JayB stared at him. “You sent Celeste two dozen roses,” he repeated. “Why would you do that?”

  “They’re her favorite flower.”

  “No, Dad, I mean why would you send Mom flowers at all? How’s her husband supposed to react to something like that?”

  Walter looked disgusted. “You mean Twain Wolfe? Like I care. Whose side are you on? I’m your father. This guy’s just … I don’t know, number three.”

  “He’s the man my mother’s married to. He’s who she picked.”

  Walter straightened himself and looked JayB in the eye. “Your mother and I belong together. I’ve known it from the moment I met her. Surely, you can’t be on Mark Twain’s side.”

  “I’m on your side and I’m on Mom’s side,” JayB explained patiently. “Now, how much money does this place lose?”

  Walter waved a hand. “DesMoines gives me all these printouts, but when I ask her what they mean, she says she’s not a business person. And I guess she’s got it all needlessly complicated. There’s a payroll system. There’s a vacation-scheduling system. All this stuff on one computer printout, all these different reports. It’s an utter mess.”

  JayB gave his father an exasperated look. “That’s how business works. It’s great that your payroll feeds into your accounting system, and scheduling vacations is important because vacations accrue value. If someone quits with outstanding vacation days, the law says you have to pay them for those days. Same with outstanding sick days. So all that needs to be tracked and it becomes a liability in your profit and loss statement.”

  “Yeah, I get it. HR.”

  I saw that Maddy, who had been standing with her arms folded watching from some distance away, was now striding across toward us. She seemed very unhappy.

  “Okay,” she announced when she reached us. “Time’s up.” She turned to JayB. “We need to talk, stat. That means now.”

  JayB nodded. “I know what stat means, but wouldn’t it make more sense for you to sort of add up your issues and then we could clear them all at once? Sort of like your eight simple rules. This would be eight simple issues to talk about at the same time. You could email the list, even.”

  Maddy shook her head. “This is much more disastrous than that.” She reached out and seized JayB’s shirt in her fist. She pulled him away and I followed, glancing back at Walter, who nodded approvingly.

  JayB allowed Maddy to drag him over to a space under an awning off the building. Alana and Rodney were still walking at the far end of the field, and I could see Rodney pointing into the air.

  “Okay, Maddy, why don’t we stop here before you rip my shirt.”

  “Oh, you wish I’d rip your shirt.” Maddy released her hold. “So, what’s with you and Alana?”

  “Alana? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Yes, you do. Pot calling the kettle black, here. I see the way the two of you look at each other.”

  JayB was silent for a moment. “You mean she looks at me differently?”

  “Oh, come on. I’ll tell you this right now. If she thinks she’s going to steal my man, she’s the one who goes home without the glass slipper.”

  “But I’m not. Your man, I mean. We broke up.”

  “No, now we’re back together on probation, but not with you drooling over Alana’s shorts.”

  “I guess I don’t see things the way you do, Maddy.”

  “Oh yeah? Like I’m not supposed to notice how you’re always smiling that fake smile of yours at her? At your neighbor? So-called?”

  “I didn’t realize I have a fake smile. How’s it different from the real one?”

  “I’m going to take off the gloves and throw them at her feet,” Maddy fumed. “If a person’s not willing to fight for what she believes in, we might as well all get back on the Mayflower. First, I’ll file a restraining order. She comes within fifty yards of you, she goes to jail. Where they don’t allow shorts.”

  “I’m not sure that’ll work.”

  “No, it will. I’ve had them filed against me, so I know how it goes.”

  “I think you’re missing something, which is that Alana has a boyfriend waiting for her back in LA.”

  “Oh yeah. She has a boyfriend. She calls him ‘Guy.’ She can’t even make up a real name for him. Women like her don’t have boyfriends. That’s why she wants mine—I’ve turned you into eligibility. And what do you do with it? You put your head in a noose of your own making. Didn’t you promise your best friend you wouldn’t make any moves on her?”

  “No, I never said anything like that.”

  “So you admit it!”

  “Admit it? Admit what?”

