So I decided to make a joke of it. “I’m not. I mean, while you’re reading Sophocles, Proust, and Mamet, I’m usually rotting my brain watching television.” I swallowed nervously, not liking the way he was looking at me. Or maybe the problem was that I liked it too much. “And you’ve definitely gone with some interesting decor choices here.”

“I’ve been living in New York the last few years because I’ve liked the anonymity it affords me. But so much of my work is in Los Angeles that we moved here about six months ago. I wanted space for Magnus to run around in, so I planned on building a fence, but the homeowners’ association is giving me grief. Anyway, this house used to be owned by a ninety-four-year-old woman. Her husband built it for her as a wedding present back in the 1950s. So I want to honor that history and restore it to its former glory, but I haven’t found the right person to fix it up yet.”

Maybe Shelby really was an all-seeing witch. “Actually, I happen to know the right person. It’s my friend Shelby. Because if I tell her the way that this adorable bungalow is the victim of decorating abuse, I’m going to have to drive her to the hospital after she has a coronary. She takes her interior design very seriously.”

I took out the small stack of cards she’d given me and sorted through them until I found one of hers. I handed it to him, being very careful to make sure that our fingers didn’t accidentally brush, because I wasn’t sure I’d be able to handle the sensation.

“Thanks for the recommendation.” He slid the card into his own pocket.

That weird, awkward energy was back, and he was looking at me like . . . like he wanted to kiss me.

Panicky adrenaline flooded through me, and I cleared my throat loudly. “We should probably get started. Let me tell you a little about the services I provide.”

I ran through what I’d do with Magnus, the brushing and bathing, the organic products I used that were environmentally friendly and didn’t have any harsh chemicals, how I preferred towel drying and then stress-free toenail clipping. “I can also brush his teeth and clean out his ears, if you want.”

“He probably needs the works. Let me get his leash in case he makes a dash for it once we go outside.”

I nodded as he went into the kitchen. Talking about how I did my job had calmed me back down and made it so that I could appreciate Noah’s broad shoulders as he went through the door. I thought again about how strong he was and how easily he’d hefted his dog. Magnus looked up at me expectantly, and I said, “You’re the world’s luckiest dog, did you know that?”