by Megan Ryder
Her words flew out of her in a torrent, like a tsunami, as if staving off his objectives but she had to stop for a breath and his thunderous expression quelled the remainder of her thought. “More dogs in my house? Didn’t you hear what I said? I can’t have any more chewing, pooping, peeing, and anything else in this house. What do you do on other jobs?”
She shrugged, a tiny apologetic movement. “Most of my clients know me and my dogs and don’t care. I never bring my dogs if there would be conflict. But, right now, all of my fosters are full and I have nowhere to leave Carl. It’s only one dog.”
Dylan closed his eyes and counted to ten, then twenty, then fifty for good measure. Slowly he opened them to see her glaring at him, tapping her foot. She was irritated at him when she had sprung another dog on him? The nerve of her.
“When were going to tell me about your other house guests?” He was proud that his voice was even and calm when inside he wanted to rage. Her expression turned uncertain. “You weren’t going to.”
“I was. I just needed to find the right time.”
He turned away and ran his fingers through his hair. “I don’t think this is going to work out.” Sadie whined and laid across his feet, sensing his mood.
Savannah took a step in the door. “What are you going to do? You can’t dump her at the shelter and you can’t leave her here and, trust me, you won’t find a dog sitter at this late date.” She laid a hand on his arm. “Look, I screwed up okay. But you caught me off guard last night. It was late and I was tired. But I’m really good at what I do and I would never put Sadie or your house at risk. I’ll give you references that you can call if you want. I may not be the best at working with people but I’m damned good with dogs.”
He looked at her, studied her for a long moment. Not many women would climb out of bed at midnight and go to a stranger’s house just because he called with a canine emergency. Honestly, eating a couch probably didn’t even rank as a priority yet she had done it. No questions asked. And she didn’t complain, argue, or even laugh at him. He really had to get going and he knew he’d never abandon Sadie, at least not right now.
“Damn it.”
Savannah smiled, a radiant smile that brightened up the whole hallway. “You won’t regret it. Now, let’s get her some place safe so we can both get moving on our day. I’ll be back in one hour. Promise. Say goodbye to daddy.”
“I’m not daddy.”
“Did she sleep with you last night?” He couldn’t meet her eyes and she laughed. “Yup, you’re daddy. Give her a kiss and say bye-bye! And don’t forget to call!”
Within moments, he found himself in his car, driving toward the stadium. Damn, if that woman was half as good at running her rescue, she’d have all the dogs in the county in homes within the month. Too bad she could barely get out of her own way.
Chapter Five
Savannah watched Dylan drive away, her own dogs barking at the retreating vehicle, and sighed. When would she learn to think before jumping in and volunteering to help, especially when a dog was involved? The little gray dog crouched at her feet, head hanging as she stared out into the open front yard, not even trying to bolt for freedom.
“Well, at least you’re not an escape artist, although I think that’s probably because you’re more afraid of the big world than you are eager to leave this cozy new home you have.” She planted her fists on her hips and cocked her head at the dog, who mimicked her actions, looking up at Savannah. “So, you hate your crate, huh? I can’t leave you loose in the house, especially not this pristine showroom home. Your daddy would kill me. Good thing for you, I have a special treat all prepared.”
She pulled a hard rubber toy out of her pocket and waved it in front of Sadie, the scent of peanut butter and dog treats that were stuffed inside the toy immediately capturing the dog’s attention.
Savannah smiled. “Oh, yes, the king of all dog toys. Let’s see how you do with this to keep you busy.”
She led the dog down the hall, scanning the immaculate house as she wandered toward the kitchen. She always loved her first experience in new people’s homes, seeing how they lived. Homes told her so much about the owners, even without snooping, and she prided herself on not having to go through drawers and personal effects to tell the kind of people who owned the dogs she took care of. Dylan was definitely not the bachelor she had expected, definitely not the usual single man she was accustomed to working with.
