FREE SHORT-STORY READ: A Clean Romance

It's January and time to go through all the oldpaperwork and empty out folders and drawers. While I was doing just that, Ifound this short-story from my college days and wanted to share it with you. Ireally had to laugh. It's a romance with a dog! Even back then. Imagine that.Enjoy, but don't expect too much. (lol)
"When I get my hands on Linda, I'mgoing to kill her!" Karen clenched and unclenched her fists and let out a hugesigh.How could she let her friend talk her intoselling these stupid housecleaning products? No one sells door-to-door anymore.Well, except maybe the Avon lady. Karen smiled. So the economy was really bad. Shecould make more money flipping burgers for minimum wage than this degrading job.Oh, the rude people she'd dealt with over the last two days. But finding asummer job until college started in the fall proved almost impossible. Still,she'd like to ring Linda's neck. Door-to-door.She scoffed. What was I thinking?So I'm a neat freak, and I love to clean.That doesn't make me a great salesperson.She hopped out of her VW Beetle andgrabbed the box of cleaning supplies from the backseat. Trepidation filled her.She hadn't sold one product yet. She straightened her back and approached thecottage-style home with fortitude. Taking a deep breath, she rang the doorbell.A huge commotion of yelling and barking ensued inside. She felt her confidenceslipping away.The front door flew open and a shaggyEnglish Sheep dog bolted directly at her. Karen jumped aside to avoid acollision. The dog bolted toward the street and then took off on a full run. A five-o-clock shadowed man ran after the dogto the end of the sidewalk, stopped and flung his arms in the air, franticallycalling. "Wally! Get back here. Wally. Come back, old boy."Wally scrambled down the street andtook a left. Karen smiled. Despite the man's attractivefeatures and physique, his clothes looked as "shaggy" as his dog's hairy hide. Hisjeans were frayed around the pockets, knees and bottoms, and his teal T-shirtbore at least a dozen stains. He ran a hand through his unruly reddish wavesand then scratched his stubbled chin, staring after his dog.He grumbled and turned in herdirection. "Oh, oh, oh. I'm sorry. Go on in and get started.""Excuse me?" she said.Ring."Go on in," he said, waving toward thehouse.Ring.    "Get that, would you? I've got toround up Wally." He walked away with determination in his stride.Ring.Karen reluctantly headed inside theman's house. Despite the fine furnishings, she couldn't help but notice thehumungous clutter…and awful smell. She serpentined her way through the mess tothe ringing phone."Hello?" she said hesitantly."Oh, I'm sorry. I must have the wrongnumber. I was calling my son, Dan, at 555-3355," the woman said."Uh…uh…does he have a dog namedWally?" Karen asked.                       "Well, yes. Yes, he does."Dan came through the door carrying Wallyin his arms. He slammed the door with his foot and then dumped Wally on thecarpet. Wally trotted over to his empty dog dish in the kitchen and knocked itupside down with a swat of his paw. Dan entered the kitchen area and pulled anempty dog food bag from a lower cupboard."Hello?" the woman on the phonequestioned."Oh, hold on." Karen held the phoneout to Dan."Who is it?" he asked, dropping theempty bag on the floor."Your mother.""Hells, bells. Mom." He grabbed forthe phone. "Hi, Mom…yes…yes…fine. How are you? No, of course not. She'sthe…the…" He looked Karen up and down and then spotted the box of cleaningsupplies she'd left on the coffee table. "Cleaning lady. You know. From one ofthose services. You know me. I'm always working."This man didn't need her adding to hisconfusion right now. Karen crossed over to the coffee table and reached for herbox. Dan's hand came around her waist, and he turned her around to face him. Acrooked smile curled his lips. He held up one finger, signaling her to wait.Karen felt a slight tingle zip up herspine at his close proximity. He really was quite attractive in a primal sortof way. She noticed the half-finished landscape on an easel in the other room. Fromwhat she could see, the mountain scene was breath-taking. However, paintsplatters riddled the room and carpet. He wasn't exactly the tidiest personshe'd ever met. But creative people weren't always neat or organized.Creativity lent itself to passion and enthusiasm. And, from what she could see,this man exuded passion. Oh my, what am Ithinking?His expression sobered. "What? You'realready in town. Well, no…yes. Of course. Yeah. Sure it'll be fine."  Either his teal shirt suddenly reflected onhis face, or Dan had turned a pale green. "Bye now," he said weakly and thengulped.Karen tried for the box once again,but he stopped her."Where are you going?" he asked."I'm not from a cleaning service, and Ican see you're much too busy for me to demonstrate these cleaning products.""Are you kidding? Demonstrate away."He waved a hand in every direction.She picked up her box. "I'll showmyself out.""But…but I need you! I told my mom youwere the cleaning lady and just look at this place. She'll be here in less thanan hour to stay for the weekend. She'll wonder what I was doing with a cleaningwoman in my house and my house looking like a total disaster.""Then I suggest you get started onthis pig's-sty. I'm sorry. I've interrupted you as it is."Wally grabbed the kitchen tableclothin his teeth and ripped everything off the table. Plates and glasses shatteredto the floor. A wooden bowl of fruit bounced and apples, oranges and bananasscattered in every direction."Good luck with everything," Karencalled as she beat it to the door."I'm right in the middle of acommissioned art piece," he yelled after her. "I'm willing to pay top dollar. Ineed you in my life."Karen slammed the door behind her andsmiled. She wasn't sure which attracted her the most: the sound of that topdollar or the words, "I need you in my life."Could she…should she…would she throwcaution to the wind and find out just how much Dan needed her?She found herself ringing the bellagain. A huge commotion of yelling and barking ensued. The door flew open andWally took off down the street.Dan smiled. "You're the kind of cleaninglady I'd like my mom to meet."

Cindy A. ChristiansenSweet romance, comedy, suspense…and dogs!Fly into a good book at:  www.dragonflyromance.com

123RF Stock PhotoCindy A. Christiansen
Sweet (clean) Romance Author