A Walk In The Park by Cilla Moss

A dog was supposed to be man’s best friend. Did that apply to women, too?

THE website came up with two possible matches for Anna in her area: Toby, who was mature, down to earth and reliable, and Jackson, described as fun-loving and sociable.

Anna chose Toby, because since being dumped by her boyfriend she’d sworn off the energetic and volatile type.

Plus, she’d always had a soft spot for King Charles spaniels.

A friend at work had told her about this website. It put together people who were thinking of getting a dog with owners who were willing to lend theirs.

Anna would get some experience to help her make up her mind, and Toby’s owner, Ellen, would get a free dog-walker a couple of times a week.

Her first date with Toby was on a Sunday. Anna took him to the park, but he didn’t seem too enthusiastic about the idea. He walked along indifferently, two steps behind Anna, and when she let him off his lead he just sat and looked at her. She threw a ball for him. “Go on, Toby – fetch! Off you go, Toby!”

He didn’t move.

“It’s a good job you’re cute,” Anna muttered as she went to fetch the ball herself.

“He’s a stubborn old thing,” Ellen told Anna when she brought him home again. “But he’ll get used to you, I’m sure.” She tickled Toby’s ears affectionately. “Have you tried treats?”

The next weekend they went back to the park. Toby didn’t act as if she were any less of a stranger than before.

“All right,” she told him. “I’m not above bribery.”

Out came the dog biscuits.

Toby ate three and then sat by her feet on the grass and refused to move. He gazed out across the park.

With a sigh, Anna sat down beside him and stretched her legs. At least she was getting some fresh air.

“Jackson!” A piercing whistle. “Jackson, come!”

A disobedient black Labrador came bouncing up to Anna and Toby and ran a circle around them, grinning. Toby didn’t even raise his head.

“Jackson, come here!” A dark-haired man chased after the dog.

“I’m so sorry,” he said breathlessly when he reached Anna.

“It’s no trouble.” She chuckled as Jackson nuzzled at her coat pocket, searching for the biscuits he could smell.

“I’m new to this – he’s not my dog, actually.”

The poor guy looked totally frazzled.

Anna realised Jackson looked familiar.

“Is this Jackson from the try-a-pet website? I saw his profile.”

“That’s right.” He smiled. “I’m Nick.”

“Anna,” she said, shaking his hand. “This is Toby. He’s mine for the afternoon.”

Nick, Anna and Jackson turned to Toby. Toby yawned and rolled on to his side.

“Low maintenance,” Nick noted.

Before Anna could answer, Jackson cocked his ear at the sound of an ice-cream van’s jingle and streaked off towards the source. “Jackson!”

“Here.” Anna offered him the ball. “Maybe this will keep him entertained. I don’t think Toby will mind.”

“Thanks.” He gave her a wry smile. “Maybe we’ll see you again.”

Anna smiled as she watched him go after Jackson, who was already bounding back to him.

“He looks like a lot of fun,” she told Toby as she fondled his ears. “The dog, I mean. Of course.”

The next weekend, when she arrived at the park, Nick and Jackson were playing fetch. Anna watched Nick sending the ball sailing halfway across the park.

Finally he noticed her and waved in greeting.

She went across to say hello, dragging a reluctant Toby with her. This wasn’t his usual routine, and Toby wasn’t happy about it.

“You’re good at this,” she told Nick. “Dog-sitting?”

“I meant ball throwing, but that, too.”

“Thanks. Years of playing rugby. I had to give it up when I injured my back but I miss it. I thought having a dog might be another way to get some exercise.”

“He’s certainly giving you that!”

Jackson returned with the ball and then wrestled Nick for it, refusing to let him take it.

“What about you?” Nick said, when he’d

finally got the ball and sent it flying across the park again. “How are you getting on with Toby?”

“Toby’s grumpy, stubborn, and stuck in his ways. We’re getting on beautifully, aren’t we, Toby?”

Toby glanced at her, then turned his back and sat down. Nick laughed.

“I don’t know,” she confessed. “Maybe I’m not cut out for having a dog. I’ve never had a pet before. I just liked the idea of . . .” “What?” Although she hadn’t meant to finish the sentence, she found herself confiding.

“Expanding Team Anna, I suppose.” She laughed at herself. “But, cute though Toby is, he’s not much of a teammate.”

Nick seemed about to answer, but Jackson, having been ignored for two full seconds, barrelled into him and almost knocked him over.

It was a cool, fresh day, and she stayed to chat for a while. Jackson played fetch and Toby dozed. Eventually Nick’s throwing arm began to get tired. Anna couldn’t believe it when she realised they’d been talking all afternoon.

