with whatever it was you needed to deal with.”

  “I always have a new proposal.”

  “And Cupid? Has that been…dealt with?” he asked.

  She smiled. “Absolutely.”

  His shoulders sagged. “I see. Why didn’t you call?”

  “Because I wanted to give me and Cupid time to just be with each other.”

  A grin slowly bloomed on his lips. “Where is Cupid?”

  “In the other room. My friends are video chatting with her.”

  He laughed. “You have the dog video chatting with your friends?”

  “I had to introduce her to them. After all, she’s part of my Goddess Circle now.”

  Jett took a step inside. “She’s a good dog.”

  “I know.”

  “She has a beautiful soul.”

  “I know that, too.”

  “I thought…”

  She wanted to touch him, to throw her arms around him and tell him how she felt. But she also knew he needed to understand.

  “I kept thinking Cupid needed to be with the right person…people. A lot of what she, or we, went through was just growing pains, you know, like when you break in new shoes.”

  “You are comparing Cupid to shoes?”

  “Well, she is my dog. She’s always had a thing for my shoes.”

  “Your dog. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you refer to her that way.”

  “I know. When it came right down to it, I realized I kept her because I was the right person she chose to be with. I think that is why it was hard to give her up. When you know, you know.”

  His eyebrows stretched high on his forehead. “
You fell in love.”

  “Of course. I fell in love.”

  “Me, too,” he whispered.

  “Are you talking about my dog?”

  He swallowed hard before speaking. “I’m talking about you.”

  “But I thought you were cynical about love.”

  He brushed her hair away from her eyes. “I can be wrong, can’t I?’

  “I guess. It’s a character flaw.”

  He chuckled. “One that I am working very hard on changing.”

  She wrapped her arms around him and held him tight. “Don’t change that. Don’t change anything about you.”

  He held her tight. “You kept Cupid.” He said the words so lovingly as if they were words of passion and adoration. And maybe they were.

  She pulled back just enough to gaze up at his face. She saw only love. “She owns me. It was just like you said. It was never the other way around.”

  “It never is. Not with love.” He kissed her lips softly and then cupped her face with his hands just as he had the first time. “You own me, Montana Reeves. You have from the first moment Cupid flew into the pool to save me.”

  “Yeah?”

  “And she did, you know. She saved me.”

  “Me, too.”

  “You know, my house has a big back yard. There is plenty of room for Cupid to roam.”

  “I know that. I’ve been there, remember? Or did you forget that afternoon already?”

  “I haven’t forgotten anything. I think I tried to pretend that it hadn’t affected me as much as it did. But I can’t deny it. Tana, I fell in love with you. I don’t know when it happened that I knew for sure. But I know when it started.”

  “When was that?”

  “It was the moment you stood by the pool and Cupid sprayed you when she shook.”

  She shook her head and laughed. “I was a mess.”