Page 21 of Finding Noah
As I hoped, Mickie took Frankie a few steps away while Soren attempted to wrangle Tibby into a sitting position. I couldn’t help but notice how nice his ass looked when he bent over.
Yum.
Haggis steadfastly refused to sit—or do anything except stand with her head cocked—like she was trying to figure out what Duncan’s problem was. As if her owner was the problem, and not her.
Typical.
Labs were generally amenable, but they could also be incredibly stubborn. Haggis was a prime example of this.
I showed Duncan how to guide Haggis into a sitting position and then when to reward her. Each owner had a pocketful of treats, and I was encouraging the proper dispensation of them.
Janelle had Roxy well in hand, so I moved on to Daphne and Penny.
Penny, for her part, was sniffing a particularly fascinating patch of grass. She might be the most mature of the bunch—which really wasn’t saying much—but she was also the most curious. Clearly very scent-driven.
“Okay, why don’t we try guiding her?”
Daphne sighed. “I just love her enthusiasm. Since my divorce, I’ve wanted to get a pet. My ex was allergic, and so I couldn’t have one. Now I’m alone again, it felt like the perfect moment.”
“Divorced?”
Her blue eyes flashed. “Oh, not like that. We were just better off as friends. I’m glad we didn’t have kids, though, because I believe, whenever possible, kids should have two parents. But not if they’re making each other miserable.”
“Did you marry young?”Okay, way too personal a question…but she doesn’t look more than about thirty.“Sorry, that was rude of me.”
She waved me off. “Twenty-two, which felt like a good time but, in retrospect, we should’ve waited. And perhaps if we’d waited, we never would have married. I never saw myself being divorced at twenty-nine.”
“Oh, you’re not much older than Christian and me.” I gestured to Christian who had, to my gratitude, awoken Sleepy from her slumber.
The puppy was playing with Stormy, who appeared quite amused with the game.
Not a lot ofsittinggoing on, but I could worry about that later.
“Really?” Daphne’s gaze tracked over to Christian and, as if seeing him for the first time—or at least in this new light—she licked her lips. Then she returned her attention to me. “Glynnis says you’re new in town.”
“Yes. I was so lucky to run into her at the feed store.” I gestured to the group. “My first class. Well, here in California, anyway.”
“I want to pin the accent as Southern.”
“Tennessee.”
“Ah.”
“Christian has the same accent. Although his voice is smoother than mine. He’s got this great soothing tone that can lull the most stressed person. And his nature is very soft.”
“Soft?”
“Well, considerate. He’s always putting other people’s feelings before his own. I’m hoping he’ll find someone who will honor that.”
Daphne eyed me. “You’re not a couple?”
“Oh, no. I’m gay and he’s straight. Best friends for twenty years, but not lovers.”
She arched an eyebrow. “Are you trying to encourage me to ask him out?”
“I’d never do that.”Backpedal. Fast.“I’m just extolling his virtues.”
“You sound like you’re trying to find someone to date him.”
