Page 40 of Daddy's Naughty Dog Trainer

"Because he trusts you," I say, rising to my feet. "You two have an amazing bond."

Sean's eyes meet mine, something soft and vulnerable in their blue depths. "I like to think the three of us have an amazing bond."

Before I can respond to that loaded statement, one of the event coordinators approaches. "Excuse me, Mr. Ferguson? The judge was very impressed with Lucky's performance. Would you consider entering him in the Canine Good Citizen demonstration later today? We had a last-minute cancellation, and based on what she just saw, she thinks Lucky would be perfect."

Sean looks to me, eyebrows raised in question.

"We were going to get him certified in a couple months anyway," I say.

"What do you think?" Sean asks. "Is he ready for that?"

The fact that he's deferring to my judgment, even after Lucky's performance, warms me from the inside out. "Absolutely. He's been acing all those skills in our practice sessions."

Sean turns back to the coordinator. "We'd be happy to participate."

"Wonderful! It starts at one o'clock in the main ring." The coordinator hands him a new participant number. "We'll announce the obedience results right before that, so be sure to be there by twelve-forty-five."

After she leaves, Sean's expression turns thoughtful. "We have two hours before we need to be back. Should we practice more, or...?"

"No way," I interrupt, taking his free hand. "Lucky deserves a break, and so do you. Let's check out some of the vendor booths, maybe get lunch. There's a pet bakery I spotted earlier that was selling doggy ice cream."

"Ice cream for dogs?" Sean looks skeptical. "That can't be good for them."

"It's made specifically for dogs, Mr. Health Inspector," I tease. "No sugar, no dairy. Just frozen goodness that Lucky will love. Consider it a reward for his hard work."

Sean's lips twitch with amusement. "Lead the way, then."

We spend the next hour wandering the vendor area, Sean's hand warm and solid around mine. Lucky trots happily beside us, occasionally stopping to accept admiring pats from passersby. Several people recognize him from his performance, complimenting Sean on his training.

"Your dog is so well-behaved," one woman gushes. "How long have you had him?"

"About six months," Sean replies. "He was my sister's dog originally."

"Well, she must have trained him wonderfully," the woman says.

A shadow crosses Sean's face. "Actually, she passed away before she could train him properly."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," the woman says, embarrassed.

“Thank you,” Sean says, his voice softening. “You should have seen him when I inherited him. He was quite the handful when I first got him. He would eat my ties, run out the front door, chew up my shoes and the pillows on my couch. You should have seen him. A real menace to society.”

"Well, you've done an amazing job with him," the woman says.

"Thank you," Sean says, his voice softening. "But I had help." He glances at me, his eyes warm. "The best help."

The woman follows his gaze, smiling at our joined hands. "That's lovely. Well, good luck with the rest of the showcase!"

As she walks away, I squeeze Sean's hand. "You okay? I know talking about Diane can be hard."

"I'm okay," he says, surprising me with his openness. "Actually, I've been thinking about her a lot today. She would have loved this, seeing Lucky thriving, showing off his skills."

"She would be incredibly proud," I tell him softly. "Of both of you."

He nods, a small smile touching his lips. "Yes, I think she would."

We continue our circuit of the vendors, stopping to purchase a fancy new toy for Lucky and, yes, a cup of doggy ice cream, which he devours with hilarious enthusiasm.

"Told you he'd love it," I say smugly as Lucky licks the last traces from the paper cup.

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