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Violet didn’t believe him, not really, but his words cut deeper than any knife. Despite her resolve not to call him, she’d had a hard time concentrating on anything but him while he’d pretty much told her she was completely forgettable. Damn if that wasn’t a kick to her pride, and he probably knew it. She’d really tried to hold onto a shred of dignity, but what was the point? She’d already made a giant ass of herself.

“Right, well, on that totally humiliating note, I am going to go and . . . ” Run my car off the overpass?

Without finishing the sentence, she spun around and raced for the exit like a coward.

Chapter Eleven

LATER THAT AFTERNOON, Dean took Dilbert’s leash in his left hand and flexed his sore right hand, satisfaction coursing through him as he remembered the dark shiner Best was now sporting. He’d deserved the hit after embarrassing Violet, and Dean wasn’t sorry he’d done it. Too bad he couldn’t put all the blame for her discomfort at Best’s feet. He hadn’t exactly been kind to her, either.

But what had she expected him to do? Rejection had never sat well with him, and despite all the crazy baggage she obviously carried, he’d been into her. Had been interested in seeing more of her.

And she had given him the big fat brush-off.

It hurt, but he had no right to take it personally. He should have just let it go and treated her like any other parent.

Except she wasn’t a parent, which brought up more questions.

Dilbert started to lean lazily against Dean’s leg, and he scowled down at him. Dilbert panted back adoringly. “Mutt, get off my leg.”

Dilbert closed his mouth, catching his top lip in his teeth as he cocked his head.

When they’d first been assigned to Alpha Dog, Dean had gone with Best to the shelter, and Best had asked if they had any dogs set to be euthanized. They’d shown them back to a room filled with kennels and cages. Best had taken his time, putting each dog through a series of tests and exercises to grade their temperaments.

When they’d gotten to Dilbert, they had already chosen four dogs to take back to Alpha Dog for training. One of the volunteers had come in then and broken down crying. She’d shown them photos on her phone of Dilbert in funny hats and glasses—an attempt to get him adopted. It had been too hard for Dean to watch, and he’d said he’d train Dilbert himself. Best had still tested his temperament, and he’d passed with shining colors.

There was only one issue with Dilbert—he was a sloth. He slept as much as Dean would let him and was slow as molasses. Still, Dean had grown attached to the big lump, so he kept him, using him for demonstrations. Dilbert had gone through the entire search and rescue program, which was Dean’s department, but he was definitely better suited to be an instructor’s pet than a full-on working dog. Dean still held out hope that he would find Dilbert a home before leaving, but if he didn’t, he could always send Dilbert to live with his brother Freddy or his mom and dad. Being a house dog would be just up Dilbert’s alley.

Dean and Dilbert followed along behind Best, who was taking Casey down the row of available dogs, telling him what was expected of him. Dean had already decided to take the kid into his training group, telling himself it had nothing to do with pumping the kid for information but knowing it was a lie. He wanted to know why Casey had such a massive attitude, especially where his sister was concerned.

“So, without further ado,” Best said, stopping in front of a kennel, “this is Apollo.”

Dean looked in at the four-month-old black Lab and hound mix named Apollo. Apollo and his brother, Zeus, had been dumped in front of the program when they were just a few weeks old, skinny and dehydrated. Best had taken them to his veterinarian for a wellness check and discovered that although they were malnourished, they were otherwise healthy.

“His ears are too big for his head,” Casey said. “His name should be Dumbo.”

“You can call him whatever you want, just make sure it’s consistent,” Best said, opening the gate. As he led the puppy out, Dean didn’t miss the way the boy’s face softened.

Best handed him the leash and a pouch full of treats. “Take good care of him. He’s a tough little guy.”

I get the feeling his new master is pretty tough, too.

“All right, Casey, let’s join the other guys outside and get started,” Dean said. He noticed the shift in the kid’s body when he addressed him, but he ignored it. It was Casey’s first day, and he would try patience first. Violet wasn’t wrong; most of the kids in the program had been through some form of trauma or another. Sometimes patience won out over a show of force.

The puppy strained to get closer to Dilbert, whose tail-thumping was about as excited as he got. Dean nodded at Best and headed for the back door that opened into the yard. As Casey and Apollo followed alongside him and Dilbert, Dean broke the silence.

“So, you live with your sister?”

“Yeah.”

“How is that?”

&

nbsp; “Fine.”

The irony of his next question made Dean smile. “You’re kind of taciturn, aren’t you?”

Unlike Dean the first time he had heard it, Casey knew what the word meant, and from the dark, twisted look on his young face, it obviously ruffled his feathers.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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