Page 13 of Lovestrung

“Let me try,” he answered. “I’ve been known to talk some sense into stubborn animals before.”

I shrugged and gave him the leash.

“I guess it’s worth a shot.”

I stepped away and watched Ethan as he went back to Bernie and crouched down in front of him.

“Hi, Bernie,” Ethan murmured as he started to rub his ears. “It’s nice to meet you. You were asleep when I came by earlier so we didn’t get a chance to get to know each other.”

My lips twitched with amusement as Ethan kept up a one-sided conversation. It was too amusing to watch – adorable, too.

Heart, stop swooning.

But the more I watched, the harder it became not to.

“Now,” Ethan continued once he’d got Bernie’s attention, “we all need to walk off the amazing dinner we just had, so what do you say we walk for another ten minutes, you do your thing, and then it’ll be over. Deal?”

Miraculously, Bernie licked Ethan’s nose before he did exactly what we’d been trying to do for the past ten minutes – he started to walk.

“How the hell did you manage that?” I blinked at Ethan as he came back to my side. Quickly, I went after him, and I didn’t miss the smirk plastered on his lips.

He looked down at me from the corner of his eyes.

“Told you a long time ago – I have a gift.”

“I don’t believe in dog whisperers,” I scoffed. “But,” I conceded, “you do seem to have a knack with them.”

“Thank you, Pen- I mean, Pippa.”

Pleased he was actually trying to respect my wishes about my name, I beamed at him.

He jerked his chin at Bernie who was now walking slightly ahead of us, busy sniffing the street.

“What’s going to happen to him when you leave?”

I smiled softly at him. “Don’t worry, I’ve got him covered. Mama and Dad will take him while I’m away. Actually,” I laughed, “I wonder if they’ll give him back to me when I get home. Mama has been begging Dad to get another dog for ages.”

Ethan grinned down at me. “I know. She’s asked me to look around for a mutt for them when I go back to work at the animal shelter during Spring Break. Looks like she’s finally managed to convince him.”

“Really? I wonder why she hasn’t told me that,” I muttered. “But a playmate for Bernie might be a good thing, actually.”

We walked another couple of minutes in silence. The temperature dropped rapidly, making me shudder a little in my oversized sweater. I pulled the sleeves out and buried my fingertips inside them.

“Cold?” Ethan asked.

“Just a little. Looks like the warm streak we’ve had for a while is about to go away.”

He nodded and looked at Bernie before he let out a sharp whistle. Bernie’s head whipped around, and if I didn’t know any better, he looked positively perked up. How strange.

“Let’s go back,” Ethan said and grateful, I nodded. Bernie trotted after us and I blinked when he now seemed to pull on the leach, making Ethan work to keep him in check.

“Are you driving back to campus tonight?” I asked as we got closer to Gramps’ house and I noticed Ethan’s old, silver truck parked at the curb. “It’s a long way.”

Ethan shrugged.

“I thought I might, but Frederik said that I could stay the night and drive back in the morning. My classes don’t start until ten. Do you mind?”

“Not at all. It makes sense.”