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Good Dog/Bad Dogby Samantha ConnollyChapter OneAlice Hart lined up the plastic buckets outside the shop front."If those delivery guys don't arrive in the next ten minutes," she told Bouncer sternly, "I'm changing suppliers. They're getting later every week."The dog thumped his tail on the pavement and panted happily. Alice dropped bunches of ready-made bouquets into the buckets and then she dropped down to sit on the doorstep next to the dog. His nose was twitching and his head moved constantly as he glanced around the busy street, following people with his bright eyes. Alice put one arm around Bouncer's shoulders, scratching her fingers through his rough fur."Please don't do it today," she asked plaintively. "Okay, Bouncer? I really don't have the energy. Whaddya say, boy? Not on a Monday morning, okay? Not after the weekend I've had."Alice closed her eyes briefly, fantasizing about pushing her brother-in-law off a high bridge. What on earth was the guy's problem? You'd think he could change his tune once in a while, but no, every time she went over there she had to put up with the same loaded comments about finding herself a nice man and time standing still for no woman and getting herself organized. As if getting married was just something she'd forgotten to jot down in her day planner.Alice loved spending time with her sister and nephews (none of whom seemed to think that she was only half a person because she was single) but she always had to cut her visits short because she couldn't stand another minute of Frank's needling. Maybe that was the idea. Maybe he thought that if she had a boyfriend she would stop bugging them with her presence. Eating his precious food, burning up his precious electricity?oh, right, unless of course they needed a baby-sitter. Spinster maiden aunts sure came in handy then, didn't they?She glanced up quickly from her brooding as she realized that a couple was standing in front of her. At least, she hoped they were a couple or else it was going to cost them a lot of money to have their arms surgically detached from each other's waists."One of those," said the man, pointing at the long-stemmed roses in the window. Alice patted Bouncer on the head and mentally repeated her plea to him before going inside to pick out a rose and wrap it. She gave it to the man and smiled indulgently when he told her to keep the change. Out of a five. Wowee."A rose for a rose," he said, handing it dramatically to the blushing woman.Alice hunkered down again as she watched them walk away, murmuring to each other and kissing."Barf-a-rama," she muttered in Bouncer's ear. "A rose for a rose? Puh-lease." She smiled as the dog turned his liquid brown eyes on her. "Can you imagine having to keep a straight face while some guy said that to you?" Alice snorted, then looked after the couple again. The woman was laughing and resting her head on the man's shoulder, the rose swinging loosely in her hand."Boy, I'd sure hate that," Alice said. A tiny spark of envy had lit up inside her and she was determined to douse it. "Some guy kissing me and spontaneously buying me flowers. Who needs it, eh, Bouncer? Not us, that's for sure. We're loners, aren't we?" She squeezed the dog and sighed. "Two complete and utter loners."This is what I love so much about Alice ? she really gets me. I am a loner. And Alice is exactly the same. She doesn't need some guy in her life, telling her what to do. That's why we're so perfect together. Don't need anybody except each other. Just us. Oh, hey, look! Look at what that guy's got?."Bouncer! Nooo!" Alice wailed as she grabbed for his collar, a split second too late. She scrambled to her feet as Bouncer, his tongue hanging out, galloped madly after the jogger.Chapter TwoAlice scrambled up from the stoop and, grabbing the leash from inside, pulled the door of the shop closed before running after her carefree dog."Bouncer!" she called, trying desperately to keep her tone light and appealing. "Come here, boy. Here, Bounce, I've got some doggie treats for you." Then, losing her grip on the fake equanimity, "Bouncer!"She could see his target. A man, obviously out for his morning jog, with a German shepherd trotting closely by his side. For a moment Alice hoped that Bouncer was simply making a lovelorn dash for the shepherd.No such luck.Alice spotted the paper bag at the same time as Bouncer leaped up to make a grab at it. Startled, the man let go. The bag flew from his hand and Danishes and bagels tumbled out as it hit the ground.Bouncer was scoffing them delightedly as Alice came hurrying up."I'm so sorry," she said, launching into what was becoming a familiar speech for her. "I tried to hold him but he got away from me. Don't worry ? he's not dangerous, he was only going for the food. He's just