Mia Found (Starting Fires Book 3) Read Online Free PDF

“Do you want me to date your dad? I promise to love you like my own.” I smiled at him and he barked. “That’s a yes, isn’t it?” I crouched down as he wagged his tail and showered my face with kisses. “I thought so. Ready to go home?” His tongue hung out of his mouth and he put his large paw up on my shoulder. “Come on, boy.”
    Ferdinand dutifully followed me back to the townhouse and I unleashed him. Immediately, he ran to the couch and sprawled out on it. The clock on the wall told me I had just fifteen minutes to make it to my class. Rushing, I readied myself and dashed out the door.
    “ Be good, Ferdinand,” I called, locking the door behind me.
     

     
    By noon, I’d finished all of my classes and was in my car outside of Paul’s home. Fiona had called wondering who I was dog sitting for.
    “ So is this just some random guy?” she asked.
    “ No,” I said. “I’ve told you about him.” At least I thought I had. “Remember, I met him at your sister’s last year—when we babysat.”
    “ Please. Like I remember anything from a year ago. Well…what’s he like?”
    “ Uh…” I wasn’t sure I wanted to tell her about him. Even if neither of us said it, a rivalry existed between us. In the past, if I expressed interest in a man, she saw it as a challenge to win him first. Usually she did—she was much more forward than I was.
    When she inevitably took him, we both lost interest. Paul didn’t seem like her type and she certainly wasn’t his, but still…he was special to me. Not just a passing crush. It would hurt if she tried any of her usual antics. Worse if he accepted them.
    She was lucky my rivalry was strictly professional. But she tended to win there too.
    “ He’s an accountant,” I said as if that was all she needed to know.
    “ Blah,” she said. “Boring.” Good. Yes. It’s completely boring. “When will you be home?”
    “ Saturday night.”
    “ Ok. See you then.”
    She hung up and I walked to the house. Paul had texted me just after 9 a.m. to tell me he’d landed. I’d responded Great! Have a good time. Talk to you soon, with a kissy face emoticon.
    He hadn’t replied.
    As I looked at our messages and saw he’d read the last one, I felt a bit embarrassed. Maybe I should take a step back. The kissy face might have overstepped.
    In a little over an hour, I had to be at work and planned to watch TV with Ferdinand curled up on my lap. I opened the door ready to receive him, but let out a gasp. Puffs of white cotton littered the floor and stairs. A lamp was overturned. Paul’s couch cushions were ripped, their insides spilling out. A hand came to my mouth.
    “ Oh, no!” I said. What did I do? Should I tell Paul? Would I have to buy him another couch?
    Ferdinand was nowhere in sight and I began searching. Downstairs was clear.
    I dashed up the stairs and found him lying against Paul’s bedroom door. He whined when he saw me, his tail beating. “Are you all right?” I asked. He whined again, putting a paw up to Paul’s door. “He’s not there,” I told him sweetly, but he didn’t relent. Ferdinand whined louder and began scratching. “See for yourself,” I said, opening the door.
    Ferdinand burst in, searching the master bath and closets before whining some more. He circled the large king sized bed and then made his way to the doggy steps on the side, falling on top of the covers. He rolled and kicked until comfortable then settled, his face resting on Paul’s pillow.
    “ Poor boy,” I said. He missed Paul.
    Ferdinand seemed placated for the moment and I went downstairs to clean the mess. The cushions weren’t too badly damaged, only small tears here and there. They might be salvageable. I stuffed the excess cushion pieces into a bag.
    When I finished, it was nearly time for me to head into work, but I texted Paul. Need to talk to you. Let me know when you’ll be free.
    Before I left, I checked on Ferdinand again. “Let’s make a deal,” I told