by Harlow Layne
I could hear my phone’s ringtone going off in the distance. I had no idea where I dropped it when I fell and was dragged a few feet down the sidewalk. I was sure to have a huge bruise on my hip. I tried to stop the tears that had started to trail down my cheeks and tamp down my fears of being in charge of these dogs for the next week before taking them back to Kingston’s apartment. Swiping my face with the sleeve of my hoodie, I took a deep breath and prepared for battle.
“Sarah,” I called firmly as I pulled on her leash. She stopped fighting me but continued to bark incessantly. I held Jimmy and Orvy’s leashes in my left hand and Sarah’s in my right. I switched so I could hold hers in both hands. I needed all the strength I could get to hold her back from trying to cross the street and chase after that damn squirrel. Luckily, my dead weight had eventually stopped her, otherwise, I would have been sprawled out in the street and probably hit by a car.
My phone started ringing again. Tugging on the leashes, I turned in an attempt to start looking for my phone. It obviously wasn’t broken or it wouldn’t be ringing which was a plus. All three dogs had their noses to the ground sniffing. I only hoped it wasn’t to find any other rodents to chase. They seemed amenable to following behind me as I tracked my phone with Beyoncé belting out the lyrics to “Single Ladies.” I’d changed it from “Time After Time” right before I got in the elevator the other night and broke down. Kingston finding me had not been in my plans. I thought I’d been alone and free to finally let loose the tears I’d been holding back all day. I was wrong. Just like I was wrong about so many things in my life. Haider was my biggest mistake. I’d lost years of my life to him only to find out I’d been replaceable with a leggy redhead. My phone had been silent since I’d changed my ringtone except when Kingston called me earlier and now it only reminded me how I was now single and probably always would be. Although, right now, I was fine with that. I didn’t need a man in my life to be successful. I only needed myself.
The ringing stopped and my heart dropped. I was never going to be able to find my phone. It could be anywhere. Under a car, in the bushes, or hidden behind a bike tire. Then as if God was listening, the ringing started back up again. I’m not sure how I saw my screen light up with the bright sun shining down making it nearly impossible, but I saw it between a trash can and a newspaper stand. Dragging the dogs behind me, I fought to reach my phone before whoever it was that was calling hung up or the dogs started to drag me in another direction. Picking it up, I fought against the taut leashes to answer.
“Hello?” I hated the sound of my voice wavering, but I couldn’t hide the toll the dogs had taken on me. Well, not all the dogs just Sarah. She was now my nemesis. No treats for her this afternoon.
“Pria?” A deep baritone rang with worry. I pulled my phone away and looked down at the number again. It was one I didn’t recognize. “Pria, are you there?”
“Kingston? Is that you?” Who else sounded like Kingston Avery with that deep voice that usually sounded so cocky? No one, but why would he be worried about me? Maybe he was worried about the dogs. That had to be it.
“For fuck’s sake, Pria, who else would it be? We talked only a few minutes ago. How is it you didn’t recognize my voice or my number?”
“No one,” I sighed dejectedly. Tears stung the backs of my eyes at my realization. “I’m sorry, I didn’t recognize you. Things were a little crazy. Can I call you when I get back to your apartment?” There was no way I was going to be able to talk on the phone and walk the dogs back. And try not to cry because there was no way in hell he was going to see or hear me cry again.
“Are you okay?” The worry in his voice did funny things to me that I wasn’t sure if I liked.
“I don’t know. Nothing’s broken. At least I don’t think there is, but you put me in charge of a demon dog and she’ll probably kill me if I try to walk and talk at the same time.”
“Pria, I’m—” I cut him off. I could hear the apology in his voice, and it was the last thing I needed in that moment. I would have broken down and never would have made it back the half mile to his apartment. Either that or Sarah would have sensed my weakness and killed us all by pulling us into the street.
“Don’t. Please.” My chin quivered, and I hoped it was impossible to hear my weakness through the phone. “I’ll call you back once I get back and things are settled down. Is this the number I can reach you at?”
