Total pages in book: 132
Estimated words: 127249 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127249 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
Kent baptized him Flash when he adopted him from a shelter. From the few encounters I’ve had with the dog, it was clear that Kent trained him well.
Flash tilts his head this way and that, studying me with one ear standing up and the other flopping down.
“Hey, boy.” I scratch his chin. “You need a new home.”
“He passed the socialization test with flying colors.”
As he’s a mature dog, I wanted to be sure he’s compatible with kids.
Reino strokes Flash’s back. “He’s a good boy. Intelligent too.”
I open the door. Flash doesn’t hesitate to jump down. That’s a good start. At least he’s not scared to explore a new territory.
After closing the door, I hold up a finger. “Sit.”
Flash sits down immediately, his brown eyes trained with eager attention on my face.
“I think he’ll do.” Reino chuckles. “If it doesn’t work out, I’ll be happy to take him.”
“Thanks,” I shoot over my shoulder as I flick my fingers at Flash and start walking back to the house.
We stop on the porch. “Do you like balls? Want to meet someone who loves playing with balls too?”
Flash wags his tail.
“Come.”
I open the door and go ahead, keeping an eye on him over my shoulder. He looks around and sniffs here and there, but he doesn’t run off to investigate on his own, which is another reassuring sign. He’s been taught to obey commands without getting distracted easily.
His nails clack on the floor as he runs behind me with his tail in the air and his head held high.
Good.
He’s behaving confidently and not scared.
Tatiana exits the kitchen just as Flash and I arrive at the door.
She gasps. “Who’s this?” Going down on her haunches, she holds out her hand for him to sniff. “Hey there, cutie. Look at you. What a handsome boy you are.” She glances at me. “Can I touch him?”
“He’s house trained and used to people.”
She reaches out slowly and pats his head. “Whose dog is it?”
“It was Kent’s.”
She goes still. “Was?” When I don’t reply, she straightens. Alarm flashes in her eyes. Despite the marital bliss that has her face permanently glowing these days, those green pools appear as haunted as ever. “What happened?”
“He double-crossed me.”
I don’t have to say more. She knows what that means.
Her cheeks pale. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
Shoving a hand in my pocket, I tilt my head toward the dog. “His name is Flash. He needs a new home.”
Catching on, her mouth pulls into an O. “Do you think he’ll be a good match for Noah?”
“Reino took him to a dog trainer. I didn’t want to take any risks. He passed all his tests. We spoke about adopting a dog for Noah, but if this isn’t what you want, I’ll understand. I can find him another home.”
“No.” Her face crumples with an adoring look. “I feel so sorry for him. Do you think he knows?”
That Kent is gone? Animals know these things. “At least the dog is eating normally and didn’t object to Reino taking him for his walk.”
She bends down and scratches him behind the ear, muttering endearments.
I let my gaze play over her beautiful face, remembering last night and already wanting more of that when I should be focused on Flash. “Shall we find Noah?”
“He’s playing in the backyard.” She beams with delight. “He’s going to be so happy.”
Making my way to the back door, I pat my thigh for Flash to follow me. “Let’s give it a test-drive and see how it goes.”
“I’ve always wanted to get him a dog.”
I stop. “You remember that?”
“Not exactly.” She flushes a little. “I can’t explain how I know it. I just know it’s something I wanted to do but circumstances got in the way.”
Those circumstances being running from one dump to the next to save her and our son’s lives.
She shrugs off the comment. “It’s intuition, I guess.”
Tatiana and I walk outside with Flash sandwiched between us.
Noah is practicing his kicks in the goal net. When he sees us, he drops the ball and comes running.
“Daddy!”
Not used to boisterous voices and actions, Flash hides behind me.
Noah crashes into my legs, nearly knocking me off my feet.
“Hey, buddy.” I catch him to prevent him from bouncing off my shins and landing on his ass. “I brought a visitor.”
Flash peeps out from behind my legs.
“A dog,” Noah exclaims.
Flash doesn’t retreat, but he tucks his tail between his legs.
“He’s an older dog, and he’s not used to young kids,” I explain. “You have to speak calmly and move slowly so that you don’t frighten him.”
“Okay,” Noah whispers, looking at Flash with big eyes.
“Not that softly,” I chuckle. “His name is Flash.”
Noah frowns. “Why Flash?”
“Because he’s as fast as a flash of lightning.”
“Is he mine?” Noah asks, his small face hopeful.
“That depends on how well he settles in with us. Would you like us to adopt him?”