Page 17 of Daycare Santa

From the top of the steps, Zack watched them leave.

The moment she sat in the van, Seya locked the seatbelt and nodded with satisfaction. “I told you it would work out. You worry too much.”

“Whatever.” As they drove toward the exit, a white SUV passed them going toward the building. A silver haired woman was behind the wheel and the same dog Gina encountered the previous day sat in the back seat, looking through the window. “I don’t believe this.”

“What’s the matter?” Seya asked, frowning.

“Over there.” Gina eased her foot off the gas and tipped her head toward the SUV, in two minds whether to head back inside. “That’s the dog I was talking about.”

“You don’t know that she’s taking him inside the building.”

“Want to bet?”

Chapter 7

“What’s this I hearabout you trying to ruin my business?” Lizette’s tone was light, but Zack knew she meant business. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have asked that question, and bright and early on a Monday morning, too. She peered at him from the computer screen as if trying to dig up his deepest, darkest secrets.

“Ask your brother.” He pointed at Eli, who sat at the other end of the table on their parents’ patio.

“I thought that’s what I was doing.” She shook her head and sighed. “Anyhow,youwere the one at the center when the incident happened.”

“What incident?” Eli looked up from his computer, frowning.

“We almost lost a new client because of Champ.”

“Why?” Eli asked, stroking his beard. “And how come this is the first time I’m hearing about it?”

Zack glanced at his brother, whose face reflected his concern, before he said, “It happened Friday evening when you dropped him off.”

“Always knew that dog was trouble,” Eli groused.

From where he lay sunbathing on the grass in the backyard, Champ let out a half-hearted woof.

Grinning, Zack said, “You know how he feels about you.”

“Same way I feel about him.”

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