I love my job, so it’s not unusual that I enjoy getting up every morning to go to work. It was my lifelong dream to own a business, and I’ve loved dogs ever since my mother gave me my first rescue puppy when I was five. Put those together, and you have the Bark Avenue Bone Bakery.

But going to work today is even better than usual because of a certain customer coming in at ten o’clock. I unlock the door and make my way through my daily routine of readying the shop for customers and baking fresh dog treats. I give a lot of attention to detail in everything I do. It’s what has made me so successful so far. My treats are all original recipes, and they’re all made from the best quality ingredients including love. I believe that’s why people keep coming back to me. People like good quality food and care for their pets, and I give it to them.

I’m removing pans of pup cakes from the oven when I hear my doorbell jingle out front. I’ve been concentrating so hard on my baking, I lost track of time, and it’s nine- thirty. Shelby is coming in this morning to help out with the After-the-Holidays sale I’m getting ready to have. She usually works on the weekends, but she’s on Christmas break from college and has extra time to help me.

“Back here, Shelby, I’ll be right out!” I shout sliding the last tray of pup cakes onto the cooling rack.

“Take your time,” a smooth masculine voice calls back. That’s not Shelby.

I freeze with the tray halfway on the rack feeling the same buzz of excitement in my belly that I felt yesterday. He’s here, and I’m excited to see him again although I wish I weren’t.

I wash my hands and smooth the wisps of hair that have come free from my ponytail away from my face before leaving the kitchen. “Good morning, so sorry to keep you waiting,” I say entering the shop and stopping short at the sight of Alex Wolfe. He’s standing a few feet away dressed in dark jeans and a thick gray cable-knit sweater holding the leashes of three of the most beautiful Huskies I’ve ever seen.

They are all perfectly behaved sitting at the feet of their master eyeing me curiously. “Wow, aren’t you all just gorgeous? And so well behaved.” I approach and squat down to eye level with the dogs not meaning to, but ignoring their master. One of them is shivering, its excitement barely contained making me wonder if it’s a younger, newer addition to the pack.

The other two don’t move a muscle, and eventually, I look up at Alex. “May I pet them?”

“You may,” he says, and then he gives them the command. “Release.”

The dogs take two happy steps toward me with the more excited one panting. I scratch behind their ears and accept a stolen kiss or two before Alex reigns them back in. I stand and offer him my hand. “It’s nice to see you again, Mr. Wolfe. Can I take them for you?” He takes my hand, and it’s like I’m transferred into another galaxy where a fog surrounds us, and Alex is all I can see or think about until he lets go.

“The pleasure is all mine.” He squeezes my hand and brushes the top of it with his thumb making my pulse rocket into outer space. What is it about this guy that turns me into a ball of hormones ready to bone at a moment’s notice?

“Is the groomer here? I’d like to thank her for doing such a lovely job last month.”

“You were here having them groomed last month?” I don’t remember ever seeing him before, and he is definitely not a face I’d forget.

“I wasn’t personally, my housekeeper brought them in, but your groomer does a superb job.”

“Oh, wow, that’s good to hear. She isn’t here just yet, but she should be any minute. I can relay the message for you.”

“I would appreciate that. I have to be going, I have a meeting across town.”

He’s leaving already. I don’t know whether to be happy or disappointed. My body is disappointed, but my mind is relieved.

“Oh, yes, of course, don’t let me keep you. Marisa will be here any minute, and I’ll thank her for you. She will call you when they’re ready to go home.”

“Thank you.” He turns to leave but stops after two steps like he’s forgotten something. “Oh, also, I’d like to take you to a New Year’s Eve party later this week if you don’t have plans already.” It wasn’t so much a question as a request, and it came out of nowhere the same as my answer.

“Okay,” I hear myself say, but it doesn’t sound like me. “I’ll pick you up at seven. Put your address on my receipt, so my driver knows where to go.”

I feel my head nodding, and then he’s gone.

“What the hell just happened?” I say to no one but the dogs. They are much more animated now that their master is gone. One is pushing its nose against my leg asking for a scratch while another is sniffing a box of treats on a low shelf. I sit down on the floor, and they surround me giving me more kisses. “You guys have an odd owner, he’s presumptuous and formal, yet he didn’t even tell me your names.” I finger the silver bone shaped charm on the dog’s collar nearest me. “You’re Lexi. It’s nice to meet you, Lexi.” She is the one who had trouble keeping her cool in front of her master. I think I like her the best because of that. I turn my attention to the other two.

