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“Uh...” Connelly waved a hand to get their attention. “How exactly is Rebel infamous?”
“She... has a sense of adventure,” Zak said.
Donovan scoffed. “Adventure? You mean chaos. Last week, Rebel got into our supply closet and decided to redecorate the SAR office with toilet paper. It was like a snowstorm in there, except the snow was two-ply and came from a roll.”
Zak shrugged. “So she has an artistic side. Conn can appreciate that, right?”
Connelly looked from the two of them down the dog and back. “Uh...”
“Man, Zak. Are you sure about this?” Donovan asked. “I mean, Veronica is?—”
“Have I ever been wrong about a human-dog pairing before?” Zak interrupted and stared pointedly down at the border collie at Donovan’s side. “You weren’t sure about Spirit at one time, and look how that turned out.”
Donovan held up his hands in surrender. “Point taken. I just don’t want to see our girl get hurt.”
“Neither do I, which is why Rebel is perfect for her.”
As the two continued to bicker, Connelly knelt down and stared at the dog in question. Veronica needed something or someone to help her break free from the prison of her fears, but was Rebel the right choice? She seemed strong, resilient, and full of spirit, but there was also an unpredictable streak in her that worried him.
As if sensing his uncertainty, Rebel turned her intense gaze toward him. Her eyes bore into his soul, searching for something he didn’t know. He swallowed hard and reached out to scratch behind her ears. Rebel leaned into his touch and her leg started thumping the floor. It melted his heart.
“Okay, I trust your judgment,” he finally said and stood. “If you believe Rebel is the right fit for Vee, then I’ll take her.”
Zak clapped him on the back. “You won’t regret it.”
“But Zak will when his wife finds out,” Donovan said.
Connelly frowned. “Is this going to be a problem for you? I don’t want to cause a fight.”
“Nah,” Zak said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Don’t worry about it. Anna’s just protective of her people—she’s a lot like her pain-in-the-ass brother that way—and as far as she’s concerned, Veronica is family. She’s worried, which means she’s overthinking it. She’ll drive herself nuts going through our files, trying to find the perfect dog, which is ridiculous because...” He motioned to Rebel. “The perfect dog is right here. Once she’s done being mad, she’ll realize that I was right.” He smirked. “And then I’ll get laid.”
“You’re a twisted dude,” Donovan said with a shake of the head and walked away.
“A twisted dude who is about to get awesome make-up sex.” Zak grinned, but once the door shut behind Donovan, he turned back to Connelly and got serious. “In all seriousness, we just want the best for Veronica. She’s one of us.”
Connelly appreciated the simplicity of that statement and the loyalty and support of this tight-knit group. They were a chosen family, bound together by trauma and love for the dogs they trained. And now, he was becoming a part of that family, too. “Thank you. Vee’s lucky to have you all, even if she doesn’t realize it.”
“She’ll come back to us,” Zak said without a shred of doubt. “And when she does, we’ll be waiting with open arms. Now let’s get you and Rebel on the road.” He pulled a leash from a line of hooks on the wall and handed it over with a mischievous sparkle in his dark eyes. “Word of warning, keep her on the leash at all times. Rebel has a bad habit of running off.”
* * *
A cold, misty rain started on the drive back to Veronica’s.
Connelly’s heart thudded as he stood, rain-soaked, on her porch with Rebel’s leash clutched tightly in his hand. The Doberman stood beside him, her muscular frame tense, ears pricked up at attention.
“Here goes nothing,” he told the dog and knocked on the door.
“Go away, Conn.” Her voice barely reached him through the thick wood, brittle and unwelcoming. “I don’t want to see you.”
“Please, just hear me out. Just for a minute.”
As the door remained shut, he sighed and sat down. Rebel stared at the door a moment longer, then sat down beside him.
“I’m sorry.”
No answer. Her stubborn silence only fueled his determination.
“This is Rebel,” he said and stroked the dog’s head. “She had a rough start. She was abandoned, left to fend for herself until Redwood Coast Rescue found her. They took her in and trained her as a protection K9. I think she’d be good for you. Help you feel more secure.”
