Ten days later, Mackenzie was just coming out of a deep sleep when something butted up against his backside. He cracked one eye open, then pushed against the lump.
“C’mon, you bed hog. Move over.”
As though he’d been waiting for Mackenzie to wake up, Ivan jumped to his feet and spun in circles, stopping with a jolt. He stood there on the bed, head down on his front paws, backside up in the air, tail wagging, that husky grin on his face.
Mackenzie laughed. “So I take it you’re ready for breakfast?”
Ivan rooed deep in his throat. Kylie called it yodeling, but the dog’s “talk” sounded more to Mackenzie like a long, low “roo.” In the week and a half the dog had been with him, the beast had grown more and more talkative.
Mackenzie loved it. But he’d seldom admit it, not even to himself.
He’d just set Ivan’s dish down on the floor when the phone rang. “Eat up, boy.” He scratched the dog’s ears, then reached for the phone.
“Darling—” Amanda’s voice, low and warm, came through the receiver. “Where have you been? It’s been forever since I heard from you. And I’m so . . .”
Her voice drifted on as Mackenzie leaned against the kitchen counter, watching Ivan eat. Any dog he’d ever been around inhaled its food. Not so Sir Ivan. The Sibe would lie down with the dish between his two paws, then pluck one piece of the dry food from the dish. He’d chew, drop it, sniff at it, then pick it up and start all over. The mutt was nuts.
“Mackenzie?”
“Oh, sorry, Amanda. Yes, you were saying?”
“I said, I’m so sorry for our disagreement.”
“So am I.” He eased into a chair.
“That creature was terribly filthy—”
“He was, indeed.”
“I’ve never been terribly good with animals, you know—”
“It’s OK, Amanda. I wasn’t either.” Until now. He was actually getting pretty good with the dog.
Ivan rolled onto his back, stretching his legs straight, and yawned.
“Please, dear, do say you’ll forgive me?”
“Hmmm?”
Ivan rose and came to sit beside him, leaning his body against Mackenzie’s leg.
“I said—”
Mackenzie grinned. Apparently he needed a shower. Ivan was licking his hand from fingertips to wrist.
“—forgive me?”
He tuned back in to the phone call. “Of course I forgive you.” Ivan chose that moment to climb into Mackenzie’s lap and yodel into the receiver.
Mackenzie pulled the phone from his ear. “Hush, you!” He brought the phone back to his ear.
“Mackenzie! What was that?”
He chuckled. “Ivan. I think he’s jealous.”
“Ivan? Who in the world is Ivan?”
“The dog—”
“The dog! You still have that creature?”
He sighed, rubbing Ivan’s ears. Apparently the dog could hear Amanda as well, and from the way he was hiding his face in Mackenzie’s chest, Ivan considered her voice less than melodious.
“Just for a couple more weeks.”
“Weeks? Mackenzie, really! Are you mad?”
“It’s not that bad. My neighbor—”
“Oh, I’m certain your neighbor has made herself most indispensable—”
“Now, hold on, Amanda.” He broke in on her frigid tirade. “Kylie has—”
“I don’t want to hear about it! Any more than I want to hear about that . . . awful animal!”
A weariness settled over him. “What would you suggest I do?”
“Get rid of it.”
He struggled to hold onto his patience. “I can’t very well do that, now can I? He belongs to someone, and it doesn’t seem right to ignore that fact. Besides, it’s only for—”
“Yes, I heard you. ‘A couple more weeks.’ I refuse to step one foot into your house with that beast in residence!”
“He’s not that bad.”
“He’s disgusting! And it sounds like you’d rather spend time with some mangy dog than with me.”
“Amanda, don’t be ridiculous—”
“If anyone is being ridiculous, it’s you!”
“I’m doing what I have to, Amanda.” His voice had hardened.
“As am I. Good-bye, Mackenzie.”
“Amanda, wait.” He really didn’t want to end the call this way. “Look, why don’t I take you out to dinner tonight?”
There was a pause. “Well . . .”
She was weakening. He lowered his voice. “Chateau Michel’s shouldn’t be too busy. We’ll ask them for the corner table near the fireplace, away from everyone else. You can order veal, just the way you like it.”
“Oh, honestly, Mackenzie. Very well. Pick me up at seven.”
“I’ll be there.” He hung up the phone and took hold of Ivan’s face, rubbing the sides of his muzzle. “I can work this out, boy.”
The dog shook his head, then went to lie down, his back to Mackenzie. Clearly, he wasn’t buying it.
Mackenzie could only hope Amanda would be at least as . . . well, unreceptive.