There was a long pause. I wasn’t sure if it was because he wanted to argue with me or if it was because he could hear the defeat in my voice. “This is my cell phone. You can reach me on it day or night.” He paused again. “Call me back.” That time it was a demand. I wasn’t sure if it was the command of him being my boss or if it was his personality. Either way, I’d call him. Eventually.
My right hip throbbed with each step I took making the trek back to the apartment slow going. Sarah had calmed down and was following beside me dutifully. Jimmy Chew kept looking up at me with his sweet little eyes. I wasn’t sure if he was checking to see if I was okay or if he wanted me to hold him. Even though he probably only weighed five pounds, I couldn’t hold him. There was no way I was going to keep myself vulnerable for Sarah to strike again.
What took us five minutes to walk before took close to forty-five minutes on the way back, I was walking so slow with my now bum hip. I was proud that I kept the situation under control and didn’t cry as I walked back with a huge hole in my leggings. I still got looks from all the people who passed me, but I didn’t care; I wouldn’t see them again after this week.
Stepping inside the apartment, I let out a sigh of relief. We made it. I dropped the leashes and headed into the kitchen for a bottle of water and to give the two male dogs treats. They’d been wonderful. It was almost as if they knew I’d been hurt and tried to take it easy on me. Sarah lifted her snout up in the air and walked out of the room. I didn’t care. She could be pissed all she wanted. I had the scrapes and bruises to show for why I wasn’t her biggest fan.
After giving Jimmy and Orvy an extra treat, I headed to my room to take a shower. I had dirt all over me and I was hoping it would help me feel better like when you’re sick. It seemed to take half an hour to remove my clothes without causing too much pain. If I didn’t have a scrape on some part of me, I had a bruise. I guess it was good that I was working from the apartment until Kingston got back. I didn’t want everyone at work to see me looking like I’d gotten into a fight. After all the adrenaline left me, I’d be feeling every little bump and scratch. Maybe once I got out of the shower, I’d start drinking the bottle of wine Kingston had in the fridge. It couldn’t hurt.
Relaxing back on the couch with a dog on each side and an almost empty wineglass in hand, my phone started to ring from the other room. Shit. I’d forgotten to call Kingston back, and I was sure he was unhappy with me.
I felt very little pain as I got up, thanks to the almost empty bottle of wine, in search of my phone. Had I left it in the kitchen or the bedroom? With how big his apartment was I deduced it was in the kitchen since I wouldn’t be able to hear it if I’d left it all the way back in the guest room. Both Orvy and Jimmy followed me into the kitchen. Their tails wagged happily the entire way. They were probably hoping for more treats. I’d give them all the treats in the house for being so sweet to me. I hadn’t seen Sarah since she lifted her nose at me and walked away and that was fine by me. If I had to see her, I’d only think about the next time I had to walk her later today and that almost gave me a panic attack.
The same number lit my screen as before when Kingston called me. Once I got off the phone with him, I’d add him to my contact list. I hated not seeing the name of whoever was calling me. Just like I hated having any notifications whatsoever on my phone.
“I’m so sorry. I forgot to call you back,” I rushed out. I headed to the pantry to get my new friends their treats as I waited for my boss to go off on me. My phone was quiet for so long, I had to pull it away to make sure the call hadn’t been disconn
ected. Had he hung up on me? One look told me he was still on the line, so either he had a bad connection or was speechless. I was going to go with him having a bad connection. “Hello? Kingston?”
“I’m here,” he cleared his throat. “You apologized, and it shocked me.”
I wasn’t the hard-ass out of the two of us. I had no problem apologizing when I knew I’d done wrong.
“I’m sorry if you were worried about the dogs. I should have called you once we got back to give you an update. They’re doing fine. Jimmy and Orvy are so sweet and I’ve got two new friends.”
Again, he was quiet for so long I had to look down at my phone. What the hell was going on with him? Maybe he was sick or jet lagged from his flight. That had to have been it. Or a bad connection.
“I wasn’t worried about the dogs, Pria. I know how big and strong Sarah and Orville are. Fuck,” he cursed. “I should have thought about you taking care of them. You’re not trained with dogs and they’re a handful when out to say the least. If anyone should be apologizing it should be me.”