“And you’re Cole, and you’re Piper. It’s nice to formally meet you all. Shall we go to Marissa’s salon?”

All three of them dance in excitement as I lead them to the side of the shop where my good friend, Marissa, works in the small grooming salon. It’s a tight space, but I wanted to be a full-service shop, and I couldn’t do that without offering a grooming service.

“I’m here, I’m here, sorry,” I hear Marissa say in her pretty British accent as she barrels through the front door, the bell ringing like mad. “Damn train was longer than an anaconda, couldn’t get past it.”

“It’s okay. I’m in here with your first clients,” I call out to her.

“Marvelous. What do we have this morning…” She stops in her tracks and throws up her hands when she comes around the corner. “No, no, no.” Her gaze travels over the dogs and then up to me. “I’ve gone and missed him?”

“Missed who?”

“Sex on legs, love, sex on legs! I called last night to see what was on the books today. I wasn’t sure it would be him, his housekeeper usually brings them in, but once he picked them up, and I swore never to miss seeing that bum walk away from me again.”

“How did I miss ever seeing him?”

“I don’t know, love, he’s the most beautiful thing on this side of the pond. Hard to miss that one. In your defense, though, he usually has the hired help do his bidding about town. He’s a fancy lawyer with more important things to do than buy chewy treats for his pups.”

“Do you know anything about him?” I ask.

“Nothing more than that. Why you got damp knickers thinkin’ bout him, too?”

My mouth falls open, and she laughs a big hearty laugh. “It’s okay, I’m sure most women fall at his feet what with all that money and good looks.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.”

“Right ol’ manwhore he probably is. Best to use a raincoat when shagging that one.”

Good God, I bet she’s right. Why didn’t I think of that? He’s so hot, I bet he’s slept with most of Seattle’s available women and a good many unavailable ones, too. Why did I accept that invitation so easily? Did I actually say yes out loud? If I nodded, I could claim that it doesn’t count.

She bends down and cradles Lexi’s face in her hands. “Hiya, love, ya remember me, do ya?” Her accent gets ten times heavier when she talks to animals. I suppose she knows it doesn’t matter with them. They love her no matter what she says or how she says it.

“Is there going to be enough room in here for all three of them?” I ask looking at the tight space wondering how she plans on doing this. She stands up and surveys her space as well.

“How ‘bout you take one of ‘em at a time in the shop? Ya think that’ll work?”

“Sure, who’s going first?” I ask the group, and they all wag their tails.

“Don’t matter ta me, take whoever.” She shrugs out of her coat and turns on the water in the doggie tub.

“Okay, Lexi, come on, girl. Let’s go see if the pup cakes are cool enough to eat.”

“Mmm, save one for me,” she says with bright eyes. I make my dog treats with ingredients that both man and beast can enjoy. Marissa will attest to that as she has at least one pup cake every time she works.

“I’ll set one aside for you.”

“Thanks, I’ll holla when I’m ready for her.”

“Okay.”

I lead Lexi into the shop and tell her to sit right outside the kitchen. She does as she’s told and watches me like a hawk as I pick out the biggest pup cake on the rack. Again, she’s trembling with excitement when I return, but she never breaks command until I hold the cake out and offer it to her.

I think she swallows it whole without tasting it, which makes me feel sorry for her since they are so delicious. “You need to learn to chew and enjoy your food, you know, Lexi,” I tell her.

Lexi and I spend the next couple of hours together helping customers. Everyone loves her and comments on her stunning blue eyes. I want to tell them they aren’t half as beautiful as her owner’s, but I keep that to myself.

At noon, Marissa swaps Piper for Lexi, and I treat a much more patient Piper to her own pup cake. She licks her lips for a good five minutes savoring the flavor. “You need to teach your sister how to enjoy her food,” I tell her, and she rests her head in my lap.

I’m sitting on a stool at the counter scratching Piper’s head when I get a text. I slide my phone from my back pocket and look at the name on the screen, confused. It’s Alex, how did he get his name in my phone? I’ve only met him twice, and both times I’m pretty sure my phone was in my back pocket.

Alex – How are my dogs doing?

Me – When did you put your number in my phone?

Alex – Yesterday. You didn’t answer my question. How are my dogs?

Me – Yesterday when? Your dogs are fine, they’ll be ready to go in an hour.

Alex – When I shook your hand. I’ll see you at one-thirty when I pick them up.

Me – You picked my pocket?

