Clarke nodded. “I see, but not in that kart.”
“No, of course not. You’re too big.”
“Wait. What?”
“You’re too big. Just lie down on the ground. Let’s move over to a spot where the snow hasn’t been shoveled. Then you paddle your arms, driving your hands through the snow just like you would if you were ona surfboard. But first, we should put Boudica in the kart and show him the slits on the side and put his paws through them.”
“Why me? Why not you? It makes much more sense that it be you. You’re his mother.”
Ceci blinked. “Did you just say I was his mother?”
Exasperated, Clarke waved his hands. “You know what I mean. He knows you. He trusts you. He’s not going to follow any orders from me.”
“Oh, yes, he will. When I tried to get him to do it on the surfboard, he wouldn’t. He flat out refused. But when that surfer did, Boudica jumped to it. I think the dog might be a closet sexist.”
He had to bite his lip hard to keep himself from laughing.
He sighed.
Am I actually going to do this?
She did pay a lot for this date.
Fuck.
He did a quick sweep of the area to make certain there was no one nearby. He didn’t want anyone to see what he was about to do.
Ceci placed Boudica in the kart. She slipped one paw through one slat, and Boudica went ahead and did the same with his other paw.
Clarke took one more look around before he lay down and swept his arms, pushing through the snow, in a kind of reverse snow angel.
“See, Boudica,” Ceci cried excitedly, “just like that.”
And damn if the dog didn’t do it. Ceci had to run in front of the kart to stop it.
“Okay, let’s do this,” Clarke said, as he stood up, wiping the snow from his parka and jeans.
As they approached the starting line, the man with the Lab and the Jack Russell laughed, pointing at Boudica. “Butterball’s going to race?”
The man’s arms might be the same circumference as my thighs.
Ceci pushed past Clarke and got up in his face. “Not only is he going to race, he’s going to win!”
“How’s he going to do that, cupcake? You going to get on all fours and pull that kart yourself? Now that I’d like to see.”
Clarke fisted his palms, but just then Ceci lunged at the man and he quickly pulled her back.
“He’s not worth it,” he whispered in her ear. “We’ll show him on the track.”
“Just what I thought,” the man roared. “All bark. No bite.”
He felt her stiffen and only then realized he’d placed his arm around her. She looked up at him and he quickly removed it.
They stood silent, staring at each other. For how long, he couldn’t say. But it felt to him like a very long time.
“Do you ever get upset?” she spat.
“Of course I do.”
