“Really? I’m new to this: does that mean it’s not working?”
“Not at all. In fact, it’s my favorite parenting style.”
“You just wanted to make sure I knew that I wasn’t slipping one past you.” I guessed.
She grinned. “It’s like you get me or something.”
The server took our orders, and after whisking away the menus and bringing our drinks, Hannah asked, “So, when can we pick one out?”
“How about next weekend?”
“Don’t you usually work all weekend?”
“I took it off.”
Hannah’s brows hit her hairline. “All weekend?” I nodded. “How’d you swing that?”
I shrugged. “It’s Thanksgiving weekend. People will be too busy karate chopping their way through Black Friday sales and recovering from food comas. Besides, my boss likes me.”
I froze as she speared me with a knowing look. She really was too smart for her own good. Well, formyown good, at least.
“Don’t think you’re getting out of this conversation,” she said, “but we’re putting a pin in that.”
“Okay,” I laughed. “What are we talking about instead?’
Hannah bit her lower lip. “Um, I don’t want to step on your toes, but if youdoget one of the puppies next weekend, could… I don’t know, could I stay over the first few nights to help?”
“Don’t you work weekends?”
“There’s always someone asking for extra shifts. I can get out of it. If that’s okay with you, I mean.”
The server set down our food, and once Hannah was nervously pushing her salad around with a fork, I replied, “If it’s okay with your mom and dad, I’ll pick you up Friday after school?”
She lit up again, and I didn’t think I’d ever tire of seeing that. “Really?”
“We’ll make a whole weekend out of it. We’ll play with the puppy, get a bunch of junk food, and watch trashy shows on Netflix. Or are you more into horror movies?”
“Both,” she laughed, shooting out of her seat. “I love both.” She darted around the table and threw her arms around me. While I appreciated the sentiment, the move only filled my mouth with dog fur. Well, I guess I’d just signed up for a lot of that in the near future. “Thank you, Ryder,” she mumbled into my neck.
“Anytime, kid.”
Chapter 22
Hannah wasable to give her Saturday shift away, but she still had to work Black Friday, so I agreed to meet her when her shift ended. Eight p.m. rolled around, and I walked into the pet store. It smelled like a zoo, and a cacophony of barks, mewls, chirps, and cries sounded throughout the store. Dogs, cats, birds… I flinched as a snake poked out of its reptile enclosure and struck, thankfully biting the glass tank and not my arm.
Someone laughed at me, and I looked up to find a mousy teenage boy approaching me. “That’s Petunia. She’s pregnant, and a bit of a jerk.”
“Because she’s pregnant?”
“No, that’s just her personality. That’s why no one wants to adopt her. Any interest in her?”
“A pregnant snake with a mean streak? I’m a glutton for punishment, and even I can see that’s a bad idea—no thank you. I’m looking for Hannah. Is she around?”
“Oh, you must be Ryder. She’s back in the pen. Come on—I’ll take you to her.”
The “pen?” Like a bull pen? I followed the boy, dodging another attack from Petunia the Snake. We went through the store and out the back door, opening onto a patio. I heard a squeal, followed by yips and… screams? I looked to the left where Hannah was behind a fence, surrounded by five or six puppies. The marbled fluffs jumped around her feet. I was no expert, but my best guess was that they were Siberian Huskies.
I thanked Hannah’s coworker, and he returned inside. It was dark and cold, but that didn’t seem to bother Hannah or any of the furballs at her feet. I leaned over the fence, resting my forearms on the chain link. Only then did Hannah notice me.
