A small smile played on his lips as he waited for her to continue.
She nodded slightly."I don't think we need to hold back too much."
He sat up a little straighter and shifted in his seat.
"Are you okay?"she asked.
He chuckled."I will be.Just give me a minute.I need to convince a part of me that not holding back doesn't mean right now."
~ ~ ~
Ollie took Callie's hand as they followed the dogs up the hill behind the house.She glanced back at the swimming pool.
"Please tell me you appreciate having that."
He felt a little guilty admitting that he hadn't swum at all yet this summer.She shook her head at him, and he shrugged.
"Don't the dogs like to swim?"she asked.
"They do.That's why it has the shallow end with the walk-in steps.They don't go in there much anymore, but Butter used to like to jump in sometimes, and it worried me that they might get in — sneak in somehow and not be able to get out."
He couldn't understand her expression as she held his gaze.
"What?"he asked eventually.
She shrugged."I don't know what to say.I don't know what to think.It's awesome that you made it a walk-in pool for the dogs, but still sad that you don't use it yourself."
"You'll just have to come around more and remind me how much fun it is."
He relaxed when she nodded."I love to swim."
"Then bring your swimsuit next time you come."
"Okay."
They walked on in comfortable silence for a little while, and he realized that the dogs were heading down to the lake.
"Even though we don't go in the pool much, you'll see in a minute where they do like to swim."
When they got there, Callie looked around with a big smile on her face.Sunlight glinted off the water, and a couple of oaks provided shade along one side."Oh wow, this is awesome.I think of this whole area as being so dry.It surprises me that the grapes will grow, let alone that there'd be a pond like this."
He smiled."It's not natural — it's man-made."
"Well, however it got here, it's wonderful."She jerked her chin toward Peanut and Butter, who were sitting on the shore, tongues hanging out, both staring at him eagerly."Are they allowed to go in?"
"Yeah.I didn't bring their towels or anything, but we can shower them off when we get back to the house."
Butter barked, and Callie laughed."He's asking you if they can go in, isn't he?"
"Yeah."He raised his voice."Yes, you can!"
Both dogs leaped from a sitting start straight into the water, making Callie laugh.
He led her to a small stone bench, and they sat and watched the dogs play in the water — running in and out, barking and chasing each other.Peanut nipped Butter's tail, and he turned around and chased her.
"I've been meaning to ask you — how come they have tails?It's not normal for Dobermans, is it?"
"No, it isn't.But I've always hated that.People dock dogs' tails just for—" He shook his head."I don't even know why, but it doesn't seem right to me.So, when I was looking for a dog, I only looked at breeders who don't do that."
