The Dog Town Collection Read online

  The

  Dog Town

  Collection

  Books 1-3

  Bitter and Sweet in Dog Town

  A Match Made in Dog Town

  Lost and Found in Dog Town

  by Sandy Rideout

  Contents

  Welcome to Dog Town

  Volume 1 - Bitter and Sweet in Dog Town

  Dedication

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Volume 2 - A Match Made in Dog Town

  Dedication

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Volume 3 - Lost and Found in Dog Town

  Dedication

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  The Dog Town Collection - Books 1-3

  Copyright © 2019 Sandy Rideout

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means without the prior written permission of the author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author's imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  ISBN 978-1-989303-32-0 eBook

  ISBN 978-1-989303-33-7 Book

  ASIN TBD Kindle

  ASIN TBD Paperback

  Publisher: Sandy Rideout

  www.sandyrideout.com

  Cover designer: Elizabeth Mackey

  Editor: Serena Clarke

  1905311931

  Welcome to Dog Town!

  Dear Reader:

  I have a confession to make: until six years ago, I was a diehard cat lady. Then I got my first dog ever and… I was a goner. Eager for information, I interviewed every expert I could find—trainers, breeders, groomers, walkers and more. The journey ultimately brought me here, to Dog Town.

  Dorset Hills, better known as Dog Town, is famous for being the most dog-friendly place in all of North America. People come from near and far to enjoy its beautiful landscape and unique charms. Naturally, when so many dogs and dog-lovers unite in one town, mischief and mayhem ensue.

  The dogs are the real stars of this new romantic comedy series. They’re at the center of every love story… every mystery… every town scandal. They expose people’s foibles and help them grow. If some scenery gets chewed up along the way, so be it!

  What I can promise with these books is a rollicking good time. They allow me to celebrate what I like most in the world: adorable dogs, intriguing men, devoted friends, quirky families, holidays, and above all… true love. There will be hair-raising moments along the way to keep you guessing, but count on a glorious happily-ever-after for dogs and humans. (Except for the politicians, perhaps.)

  All that said, you don’t need to be a dog lover to love Dog Town. I’ve been publishing romantic comedies for nearly twenty years. The dogs are just a fun new twist.

  I’d love to hear what you think about Dog Town. Who would you like to see step to center stage next? You can join my private facebook reader group for the inside scoop. For a complete list of my books, visit sandyrideout.com and sign up for my newsletter, too.

  In the meantime, enjoy this heartwarming new series. There are many books ready and waiting for you, and still more to come!

  Take care,

  Sandy

  Dedication

  For Hilary...

  …who introduced me to the world of dogs early and continues to inspire me with her hilarious dogs-gone-wrong tales. Thanks for everything, my old (and five days older) friend.

  Chapter 1

  Newcomers to Dorset Hills were often surprised to learn that its celebrated rolling hills weren’t necessarily the main attraction. While the hillside trails were certainly well-used, it was the boardwalk along Lake Longmuir that drew the real crowds. In a small city hailed as being the best place in North America for dogs and dog lovers, a proper promenade was an absolute must. There was no point in having a rare breed in “Dog Town” if you couldn’t show it off.

  Remi Malone went down to the boardwalk on her lunch break most days. Given a choice, she wouldn’t have left her desk in the basement of the old mansion that served as headquarters for the Dorset Hills Hospital Foundation. Although it was dank, dim and dingy down there, it was also the perfect hideaway for an introvert.

  She wasn’t given a choice, however. Leo always insisted they go out. When the clock in the City Hall tower chimed noon, the 19-pound beagle left whatever he was doing to stare at Remi with soulful eyes. If that didn’t work, he escalated to a whine. And if that didn’t work, he unleashed the notorious beagle howl intended to carry for miles on a fox hunt. Leo wasn’t as dumb as some people chose to think.

  On Thursday August 29th, Remi rose from her desk on Leo’s first cue. She leashed him and came upstairs to collect her colleague and friend, Arden Lee.

  “I feel lucky today,” Remi said, admiring the fundraising poster Arden was designing on a huge monitor. “Game on?”

  Arden saved her work before turning. “You poor thing. I know how hard losing’s been for you, and yet you keep trying.”

  Remi laughed. “Enjoy your lead while it lasts, my friend. You’ll be sucking my dust after lunch.”