No answer. Nice, now I have a date with a bossy, pickpocket, billionaire for New Year’s Eve. If I weren’t the owner, I’d skip out on the rest of the day and delete Alex Wolfe from my life.

Avoidance is my jam. If I don’t want to deal with something, my first inclination is to ignore it and hope the problem will go away. I’ve worked for years trying to break myself of this habit, and I do much better now. It’s still my kneejerk reaction, though, and I wish I could give into it right now, go home, and pull the covers up over my head.

No, Olivia, you will stay and stand your ground. Tell that man you have changed your mind about the date and why, hand over his dogs, and wish him well on his next pickpocketing adventure.

“Olivia, could you give me a hand?” Marissa yells from the salon just as someone enters the shop.

“Sure, just a second.” I come out from behind the counter with Piper at my side and offer the customer my assistance. “Oh my God, what a beautiful dog, is it yours?” A stunning woman dressed in a black wrap dress, stilettos, and a red knee-length coat gushes over Piper as I stand by looking absolutely average compared to her.

“Oh no, she’s here getting groomed. The salon is packed, so she’s hanging out with me.”

“She won’t bite, will she?”

“I don’t think so, but as I said, she’s not mine so I can’t be sure.”

That’s all it takes, and she’s reaching out to scratch Piper’s ears. It’s funny because the dogs have been receptive and enthusiastic with the attention Marissa and I have been giving them all day, but Piper seems to be merely tolerating this woman.

“Is there something I can help you find?” I ask. She looks around the store like she’s trying to think of something to ask for.

“Oh, I’m just browsing if that’s all right.”

People don’t just browse in my store. It’s a specialty shop. Usually, they have something in mind before coming in. I have a weird feeling that this woman has something on her mind, but it’s not doggie treats or chew toys.

“Okay, let me know if you need any help. I’m going into the salon for a second, but I’ll be right back.”

She nods, and I weave through the shelves to the salon with Piper. I don’t like leaving her in the shop alone, she’s giving off a weird vibe, but I don’t have much choice.

“Sorry, love, this one is feisty. I think he wants to join his sisters. Can you help hold him still while I rinse him off?”

“Sure. I have a customer out there, though, so we need to hurry.”

Piper stops at the door next to Lexi to watch their brother struggling in the tub while I hold his collar and talk softly to him. “It’s almost over, Cole. Your daddy’s coming to get you soon, and you can go home and romp around in your billion-dollar house, don’t you worry.”

“Billion-dollar house for sure, that one’s got deep pockets he does.” She sprays the soap out of Cole’s thick fur. “Ya think if I put on a fur coat, he would take me home with him, too?” she says and laughs so hard she starts to wheeze.

“I don’t think you want to do that. He’s a typical rich man, manipulative and full of himself.”

She stops and stares at me for a moment before returning to her spraying. “Now what makes ya say that?”

“Nothing, just my impression, that’s all.”

“Nah, I know ya, girlie. You thought he was something else a couple of hours ago, and now ya got your knickers in a wad, what’s happened?”

When I don’t answer, she holds up the sprayer and threatens to soak me. “Okay, okay, don’t squirt me! He asked me out for New Year’s Eve when he dropped the dogs off.”

She stands up straight and holds the sprayer down. Cole looks up at her as if to say are we done, and I shrug my shoulders.

“He asked ya out? For New Year’s? You said yes, didn’t cha? Please tell me you weren’t a daft cow. You said yes, yeah?”

“Yes, I said yes.”

“Oh well, thank God in heaven.” She starts back in on poor Cole who’s now more confused than ever.

“But I’m going to tell him I’ve changed my mind when he picks up the dogs.”

She keeps working and doesn’t look at me when she says what she says next. “It’s not nice to mess with your friends, Olivia. Especially friends who are your employees, friends who are very much looking forward to living vicariously through you when you go on that date with Mr. Wolfe.”

“I’m not messing with you. He pickpocketed my phone yesterday when we were talking and put his number in it. What kind of pompous ass does something like that?”

“A persistent one who’s used ta gettin what he wants, I expect.”

“You would go out with a guy like that?”

“Love, he’s minted, have you lost the plot?”

I blink several times and shake my head. Sometimes Marissa’s slang baffles me, and this is one of those times. “Rissa, speak in United States English, please. I don’t understand your British talk.”

“He’s rich and sexy and sexy and hot and sexy and rich. Have you lost your damn mind? Is that better?”

