wanted anything more.
A gust of wind blew across the walkway. Jesse pulled up the hood of his sweatshirt.
“We should stop at Target or Walmart on the way home. Get you a real jacket.” It was funny how Tomas did that—used we all the time instead of you .
Jesse frowned at Char’s short-haired coat. “Let’s hit Target. I want to get Char a sweater too.”
Tomas probably thought he was an idiot for wanting to get the dog a jacket. Even to Jesse’s ears, it sounded precious. He worried about her, though. Char came inside most nights, but she spent her days outside.
Not that Jesse minded. She’d be bored and miserable stuck inside Tomas’s little place for ten to twelve hours a day. Jesse just wished she could fit inside the doghouse with Sushi and Chester.
“Sure thing.” Tomas took Jesse’s hand. If he thought Jesse was being silly, he didn’t mention it.
A family with kids played near the water, throwing a stick into the lake for a black lab. Char panted and whined at the stick and the dog, but when she got close to the water, one of the kids ran up to her, and she barked.
“Hey!” The child’s father rushed to grab the little boy, shooting Char angry looks.
“Sorry,” Jesse called over. He hurried to Chardonnay.
She ran behind Jesse to bark at the kids some more.
“You shouldn’t let dogs off-leash if they’re not socialized,” the father shouted.
Tomas took a couple steps forward, his shoulders thrown back and his stance aggressive. “She didn’t bite anyone, man. The kids came running right at her.”
“No, you’re right,” Jesse said to the father. He popped the leash back on Chardonnay, and then grabbed Tomas’s hand. “She was neglected, and we only adopted her a couple weeks ago. We still don’t know how she’ll react to some things.”
The father pinched his lips, and the woman next to him held up her hands in a way that was meant to placate her husband but also cut off any confrontation brewing with Tomas.
“It’s great that you rescued her,” she said slowly and clearly. It was a voice she must have used with her kids. “What a handsome dog.”
Yeah, it was the mommy voice. Jesse couldn’t be offended, though, because it calmed down the father enough that he wandered down to where his kids were playing.
“Thanks,” Jesse said, trying to end this interaction on a positive note. “She’s really very sweet. Just, with kids…” Char hadn’t acted any better with Tomas’s nephews. Jesse should have known she’d react badly to kids. “I don’t know if she had a bad experience…”
“Well, if she’s a rescue, the Animal Shelter should be providing you with help with socialization.” She looked at him with wide, helpful eyes. She might have been a total yuppie, but she was right. “I’m sure they offer free classes. Or at least low-cost ones.”
Jesse flinched at the insinuation that he couldn’t afford dog training. But considering what he and Tomas were wearing, compared to how she and her family were dressed, it made sense that she would think that. “You’re right. We’ve just been busy getting her settled.” Her helpfulness was stressing him out. Jesse was still trying to decide whether to stay at Tomas’s for the rest of the quarter. Obedience school was not a priority.
“Thanks.” Tomas took the leash from Jesse’s hand and started walking away. He was being abrupt, but Jesse didn’t really blame him. It’s not like they knew those people.
Marymoor Dog Park sprawled along the shoreline, and Tomas led Jesse through parts that were marked for leashed dogs only. Unfortunately, the awkwardness of the conversation hung over their heads.
“You know you haven’t technically adopted her yet, right?” Tomas tugged on Char’s leash, which got her to stop pulling for a split second. When she started tugging again, he gave her another yank.
“I know.” With all the hassle of his life since the fire, Jesse hadn’t thought much about what
A gust of wind blew across the walkway. Jesse pulled up the hood of his sweatshirt.
“We should stop at Target or Walmart on the way home. Get you a real jacket.” It was funny how Tomas did that—used we all the time instead of you .
Jesse frowned at Char’s short-haired coat. “Let’s hit Target. I want to get Char a sweater too.”
Tomas probably thought he was an idiot for wanting to get the dog a jacket. Even to Jesse’s ears, it sounded precious. He worried about her, though. Char came inside most nights, but she spent her days outside.
Not that Jesse minded. She’d be bored and miserable stuck inside Tomas’s little place for ten to twelve hours a day. Jesse just wished she could fit inside the doghouse with Sushi and Chester.
“Sure thing.” Tomas took Jesse’s hand. If he thought Jesse was being silly, he didn’t mention it.
A family with kids played near the water, throwing a stick into the lake for a black lab. Char panted and whined at the stick and the dog, but when she got close to the water, one of the kids ran up to her, and she barked.
“Hey!” The child’s father rushed to grab the little boy, shooting Char angry looks.
“Sorry,” Jesse called over. He hurried to Chardonnay.
She ran behind Jesse to bark at the kids some more.
“You shouldn’t let dogs off-leash if they’re not socialized,” the father shouted.
Tomas took a couple steps forward, his shoulders thrown back and his stance aggressive. “She didn’t bite anyone, man. The kids came running right at her.”
“No, you’re right,” Jesse said to the father. He popped the leash back on Chardonnay, and then grabbed Tomas’s hand. “She was neglected, and we only adopted her a couple weeks ago. We still don’t know how she’ll react to some things.”
The father pinched his lips, and the woman next to him held up her hands in a way that was meant to placate her husband but also cut off any confrontation brewing with Tomas.
“It’s great that you rescued her,” she said slowly and clearly. It was a voice she must have used with her kids. “What a handsome dog.”
Yeah, it was the mommy voice. Jesse couldn’t be offended, though, because it calmed down the father enough that he wandered down to where his kids were playing.
“Thanks,” Jesse said, trying to end this interaction on a positive note. “She’s really very sweet. Just, with kids…” Char hadn’t acted any better with Tomas’s nephews. Jesse should have known she’d react badly to kids. “I don’t know if she had a bad experience…”
“Well, if she’s a rescue, the Animal Shelter should be providing you with help with socialization.” She looked at him with wide, helpful eyes. She might have been a total yuppie, but she was right. “I’m sure they offer free classes. Or at least low-cost ones.”
Jesse flinched at the insinuation that he couldn’t afford dog training. But considering what he and Tomas were wearing, compared to how she and her family were dressed, it made sense that she would think that. “You’re right. We’ve just been busy getting her settled.” Her helpfulness was stressing him out. Jesse was still trying to decide whether to stay at Tomas’s for the rest of the quarter. Obedience school was not a priority.
“Thanks.” Tomas took the leash from Jesse’s hand and started walking away. He was being abrupt, but Jesse didn’t really blame him. It’s not like they knew those people.
Marymoor Dog Park sprawled along the shoreline, and Tomas led Jesse through parts that were marked for leashed dogs only. Unfortunately, the awkwardness of the conversation hung over their heads.
“You know you haven’t technically adopted her yet, right?” Tomas tugged on Char’s leash, which got her to stop pulling for a split second. When she started tugging again, he gave her another yank.
“I know.” With all the hassle of his life since the fire, Jesse hadn’t thought much about what
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