AllFreeNovel
Share Us
We greeted the receptionist, who ferried us past the practice rooms and into the back of the building. “Are you looking for young one? Because we’ve only got seniors and young adults right now. No puppies.”
I checked Andy’s face for any disappointment.
He shrugged. “I didn’t particularly want to spend the last few days I have at home teaching a puppy to pee outside.”
“Excellent point,” I conceded.
“Well,” the receptionist said, motioning to the various kennels. “They’re all friendly enough. Check them out, but just take one out at a time. If you decide to take one home, come back and see me.”
She retreated to her desk and I looped my arm around Andy’s, pulling him down the line of cages. We passed an older German shepherd, a cute corgi, and a black retriever mix. We made our way to the final cage, and I stopped in my tracks, sucking in a breath and looking at Andy expectantly.
“Seriously?” His eyes widened, taking in the dog and then me. “That one?”
“He’s adorable.” I tugged Andy’s arm as the dog craned his face toward us, tongue lolling out of his mouth.
“He was staring at the wall. That can’t be normal.” His voice held a tinge of reserve, one I felt confident I could overcome.
“He’s just lonely. Let’s take him out and say hi.”
I unlatched the kennel while Andy ran his forefinger down the information sheet that hung on the wall beside his kennel. “He doesn’t even have a name. They just left it blank.”
I tutted at the dog, opening the door and putting my hand on the ground. The shaggy brown boy eyed me. Well, eyed with his one good eye, anyway. The other wandered off toward the ceiling. Then, he trotted to greet me. Once he was within reach, I brushed my fingers over his coat and he immediately collapsed, turning onto his stomach.
“He likes me!” I exclaimed, looking up at Andy.
He softened, his frown turning into a reluctant smile as he crouched beside me. “Hi, Blank.”
“Don’t call him that,” I scolded with a laugh. “He needs a real name. Something that fits him.”
“So, this dog is coming home with us?”
Even though he had offered to letmehave a dog, I wanted Andy to fall in love with him, too. “Let’s sit with him for a few minutes to see if we all get along.”
Andy shook his head, dropping onto the cement floor with me. The dog wiggled on its back, wedging himself between us as his tongue lapped at our thighs.
“He’s cute,” Andy conceded as he ran a palm down the dog’s stomach. “And he’s a good size, probably an excellent runner. That paper said he’s two years old, so he’s not getting any bigger.”
“What do you think?” I asked, doing my best to suppress an ear-to-ear grin.
“I think we found our dog.”
* * *
Armed with an obscene amount of pet accessories and a large pizza, Andy, our newest addition to the family, and I pulled into the driveway after seven. While Andy unloaded the car, I attempted to get the dog to go to the bathroom. Finally, we all collapsed in the living room, eating pizza while the dog fawned over each of his new toys one by one.
“You’ve already spoiled him,” I told Andy as the dog dropped a ball for a stuffed banana.
“I wasn’t sure which toy Blank would like best. Is he a ball dog or a stuffed banana dog? We couldn’t know for sure.”
I picked up a second slice of pizza. “We need to find him a name. I’m not calling my dog ‘Blank.’”
“Fair. How about Diesel?”
I groaned. “Does that dog look like a Diesel?”
As if sensing us talking about him, the dog looked up from his banana, tongue flopping out of his mouth and one eye on the ceiling.
“No,” Andy laughed. “Not a Diesel.”
