again.”
“Smart woman.”
“Way too smart for Pops. He actually thought she was going to put up with him catting around because all his other women had.”
“But she wasn’t like his other women.”
“Bingo.”
Max wondered if she’d ever get to meet Black America’s favorite divorced sweethearts.
The dogs were lying in the sun soaking up the warmth of the concrete patio, and as the conversation between Max and Adam slowed, Ruby trotted over and gave Max a little bark. To which Max replied, “Okay. Let me take these dishes inside and we’ll go.”
Adam looked up at Max as she gathered her plate and silverware. “What’s she want?”
“To go play. Ossie, grab the Frisbees.”
The two Frisbees were stacked faceup on the patio near the steps, so Ossie walked over, picked up the two yellow discs with his teeth, and waited.
Adam was amazed.
Max saw his reaction and said, “Doc, you’re a scientist. You of all people should know how incredibly smart some dogs are. I don’t know why you keep acting so surprised.”
“You’re right, but truthfully, after what happened to me, I didn’t care to know a thing about dogs, let alone whether they were smart or not. This is the longest I’ve been around canines in my life.”
“And you seem to be doing okay.”
He shrugged. “We’ll see.”
“Hand me your plate, I’ll take it in with mine.” She then gave her sore back a few tentative twists. The meds had kicked in but she wasn’t sure she was ready for an extended workout. “I don’t know if my back is going to like tossing Frisbees.”
Just then Benny stepped out onto the patio. “Hey babe.”
Max was surprised to see him. “Hey. Did you find a place?”
“Yeah. What time do you want me here in the morning? We didn’t talk about that before I left.”
“Nine A . M .”
He smiled that dark angel smile. “Okay.”
“Do me a favor before you go?”
“Sure.”
“I hurt my back yesterday and the dogs want to play Frisbee. Can you give them about thirty minutes?”
“No problem.” He removed his jean jacket and asked Ossie, “You ready, my brother? Let me take the Frisbees.” Ossie brought them over. Benny tossed one vertically, caught it, and asked Ruby, “Ready, baby girl?”
Ruby barked.
Max grinned.
Adam looked on silently.
Benny and the dogs set off toward the steps.
Max said, “I owe you, Benny.”
“Hey, no problem. That’s what we Black Knights are for.”
“I’ll come down and watch in a minute.”
“Okay.”
When Max went inside to take in the dishes, Adam again noted the easy relationship she seemed to have with her ex, and it made him wonder if she was really as cured as she claimed. Benny, on the other hand, hadn’t even blinked when she’d asked the favor; in fact, he seemed glad to please her. Adam imagined that most men would. Was Benny still in love with her? Adam didn’t like where his thoughts were taking him. Granted, he was determined not to make any moves on Max, but the idea that he might have to watch her and Benny getting back together didn’t sit well. Of course, he had no say in the matter, and they certainly wouldn’t consult him beforehand, but he had been enjoying his time with her, and a part of him resented Benny’s presence. He was also honest enough with himself to envy Benny’s relationships with the dogs because it was something he would never have. Her dogs meant a lot to Max, and any man trying to get next to her had to hook up with the canines, too, or keep stepping. That said, he had no idea why he was even out here thinking about her when he could be in the lab working on what really mattered in his life.
When Max returned, she told Adam, “I’m going down to watch the dogs and Benny. You’re welcome to come along.”
He shook his head. “I need to get back to work. Thanks for dinner, though.”
“No problem.”
They stood together in the silence for a moment and unspoken words rose between them once more.
“Smart woman.”
“Way too smart for Pops. He actually thought she was going to put up with him catting around because all his other women had.”
“But she wasn’t like his other women.”
“Bingo.”
Max wondered if she’d ever get to meet Black America’s favorite divorced sweethearts.
The dogs were lying in the sun soaking up the warmth of the concrete patio, and as the conversation between Max and Adam slowed, Ruby trotted over and gave Max a little bark. To which Max replied, “Okay. Let me take these dishes inside and we’ll go.”
Adam looked up at Max as she gathered her plate and silverware. “What’s she want?”
“To go play. Ossie, grab the Frisbees.”
The two Frisbees were stacked faceup on the patio near the steps, so Ossie walked over, picked up the two yellow discs with his teeth, and waited.
Adam was amazed.
Max saw his reaction and said, “Doc, you’re a scientist. You of all people should know how incredibly smart some dogs are. I don’t know why you keep acting so surprised.”
“You’re right, but truthfully, after what happened to me, I didn’t care to know a thing about dogs, let alone whether they were smart or not. This is the longest I’ve been around canines in my life.”
“And you seem to be doing okay.”
He shrugged. “We’ll see.”
“Hand me your plate, I’ll take it in with mine.” She then gave her sore back a few tentative twists. The meds had kicked in but she wasn’t sure she was ready for an extended workout. “I don’t know if my back is going to like tossing Frisbees.”
Just then Benny stepped out onto the patio. “Hey babe.”
Max was surprised to see him. “Hey. Did you find a place?”
“Yeah. What time do you want me here in the morning? We didn’t talk about that before I left.”
“Nine A . M .”
He smiled that dark angel smile. “Okay.”
“Do me a favor before you go?”
“Sure.”
“I hurt my back yesterday and the dogs want to play Frisbee. Can you give them about thirty minutes?”
“No problem.” He removed his jean jacket and asked Ossie, “You ready, my brother? Let me take the Frisbees.” Ossie brought them over. Benny tossed one vertically, caught it, and asked Ruby, “Ready, baby girl?”
Ruby barked.
Max grinned.
Adam looked on silently.
Benny and the dogs set off toward the steps.
Max said, “I owe you, Benny.”
“Hey, no problem. That’s what we Black Knights are for.”
“I’ll come down and watch in a minute.”
“Okay.”
When Max went inside to take in the dishes, Adam again noted the easy relationship she seemed to have with her ex, and it made him wonder if she was really as cured as she claimed. Benny, on the other hand, hadn’t even blinked when she’d asked the favor; in fact, he seemed glad to please her. Adam imagined that most men would. Was Benny still in love with her? Adam didn’t like where his thoughts were taking him. Granted, he was determined not to make any moves on Max, but the idea that he might have to watch her and Benny getting back together didn’t sit well. Of course, he had no say in the matter, and they certainly wouldn’t consult him beforehand, but he had been enjoying his time with her, and a part of him resented Benny’s presence. He was also honest enough with himself to envy Benny’s relationships with the dogs because it was something he would never have. Her dogs meant a lot to Max, and any man trying to get next to her had to hook up with the canines, too, or keep stepping. That said, he had no idea why he was even out here thinking about her when he could be in the lab working on what really mattered in his life.
When Max returned, she told Adam, “I’m going down to watch the dogs and Benny. You’re welcome to come along.”
He shook his head. “I need to get back to work. Thanks for dinner, though.”
“No problem.”
They stood together in the silence for a moment and unspoken words rose between them once more.
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