Page 17 of The Evening Wolves

“The flat tire.”

“I should have checked the pressure before we left.”

“We picked up a nail.”

“I should have bought the drive-flat.”

“The t-shirt.”

“It said clearly on the label that the dye might transfer. I knew I was taking a risk.”

John laughed again, the sound fuller now.

“I ruined an entire load of laundry, including some of those ridiculously expensive undershirts you prefer. I’m not sure what’s so amusing.”

“My love,” John whispered, pulling Emery’s forehead to his. “My one true love. How about we make a deal? No beating ourselves up about this. I’ll keep an eye on you. You keep an eye on me.”

“You have no cause to beat yourself up. I, on the other hand—”

“Deal or no deal?”

“It’s a simple question of responsibility—”

“Deal or no deal, Ree?”

“You sound like that idiotic TV show.”

John bonked him softly with his head. “Dummy.”

It took a while, but Emery finally managed to growl, “Deal.”

“Thank you.”

“I make no promises about my internal monologue, though.”

“I’m not worried about your internal monologue. I’m going to have Tean keep an eye on your internal monologue, and the instant he tells me you’re going somewhere dark, I’ll send you and Shaw on a vacation together.”

“Tean doesn’t know what I’m thinking.” But there was a bit of bravado in the words because the vet did have a worrying tendency to seem to know what was on Emery’s mind. “Wait, a vacation? Where?”

“How does a nude beach strike you?”

Emery thought about that for a moment. “You know, I think that would drive North crazy.”

“Oh my God,” John murmured.

“I’d wear a swimsuit, John. But, of course, North wouldn’t know that. We’d stage the pictures.”

“This whole thing you two have going on, it’s a bit much. You realize that, right?”

“If he saw me putting sunscreen on Shaw, he’d lose his mind.”

“Ok,” John said. “Never mind.”

“It was your idea, John. I’m not at fault for seeing the advantages.”

From upstairs came a crash, and then a swell of laughter mixed with screams of surprise.

“What are those numbskulls doing?”

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