4 Yip/Tuck Read Free

not really, but maybe I needed to write up a policy just for these types of situations.
    “He’s out of surgery and heading for the gym. He wanted me to have it. Now.”
    “I think he wanted Kiki to have it. Just a small correction.” I smiled and reached out to pet the dog.
    Tova pulled her away. “You’re being difficult. You’re always difficult with me. You know he bought Kiki a gift, and you know he was picking it up tonight. We’re here now. Just give us the present.” Out came the demanding hand and pouty lip I hated so much.
    Well, when you ask so sweetly . . . “Give me a minute.” I flipped though my business card holder, looking for the doc’s information.
    It was easy enough to make a quick call to Dr. O’s office. If he said it was okay, she could have the boots. Anything to get rid of Miss Bossy Pants and her assistant.
    They roamed the shop while I hunted through my stash of business cards. I really needed to get these organized. No. What I needed was to invest in a software system that merged my client database with my cash register, but I was always too busy helping customers. I needed part-time help, but I hadn’t had any good candidates. Wacky Vera, a prime example of my options, wasn’t going to cut it. I made a mental reminder to look through the applications again tomorrow.
    “Tova got stood up again?” Kimber appeared out of nowhere.
    “It sounds like there was an emergency, and Dr. O’Doggle won’t be able to make it.” I wasn’t about to insinuate myself into gossip about Tova. I wasn’t her biggest fan, but that didn’t mean I had to share my unkind thoughts about her with other customers.
    Kimber leaned against the counter and spoke quietly. “He stands her up almost every Sunday night. If I were her, I’d hire a P.I. and find out who the other woman is.”
    “What other woman?” I asked before I could stop myself. So much for staying out of Tova’s personal life.
    “I’ve heard he has another girlfriend in Newport. It could even be a wife. Either way, I wouldn’t stand for it.” Kimber set Noodles’ sweater vest next to the cash register.
    Another woman? Highly unlikely. If that were true, Tova would have found a way to get rid of the competition. As for a wife, Tova was annoying and superficial, but she didn’t seem the kind to steal another woman’s husband.
    Maybe the sexy Dr. Jack O’Doggle could take only so much Tova and needed a break. Just like the rest of us. After I rang up Kimber’s merchandise, I’d call Dr. O and get his okay to cough up Kiki’s gift. It was the least I could do.

Chapter Three
     
    THE NEXT DAY was one of those foggy winter mornings. A spongy wetness hung in the air, a familiar friend to any oceanside town. In a couple of hours, the sun would banish the low-lying clouds and create a golden paradise in its place.
    My best bud, Darby Beckett, and I walked our dogs down the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH to us locals), past the sleeping shops, with Koffee Klatch drinks in hand. Darby was in full Annie Hall mode today—wide-legged trousers, white, long-sleeved shirt, and a tweed vest. I sported my usual denim and cotton.
    Fluffy, a pretentious but misunderstood Afghan Hound, was now officially Darby’s dog. To catch you up to speed on Fluffy, I had inherited the “dog actor” when her owner was murdered. Fluffy and my bulldog, Missy, weren’t a good fit. Missy’s a down-home kinda gal. Fluffy is beyond pampered with a capital P. They didn’t make good roommates.
    But Fluffy and Darby . . . as opposite as they were, needed each other. Once a few legal papers had been filed, Darby and Fluffy were officially a pair. Everyone was happy.
    “So tell me about the calendar project. Who’s in?” I asked.
    Darby owned Paw Prints, a pet photography shop, which was conveniently located next door to Bow Wow. She’d come up with a fantastic idea to shoot a calendar of prominent businesswomen and their pets as a fundraiser for the