Chapter Six
She might have been alone with Lola for five minutes or fifteen. Jessie wasn’t sure. All she knew was that she somehow got the dog to lay her head on Jessie’s lap, and she seemed so incredibly comfortable, it would be a crime to get up.
So Jessie leaned against the kennel wall and stroked the soft, soft fur, thinking about Garrett and Waterford and her job and her life and Mercedes and Stephanie and the miserable tear that rolled down her cheek.
“Sometimes I feel like putting my head on someone’s lap, too,” she whispered to the dog. “But never not eating. If I were you, I’d be facedown in a pint of salted caramel gelato right now. I might be very soon, actually.”
Lola lifted her head as if she actually understood. Maybe she wanted gelato.
“Want to eat something, sweetheart?”
After a second, Lola got up, turned in a circle, made a whimpering sound, then lowered herself back down, her snout an inch away from the food bowl. Like she wanted to eat, but couldn’t break her hunger strike.
“Go ahead, take a bite,” Jessie coaxed, tapping the side of the bowl full of something that looked like dry kibbles. “I bet it’s good.”
Without lifting her head, Lola looked up with giant cocoa brown eyes that looked as sad as Jessie felt. “Come on, Lola love,” Jessie urged. “Just one bite.”
When Lola didn’t move, Jessie dug into the dry bits of dog food and scooped some onto two fingers, offering it to her. “How about this?”
Lola looked hard at the food, considering it for sure, then thumped her head down in a clear no.
Come on.
“Babe, you know what I think? My guess is that someone you thought should love and care for you disappeared. They left you somewhere you were supposed to be safe, but you were so alone. You know, that happened to me. I was sixteen. How old are you?”
Lola’s tail flipped once, making Jessie laugh softly. “You don’t know, of course. But you’re old enough to know that someone should love you and doesn’t. I wonder if they had another dog they loved more. I know how that feels.”
Another thump.
“Then, when you think you’re going to get your big break and finally be the ‘best’ instead of always overlooked and overwhelmed and overshadowed by someone bigger, better, brighter, and beautifuler…it blows up in your face. Like it will in mine. Again.”
For a second, Lola looked up, as if she’d changed her mind, then exhaled a soft sigh and put her head back down with a pathetic thud.
“That’s my tale of woe,” Jessie whispered. “What’s yours? Did somebody leave you? If so, you’ll find a better owner. Did somebody love you and lose you? Then I hope they find you.”
Lola blinked at Jessie, as if she, too, were fighting tears. Jessie’s heart rolled over with love. So much that she leaned over and placed the lightest kiss on the dog’s head.
Lola inched forward and took some food from Jessie’s hand.
“Nice work!” Jessie exclaimed, giving her neck a rub. “You want more?”
She finished chewing and stayed very still as if considering it. Then dropped down again.
“Oh, Lola. Come on, have more. One more bite.” She scooped some more food and placed her hand in front of Lola’s mouth.
But she still didn’t move. So, once more, Jessie leaned over and put a kiss on the top of Lola’s head.
And she lifted her head and ate.
“Oh, so that’s your game.” Jessie laughed. “You eat for kisses.” She tested the theory and, sure enough, Lola ate some more.
“Good girl. Now let’s try this.” She inched the whole bowl closer and planted another light kiss on Lola’s head. Immediately, she got up on her feet and started to eat.
“Holy shit.”
Jessie whipped her head around at the unexpected sound of a man’s voice, biting her lip when she saw Garrett standing outside the kennel gate looking in.
“You got her to eat.”
“It just took one little kiss.” She pushed up and, instantly, Lola stopped eating. Jessie stroked her head. “Come on, now. Don’t stop. Show your master what you can do.”
“I don’t think I’m her master. You are.”
Jessie held his gaze for a few heartbeats, until it became awkward, looking back at Lola, who was settling back on the floor. “No, no, Lola. You have to eat.” She crouched down and kissed her head again, and she started eating.
“I don’t think I’d have ever thought of that,” Garrett admitted.
She shrugged, keeping her eyes on Lola to avoid the power of his. “Some girls respond to kisses.”
“In dog kennels.”
She looked at him then, feeling a soft rush of blood. “So you remember that?”
For the first time since she mentioned she was a journalist, the hint of a smile played at the corners of his lips. “It was a hell of a game of Manhunt.”
“Look, I’m sorry,” she said under her breath, taking a step forward. “I handled this poorly, and I really apologize for messing up your morning.”
