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The dog barked once, then leaped into his lap. Although she was much too large to be a lapdog, especially in this office chair that had arms penning her in on both sides, she somehow managed to smoosh her body into Ryker, bending like an elbow macaroni.
“That’s how she gives hugs,” the trainer said. “She is clearly in love with you already.”
Ryker’s throat was tight. He buried his face in Six’s fur, breathing in her warm, doggy scent until he finally found his voice.
“Ditto.”
***
After Amal was matched to the corgi, whose name was Biscuit and whose superpower seemed to be rolling over to show his belly, tongue lolling out of his mouth at every opportunity, the crowd of well-wishers for the ceremony were asked to leave so the veterans could have their first handling lesson.
“You got the prettiest bitch out there,” Tarun joked, meeting Six and giving Ryker a hard, back-thumping hug of congratulations. “Gonna give Bryce a run for her money.”
“Hey, not cool.”
“Kidding. But seriously, you’d better call her. Your family, too. They deserve to know and they’ll be thrilled for you.”
Ryker agreed, and after they’d had their first lesson on walking with their dogs and the best ways to fend off well-meaning people who wanted to pet them while they were on duty, the group broke for lunch. Ryker and Six’s trainer—a retired air-traffic controller named Gary—grabbed a sandwich together while he told Ryker everything he knew about the dog.
“She was originally trained for another Marine combat vet with PTSD and some mobility issues,” Gary explained. “So she’s trained to stand still with the command ‘Hold’ if you need help getting up, or finding your balance. Soon she’ll learn your scent, your heartbeat, your anxiety triggers. She’s first trained to bump you with her nose, then if she doesn’t sense your anxiety lessening, she’ll escalate to jumping on you and licking your face. She’s relentless. Until she senses you’re calm, she’s going to apply the doggy-therapy as thick as peanut butter.”
Ryker ruffled Six’s ears. “I like peanut butter.”
When they finished eating, Gary suggested Ryker walk Six alone in the fenced area outside, to start getting acquainted. He took her outside, walking along the back of the yard, allowing Six to sniff and squat in various places. She looked back at him with that doggo grin as if to make sure he was still with her, and he felt like he had as a kid at Christmas that one year when he’d been given a motorbike—like he was on top of the world. Recalling his promise to Tarun, he pulled out his phone, ready and wanting to share his news with Bryce.
She didn’t answer.
He tried not to get anxious about it, but knew he was failing because just as he was about to leave a message, Six stopped her joyous exploration of every sniffable surface in the yard and pivoted, her snout bashing him in the balls.
“Um, hi, Bryce,” he began the voicemail, pivoting Six’s head out of his crotch, “I know you’re working today, but I’d like to talk to you. If you get the chance, can you call me later?”
Six jumped up, licking at his hands as he tried to end the call, and Ryker chuckled.
“Hey, Six-y. Go easy on me, sweetheart,” he said, wrestling with his cell phone to hang up. “Bryce means a lot to me, and I’m not great at talking to women. We’ll try her again later, huh?”
Ryker shook his head at himself. He’d never thought he’d be the guy who talked to his dog. Yet here he was.
Worries began to swirl in his head once more. When he told Bryce he was sterile, would that be a relationship deal-breaker? If she was cool with that, what if he brought home Six and it turned out Bryce hated dogs? He actually had no idea—they’d never talked about it, and he’d never seen her interact with Sasha at Drake’s house. Worse, what if she or one of her nieces was allergic?
Suddenly, Six jumped on his chest. Her furry, blond face with those all-knowing chocolate-brown eyes stared into his, as if saying,Chill. I’ve got your six.
Ryker felt his eyebrows relax from their bunched position, and he shook his head, ruffling her fur. Inspiration struck, and he knelt down next to Six. Accepting her kisses on the side of his jaw, he worked to get his phone into camera mode.
“Tell you what: let’s send Bryce and my family a picture of you and me. Nobody can stay mad when they see your beautiful face.”
He took three pictures until finally getting a good one where Six was staring at the camera, but before he could send it, they called everyone to return from lunch. Ryker put his cell back in his pocket. He’d send it later.
“Hold,” he said, giving the command Gary had taught him to use the dog’s back as a bit of leverage and balance when standing. Six stood stock-still until Ryker was upright.
“We need to get you some dog treats,” he said, walking back inside.
Chapter 20
It was two in the morning before Bryce got Addison and her rainbow cast to the twin bed at her grandparents’ house and the Paynes had retrieved Cecily and June from Pastor Stan. Once the girls heard they would be staying with their grandparents, they cheered, sending a spasm of hurt through Bryce.
“I can’t wait to eat doughnuts for breakfast in the morning.” Cecily grinned. “Can you get me Boston Creams this time, Pop-Pop? I’m a little grossed out by jelly ones, after Easter.”
“You can have whatever you want,” Adele cooed, kissing her on the head, and Bryce felt her jaws clench. “We’re going to have a great week together and then…well, we’ll see.”