  “Then remind me to floss later.” Arden grabbed a little mirror and carefully selected a lipstick from the dozens lined up in her desk drawer. An artist to the core, she considered her pretty face another canvas. Her eyes looked either blue or gray depending on her makeup, and her shiny dark hair made them pop.

  Dogspotting, the game they’d invented, added a bit of spice to their lunchtime strolls. It ran on a simple points system. All they had to do was identify rare dogs, reel off unique breed traits and ideally get a photo for their digital scrapbook. Arden had recently taken the lead for the first time with sightings of a Dogue de Bordeaux and a schipperke, both new to Dorset Hills. This rankled with Remi no end. Unlike her friend, she had an encyclopedic knowledge of the world’s approximately 350 dog breeds. But Arden had proven a quick study and shamelessly capitalized on Remi’s reluctance
to ask strangers for pictures of their dogs.

  As usual, they tried to sneak past their director’s office on the way out. Leo had other plans and stopped in Marcus Tremblay’s doorway to wag his skinny white tail. The dog never stopped selling, even when someone refused to buy. Marcus disliked dogs in general and kept hand sanitizer in his pocket in case Leo happened to touch him.

  “Hey, Remi,” Marcus called. “How’s your report coming?”

  “You’ll have it by two, like I promised.” She never missed a deadline but Marcus objected to their lunchtime constitutional on principle. Butts in seats made him happy.

  “I’d like to read it over lunch. If it’s ready.”

  She peered in at him. Unlike her dungeon cell, his office was bright and airy with white plastic chairs, a red metal clock and picture frames in primary colors. Marcus himself was the kind of guy you’d overlook were it not for his big spade-shaped beard and handlebar mustache. Remi called it a “statement beard” and she didn’t much like what it was saying.

  The guilt trip often worked on Remi but Arden had Marcus’ number. “Can we get you anything while we’re out, boss? How about a cappuccino?”

  He drummed his fingers, deciding whether to push it. “Okay. But don’t be gone too long. You know we’re short-staffed through Labor Day.”

  Remi waited till they merged with pedestrian traffic on Main Street before grumbling, “As if he’d even miss me.”

  Arden checked over her shoulder to make sure the coast was clear. “Of course he’d miss you, Cinderella. Where would Marcus be without his researcher?”

  They walked past the hospital itself, which somehow glittered less than City Hall, despite being built from exactly the same gold brick. After that came the shops. Some, like Bertucci’s Fine Meats, predated Dorset Hills’ transformation into Dog Town. Others, like the Lucky Dog Barkery, Puptown Girl Fashions, and the Paws and Relax Spa were the direct result of it.

  “I wish he’d see me as more than a researcher,” Remi said. “I’m ready for a promotion.”

  “Tell him, not me,” Arden said.

  “I shouldn’t have to. I’ve found tons of great leads that turned into donations. Why wouldn’t he just promote me since there’s a client management job available?”

  Leo stopped to leave his mark outside the Law Society building. Landscapers had already planted fall flowers in city-sanctioned yellow, orange and white. Council left little to chance, even where vegetation was concerned. Remi wondered if something nefarious had befallen a riotous English garden in her neighborhood recently. It had been clear-cut overnight. There was no place for pink daisies in Dog Town anymore, it seemed.

  “Be like Leo,” Arden said, as the dog sparingly sprinkled a shrub. He had a big tank for a small dog, but there was still a lot of ground to cover. “Stake out your turf, Remi.”

  “I wouldn’t know how. Marcus scares me.”

  “Oh, he’s all beard and no bite. Just offer him a juicy lead and tell him you’ll manage the client relationship. Then go and get that donation.”

  “Easy for you to say.” Remi frowned as she wove through the crowd. People were pushy and impatient today. End of summer blues, probably.

  “You’re ready for this,” Arden said. “Claim it.”

  “Well… I have sniffed out a potential lead, actually. Hannah Pemberton is coming to town this weekend. It’s a last-minute decision.”

  Arden turned to catch Remi with a stare. “Hannah Pemberton of the billionaire Pemberton family?”

  “The same. We went to school together. Her family moved to New York City after senior year and as far as I know she’s never been back. On Sunday, she’s opening an exhibit of her late mother’s art at the Barton Gallery.”

  Arden stopped and the foot traffic flowed around her. “Remi, this is it! The break you’ve been waiting for. Marcus always gives the lead to the person with the best connection.”