The couch stuffing had been completely cleaned up and, judging by the state of carpet, he had even vacuumed. The couch remained in the living room, hole and all, and Savannah laughed. That white furniture and carpeting wouldn’t last long with dogs and mud in the south. She made a mental note to find sheets and blankets to cover the furniture until Dylan came back. Everything looked too perfect, too unused, for it to be anything but a showroom home. No wonder he had been so upset last night.
She headed for the kitchen, steeling herself for the truth behind the perfection she had seen so far and she was disappointed. The stainless steel appliances gleamed in the morning sun, almost polished and free of fingerprints. The granite counter tops were clear of clutter, except a couple of appliances that were necessary for life – the coffee maker, microwave. She peered inside the coffee pot and it was spotless, the coffee pod tossed from the slot, the water in the reservoir the only indication that it was even used.
Mental note. Clean up after yourself, Savannah. Dylan Prosser is a clean freak. And Savannah couldn’t be anything further from that. Not that she was messy, just that she had dogs, and a busy life. More important things to do than polish the inside of the microwave. Damn, this guy was almost OCD.
She glanced at Sadie. “You’d better shape up, missy. Your daddy won’t handle your messes for long.”
Sadie sighed, a heavy sound as if agreeing with Savannah, and licked her lips, still eying the treat in Savannah’s hand.
“Right, crate time.” She walked over to the corner in the kitchen and gestured with the toy into the metal cage. Sadie hung her head and whined a little. “Sorry, girl. This place is a freakin’ museum. You need to go in here until you’re trained. Now, come on and I’ll give you something extra special.”
Heaving that sound once again, Sadie slowly, grudgingly walked into the metal crate, as if weights held down each and every paw. Finally, she laid down on the blankets, eyes fixed on Savannah’s hand. She laid the treat down and Sadie licked it tentatively, then with more vigor, as the taste of the peanut butter and treats flooded her mouth.
“That should keep you busy while I head to the adoption event and pick up the new pups. See you soon, Sadie.”
She scanned the almost sterile kitchen for a radio then headed for the living room and turned on the television. Thank God he only had one remote for that. At least Sadie would have some noise while Savannah ran her errands.
Now, back to her day job.
Savannah pulled up outside the Pawsitive Pet Supply store to see the tents and tables already set up for the adoption event. She parked and got out of the car and held up her hands before her partner and treasurer for the rescue could speak.
“I know, Colleen. I’m late. I’m sorry. I had this emergency.”
The shorter woman brushed her curly brown hair out of her face and sighed. “Tell me you didn’t rescue another dog. Our finances are strained enough as it is.”
Savannah grimaced. “No, well, not exactly. I’m pulling a couple dogs from the pound later today but”—she held up a finger before the other woman could interrupt—“I’m sending these four up north with Ray and Barb. And, I almost took another dog but I convinced the guy who was turning her over to the pound to keep her.”
Colleen arched her brow, unimpressed. “And what’s the catch?”
Savannah turned and busied herself with the paperwork in the front seat of the car. Colleen leaned against the side of the car, arms folded across her chest. “Savannah. What did you promise?”
She sighed and hiked her
hip against the car. “You should have seen this dog. She clearly had been abandoned, maybe was even a bait dog. And she chose this guy. The only person she would trust. I mean, she cowered under his legs, would only take treats from him. He was her human.”
“A guy, huh?” A teasing note entered Colleen’s voice.
“It’s not like that.” Savannah dismissed Colleen’s implications with a wave of her hand. “I just offered to help with the dog. Some training, house sitting, the usual.”
