Page 25 of Avery's Hero

The warmth of her touch on my forearm sets off a fire alarm in my head. “Careful, there.” It’s a double warning. Watch your step and mind the beast that’s lurking inside of me.

She feels this electric chemistry too because she jerks her hand back. But we have zero time to process that because someone starts screaming, “Help! Help me!”

Whipping around, I spot a woman crawling on her knees between the cars. “What the hell?”

“My dog, he got loose!”

Avery crouches down to peer between the cars. “There’s a puppy running around like mad. It’s covered in green stuff!”

“Help me catch him, please,” the woman yells.

People begin climbing from their cars. But soon, they’re hanging onto the side mirrors and hoods, trying not to fall.

Huffing, I shake my head. “Great. Just what we need, a dozen busted ankles and wrists.”

Avery, sticking her hands out for balance, makes her way to the side of a truck, her laughter carrying through the air as she goes.

“Get back in your cars!” I bellow. “We’ll handle this. Just stay put.”

Holding onto the side of the tractor trailer, Avery inches her way toward the hysterical dog owner that's now a total mess. She looks like she’s been assaulted by a slime monster. It’s all over her face, her hands, stuck in her hair,smeared all over her dress. The grimace on her face is pure misery.

The puppy, on the other hand, is having a blast.

Yipping with joy, he bounces around, wagging his blond tail, weaving between the cars and trucks.

I make a lunge for him as he bolts by me. My foot slips and I go down to one knee, but manage not to face-plant. The dog’s expression is triumphant as it stands just out of reach barking at me.

“You little devil.”

Woof!

I growl at him and he growls back, playfully.

Apparently, having four legs is a huge advantage in slick shit. The little furball zooms around me a few more times with his behind tucked just to prove the point.

“I think I can get him,” Avery calls.

“Good, because he won't get close enough to me.” I lunge for him, but miss him again. I have to pinwheel my arms to get my balance back, but manage to get ready for another pass. Irefuseto crawl on my hands and knees.

“Careful, Chief, don’t break a hip.”

I glare at Avery. “You’ll pay for that one, pipsqueak.”

She’s grinning like mad when the dog runs by her. She makes a valiant effort to grab it. But with a flail of arms, and a squeal, she ends up under the truck on her back.

For a second, my mind instantly fills with terrible things like concussions and factures—god, I’m on edge around her—but her raucous laughter shuts that down.

When I crouch down and offer a hand, she’s got tears in her eyes and her shoulders are shaking with laughter

“Good lord,” I grumble. “You gave this old man a heart attack twice today.”

From out of nowhere, the puppy bounds under the truck and starts licking Avery’s face.

Her laughter turns to muffled giggles as she fights to keep his tongue out of her mouth. I’m suddenly struck by how incredibly young Avery is.

Holy fucking guacamole. Literally.

Not like I didn’t know she was young. But her carefree laughter makes me feel ancient.

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