Read Online Just Married...Again by Charlotte Hughes - Free Book Online Page A

shapes, sizes, and flavors. There were also more toys than most children had. Poor Maddy. She was obviously transferring all the love she would bestow on a baby to these hot dogs from hell. He offered the larger dachshund a biscuit, but the animal refused to come close to him.
    “Hey, it’s no skin off my teeth, buddy. Take it or leave it.” He groaned inwardly. He’d been reduced to conversing with a dog. And not just any dog, mind you, this particular mutt appeared to be a dimwit. Finally, he set the dog biscuit on the counter, and the dog slinked to the floor with a defeated look. Michael cursed under his breath for loving a woman with such a dog, and tossed the biscuit to the floor. Rambo pounced on it.
    “Any luck in there?” he asked Maddy.
    “She’s being stubborn, as usual. That’s okay, Muffin, I’ve got all day. You can sit there and pout till the cows come home, but you’re not leaving that box until you do your business.”
    The thought that Maddy might stand in there all day made Michael anxious. How was he supposed to win his wife over if she was determined to stand over a dog until the animal finally decided to go to the bathroom?
    This was going to be harder than he thought. He waited, but when there was no activity in the other room, Michael pulled on the larger pair of wading boots, grabbed his coat and gloves, and hurried outside.
    Although the snow was still coming down, it had slowed considerably. He found a stick nearby and stuck it into the white mass, then pulled it up. He let off a big shiver. There was at least sixteen to eighteen inches on the ground, and heavy cloud cover hinted at more to come. Stepping very carefully, he walked to the edge of the cabin, then, moving cautiously, he turned down the side, heading in the direction of the woodshed. His boot struck something in the snow, and he used his hands to dig. He grinned when he found what he was looking for.
    Inside the cabin, Michael shrugged off his coat and kicked off the boots. He glanced into the utility room to see if any progress had been made. Maddy was now sitting cross-legged beside the litter box, arms folded at her chest, clearly in a test of wills with the dachshund. He shook his head and went to the sink, where he turned on the faucet. The pipes below shook and clanged, and he prayed he’d wrapped them adequately. The faucet burped and sputtered, sending forth a rusty stream. He continued to let the water run until it was clear and sparkling. He grabbed the coffee pot, filled it with fresh water and coffee grounds, and plugged it in. Noting the pot on the stove was beginning to boil, he reached for the knob and turned it off.
    Maddy shrieked with delight and began praising Muffin, leading Michael to believe the dog had not only tinkled but laid the golden egg, as well. The animal followed her mistress to the kitchen, where she sat on her hind legs in anticipation of a treat. Maddy gave her a dog biscuit, while Rambo, possibly trying to pretend he’d never received his, tried to sit as prettily as his sister. He kept falling down, his paws sliding outward on the vinyl floor, so that he landed on his chest each time. Maddy finally offered them both a slice of ham, while Michael looked on in disapproval.
    “They have to eat something,” she said defensively, “until I can get to their food.” She saw the stream of water running from the spigot. A smile lit up her face. “You found the valve.”
    “Purely by accident,” he said. “I was on my way out to the shed to see how much wood we had, and I almost tripped over the damn thing.”
    “Oh, and you’re making coffee,” she noted, hearing the coffee pot belch. “Thank you. I was dreading drinking instant again.”
    With the coffee poured, they each carried their cups to the living room. Maddy sat on the sofa. Michael took the chair. The dogs stayed behind, staring at the refrigerator as if they expected it to swing open and dole out more meat. After a few