Page 54 of Puppy Kisses

Tooglad, if the sudden spike of his heartbeat was any indication. His fingers fumbled over the fluted edge of the piecrust he was attempting.

“Three hours,” she repeated when no one offered an immediate response. “That’s how long it took to clear the door to Bea’s basement today. Not—I tell you—to clear the basement. To literally move all the boxes and broken furniture piles that were in front of it. Did you know that wicker will disintegrate on touch if it’s been sitting and rotting for twenty years?”

“Interesting,” Adam murmured.

“Gross,” Phoebe said from somewhere in the living room.

“I warned you not to do it” came Zeke’s contribution.

Dawn released a long sigh. “Gee, thanks. I’m so glad I came here for moral support.” A brief pause and an onslaught of happy puppy noises ensued. “At least a few of you are glad to see me. Hello, Uncle. Gigi, love—down. When you greet a person, you do it on all four legs.”

Adam released a low whistle. It worked in getting Uncle to come to him, but Gigi had no intention of following orders. Ever since the day of Zeke’s race, she’d been getting worse and worse at behaving herself the way a well-trained service animal should. He’d brought it up to Marcia that morning only to have the veterinarian laugh at him.

“It’s a good sign, all things considered,” she’d said. “It means she feels safe with you. She knows she can misbehave and not get beaten for it. Don’t you, beautiful girl? You know just how to wind this man around your paw.”

The conversation had driven home the truth that Adam was finally willing to admit—Gigi would never be a service dog. To force the kind of discipline necessary to get her to become one would be to crush her spirit, to change who she was at a fundamental level.

He loved her far too much to want to change her.

“There’s a box of chew toys by the back door,” he said as he returned his attention to the pie in front of him. He’d opted for peach, since Marcia had brought a huge box from her orchard, with extra cinnamon and a dash of bourbon to win Bea over. “See if you can redirect her to one of those.”

“Ooh, look at you, using fancy dog-training words like ‘redirection.’” Dawn laughed, but he could hear her rummaging around in the wooden box he’d hammered together to house Gigi’s rapidly growing collection of behavioral bribes. “You’ve been doing some research.”

“Yes, well.” He put the final touch on the pie and stepped back. “You’re not the only one who spends all her free time being productive.”

“Me? Productive?” All of Dawn’s rummaging came to a stop.

“You just said you spent three hours at Bea’s house.”

“Oh, that. That doesn’t count. I like Bea. Apparently, I have a thing for bitter, reluctant curmudgeons who don’t want me around. Who knew?”

“Don’t be silly. No one actuallylikesBea. We tolerate her because we have to.” Phoebe approached Adam from behind and placed her chin on his shoulder. “Nice work, brother dearest. That looks amazing. Are you sure we’re going to waste it on an ungrateful neighbor?”

“It’s not wasteful if it gets us what we want in the end.” He slipped the finished product in the fridge, where it needed to sit for a few hours before he could pop it in the oven. “I’d bake her a thousand pies if I thought it would get us closer to the final sale. Wouldn’t you?”

“Seeing as how I can’t bake, probably not,” Phoebe admitted with a laugh. “But I appreciate your commitment on my behalf.”

There was a brief pause before Dawn spoke. “What about you, Zeke? Don’t you think your expansion plans are worth a thousand pies?”

Adam knew something about the question was off the moment it left Dawn’s lips. Like her nonscent, it carried a feeling, a sensation, aweightiness. So did Zeke’s answer, which took a little too long in coming.

“I’ll reserve judgment until I actually taste the damn thing,” he said. “I’ve never cared for peaches.”

This was the first time Adam had heard anything to that effect, but he wasn’t about to start an argument over pie. Nor was he going to protest when Zeke changed the subject by asking Phoebe to help him finish checking the inventory lists.

“And then I’m heading into town to watch a movie and think about literally anything but cows,” he announced in a tone that dared someone to contradict him.

“Ooh, you should go see that new one with Channing Tatum,” Dawn said. “My sisters and I saw it last week. It was amazing. He’s shirtless for like nine-tenths of the movie.”

“Channing Tatum?” Phoebe’s voice took on an audible perk. “I didn’t know he had a new one out. Take me with you, Zeke, I’m begging you. I’ll even spring for the large popcorn.”

“But I wanted to see that one with all the explosions,” Zeke complained.

Dawn laughed. “You should offer him the large popcornandpretzel bites. And take your big purse so you can smuggle in a few beers. That’s the only way I’ve ever gotten him to see a rom-com with me.”

“Goddammit, Dawn. I’m trying to spend less time with my family, not more.” Even Adam could tell that Zeke’s sigh was offered only as a token protest. Neither of them was very good at denying Phoebe what she wanted. “I’m a grown-ass man who can’t even go to the movies without dragging my little sister along.”

“Oh my God. Two minutes, Zeke. You’re literally two minutes older than me.” Phoebe’s voice began trailing off in the other direction, Zeke’s footsteps not too far behind. Adam took it as a sign of his brother’s capitulation. “And maybe if we hurry, we can make it a doubleheader. That way we both lose. You’ll be all right without us, Adam, yeah?”