Colleen studied her for a long moment, and Savannah squirmed under the weight of her judgment. Colleen had known her for far too long to believe anything she’d said and she always read far more into everything. Ever since that first day of high school when Savannah’s mother had moved them yet again and Savannah had known no one at all, Colleen had seen beneath the sneer and the attitude that Savannah had worn like armor. She sat next to her in homeroom and insisted on talking to her every day until finally Savannah gave in and answered her. They became fast friends that year and Savannah dreaded the day when her mother would find a new boyfriend, or get the urge to move again, and transplant them to a new town somewhere more exciting, a few steps ahead of creditors. Instead, when that day had arrived during her sophomore year, Savannah had put her foot down, insisting that she was staying. Her younger sister had sided with her, unwilling to leave her friends and boyfriend too. Mom had caved for the first time, probably because Savannah dealt with the bills and financial worries. So, she had a couple of years of a solid home. Once she and her sister turned eighteen, mom headed out for parts unknown and Colleen held Savannah as she cried for a childhood that she never really had.
Together, they had found a shared love of animals in their junior year when they had to work on a charity project for school. It was then they developed their plans for Soul Paws Rescue. From that day forward, they had focused their efforts on building their rescue. Colleen loved numbers and learned about accounting and finances, working eventually for her husband’s contracting company. Savannah became the heart of Soul Paws, the face, the passion behind the movement, and the dog whisperer of the group, focused on training, behavioral evaluations, and building connections with other rescues. Nothing had distracted Savannah from her goal.
“Vannie? Who is this guy?” Colleen’s voice broke in. “Is he single?”
Savannah groaned. “Give me a break. I don’t have time for dating.”
Colleen hooted. “So, he is single and cute. Look, honey. Not all men are like Mark, your douche of an ex. Besides, it’s been two years. I say have some fun and get a little sexy time before you forget what your lady parts are for. What’s his name?”
She sighed, giving up on her sorting of paperwork. “Dylan. Dylan Prosser.”
Colleen’s brow furrowed. “I’ve heard that name before. Jon’s mentioned it.”
Savannah grinned. “Have you been married so long that you don’t even listen to him anymore?”
She snapped her fingers. “Wait. He plays for the Knights. Baseball.” An admiring look entered her eyes. “Damn, girl. When you break your fast, you go big. Nice job. He’s hot.”
Heat flashed across her face as she remembered his deep, sexy voice on the phone the night before, the way he stroked Sadie’s soft head, his dark eyes and lean body that made Savannah think of bed and woke up long dormant feelings that she had thought she had suppressed. Collen laughed, a low, knowing sound and Savannah scowled, shaking her head to dispel the blush on her cheeks.
“I don’t have time for dating right now. I have my dogs. They keep me company.”
“Who said anything about dating? And, honey, if you don’t know what to do with a man, then it’s been too long.” Colleen gave her a gentle nudge with her shoulders. “What’s this about new dogs?”
Savannah quickly outlined the case of the new dogs she had evaluated at the pound while Colleen did what she did best – analyzed their finances in her head. Finally, she nodded. “I think you should let these dogs go to one of our other fosters. Right now, we have other things to worry about. You’re our president. If we want to expand and grow, you can’t be working with the individual dogs. You need to be getting us sponsors, building our rescue. Let the fosters do what they do best.”
Savannah’s mouth opened and closed a couple of times during Colleen’s speech. Finally, she shook her head. “We have too many dogs we need to save. We’re all about dogs. I can’t turn my back on them.”
“Who said anything about that? I’m saying you need to stop being an individual contributor and become the president of the organization. You need to lead us, use your passion to help us grow, to make us into the organization we always wanted. We have the places for the dogs. What was your vision?”
Savannah sagged onto the front seat, staring out onto the hot parking lot, not seeing the pavement but seeing something else deep inside her mind. “I wanted to give these rescue dogs a new life, a second chance at opportunities like therapy dogs, police dogs, and other options. A training facility, day care, boarding. Full service dog center.”
Colleen laid a hand on her arm. “We can have that, but not if you keep working one on one with each dog. We have a great network. Now for phase two.”
Savannah bit her lower lip. “What if I can’t do it? What if I screw it up?”
