Life on the Leash

by Victoria Schade

  “I’m breaking some rules doing this, but you’re my dude, Eli. I trust you.” Teddy handed over the key, and Cora gave him her widest smile. He pointed at Cora. “Watch this one. She looks like trouble.”

  “Oh, I won’t take my eyes off her, trust me,” Eli said as they headed across the lobby to the elevator.

  “Thank you so much for doing this,” Cora said once the doors closed behind them. “I totally would’ve taken Chanel, but my roommate, Maggie, just adopted our foster dog, and three dogs would be a one-way ticket to eviction-ville.”

  “You foster! That’s so awesome. I always wanted to try that.”

  “Well, you sort of are right now.” Cora decided to work the back door approach with Eli. “Chanel can hang with you for a bit while I try to find her a forever home. I’ll be quick, I promise.”

  “Yeah, okay. Makes sense.”

  “That is, unless you fall in love with her.”

  He looked directly into Cora’s eyes and paused. “That could happen.”

  The elevator chimed their floor. They stepped into the hallway and instead of keening wails, Cora heard nothing. She looked at Eli with wide eyes.

  “Yeah, I know,” he replied, reading her thoughts. “It’s eerie. Chanel has been completely silent all day. I hope she’s okay.”

  Cora fumbled with the lock on the doorknob and still heard nothing from inside the apartment. “I’m sort of freaking out that it’s so quiet in there. And I can’t open this damn . . . door . . .” Cora grew frustrated and jiggled the knob helplessly.

  “Please, let me do it.” Eli slid the key in the lock effortlessly and then turned the knob. “After you.”

  Cora flipped the light switch by the door and was shocked that the piles had multiplied in the week since she’d last been there. The apartment smelled of spoiled food, urine, and unwashed dog. Cora could only imagine how horrified Beth Ann’s parents must have been to discover their daughter living in such squalor.

  “Oh wow, this is really bad. Worse than I imagined,” Eli said, stepping in gingerly.

  “I know, it’s awful. I’m mad at myself that I didn’t do more to help her.”

  “Don’t blame yourself, Cora. You’re her dog trainer, not her therapist.”

  “Yeah, but I saw how it was in here, and how unbalanced Beth Ann seemed, and I couldn’t change it.”

  Eli turned to face her. “Okay, so what could you have done? Report Beth Ann to Animal Control? Get her committed? It’s not like you had a ton of options.”

  “I know, but maybe if I’d been, like . . . a friend, or something. Maybe she would’ve reached out to me before things got too bad?”

  “From what I know about Beth Ann, being her friend wouldn’t be easy. She’s a little kooky. Obviously.” He gestured to the filthy apartment.

  Cora frowned. “I just feel like I should’ve helped her more.”

  “Well, now you can help Chanel,” Eli said with finality. “Where is our stinky little friend?”

  The pair worked their way through the rooms, weaving through the boxes and dirty plates, calling out to Chanel.

  “This is unlike her, she always comes running to the door when I show up. How are we going to find her in this mess?”

  “She’s right here,” Eli called out.

  Cora walked to where he was standing. Chanel was wedged beneath the couch with her back foot sticking out. “She really knows how to disappear, huh?” He knelt down. “Hey, little alien. Will you come out?” He touched her paw, and it disappeared beneath the couch. “Crap. Now what? Want me to lift the couch?”

  “No, no, let’s wait a bit. She’ll come out in her own time. I don’t want to traumatize her any more. Do you mind?”

  “Of course not. My next twenty-four hours are dedicated to her. I even took tomorrow off.”

  “Are you serious? That’s amazing, Eli, thank you.”

  He sat down on a barstool next to her. “She’s had a rough life so far, and I want to do what I can to make it better.”

  Cora watched him out of the corner of her eye. Eli seemed truly worried about Chanel, and Cora was touched that he was so invested in the pathetic dog. His gaze remained fixed on the bottom of the couch, as if willing Chanel to appear. “Why is she hiding? She likes both of us.”

  “Yeah, but who knows what’s been going on in here for the past few days. Chanel seemed sensitive to Beth Ann’s moods, so if she was raging around the apartment it might have really freaked her out.”