The next weekend she arrived early at the park with Toby. Nick and Jackson were already there. Nick gave Anna a big smile of greeting and Jackson bounced quite indecorously over Toby.

Anna told herself that it was just a happy accident that they should meet. But after they’d spent the whole afternoon together again, it was hard to deny they might be starting some sort of relationship. Nick caught her eye. “Would you like to go for a coffee? With me and the dogs. I mean, there’s an outdoor café on the other side of the park . . .”

He seemed so shy and awkward suddenly that she felt shy and awkward, too.

“Thanks, but I really should make sure that Toby gets a walk, for a change. He doesn’t like new places.”

What a terrible excuse, she thought.

She could tell Nick thought so, too. The brightness went out of him, but he kept smiling.

“No problem,” he said graciously. “Maybe another time.”

As she and Toby walked away even Toby seemed confused, looking up at her questioningly.

“I don’t know,” she said. “I haven’t a clue why I said that.”

It would have been nice to have a coffee with Nick. Why had her impulse been to say no? She regretted it.

The month she had planned to spend with Toby was nearing its end. Anna wondered if he would even notice, but when she picked him up for their last day together, Toby was sitting by the front door waiting for her.

“I suppose that’s a sign he’s getting used to me,” she told Ellen.

Toby got to his feet and his tail wagged twice.

“That,” Ellen said, “is practically a declaration of undying love.”

At the park Anna hesitated on their usual route and turned on to a different path. After a few steps Toby pulled on the lead to remind her they were going the wrong way.

“Come on, Toby. Let’s go and look at the river for a change.”

Toby sat, forcing a couple of people to walk round him on the path. She gave them an apologetic smile, but could feel them judging her as a terrible pet-owner.

“I just fancied a change today, OK?” she told him. “Don’t be such a stick-inthe-mud! You might enjoy it.”

Toby glared at her. “I know. You want to stay with what’s safe and familiar; where you know you won’t have to deal with any surprises . . .”

She stopped as her exasperation with Toby shifted to frustration with herself. Wasn’t she exactly the same?

“We’re all a bit like that sometimes,” Nick said, behind her.

She turned around and her mood lifted at the sight of him. Jackson was beside him, carrying the ball in his grinning mouth.

“I didn’t expect – I mean, you surprised me,” she said, flustered. “I thought I’d try a different –”

“We just felt like seeing the river today,” Nick said at the same time.

They both stopped and laughed. They’d been avoiding each other since their last uncomfortable meeting, she realised. Yet they had ended up in the same place. Like destiny.

Jackson was giving Toby some friendly nudging and Toby stood up, his tail wagging.

“I’ll let you continue on your walk,” Nick said, moving away.

Anna felt her mood plummet again.

“Could we come with you?” She gestured to the dogs. “I think Jackson is a good influence on Toby.”

“Jackson’s not a good influence on anyone! But you’re very welcome.”

They headed towards the river together. Anna was amazed to see Toby trotting happily beside Jackson.

“It’s my last afternoon with Jackson,” Nick said. “I think I’m going to miss him.”

“I’m sure he’ll miss you, too.” She was glad Nick wasn’t showing any of the awkwardness she felt after turning down his invitation.

“Do you think you’ll get your own dog?” she asked, wondering if he’d still have a reason to come to the park.

“Actually, I’m going to see some puppies tomorrow.”

They stopped by the river. Toby looked doubtful. “What about you?” Anna thought about starting a new relationship with another dog, learning all its foibles, trying to earn its affection . . .

“I’m not sure yet,” she said, watching Toby as he shrank away from a dragonfly.

She plucked up her courage.

“It’s been nice to have a reason to come to the park, though.”

Nick looked at her. “For me, too.” Encouraged, she took the plunge.

“About that coffee, would you still like to . . .?” He grinned.

“I’d love to.”

When she took Toby home that evening, she told Ellen her decision.

“The thing is,” she said, “I’ve grown fond of Toby, but I don’t really want a dog of my own. I was hoping I could just come and visit, and take him out sometimes.”

“That’s fine with me. I know Toby is fond of you, too.”

Perhaps she had been misdirecting her focus in her search for a new member of Team Anna. She and Toby had bonded now, and a dog of her own wasn’t quite what she needed.

Nick had invited her to come with him to meet the puppies tomorrow, and she hoped that she might be in their life quite a lot.

The new puppy would be joining Team Nick. She realised she’d quite like to join that team, too. ■