“Okay. Let’s find you an apology dog,” Carter sighed, opening his door.
--------
“Come on, Evan!” Carter grumbled. “I told you to keep a good grip on that leash.”
“Sorry! Diesel just wants to get to know Tripod Jr. better,” Evan said, reeling the fat, fluffy puppy back in. Tripod Jr. meowed mournfully from his carrier on the seat between Evan and Carter.
“For the love of God, who the hell is howling?” Beckett yelled over the racket.
“I think it’s Meatball,” Evan said, peeking into the hatch. “Waffles just sat on him.”
“No, I have Waffles up here,” Jax said, pointing to the black and white hairball that had his head out the window.
“Oh, then Valentina sat on Meatball.”
Waffles shifted in Jax’s lap and stepped on his balls.
“Ow! Fuck!”
“I’m telling Mom,” Beckett threatened with a grin.
“Is anyone else thinking this might have been a bad idea?” Jax asked.
“There’s no point in asking that question. We’re committed and we have to deal with the fall out,” Evan said, squishing Diesel’s little face in his hands. “Right boy?”
The puppy licked him in the face. And then bit his nose.
“Ow! Damn it!”
“I’m telling Gianna,” Beckett snickered.
Evan wiped the puppy’s slobber off his nose. “I don’t think she’s going to care about me saying ‘damn’ when we show up with a three-legged cat and a puppy with razor blades for teeth.”
“At least we didn’t get the elderly, obese howler and Marmaduke Jr. Summer is going to lose her sh— crap when she sees that duo,” Beckett said, jerking his thumb toward the back of the SUV.
“For your information, Meatball is only nine and it’s an easily manageable thyroid condition,” Carter retorted. “And Valentina is named after one of Summer’s favorite designers and I couldn’t say no to those big, bloodshot eyes.”
“I’m just glad you didn’t adopt another damn goat,” Jax said, pulling Waffles off of Beckett’s lap. “Mrs. Penskee told me it’s the most successful day the rescue ever had.”
“That’s because the only animals left are the ones with pending adoptions,” Beckett said dryly.
“And that wrinkly pug dog with a sinus infection,” Carter said. Jax thought he detected a little wistfulness in his brother’s voice.
“Mr. Snuffles?” Evan asked. “Poor guy. Can’t we—”
“No!” All three Pierces yelled, which only encouraged Meatball to start howling again. The human passengers sat in silence for a few minutes, each pondering Mr. Snuffles’ unfortunate predicament.
“You know, Mom and Franklin are going to need a dog to go with their new house,” Jax ventured.
Beckett was already making a U-turn. “Fine, but Mr. Fucking Snuffles better not get his green snot all over the leather.”
Evan hooted and Valentina turned Meatball’s solo into a duet. Tripod Jr. added a sad meow chorus.
“Well, Waffles,” Jax murmured to the furry mop in his lap. “I’m counting on you to soften your mom up for me.”
The dog turned to look at Jax with one brown eye and one blue. He blinked.
“I feel like you understand what I’m saying.”