Had hell frozen over? Kingston Avery had apologized to me. I turned to the window to see if pigs were flying by.
“Are you feeling okay?” I asked when I didn’t see either pigs flying or the world outside turned into the Arctic.
“Tired. Jet lagged, but beside that I’m fine. After I ate dinner and hadn’t heard back from you, I decided I should check on you to make sure you’re okay.”
Oh, that was nice of him. Nice and uncharacteristic. Do you really know him? You haven’t seen him in at least ten years, and he was a sweet boy growing up. And that reminded me that I still hadn’t told him I knew him and his family when we were younger.
“I’m fine and dandy.” I grabbed the wine bottle and took it back into the sitting room that overlooked the city. The view was gorgeous and mesmerizing. Sitting down, I poured the small amount that was left of the bottle into my glass and took a sip from it. It was probably the best wine I’d ever had in my life and since it was in Kingston Avery’s refrigerator, I was sure it was expensive.
“Are you drunk?” I smiled at how light his tone had turned.
“I’m not sure I’d call me drunk, but I would say buzzed.” Jimmy looked up at me sweetly from the floor. I picked him up and put him on my lap. Once Orvy saw Jimmy by me, he stepped easily onto the couch and snuggled up to my side. This was why Kingston had all those crazy rules about them. They were the sweetest things alive. I was going to miss them when I had to leave. “I drank the bottle of wine that you had in your fridge.” Shit. “I hope you weren’t saving it for something special.”
“No, I had it in my refrigerator for my dog walker.”
Okay, now I knew he was fucking with me.
“I’ll get you a new bottle before you’re back so you can drink it with your girlfriend.” Even if it did cost me a paycheck.
“Pria,” he drew my name out with irritation, “I don’t care about the wine. You can drink all the wine in my place if you want. Although, that’s a lot of wine to drink in only one week.” He ended on a low chuckle.
That got my attention. “Where’s the rest of the wine?” I was feeling like another bottle tonight.
“If you can find it, you can drink it. How’s that?”
“Sounds like a challenge. One that I happily accept.” I rose from my comfy seat to see if I could find his wine stash. Jimmy wasn’t happy I dumped him on the couch.
Turning around with wide eyes, I realized I’d been letting the dogs on the couch since we’d been back from their walk and they weren’t supposed to be on any of the furniture. I couldn’t ask them to get down while I was on the phone so I let them be. What harm could they do being on the couch for a week?
“You’re looking for it right now aren’t you?” His low laugh set off butterflies in my stomach. They could fuck right off. I couldn’t have butterflies for my boss.
“Maybe,” I hummed. “Do you want me to save a bottle for your girlfriend?” There was no secret wine cabinet in the kitchen so I moved to the other end of the apartment I hadn’t been in. I figured if it was by my bedroom I would have noticed. My nose could sniff out wine when it was within a two hundred foot radius. Now that I was walking around, my buzz had changed to full on drunk, and all my aches and pains were long gone.
“Why do I get the impression that you’re fishing to see if I have a girlfriend?” The amusement in his voice made me sober some, encouraging me to search for another bottle even more.
“Does she not like wine? Good, all the more for me.”
“Why were you drinking?” he asked quietly, sobering me more. I needed to get off the phone before I was fully sober again. Or before those damn butterflies took flight from his quiet words and concern. It shouldn’t take so little for me to swoon, but damn if I was, and it needed to stop.
“Because the she-devil that lives in your house hates me. She nearly killed me today. I’m black and blue with scratches everywhere. I don’t know how I’m going to be able to take her out again. Seriously, just thinking about it is causing me to panic.”
Kingston swore on the other end of the line and then I heard typing on his end. What the hell was he doing? “I never should have asked you to watch them. I wanted to help you out and now I’ve made the situation worse. Let me see if I can figure something out with Sarah. She can be a handful.”
