accident.
With the recent stinging memory of being laughed at because of how he’d looked carrying Marshmallow, he was quick to meet her gaze and smile warmly, even though his “crazy chick” radar was going off. “Armani like the designer? I’m Tom.” He shook her good hand.
“A man of culture,” she teased. “I’ve been waiting for you.” She patted the seat next to her again.
Not wanting to hurt her feelings, he settled onto the bench. “Waiting for me?”
“I had the distinct feeling I was missing a message. I’m a psychic, you know,” she explained matter-of-factly.
Tom did his best to maintain a polite smile as he tried to figure out how to extricate himself from the bizarre conversation.
“I pulled seven Scrabble tiles earlier and they spelled out dog park … that or god krap ,” Armani continued. “I figured dog park made more sense. I borrowed a dog, just in case I needed one, and came and waited. Then, when I saw you, I knew you were the one.”
“The one?” Tom asked, despite his better judgment.
She nodded. “You’re looking for someone. Hunting for them, really.”
He looked at her sharply, wondering how she knew that. He’d done his best to act with secrecy and discretion.
“I can help you.”
“Oh yeah?”
She nodded. “I’ve—”
Out of the corner of his eye, Tom spotted a Doberman Pinscher headed straight toward the Maltese in his care. “Marshmallow!”
Startled, the little white dog froze in place.
“Look out!” Tom leapt to his feet, rushing to throw himself between the two dogs.
He was too late.
The Doberman reached her before Tom could. The big dog sniffed the little one.
Marshmallow barked at it.
“Don’t antagonize it,” Tom warned, moving slowly toward the dogs only inches apart. His only plan at that point was to snatch up the fluffball and make a run for it. As plans went, it sucked.
“She,” Armani called from her bench. “That’s DeeDee. She’s with me.”
“There are rules about big dogs and little dogs interacting. Didn’t you see the sign? Call her off.”
“What for? She’s harmless. Look at her, she only wants to play.”
Tom peered at the big, brown dog. She didn’t seem to be exhibiting any aggressive behavior. In fact, she’d sprawled out on the grass and put her head on the ground between her paws as though to prove she was harmless.
“At home she plays with a cat and a lizard.”
“A lizard?” Tom asked incredulously.
“I don’t get it either, but it seems to work for them. Come back, Tom. Like I said I’m here to help you.”
Tom looked from one dog to the other. Marshmallow didn’t look scared.
“Trust me. I know these things,” the beautiful woman on the bench assured him. “I’m a psychic.”
Tom shook his head. Crazy chick through-and-through. “Come here, Marshmallow. We’re leaving.”
Instead of obeying, the Maltese scooted past him, marched up to the Doberman, and licked her cheek. The big dog took off with the little dog chasing after her, nipping at her heels, in a joyous game of doggie tag.
“See?” Armani struggled to her feet and slowly limped to where Tom stood watching the dogs play. “They’re a perfect pair.” She patted his shoulder. “Lucky for you I’m a matchmaker and I’m going to find you your perfect match since that’s who you’re looking for.”
“Actually it’s not,” Tom informed her testily. The person he was hunting was a burglar who’d ransacked a bunch of local homes.
His Aunt Ruby had roped him into that too.
Chapter 2
Catching herself chewing on the straw sticking out of her lemonade, Jane Bly frowned. It was a habit she’d developed as a child, which manifested itself when she was nervous.
Not that she had anything to be nervous about, she reminded herself. Sure, meeting a total stranger she’d “met” by calling her insurance company was a little unusual. And telling the woman, who claimed to be a psychic matchmaker, that
With the recent stinging memory of being laughed at because of how he’d looked carrying Marshmallow, he was quick to meet her gaze and smile warmly, even though his “crazy chick” radar was going off. “Armani like the designer? I’m Tom.” He shook her good hand.
“A man of culture,” she teased. “I’ve been waiting for you.” She patted the seat next to her again.
Not wanting to hurt her feelings, he settled onto the bench. “Waiting for me?”
“I had the distinct feeling I was missing a message. I’m a psychic, you know,” she explained matter-of-factly.
Tom did his best to maintain a polite smile as he tried to figure out how to extricate himself from the bizarre conversation.
“I pulled seven Scrabble tiles earlier and they spelled out dog park … that or god krap ,” Armani continued. “I figured dog park made more sense. I borrowed a dog, just in case I needed one, and came and waited. Then, when I saw you, I knew you were the one.”
“The one?” Tom asked, despite his better judgment.
She nodded. “You’re looking for someone. Hunting for them, really.”
He looked at her sharply, wondering how she knew that. He’d done his best to act with secrecy and discretion.
“I can help you.”
“Oh yeah?”
She nodded. “I’ve—”
Out of the corner of his eye, Tom spotted a Doberman Pinscher headed straight toward the Maltese in his care. “Marshmallow!”
Startled, the little white dog froze in place.
“Look out!” Tom leapt to his feet, rushing to throw himself between the two dogs.
He was too late.
The Doberman reached her before Tom could. The big dog sniffed the little one.
Marshmallow barked at it.
“Don’t antagonize it,” Tom warned, moving slowly toward the dogs only inches apart. His only plan at that point was to snatch up the fluffball and make a run for it. As plans went, it sucked.
“She,” Armani called from her bench. “That’s DeeDee. She’s with me.”
“There are rules about big dogs and little dogs interacting. Didn’t you see the sign? Call her off.”
“What for? She’s harmless. Look at her, she only wants to play.”
Tom peered at the big, brown dog. She didn’t seem to be exhibiting any aggressive behavior. In fact, she’d sprawled out on the grass and put her head on the ground between her paws as though to prove she was harmless.
“At home she plays with a cat and a lizard.”
“A lizard?” Tom asked incredulously.
“I don’t get it either, but it seems to work for them. Come back, Tom. Like I said I’m here to help you.”
Tom looked from one dog to the other. Marshmallow didn’t look scared.
“Trust me. I know these things,” the beautiful woman on the bench assured him. “I’m a psychic.”
Tom shook his head. Crazy chick through-and-through. “Come here, Marshmallow. We’re leaving.”
Instead of obeying, the Maltese scooted past him, marched up to the Doberman, and licked her cheek. The big dog took off with the little dog chasing after her, nipping at her heels, in a joyous game of doggie tag.
“See?” Armani struggled to her feet and slowly limped to where Tom stood watching the dogs play. “They’re a perfect pair.” She patted his shoulder. “Lucky for you I’m a matchmaker and I’m going to find you your perfect match since that’s who you’re looking for.”
“Actually it’s not,” Tom informed her testily. The person he was hunting was a burglar who’d ransacked a bunch of local homes.
His Aunt Ruby had roped him into that too.
Chapter 2
Catching herself chewing on the straw sticking out of her lemonade, Jane Bly frowned. It was a habit she’d developed as a child, which manifested itself when she was nervous.
Not that she had anything to be nervous about, she reminded herself. Sure, meeting a total stranger she’d “met” by calling her insurance company was a little unusual. And telling the woman, who claimed to be a psychic matchmaker, that
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