Page 84 of Puppy Christmas

“Of course,” Patrick agreed. His brows lifted at the terse way Lila spoke, but he didn’t press the issue. “What was it you wanted to see me about, by the way?”

In all the bustle of taking care of the boys, Lila had forgotten that she’d lured Patrick here under false pretenses. Thinking fast, she decided on, “We’ve acquired a new puppy that I think will make a good hearing service dog, but I wanted your opinion on her temperament first.”

“Myopinion?” Patrick glanced around as if searching for another person whose advice she might be soliciting. “I don’t know anything about dogs.”

No, he didn’t—and a fortunate thing it was, too. If he did, he’d walk into that kennel and see through her ruse in an instant. Each puppy was categorized and cataloged long before they walked through the door. With the amount of time and resources that had to go in to training them, Lila left nothing to chance.

“Maybe not, but you do have an unerring eye for detail.” It was underhanded of her, she knew, but flattery had always worked well on this man. “I’d appreciate your input. My sisters, too. We’re at something of a loss with this one.”

His chest—and his ego—practically swelled before her eyes. To be called in to swoop to the rescue of not one, not two, butthreedamsels was just the sort of thing that got Patrick’s blood going.

Ford would never have fallen for it. Ford would have laughed at her and demanded to know where she was hiding the real Lila Vasquez.

She’d have an answer for him, too.I’m hiding her somewhere safe. I’m keeping her protected in case you leave and take all her chances of happiness with you.

“Anything for a friend,” Patrick said and followed her out to the kennel. “Well, that’s not strictly true. Anything as long as it’s not asking me to clean up after them.”