She laughed."You sound as though you're proud of it."
She felt bad when he dropped his gaze.She seemed to keep putting her foot in it, and she didn't know how.She would never have pegged him as being the sensitive type.But maybe he was.She just couldn't figure him out.
"That wasn't a criticism, you know.I like that you're proud of the place where you live."
She looked down at the dogs, who were standing beside them as he held their leashes tight."What do you say, puppers?"she asked them."Do you think we can talk him into letting you off the leash so that we can run?"
She looked up at Ollie, who seemed to have recovered from whatever was bothering him."And you're sure it's okay for them to run free here?"
He nodded."Yep.It's definitely not a problem."
He sounded so sure of himself that she wanted to ask why.But given the way he was acting, she didn't even dare do that.
She watched as he unhooked the leashes and — surprisingly to her — removed their harnesses too.He looked up, seeming to feel her gaze on him, and explained, "They don't really like to wear them, and they don't need them here."
Even once they were free, Peanut and Butter pranced around his feet, both watching his face eagerly.They had to be the best-trained dogs she'd ever met, and easily the most loyal to their human.There was no mistaking that they loved him, and he loved them right back.Whatever the weird tension was about, it seemed to fade when he looked at the dogs.
"What are they waiting for?"she asked.
"Me to tell them it's okay," he said without looking away from the dogs."Are you ready?"he asked them, taking up a position himself as if he were about to start a race.
Peanut and Butter lined up on either side of him, looking for all the world as if the three of them were about to sprint from the blocks.Callie laughed as she watched.
"Do I need to drop a flag or something?"
Ollie chuckled."We might have to try that in the future, but we're okay for now.We're used to doing this, just the three of us."
Butter gave a sharp bark as if in agreement, and Peanut whined in a way that sounded to Callie like she was saying,Come on, guys.Let's go.
"Are you ready?"Ollie asked."Get steady...and go!"
On the wordgo, all three of them took off, leaving Callie laughing as they sprinted away from her.She only stood there for a moment before running after them.If she'd known he was serious, she would have lined up with them.
When she caught up to them, Ollie was bent over, resting his hands on his knees, panting, while Peanut and Butter danced around him.
"Who won?"she asked."I couldn't see from back there."
"Would you believe me if I said I did?"Ollie asked.
She had to laugh when both dogs barked at that."Um, I'd have to say that's a no," she told him.
He straightened up and met her gaze."That's because you're a smart lady."
She shrugged."I don't know about smart, but even I can spot the truth when it's staring me in the face."
She turned to the dogs."Which one of you two won, then, puppers?"
Peanut dropped her head, and Butter pranced over to her.
"So, it was you, was it, big boy?"
He gave two sharp barks before turning and racing away from them.Peanut took off after him, and Ollie called, "Don't go too far, guys!"
Callie watched in amazement as they turned and came racing back to them.
"Want to walk?"Ollie asked, gesturing along the avenue between the vines where the dogs had just run.
"I'd love to," she told him."It really is so beautiful out here.Don't get me wrong, Jacob and Becca's place is, too."She turned in a circle again."But there's something about this place.I don't know.The views are different, and it feels..."She shrugged, feeling a little self-conscious."I don't know.It just feels like a good place to me."
