Paws off the Boss - Casey Griffin (best books under 200 pages .TXT) 📗

Her mother tutted. “When are you going to put this grudge aside?”

“When I invent a time machine. Or you give me a new brother. Either one.”

“But it was so long ago,” her mother said. “It’s been almost a decade.”

“Nine years, Mom. It’s been nine years since he died.”

“And you don’t think I miss your father, too? But Ethan is your brother. He’s family. What little you have left. And he’s trying to make amends.”

Too little, too late, Piper thought. “And giving me money is going to fix what happened?”

“Look. We both know things haven’t been easy for you financially. It didn’t help that I moved up to Seattle to be closer to your brother and left you to pay rent on your own.”

“It’s not your fault,” Piper said. “Besides, thanks to Auntie, the place is rent-controlled. I’m fine.”

She didn’t blame her mother for moving. San Francisco was expensive, and Ethan had been helping their mom out with money ever since she moved closer to him. It made Piper happy to know her mother was doing okay, even though she missed her.

But Piper had lived by herself for six years now, since she was twenty. She’d come this far on her own. She wasn’t about to pack it all in now because her brother wanted to buy her love.

When her mother spoke again, her voice sounded gentler, letting Piper know that she missed her too. “You could have moved with me. You still can. It would be nice having everyone together.”

Not everyone, Piper thought. Her fist clenched until she realized that she was squishing her sandwich. She was tired of having the same conversation every time they spoke. She got it. Her mom wanted both of her kids to get along. But just because Piper had to love her brother since he was family, that didn’t mean she had to like him.

Ignoring the notices in her hand and the rent that was past due, she took the unopened letter from Ethan and tore it in half.

“What was that noise?” her mom asked.

“My life is in San Francisco,” Piper said. “I’m not moving. I’ll be fine.” Just fine, fine, fine, she thought, her shoulders drawing back a little.

“I worry about you, is all.”

Something banged in the background.

“Oh, your brother just arrived. Here, I’ll hand you over.” Her mother’s voice grew faint as she passed the phone.

“Mom, I gotta go!” Piper yelled into the phone. “I love you. Bye!”

She ended the call before she could hear Ethan’s voice. To make herself feel better, she tore the check into minuscule pieces before throwing it away. When the last fluttering piece had settled to the bottom of the lobby trash can, she dared a peek at the final notices in her hand.

Her mom would say she’d just cut off her nose to spite her face. But she hadn’t. She’d done it to spite Ethan. She’d inherited her stubborn pride from her father.

“How are we going to pay the bills, Colin?” she asked her backpack.

Colin squirmed restlessly in her bag. She tossed her sandwich in the garbage along with the torn-up check—it’s not like she had an appetite left anyway—and headed to her poppy-red VW Bug in the parking lot. Once inside the car, she freed Colin, who gave her an agitated sneeze.

“I know you hate the bag.” She gave him a scratch behind the ears. “But we can’t afford a new place that accepts pets. Not yet.”

His bushy tan eyebrows rose, and she sighed in defeat.

Reaching into her backpack, she drew out Aiden Caldwell’s business card. She hesitated, struggling to come up with another solution. One that was much less tricky.

It was an opportunity laced with potential complications and temptations. But then she considered the alternative: handing out resumes all over town, waiting days, if not weeks, for a call, and then the interviews, the training. By the time she saw her first paycheck, her landlord would have kicked her out. Or worse, she and Colin would be forced to crawl up to Seattle with their tails between their legs.

She grimaced. That wasn’t an option. Unable to think of a better idea, she reached for her phone and texted Aiden before she could chicken out.

Hello, this is Piper, the telegram girl from the rescue center. I’m wondering if you still needed a dog walker.

She hit send. It felt weird to ask for a job this way. Especially after how they’d met the day before. She wondered if he’d only suggested it because he’d watched her lose two jobs. What if it was a handout? What if he just felt bad for her? She’d rather move into the rescue center than face his pity.

Her phone chimed with Aiden’s response.

Absolutely. When are you free to meet and have a chat?

A chat? She wondered what that meant in Aiden’s world. Was it an interview type chat at his office or a casual coffee thing? Since it was for a dog-walking position, she chose neutral ground.

I’m free all day today or tomorrow afternoon. We can meet at the Presidio with the dogs.

Does 2 p.m. work for you?

Sure. I’ll meet you in the Fifteenth Avenue gate parking lot.

See you then.

The exchange was professional and businesslike. No words wasted. So why was Piper’s heart beating so fast? It’s nothing more than a job, she told herself. It wasn’t like a date or anything.

She threw the phone in her bag and turned to Colin in the passenger seat. “Happy?”

His head tilted to one side in confusion.

“Sophie will be there.”

At the mention of her name, his tail twitched back and forth. He stared out the windshield expectantly, as if saying, You may chauffeur me now.

Bowing, she threw it in drive and did his bidding.