“Just asking that question tells me you won’t. Show them your passion and they’ll follow. Find us the sponsors, Savannah.” She nudged her. “And maybe consider taking a little time for yourself and getting a little nookie.”
Savannah blushed. “We have potential adopters. Come on.”
But Colleen’s words lingered, generated a slow burn deep inside that lingered when she slept in Dylan Prosser’s bed over the next seven days, thinking about him, wondering about him.
Chapter Six
Dylan stretched out in the locker room and studied the pitching report on his tablet. He liked the video room but having the data right at his fingertips made for an easier time to review data on upcoming games – pitchers, hitters, scouting reports. Ever since Lucas Wainright had taken over as president, they’d expanded the scouting staff and the data analysis team, so he was flooded with almost more data than he could handle on a daily basis.
A hand clapped him on the shoulder and he glanced up as Alex Rasmussen, that evening’s pitcher, dropped heavily into the chair next to him. “Getting an early start, Professor?”
Dylan nodded. “Reviewing an updated scouting report. Last time we were in California, half their team was on the DL. They’re back and making a serious run at the division title. They won’t be as easy to get out.”
An alert pinged on his tablet and he absently clicked the notification, not checking the sender. A picture of Sadie filled the tablet screen. She was stretched out across his bed, half resting on his pillow, with what looked like a smile on her face. He didn’t know dogs could smile. Alex leaned over, crowding Dylan against the chair.
“Wow, I didn’t know you got a dog. Is that a pit? I have one too!” He dug out his phone and thumbed through pictures, finally holding out a picture of a black and white dog that looked like a much bigger version of Sadie.
Dylan peered closer. “Is that your kid?”
Alex glanced at the phone. “Nah, that’s my niece. Thor is a big goofball. She can climb all over him and he doesn’t care. In fact, he’s totally protective of her, follows her around everywhere when she visits. Of course, that could be the food she drops behind her wherever she goes.”
Dylan smiled politely and tapped the screen to minimize the picture. Instead, another picture displayed, this time with Savannah hugging Sadie, the selfie showing her in another one of her rescue t-shirts with Sadie pressed right to her chest.
“Hey, Dylan got himself a girl and a dog. I didn’t know you had it in you, man.” Cody leaned in and whistled. “She’s hot, dude. Nice.”
Dylan growled and minimized the image, not wanting Cody looking at Savannah or even talking about her. He glared
up at the younger kid. “You joining us for our hitters’ review?”
Cody snorted. “Nah, I’m not pitching this series. I’m going to work out. Although I wouldn’t mind working out with her. Can I have another look to keep me going?”
Dylan surged to his feet but Alex jumped up in between them, hand on Dylan’s chest. “Patterson, hit the weights and shut up.” Alex stayed between the men until Cody strode off, laughing. Finally, he sat back down. “He’s a stupid kid, trying to get a rise out of you. And you fall for it every time. When are you going to learn?”
“Me? He’s got to take this more seriously. He’s screwing around, showing up late, not attending pitching meetings.”
“Why do you care? He’s not pitching this series so he won’t be pitching unless every pitcher in the pen goes down and we need him for long relief. Which is unlikely.”
Loud rap music erupted from the weight room. “He could learn from these sessions, become a better pitcher.”
Alex stared down the locker room into the workout room. “You’re a solid catcher. I trust you behind the plate. But he’s the future. You need to find a way to work with him. You guys are out of sync and I think Cody could use your expertise.” He shook his head. “You’ll figure it out. Anyway, tell me. When did you get a dog and who’s the girl?”
Dylan sighed and laid the tablet down on his lap. “She was abandoned by my house. I tried to bring her to the shelter.”
“You can’t do that, man. She wouldn’t have a chance there.” Another player, second baseman Nick Backus came up behind them. “They have a lot of abandoned dogs in the south. They just can’t keep them all.”
“And she looks like a pittie,” Alex said.
He grabbed Dylan’s tablet and showed the picture to the other man. A few other guys crowded around.