“Yes, much, thank you. And I don’t like rich people, remember? They aren’t in touch with reality. They don’t know what it’s like to do without, and I can’t relate to that. He’s too much. I can’t do it.”

“Well, if he still needs a date when ya turn him down, send him my way. I like rich men, and I don’t care if he can’t relate to my poorness as long as I get to see him with his shirt off.” She starts to laugh, and I hear someone clearing her throat. I turn to find Ms. Red Coat standing in the doorway staring at Lexi and Piper.

“I’m sorry, I’ll be right with you. She just needed a quick hand with this one,” I say.

“These are Alex Wolfe’s dogs, aren’t they?” she asks.

“Why, yes they are. Do you know him?” I ask suddenly wary of her presence in my store.

“Yes, he’s my boyfriend, was my boyfriend, I mean.”

His ex-girlfriend is in my store dog stalking, great. “Oh, I’m uh, I’m sorry?” I’m not sure what to say, and as a result, my comment comes out like a question.

Her eyes fill with tears, and she turns to leave. “I’ll be right back,” I say to a stunned Marissa, and she nods her head. “I got it, go.”

On my way out of the salon, I grab a towel to dry my arms off. Lexi and Piper are following close behind me. “Did you find what you needed?”

I hear her sniffle as she puts on her sunglasses. “Yes, I did. Thank you, goodbye.”

“Are you okay?” I ask, but she’s already through the door and walking down the street. “Shit,” I curse under my breath on my way back to the salon.

“What was that all about?” Marissa asks.

“Your guess is as good as mine. Ex-girlfriend dog stalker, I guess. Now do you see why I don’t want anything to do with him? Women are so desperate to be a part of his life that they spend their days wandering into dog bakeries looking for his dogs. That cannot be a good sign.”

“Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong, love. That means he’s so good they can’t let him be. Once you get a taste of the Wolfe, nothing else compares, yeah?”

“I don’t like it.”

“Give him a chance, I betcha will.”

“You’re a bad influence, you know that, Marissa?”

She waves her hand at me dismissively. “Rubbish, go on now. I’ve work to do with Mr. Cole Wolfe here.”

I leave her to it taking Lexi and Piper out to the store with me. I ring up two regulars and help a young woman pick out a bed for her new puppy before Alex returns for his dogs.

He’s been in the store for five or ten minutes. I’ve been helping a customer, but I felt his presence the moment he stepped inside, and moments later when I caught a whiff of his masculine cologne.

As I ring Mrs. Morris’s order, I chant just say no to myself in my head dreading the moment when we are alone again. He’s pretending to shop picking up boxes of treats and putting them back, walking up and down the aisles. Lexi is still sitting on my left, but Piper is following her master around the store.

Lexi must know she’s my favorite, and that makes me smile when Mrs. Morris walks away.

“Something funny, Ms. Johnson?” he asks, his voice smooth as silk and full of seduction.

“No, why do you ask?”

“You’re smiling.”

“Not for long.”

His eyebrows shoot up, and he approaches the counter. He glances over it and finds Lexi sitting obediently at my side. “She always did prefer a beautiful woman to me. Now, tell me why you won’t be smiling for long.”

His voice is like a truth serum. It makes me want to blurt out all my reasons for not wanting to date him including his ex-girlfriend’s visit, but I don’t.

“I’m afraid I’m going to have to say no to your New Year’s Eve invitation after all. I’m sorry, I won’t be able to make it.” I wanted to sound strong and sure of myself, but the words come out sounding more like an apology than a rejection.

“Really? What happened during the last few hours to make you change your mind?” he asks piercing me with his unsettling eyes.

“I uh, I just don’t think it’s a good idea.”

He nods his head suspiciously and narrows his eyes. “Not a good idea. I see. That’s not very specific, is it?”

“No, I suppose not.”

“How about you give me specifics, and then we will discuss whether or not you will join me on New Year’s Eve.”

What? Discuss it? There’s nothing to discuss. I said no, period.

“I don’t need to explain myself to you, Mr. Wolfe. I appreciate the invitation, but I’m going to have to say no thank you.”

“I expect an explanation. You accepted my invitation a few hours ago. I’ve made plans, ordered a car, paid for a new suit, ordered flowers, and RSVP’d to a colleague who is throwing the party. I believe I deserve an explanation at the very least.”

Wow, he did all that in the past four hours? For me? But, why? We just met yesterday, and those are the kinds of things you do for a longtime girlfriend or wife.

“I, I don’t know.” He stops me holding up one finger.

