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in a pink
bathing suit that left more skin exposed than covered. The sight of
her soft pale stomach had me raising my head and swallowing
hard.
    “Gabby, look,” Rachel said in a pitch that
made my ears ache. “A dog!”
    Had my future not been riding on this
moment, Gabby’s reaction might have been comical. Her eyes rounded
as she froze and stared at me.
    Small, pink triangles of material covered
her chest and small, tight shorts covered her bottom. I stared,
letting the image burn into my memory. Gabby in a swimsuit. I
swallowed again and tried to breathe. I decided pink was my new
favorite color.
    Rachel’s fingers continued to ruffle the fur
around my neck. I met Gabby’s gaze, wondering if she minded. I
doubted it. Still, it made me uncomfortable to have Rachel touch me
in front of Gabby. I didn’t want Gabby to doubt I was hers.
    Turning my head, I moved out of Rachel’s
reach. Rachel shifted to a sitting position and tried to reach me
again.
    “It just walked up the porch steps and lay
right down. I nearly peed myself. Have you ever seen a dog this big
before? What kind do you think it is?”
    I gave up and let her pet me again while I
held Gabby’s gaze. The breeze carried the sour tang of doubt and
suspicion.
    “And you’re not going to believe what its
tag says,” Rachel said. “‘If found, please provide a good home.’
Isn’t that funny?”
    She ruffled my neck fur, which made my tags
jingle, but I ignored her as I waited for Gabby’s reaction.
    “Yeah. Funny.”
    She didn’t sound amused. She turned away as
if to go back inside.
    “His tag also says his name is Clay. What do
you think? Should we keep him?”
    Gabby spun and stared at Rachel. I didn’t
need to smell her shock and disbelief. Who had she thought I
was?
    “What?” she said, disbelief clear on her
features.
    She glanced back down at me.
    Did she seriously think I’d let some other
pup come here?
    “Aw, you aren’t allergic are you?” Rachel
asked. “The lease says a single pet is allowed as long as it’s
licensed.”
    Gabby hesitated as she continued to stare at
me with distrust. Unwilling to consider what that meant, I sighed
and laid my head back on my paws. The move had softened Rachel;
maybe it would work on Gabby.
    “No, I’m not allergic,” she finally
said.
    “Good. He’s so cute!” Rachel scratched
behind my ears, and I closed my eyes pretending it was Gabby.
    “I’m going back in,” Gabby said, bursting my
dream. I leapt to my feet before she reached the door and moved
closer. She looked down at me, then at Rachel.
    “Looks like another guy who can’t take his
eyes off you,” Rachel said.
    What did she mean by that? Who else had been
looking at Gabby? I glanced at her suit again and clamped my jaw
shut.
    “Living with you is going to be a riot.”
Rachel laughed and picked up the towels. “Let’s all go in. The
neighbor’s tree is going to shade the deck soon, anyway.”
    Gabby opened the door, and I quickly darted
in past her. I sat just inside the door, waiting for her. She held
the door for Rachel, and I worried that Gabby might try to run
again. But she didn’t. She took a deep breath and followed Rachel
in.
    “We can keep him. But he’s going to shed
everywhere,” Gabby said as she walked away.
    Her irritation kept me glued to my spot. I
wouldn’t press her. I was in the house, and she hadn’t run. For
now, that was enough.

Chapter 5
    Rachel moved toward
the refrigerator. Although she continued speaking to me—some
nonsense about me being a good dog—I barely paid attention.
Instead, I strained to hear the faint murmur of Gabby’s voice. She
was talking to someone. Probably Sam.
    “Do you eat people food?” Rachel said,
straightening from the fridge.
    I forced my gaze from the arch, through
which Gabby had disappeared, and gave Rachel my attention. She
quirked a smile at me.
    “Well, I’m sure you’d be willing, but should
you eat people food?”
    She put her hands on her hips