  They sat together in silence, each contemplating what might have transpired, and the journey ahead.

  “Can I change her name? No self-respecting straight dude can hang with a toy poodle named Chanel.”

  Cora laughed in agreement. “Of course! It’s easy, just say her new name, then give her a treat when she looks at you. Do it a bunch of times. Then she’ll realize that when she hears the new name something good is going to happen. What are you going to call her?”

  “I like ‘Nell.’ Get it? Chanel, Nell?”

  “Perfect! And I think her forever family will probably like it, too.” Cora studied his face as he answered.

  “Take your time with Cha— I mean, Nell. She probably needs decompression time, right? What’s your roomie’s new dog’s name?”

  “Josie.” Cora showed him a photo that Abby had taken of the two of them at the shelter.

  “Pretty dog! And that’s a great photo of you. You’re really photogenic.”

  She blushed. “Nah, it’s just the reflected glory of the beautiful blonde next to me.”

  “Look.” Eli nodded toward the couch, and Cora could see Chanel’s nose peeking from under the skirt.

  “Hey, sweetheart! You okay? Do you want to come see us?” Cora moved to the floor and sat angled slightly away from where Chanel was hiding. The frightened dog crawled out slowly with her head low to the ground.

  “Look at her paw,” Eli said.

  Chanel’s front right paw was a tie-dyed rainbow of rusty red near her toes fading to a light pink farther up her leg.

  “Poor thing, she must have cut herself and then licked at it. No wonder she’s scared.”

  Chanel made her way over to Cora slowly, favoring her injured paw, and rolled onto her back so that her belly was exposed. Cora reached out to stroke the trembling dog and gently examined her paw.

  Eli watched the two of them. “Why is she acting like this? Where’s the wiggly dog I met outside? What the hell did Beth Ann do to her?” He sounded angry.

  “I really hope Beth Ann didn’t do anything to her. I think Chanel is reacting to what happened around her. Let’s CSI a little. Do you see broken glass anywhere? I’m guessing that she stepped in something and cut her foot.”

  Eli surveyed the apartment and walked into the small kitchenette. “Yup, there’s broken glass and blood all over the kitchen floor. There’s a lot of blood, actually. Are you sure her paw is okay?”

  Cora looked at the wound. “It’s a small cut, and it’s already clotted. It’s probably a mixture of her blood and Beth Ann’s.”

  “How gothic.”

  “Yeah, I really want to get out of this place. There is some bad juju in here. I hope your apartment is a little cheerier.”

  Eli walked over and placed a small bowl of water in front of the dog. She barely sniffed it and turned away. “Is Chan— I mean, Nell ready to head out?”

  Cora studied the trembling dog beside her. Nell was a shadow of the dog she had met a few weeks prior. Cora hoped that a change in scenery would bring some of her spunk back. “Yeah, I’d say she’s as good as she can get right now. Since she’s going to be hanging with you for a bit, can you run her outside for a potty break, and I’ll unpack the supplies at your place? I want her to get used to you.”

  “Yup, I’ll bring you down to my place and head out with her.”

  Eli reached down and gently picked Nell up. He tucked her beneath his chin and walked to the door whispering to her under his breath. Cora heard the words negative ener
gy and new start. She followed him down the hall silently, churchlike reverence feeling appropriate for the moment.

  “This is me.” Eli swung open the door to his apartment. “I’ll do the potty break, you can get her stuff ready.” Cora handed him a leash, and they nodded at each other.

  After spending time in Beth Ann’s dark cluttered apartment, Eli’s space felt like it was in a completely different building. How could these two apartments have the same square footage? Eli’s apartment was bright and sparsely furnished, with the ubiquitous single-guy futon, contemporary black halogen floor lamp, and a few framed concert posters on the wall. An oversize red Calder-type mobile dangled over the futon. Cora made her way to the metal bookshelf, eager to look at the framed photographs and check out his stacks of books, but she heard the elevator bell chime down the hall. She ran to her supply bag to unpack.

  “That was fast!” she said to Eli as he walked in. Nell trotted in beside him. “Look at her, she seems better already.”