“It’s all right. You’re skittish because I entered my phone number into your phone. I understand your hesitance, and I can appreciate your self-preservation. However, I will not take no for an answer. I’ll pick you up at seven. I own the Stillwater Spa so, I’ll make reservations for a spa day for you the day of if you’d like. Just text me yes or no on that. I believe my services have been charged already, so I’ll take my dogs and see you this weekend. Oh, it’s a formal party. I’ll have a dress sent over as well.”

He snaps his fingers, and Lexi and Piper fall in next to him as he walks away toward the salon to collect Cole while I stand frozen with my mouth gaping wide. What the hell just happened here? Did he just fast-talk his way out of a rejection?

Yes, he did.

And what the hell? A spa day? A dress? He appreciates my self-preservation? That man just pushed buttons I didn’t even know I had. I’m so pissed, my body is vibrating, but I can’t seem to move or form words.

Instead of yelling you can shove your spa where the sun doesn’t shine, I stand silently fuming while he walks out of the shop with his dogs. I don’t even hear Marissa approach until she speaks. “Wolfe gotcha tongue?” she whispers joyfully.

I turn my head finally closing my mouth and watch her playful expression change to one of concern. “You all right, love? Ya look a little flushed and… angry. How’d he handle being rejected?”

I close my eyes and shake my head back and forth slowly. When I open them again, I feel like I’m going to explode.

“He didn’t! He didn’t take it at all. It was like I wasn’t even here, a mute, a secretary here to jot down notes about our non-date!” I’m yelling, and Marissa takes a step back. I’ve never so much as raised my voice in front of this woman. I am usually a calm, cool, and collected boss, but Alex Wolfe has made me into a mad woman.

“I’m not following, honey, what happened?”

“I told him I wasn’t going, and he said something about self-preservation and spas and new dresses, and then he just left!”

“Okay love, sit down right here and collect your thoughts. You’re not making a lick of sense.” She pushes a stool behind me, and I sit down. “I’m going to put on some tea in the kitchen. Don’t you move, okay?” she says pointing her finger at me with raised eyebrows.

Why do British people think tea will fix everything? It’s dried plants dunked in hot water. It’ll take a lot more than that to fix my problem with the Wolfe.

She returns after a bit with two cups of steaming hot tea and places one on the counter in front of me before pulling up a stool for herself. “All right now, you’ve had a minute to organize your thoughts. Tell me again what happened to make you so bloody mad.”

“I told him I wasn’t going, and he tried to make me feel guilty saying he had made arrangements for a car and bought a new suit and RSVP’d to his fancy party. He wanted a good explanation as to why I was backing out, and when I couldn’t give him one that he deemed suitable, he started babbling on about sending me for a spa day and a new dress. He said he won’t take no for an answer. He’s infuriating.”

She is quiet while taking a microscopic sip of her too hot tea, and then she shrugs. “He’s persistent, he likes you, and he wants to show you a good time and spoil you. What the bloody hell is wrong with that?”

I groan. “I don’t like that. I like guys I can be myself with them. I like hanging out in dive bars chillin or curling up at home on the couch to read a book or watch Netflix. I don’t get into high-class parties and expensive body scrubs and dresses. We are nothing alike, nothing.”

“Didn’t you grow up dirt poor with no father and a mum with multiple sclerosis?”

“Yes.”

“And haven’t you come a long way since those days?”

“Yes, but…”

“No buts, you worked hard climbing out of the gutter to build a better life for yourself. You tried new things, stepped out of your comfort zone, and you did it all so you could step up in the world. Why are you pushing him away for doing the exact same things?”

“I wasn’t an arrogant bully about it like he is.”

“Okay, so he’s a bit of a stubborn one, but I remember a day when you all but ignored a banker when he told you your credit wasn’t good enough for the loan to expand your shop. You talked circles around that man until he gave you want you wanted. It seems to me you didn’t like taking a dose of your own medicine today.”

I feel deep frown lines form between my eyebrows. I hate being called out when I’m wrong, and Marissa has a steel trap for a mind. She’s right, I can’t argue with that.

Reading my mind, she smiles and pushes my tea closer to me. “So, he’s sending you a dress, is he? How exciting. And a spa day, oh, do you think he would mind if I tagged along? I could use a good pedi, you know, my dogs are gnarly.”

Oh my God, now she’s doing it, too. I guess if nobody is going to listen to me, I may as well enjoy a free spa day and a night out with Seattle’s sexiest attorney.