playful. I'm really, really sorry."She clipped on his lead and tried to drag Bouncer's head up, knowing that she had to lay the humility on pretty thick in order to counteract Bouncer's blatant impenitence. A string of drool dripped from his mouth as he champed happily on a Danish, his tail sweeping the air in broad strokes.Yum, this is delicious. You want some, Alice? Here, you can have the onion bagel, I only took one bite.Only when Alice felt that she'd groveled sufficiently did she look properly at Bouncer's latest victim.Uh-oh.Thanks a lot, Bouncer.The guy was gorgeous. Tanned skin, dazzling blue eyes and a mouth that was curved in amusement. He was wearing cut-off sweatpants and a sleeveless T-shirt and there was a light sheen of sweat on his shoulders and neck.And here I am, thought Alice miserably, in a raggy T-shirt and my oldest jeans, the ones with the shapeless behind. And, of course, for added allure, my plastic apron. And I was going to wash my hair last night but did I bother? No, of course not. After all, who's going to see me on a Monday morning?Well, here's your answer. A tall, dark stranger. Given another minute, she was going to start drooling as badly as Bouncer. Her eyes dropped to the small simple logo on the guy's otherwise plain T-shirt.NYPD.Oh, perfect.Chapter ThreeAlice was trying to figure out how she was going to offer a police officer money in order to replace his pilfered food without it seeming like a bribe. Luckily, he gave her a few seconds' grace by crouching down to pet Bouncer."Hey there, fella, you're a bit enthusiastic, aren't you? Are you enjoying my breakfast?"Ooh, I love it when people do that. Really give you a good scratch all the way along the spine. Is there anything better? Oh, wow, now the rump! This guy is great. Up a bit, to the left, that's the spot!Alice watched with creeping amazement as Bouncer grunted with pleasure, nudging with his muzzle and wriggling as he fawned under the man's hands. Her amazement wasn't directed at Bouncer because she knew better than anyone the lengths that dog would go to for a scratch. No, her puzzlement was reserved for the guy. This was usually the point where the hapless attackee started yelling at her and threatening to call the pound and generally making her feel like the worst dog-owner on the planet.Now the guy was cupping Bouncer's head and scratching behind his ears while Bouncer gazed adoringly at him.Maybe I should pet his dog, thought Alice. She glanced down at the shepherd, who was sitting perfectly still. Its head didn't move, even as the intelligent eyes flicked from Alice to Bouncer and back again.Yikes, thought Alice. Maybe not.She caught her lip nervously between her teeth as the man straightened up. By now she should be retreating apologetically while trying to drag a stubborn Bouncer with her but somehow, Alice didn't want to flee the scene of this crime just yet."Your dog is lovely," she said, trying to show that she was a nice, innocent dog-lover, just like him. "See, Bouncer, that's what a well-behaved dog looks like."Bouncer just continued to thump his tail against her leg."This is Sal," said the man, resting a hand on the shepherd's dark head. "She's my partner." He pointed modestly to the T-shirt logo, as if Alice could have missed it. "I'm a cop. And Sal's one of the stars of our K-9 unit. Aren't you girl? I'm Roy."Oh, great. Trust me to run into a cop. Hey, stop giving me that look, lady. I've got papers."Be quiet, Bouncer." Alice shook Roy's hand, trying not to think about the dirt under her fingernails. "I'm Alice. And this miscreant is Bouncer. I can only say again how sorry I am." She added the usual white lie. "I don't know what got into him.""Well, I'm not hurt," said Roy with a friendly grin. "I guess there's no harm done."Alice looked into his blue eyes and realized that if she had a tail it would be wagging right about now.Roy gave Bouncer one last rustle on the head. "It was nice meeting you, fella. You behave yourself now." He smiled at Alice. "Nice to meet you, too. Come on, Sal."He waved a hand and started to turn away.Alice pressed her lips together hesitantly and then told herself that she might never get another chance like this."Roy!"Chapter Four"The dogs are completely trained by the time we get them," Roy was saying as they walked back to Alice's shop. "But then we have to spend a few weeks doing training and orientation as well. So I wouldn't exactly call myself a dog expert but working with Sal for the past six years has certainly taught me a lot about how dogs behave and how they think. I'll be glad to help if I can."Alice unlocked the door of the shop, noticing with relief that the buckets outside hadn't been emptied in her absence. Although... [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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