Last Flight to L.A.

chapter seven: four-legged mishap

"Look, there's a great big hunk of world down there, with no fence around it. Where two dogs can find adventure and excitement. And beyond those distant hills, who knows what wonderful experiences?"

~Lady and the Tramp

~~~~~

"So tell me again why you're going up north?" Kelsey asked, still foggy with sleepiness. She closed her eyes and took a sip of her cold coffee, too lazy to go heat it up, and watched as Sandy buzzed around the kitchen, the remains of a charcoal mask partially rubbed off on one side of her face.

"Because Alex is coming to pick me up in—like, now—because he's wanting to buy a business or something up there!"

"A business?"

"Some vineyard, I don't know!"

The door swung open in the other room and Sandy froze. "That's him! Kel, just buy me ten minutes while I get dressed!"

Before Kelsey could consent, Sandy disappeared into her room.

Kelsey groaned inwardly. She'd been avoiding him all this time, now she didn't even have Sandy to help her keep her cool. She rarely lost her temper with anyone, but there was something about chauvinistic pig heads that always set her off.

"You ready?" A voice called.

A tall, stocky man appeared in the kitchen and scanned it before his eyes landed on Kelsey.

"Nice to see you again, Alex," Kelsey said, glancing at him before taking another drink of her coffee. "Sandy's almost ready."

"I remember you," Alex mused, coming around the corner into the kitchen. "Kelsey, right?"

"Yep."

"You looked better last time I saw you." He sneered, casually pointing to the nest that was her hair and the frame of exhaustion that was her face.

"Funnily enough, you look exactly the same."

He snickered and scratched his beard. "How've you been?"

"Fine."

"You still into baking or whatever?"

Kelsey lifted an unamused brow. "If you mean to say the culinary arts, then yes. That's actually why I'm here."

"Seems like a pretty useless job, to be honest. We've got chefs at every corner it seems like. You should've bought a food truck—that's where the business is."

Kelsey scowled. "And are you out of your parent's basement yet or have you moved up to the couch?"

"Ouch," Alex inhaled. "What've I ever done to you?"

"Nothing at all," Kelsey muttered, feeling too tired to give this jerk any energy she had left.

Alex moved towards the counter. "You playing hard to get or what?"

Kelsey sat up and pursed her lips. "Excuse me?"

"You know, I have to say you caught my eye last time we met. You know, me and Sandy get along okay or whatever, but we've been together for four years..."

Kelsey's grip tightened around her coffee mug and her blood boiled. "Sandy deserves so much better than you."

"Hey, you can't blame a guy for trying!"