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“Want to go for a walk?” Lex asked Dad first, and then Amy.
“I’ll go,” Amy replied as Tim led them all to the back door, opening it for Lex so that he could lead Brownie outside, followed by Amy.
“I think I’ll stick around here and begin filling out the paperwork,” Dad muttered, staying in place. “I have a feeling that we’re going to be taking home a new dog when the two of you get back. He’s fixed if I’m not mistaken?”
“He is,” Tim replied. “He’s already had his shots too. Dogs like him tend to get adopted pretty quickly. Plus, he’s not overly huge for being part chocolate Lab. He might have a little border collie in him, along with the beagle mix.”
“Well, let’s see how it goes,” Dad said to Tim, turning back to Lex and Amy. “Take your time, guys. I’d better give your mom a call, so she knows what to expect.”
Snorting, Amy smiled widely.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Brownie was Lex’s unexpected Christmas gift, Amy had observed when they’d taken their walk at the shelter. Now that they were on their way home, Lex sprawled out in the pickup bed with Brownie, holding onto him tight while Amy sat in the passenger seat with Gabe.
If Brownie would only quit licking his face. But Lex grinned, since Brownie hadn’t left his side after being let out of the cage at the shelter. Lex was looking forward to seeing his reaction to the other three dogs.
Hopefully, they’d all get along alright.
Lex grimaced. “You need to get along with Millie and her puppies, Brownie,” Lex muttered. “Otherwise, you might have to stay outside.”
When Brownie leaned into him, Lex wrapped an arm around his neck, tucking the dog’s head beneath his chin.
A few minutes later, when Gabe pulled into the driveway and parked near the house, Brownie’s ears perked up when the conservatory door sprang open and Caleb came running outside.
“Lex,Lex. Let’s see yourdog,” Caleb said excitedly.
“Here he is Caleb. His name is Brownie,” Lex replied, climbing from the pickup bed and onto the ground, before opening the rear hatch so that he could lift and rest Brownie down on the grass.
Once he was on the ground, Brownie cocked his head at Caleb, giving him a definite doggy grin as he waited for attention.
“Oh, wow,” Caleb breathed out in a whisper as he began rubbing the dog’s head. “He’s sonice.”
“He is, isn’t he?” For some reason, Lex began tearing up.
Amy must have noticed because she gave him a gentle shove. “Let’s take him inside and see how he gets along with the other dogs before Mom shows up and panics.”
“Good idea,” Lex answered gruffly, gently tugging on Brownie’s leash.
“He’s pretty good on that leash, isn’t he?” Izzy said, smiling when she walked outside. “I remember Millie and the puppies yanking me around for months when I took them for a walk.”
Millie noticed Brownie immediately when she approached the door and began to growl. Brownie decided to stay in place, allowing Millie to sniff as Lily and Peanuts came following behind on their guard, emitting a few sharp barks.
Brownie’s tail began whipping like crazy as all the dogs began to sniff. And then slowly, Lex made his way through the solarium with Brownie still on his leash, the other dogs at his heels.
“He seems like he’s going to be alright with them, Lex,” Gabe said as he watched from the doorway. “You might as well unhook the leash and see how it goes. Be ready to pounce if there’s trouble.”
When Lex let him loose, Brownie dropped onto the floor, rolling over and jiggling around on his back with all four paws in the air.
Everyone burst into laughter.
“They’re all looking at him like they think he’s nuts,” Izzy finally said.
“And none of them are growling anymore,” Lex observed.
Gabe approached and grinned. “He’s a male, and now he’s got three females to kiss up to him. I’m thinking that he might be feeling pretty content at this moment.”
When Brownie stood, he made his way over to the large doggie bed in the corner, dropping on top.