  Leo allocated a few drops to the fire hydrant outside the Dog Town Tavern. “I’m not sure she’ll remember me. Back then, Cinderella would have been a step up for me.”

  Arden continued to stare at Remi. If she were a dog, she’d be sniffing the breeze for clues. “There’s something going on. What aren’t you telling me?”

  “Nothing,” Remi said, bending to adjust Leo’s collar.

  Something caught Arden’s eye before she could press Remi for details. “Bearded collie!” she called out. “Three points.”

  “Old English sheepdog. Honestly, Arden. I’d dock you for that if we were actually on the boardwalk.”

  In a few minutes, they stepped off the sidewalk and onto the long wooden trail that ran for about a mile along the shore. For all its popularity, it wasn’t particularly attractive. The City had been uncharacteristically slow to exploit its potential. However, the new mayor, Bill Bradshaw, had promised a boardwalk facelift during his campaign.

  Remi saw a small white dog romping in the distance. Could it be…? Surely not... But it was!

  “Pumi!” she shouted. “Hungarian herding dog. Non-shedding. Semi-erect ears. Curly tail. Whimsical expression. Recognized by the AKC in 2016. Plural is Pumik.”

  “Whimsical?” Arden got out her phone to confirm. “Did you memorize the entire kennel club website?”

  Picking up Leo, Remi raced toward the white dog. It felt as if her luck was turning.

  The dog’s owner was a rangy woman in cargo pants and a safari-style shirt. She was startled at the running footsteps but her expression softened when she saw Leo, and she reached for his long, satiny ears. Dog people could never resist those ears.

  “Sorry to bother you,” Remi said. “I just wondered if your dog is a pumi.”

  The owner’s face lit up. “Why, yes. You’re the first person in Dorset Hills to know that.”

  While they chatted, Remi put Leo down and he gave the pumi a perfunctory sniff. Leo was usually indifferent to dogs. His main interests in life were people and food—usually in reverse order.

  Remi finally summoned the nerve to ask for a photo. Afterwards, she waited till the owner was out of earshot before jumping off the boardwalk and kicking up the sand. “Eat my dust, girlfriend.”

  Arden joined her in the sand, grinning. “Put your competitive streak away. No one wants to see that in public.”

  “Competitive? Who me?”

  “The seeds were always there but they’ve clearly been growing in your basement lair.”

  “Spores, not seeds,” Remi said. “Like mushrooms.”

  Arden’s expression was serious. “You really have changed, Remi. When we met, you hid behind your hair and glasses and hardly said a word. Once in a while you’d make a brilliant comment and startle people.”

  “Then I’d hide in the basement for ages before trying again.” Remi leaned over and picked up Leo. “I owe it all to this guy. When Marcus let me bring him to work everything changed. I never expected this little rescue to turn into an unofficial therapy dog.”

  Leo lolled in her arms. He adored being adored. Remi had to remind herself of his trainer’s warning that he was a dog, not a baby, because Leo himself seemed to forget. Sometimes when she tried to set him down he’d refuse to lower his landing gear.

  “Well, Leo is going to get you the promotion you want.”

  “Do you hear that, Leo?” Remi said. “Go get my promotion. Fetch.”

  She lifted Leo high and spun in a circle until his white legs and tail flew out. There was a sudden yelp, and it didn’t come from Leo.

  A tall, fit man in running shorts lurched backwards. His hand went up to his face and he stared at her with eyes as blue as a Siberian husky's.

  “Did you just hit me with a beagle?” he asked.

  “I’m sorry!” Remi dropped Leo onto the sand. The man was shirtless and sweat dripped from his square chin onto his muscular chest. He moved his hand and revealed two long scratches from Leo’s claws on his tanned cheek.

  The jogger pushed his shades up to stare at Remi with bright blue
eyes. “That dog is a lethal weapon. Are you licensed to carry?”

  Arden laughed, but Remi was too flustered to be sure he was joking. Then she looked down and immediately sank to her knees. “Oh my god. Is this a Tibetan mastiff?”

  “Rocky? Yeah.” The jogger grinned down at her.

  “The most expensive dog in the world,” Remi said, flicking her eyes at Arden. The huge black and tan dog sniffed the hand she offered warily, and then allowed her to pat his head. “It’s a fierce guardian breed that only has one annual estrus.”

  The jogger’s eyebrows went up. “One what?”

  “Heat cycle,” Remi said, her cheeks warming. “Not that Rocky has to worry about that, I guess.”