  “Yup. She went out and peed and pooped right away and that seemed to help. So what kind of goodies did you bring for our poor little rich girl?”

  Cora held each item up like she was a spokesmodel on a game show. “Dog food! Bowls! A new unisex leash and collar! A bone! A squeaky toy! Treats! Shampoo! And last but not least, a comfy bed.”

  “That’s too much, Cora. You didn’t have to bring all of this stuff. What do I owe you?”

  “Not a thing. I get so many freebies when I go to dog trainer conferences, I didn’t have to pay for any of it. And the bed is a hand-me-down from my collection.” Cora placed the navy houndstooth bed on the ground, and Nell immediately walked over to check it out. “It’s the least I can do, considering how you stepped up to help her so quickly. And you even had plans tonight.” She raised her eyebrows to hint that she wanted to know more.

  “Oh, that.” Eli grimaced. “A second date–type thing I wasn’t excited about. You sort of saved me. Just for tonight, though. Moved it to tomorrow night.”

  Cora was surprised that she felt a pang.

  “I can’t thank you enough for doing this. Nell can’t thank you enough. You’re her hero.” They both looked down and discovered Nell nestled in the bed, looking up at them with a contented expression. “The next step is a makeover with my groomer friend, then I’ll take some photos of her, and we’ll start posting her online and around town. I think there’s a cute dog hidden under that mess, so she’ll probably find a home really fast. You won’t be put out for too long.”

  “Put out? Please, this is going to be great.” Eli plopped down beside Nell.

  “So . . . do you have any questions for me? Do you feel comfortable with everything?”

  “I got this! It’s me and Nell against the world.” He looked down at her. “After a bath, you little cesspool.”

  “Do you need help? With the bath?” Cora was enjoying watching the connection between Eli and Nell and didn’t want to leave.

  “I think we’re good. I don’t want to keep you any longer . . .”

  “Well, Beth Ann paid for five lessons and since my student now lives with you—temporarily—I’d be happy to do the final two lessons with you guys if you want.”

  “That would be great, thank you. We’ll just take the next few days to acclimate and then I’ll give you a call to set something up.” Was Eli trying to get rid of her?

  “Sure, that works. So . . . I’ll just . . . head out, I guess?”

  Eli looked up at Cora. “Hey, we make a darn good rescue team. Did you ever think this would happen?”

  “I wished her out of that dungeon, and look at her now, living large. Just keep me posted if you need anything.”

  “You got it. See ya soon.” Eli nodded at Cora and went back to petting Nell.

  She was used to getting lost in the shuffle, with clients celebrating a new puppy or welcoming home a lucky rescue dog. She knew how to slip out quietly in order to let the bonding continue unimpeded. But this time felt different. Eli and she had just done something momentous together, and she wanted to hang out with him and chart the nuances of Nell’s new life. She wanted to answer all of the questions she was sure he had and impress him with her knowledge.

  But maybe he was going to invite his date over to meet Nell. Maybe the two of them would give her a bath and end up adorably covered in suds like in a corny but adorable Hallmark movie. Maybe they would sit hip-to-hip on the couch with the little dog nestled on their laps. Maybe Eli would lean over and kiss the girl, marveling at how perfect his life seemed in that moment.

  And that was fine.

  Because Eli was her friend.

  Yes, he’s a friend, Cora thought as she walked down the hall, nodding her head for emphasis. A very good friend.

  THIRTY-TWO

  * * *

  Cora arrived at Toya ten minutes late. She’d read about the glittery Asian-fusion restaurant but had never had an occasion to go. Charlie and Madison were probably regulars. She pulled at the front of her top as she neared the door, worried that it was inappropriate for whatever was going on with Charlie. He had texted earlier in the day to set up a quick “conversation” with her sans Oliver, and even though Cora knew that she needed to keep the meeting professional, the dimly lit restaurant Charlie had selected suggested otherwise.

