Page 78 of Will Bark for Pizza
I might even like being a dad someday.
“I’m still mad at you, you know,” she said, the warmth in her eyes suggesting the opposite.
I returned a look that called bullshit.
A gentle blush colored her cheeks as she looked back out toward the water. She’d been acting coy around me ever since I admitted I knew she was Diana Davenport. It took a little digging, admittedly. But after she mumbled something about Veltori vampires mid-panic attack, I’d been trying to solve that puzzle. I figured out she recently released a book—her 25th, according to that celebration cookie—and Alyssa had nearly revealed the name. I had enough to complete a quick Google search at the bar while I waited for our sodas.
Maybe someday, my sharp detective skills would impress her. I wasn’t sure that day was here yet.
I directed a question to Opal. “What are we looking at?”
“Ducklings,” Opal said excitedly
I spotted a string of six ducklings following a pair of larger ducks, one trailing far behind the group.
“Looks like one’s a little confused,” I said.
“That’s Henry. He gets distracted easily,” Opal explained matter-of-factly. As though she knew Henry personally.
Husker leaned his body against my leg, using his full weight. I reached down to scratch his head.
“Husker likes you,” Opal said to me.
“I like him, too.”
“He doesn’t like many boys.”
Kira’s eyes widened, her lips parted but not moving.
“He likes Dad, Uncle Luke, Uncle Thoren, Uncle Owen, Grandpa Joe, and Grandpa Dale,” Opal said. “And you.”
Having recovered herself a little, Kira offered me a shrug. “She’s not wrong.”
“Husker didn’t like the bad man,” Opal added.
“Should’ve listened to him,” Kira muttered under her breath.
“Husker protected you, Aunt Kira.”
“Yes he did. Because he’s a really good boy.” Her smile seemed forced, not quite reaching her eyes.
I remembered what Aspen had said, and it fueled something inside me—a mixture of frustration, anger, and protectiveness. My fist balled at my side. Who hurt Kira?
“Husker seems like a smart cookie,” I said.
The pup snapped his head at me at the wordcookie.Oops.
“Sorry, bud. But in my defense, you have a lot of buzz words.”
“In case you haven’t figured it out, they all revolve around food,” Kira offered.
“You should carry treats in your pocket,” Opal said, producing one.
“You give sound advice for an eight-year-old.”
“I’ll be nine at the end of the summer,” she stated proudly.
“You’re growing up way too fast, kiddo,” Kira said.