A handful? She was so far beyond a handful, but I wasn’t going to argue. If he could take Sarah off my hands, I would be fine. If he found someone to deal with her, would I have to leave? Surely they’d be able to handle all three. Unlike me.
“Will I have to leave?” The minute the words left my mouth I wanted to take them back. Why was I giving him the thought?
“Do you want to leave?”
“No,” I answered honestly. “I hate that I’m causing you more problems. Why can’t your dogs learn how to use the toilet? That would make this so much easier.”
A booming laugh came from Kingston. It could melt panties even over the phone. “You really are drunk. It does sound nice though. It would make my life easier.” He yawned, making me look for the time. It had to be getting late there, and I was keeping him up by making him worry about me and his dogs.
“Tonight I’ll take Sarah by herself before I take the other two. I think if it’s one on one, I’ll be able to handle her better.” If not, he was going to find a lot of puppy puddles on his floor when he got back. “We’ll be fine. Don’t worry about us. You should get some rest for your meeting tomorrow.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want you to get hurt again.” The last word was drawn out by a long yawn.
“I’m positive. I’ll show her who’s boss.” I wasn’t positive, and I was sure she’d put up a fuss if she didn’t get her way. I was seeing her diva ways. How was she related to Orville, I didn’t know.
“You do that and if you need anything, you’ve got my contact info.” He sounded lighter, and I was happy to know I had relaxed him some. He probably thought I was some incompetent fool. He’d probably come home from London and fire me, leaving me without a job and homeless.
“I do, but I promise you won’t hear from me again. I’ve got this.”
Sarah stood at the door of what I assumed was Kingston’s room as if on guard. I turned around and went to look for more wine elsewhere.
I so didn’t have this.
10
Pria
Covering my head with my pillow, I tried to fall asleep while one of the dogs howled. It had been going on for the last hour and I didn’t see it ending anytime soon. It was rounding on midnight and I was now one hundred percent sober. Maybe if I had found the wine, I would have been asleep and oblivious to the crying of whoever was out there.
Throwing the pillow across the room, I got out of bed and made my way out to where Orville stood in the middle of the living room, howling at the top of his lungs. Or at least it seemed like it because it was loud as fuck. I was sure if Kingston’s apartment
didn’t span the entire top floor, someone would be calling the police because this was a disturbance of epic proportions in the middle of the night. I knew I would have called the police if I could.
Folding down in front of him to sit on the floor, I ran my hand down Orvy’s back. “What’s going on, buddy? Did you get hurt today?” He’d seemed fine, but it would be my luck that he was injured and would need medical attention. I ran my hands over his whole body but found nothing. I was surprised it quieted him down. “You’re okay, big guy. Go to sleep and I’ll see you in the morning.”
Pulling to stand, I dragged myself back to my bed and gently climbed in. Drinking hadn’t been the best idea. I was tired from the wine and needed sleep. Plus, now I could feel all the sore places. Every inch of my entire body.
I had started to drift off to sleep when another howl broke me from my tired haze. Heaven help me, what did Orville want? Again, I climbed out of bed and found Orvy where I’d left him. I scratched behind his ears and he seemed to like my attention. After a few moments, I stopped and went back to bed. This cycle continued for the next thirty minutes. I was tired and annoyed. All I wanted was to sleep, but it seemed that wasn’t going to happen unless it was on the floor in the living room. I knew it was extremely early in London, but I didn’t know what else to do except call Kingston. Yes, I’d made a promise not to bother him anymore, but I cared more about my sleep in that moment than anything else. This time when I went to make Orvy stop crying, I brought my phone with me. I had no idea what was wrong with him, but his sad cries were killing me so I called his owner.
Kingston answered on the fourth ring. “Hello?” he answered groggily. “Pria? Can this wait? It’s a little after five here.”
“I know and I’m sorry to be calling so early, but I didn’t know what else to do. Orvy won’t stop crying unless I come out to the living room and pet him. Once I go back to my room, he cries until I come back out. We’ve been on repeat for the last hour and all I want to do is sleep.” I knew I sounded whiny, but I didn’t care. I wanted sleep, and I’d do anything to get it.