  He had never seen her in anything but her dog training uniform, and she wanted to make sure that she looked amazing, but not so amazing that it was obvious that she was trying. She settled on a loose-fitting black peasant top that left her shoulders exposed. Just enough skin to make him look twice. She paired the top with her favorite slim-fitting jeans that made her legs look extra long, one of Maggie’s expensive buttery leather belts from Saks, and a pair of black wedge sandals. She caught a glimpse of her reflection as she walked into the restaurant and nodded, as if to confirm that the attractive woman she saw staring back was actually her.

  Charlie was already at the bar when Cora arrived, chatting with the bartender. His eyes widened when he saw her walking over.

  “Wow, Cora,” he exclaimed, “is that you?”

  “What, do I look that different in my uniform?” she asked playfully.

  “No, I mean, yes? How do I answer that without getting myself in trouble?”

  Charlie seemed flustered, and Cora enjoyed feeling like she had the upper hand for a change. She welcomed the power coursing through her body as she sat down next to him. She was testing Charlie and grading his every move.

  The bartender leaned over and broke the tension. “What can I get for you?”

  “I want something ridiculous. How about a silly mixed drink?”

  The bartender nodded. “I’ve got just the thing.”

  Cora turned to Charlie. “So what’s going on?”

  “Nothing huge, I just wanted to talk to you before the gala. Like, really talk to you and not have to worry about Oliver interruptions.”

  “Um-hm,” Cora said. “So what would you like to talk about?” She knew exactly what he wanted to talk about.

  “Well . . .” He paused. “The last time I saw you, for starters. In my bedroom.”

  “What’s left to say about that? I apologized, and we moved on. We’re back to a friendly professional relationship, right?”

  The bartender leaned over and held out a pink drink in a martini glass before Charlie could answer. “Your ‘Blushing Lady.’ ”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” she said as she took the drink. “Is it that obvious?”

  The bartender looked at her questioningly, and Charlie put his hand on Cora’s shoulder and explained, “She blushes. A lot.”

  “You noticed it?” Cora sputtered at Charlie.

  “Jesus, Cora, how could I not? You were practically neon the first time I met you. And if it wasn’t so dark the last time, I probably would’ve seen it then, too. Am I right?”

  She paused and looked in his eyes. “Actually, no. I wasn’t blushing at all.”

  “I bet I can make you
blush right now.”

  “Go for it.”

  He leaned in close, put his hand on her knee, and whispered in her ear, “I was rock hard for hours after you left.”

  Cora jerked away and cupped her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide.

  “Excuse me, sir?” Charlie called out to the bartender. “Can you come over here? Look at her, please. Is she blushing?”

  He walked over and scrutinized Cora’s face. “She is, without a doubt. Bright pink, all around here.” He gestured to her cheeks.

  “And right here, too,” Charlie said as he ran his finger along the side of her neck. Cora shivered, and the bartender turned abruptly, aware that his discretion could impact his tip. She leaned away from Charlie, trying to put space between them, even though their thighs remained touching.

  Charlie picked up where he’d left off. “I’m serious. That was, like, the best first kiss I’ve ever had. But it’s complicated, Cora, you have to know that. I mean, the whole Madison thing . . .” He trailed off.

  “Yeah, tell me about that.” Cora sounded bitter and wondered if she had broken the spell.

  “I don’t know what to say. I mean, I’m in a long-term relationship with her, and it’s been pretty great but . . .”

  Cora’s heart stopped. Pretty great? Fail.

  “But what?”

  “But . . . I have real feelings for you, too. I tried to ignore them but I can’t.”

  For the second time in just five minutes, Cora felt her cheeks get hot.

  “I want to explore this with you, Cora.” He reached out and placed his hand on top of hers. “I hope you do, too.”

  Is this really happening? she asked herself.

  “I do,” she said quietly, avoiding meeting his eyes. “I thought that was pretty obvious.”

  Charlie cleared his throat. “But I want to lay it out for you. I’m not one hundred percent ready to end it with Madison. She’s been gone for a month, I can’t dump her the second she gets home.”

  Cora narrowed her eyes. Fail.

  “So anything that happens between us has to stay quiet for now. I’ll end it with Madison when the time is right, but I can’t do it now, okay?” He smiled winningly at her and placed his hand on her knee.