She reached the gate, but he didn’t step aside or open it for her, just looked hard at her. “It’s really your big break?”
She narrowed her eyes. “Eavesdropping is only one step higher on the ladder of bad ethics than what I did.”
“You were totally wrapped up in the dog.”
Somehow, she knew that was a compliment, and it warmed her, though it probably shouldn’t have. “You might have coughed or something.”
He tipped his head. “You might have been honest or something.”
She didn’t want to fight about it anymore. “Can you move, please?”
For a long time, way too long, he didn’t budge. Finally, he looked behind her at the dog. “You can leave Lola like that?”
“You know her secret now.” She pressed on the gate and pushed it open. “You just kiss her in the dog kennels, and she’ll do anything you want.”
He opened his mouth to speak, but she put her finger over his lips, trying not to react to how soft they were and how sexy the light intake of his breath felt. “Including,” she whispered, “leave.”
Without a word, she stepped by him, held her head high, and walked out to the sunshine.
She moved briskly, forcing herself to watch the dogs scamper in the pen, picking a particularly happy brown one as her focus. If she looked there and didn’t turn toward the house, didn’t wallow in the memories, didn’t let herself remember the last time she walked down that huge Waterford driveway…
Tears stung her eyes as images she’d long ago tucked away flashed in her brain.
Mom and Stephanie in the car together—always together—impatient as she said goodbye to Molly.
Hurry up, Jessie. Our flight to New York leaves in two hours.
Their flight, their life, their companionship, their…family. And her flight? Left four hours later for Duluth, Minnesota.
It’s best for you, Jessie. You can’t stay here in Bitter Bark. You have nowhere to live. No family.
And whose fault is that, Mom?
The tears spilled as she sprinted to her car, determined to get the hell out before the first sob. She should never have come back here. Waterford Farm represented everything she’d never had. Stability. Family. Love.
She tried to drown out the thoughts in her head by listening to the constant music of barking in the air. One in particular, over and over, louder and louder, closer and closer.
She almost stumbled when the dog darted in front of her, making her reach for her car for balance.
It was Lola, barking and barking. Three sharp barks, then she’d stare. Three loud barks, and that sad, sad look.
“What are you trying to tell me, girl?” Jessie dropped to her knees, emotions whirling as she smashed her teary face against the head of the insistent dog.
“She’s trying to tell you to stay.”
At the sound of Garrett’s voice behind her, Jessie pressed her face harder into Lola’s neck.
“She wants you to stay.”
Jessie looked down at the worn boot and jeans inches from her. She didn’t dare speak or lift her head and give him the satisfaction of thinking he’d made her this emotional.
“And so do I.”
She had to look up then, and he flinched a little at the sight of her tears.
“I can’t,” she said. “I have to do an interview with someone. It’s really critical for my career, which is…” All I have. “Important to me.”
Lola licked Jessie’s face.
“She must like salt,” Jessie said with a weak laugh.
“She likes you,” he replied. “You could save her life by staying.”
Jessie angled her head. “Really? You haven’t buried me in enough guilt for one day, Garrett? I’m sorry, but I—”
“I’ll do the interview.”
She drew back, away from the next thorough lick to her face. Instantly, Lola stood on her haunches and put her paws on Jessie’s shoulders. Garrett’s eyes followed the move.
“I’ll do the interview,” he repeated. “If you stay and help me get her normal and eating again.”
She stared at him, stunned. “You’re that desperate to help this dog?”
“Yeah,” he said. “I’m that desperate.”
Very slowly, she put Lola’s paws down but kept one hand on Lola’s head as she stood up to face him. “Just so you know, that was an official question.”
He frowned. “That I’m desperate to save the dog?”
“Yes. That’s the kind of thing I want to know, Garrett. This won’t be a surface interview. This won’t be a PR puff piece for Waterford. And if it’s good, I’m going to want to get a video camera in your face, because this will be a pilot audition for me to get an anchor position for ITAL On Air.”
He closed his eyes as if she’d shot him.
“So, let’s be one hundred percent clear what you’re agreeing to. Are you that desperate, Garrett Kilcannon?”
His gaze dropped to Lola, who nuzzled into Jessie’s thigh and whimpered.
“Yes, I’m that desperate.”
“Wow.” She sighed softly, bending a little to put both hands on Lola’s head for a rub. “He’s going to be a good interview,” she whispered. “Thanks, Lola.”