  “Be a man. Don’t try to steal Rodney’s girl, because if you do, two people can waltz that tango.”

  “All right.”

  I wagged because Alana and Rodney were walking back toward us. Rodney was smiling.

  “Well,” JayB hailed Alana, “what did you think of the grand tour? Is it a good plan?”

  “It’s certainly ambitious,” Alana responded cautiously.

  “That’s me,” Rodney agreed with a grin.

  “So, listen,” JayB announced. “I need to get back to dog walking. I have Millie and Tillie this afternoon.” He glanced at Alana. “Would you rather ride back with me or be strapped to the hood of the Ferrari?”

  Alana grinned. “I think I’ll go back with you.”

  “Okay,” Maddy warned Alana, “just this once. And don’t think I won’t be watching the whole time.”

  We got back in the car. I was disappointed to see that Spartan was coming with us. I thought he should stay with Rodney, but apparently JayB found something in Spartan to like, the same way he found something in Kelsey to like. I was glad my person had such a loving personality, but I wished he wouldn’t waste it on animals like them.

  Alana regarded him. “Rodney tells me your dad already bought the restaurant.”

  “That does seem to be the case.” JayB glanced at her. “Any ideas on how we could keep this from becoming a disaster?”

  Alana pursed her lips. “Maybe. But is that even your responsibility?”

  “Oh, you mean help my father out of a jam he’s gotten himself into?” JayB shrugged. “I suppose not. Except that was sort of my job as a kid. I worked really hard so that everyone else would think we were a normal family. Like when I negotiated with the repo man to turn in Dad’s car so they wouldn’t have to send the sheriff.”

  “Sorry.” Alana looked out the window. “The leaves are so green. The side streets here, the tree branches overhead make them like tunnels. And the birds in the morning! The first few times, I thought my TV had popped on with a nature show.”

  “They do take getting used to.”

  “You want to hear something funny? When I first came out to visit my mom, I thought there would be no trees at all. I mean, Prairie Village? I pictured a tiny little sod town. Completely flat. But Kansas City is so hilly.”

  “You should see it in the fall, when the leaves change.”

  Alana frowned. “No. I mean, I have to get back.”

  “You mean to Marina del Rey?”

  “Yes. That’s where I live, JayB.” She regarded him stonily. “I am not going to help with the restaurant, okay?”

  I picked up something in her tone and glanced at her.

  JayB nodded.

  “I’ve got the estate sale people coming tomorrow. Everything’s going out the door except what I need to stay there. I’m shipping a lot of items back to California. They’re taking care of that, too. I just point and they wrap it up.”

  “And then what?”

  “And then I list the house. Could you keep Odin all day tomorrow? I think he’d just be underfoot at the estate sale.”

  “Sure. I’ll come over right after your run.”

  “Good.”

  They were silent for a while.

  “So, how do you feel about selling all your mom’s furniture?” JayB ventured carefully.

  Alana gazed at him coolly. “It’s just furniture. That’s all.”

  “Okay.”

  “God,” she muttered under her breath.

  “What is it?”

  Alana shook her head. “Sorry. No. No, you’re just being nice. I don’t know why I’m so irritated. Can we talk about something else?”

  The next morning, when JayB walked me up to see Odin, there were trucks in front of the house and a lot of people milling around, some carrying boxes.

  “Hello?” JayB called.

  “Oh,” Alana replied, coming into the hallway, “thank God you’re here, JayB. It’s Odin.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “He’s been crying all morning. He seems really upset. I had to lock him in my bedroom. Do you think he’s somehow … I mean, do dogs get attached to objects, like furniture?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe Helen’s scent is on them.”

  “Oh, that never occurred to me. Poor Odin.”

  When Odin joined us, his eyes were wild and the distress rolled off him as JayB put him on his leash. I was touched that my person seemed to know what was going on, even if I didn’t. “It’s okay, Odin,” he murmured gently. “Come with us.”

  Later we had Spartan and Millie and Tillie. I was worried JayB would consider this to be enough dogs, but we went straight to Phoebe’s house. I was ready to charm Dominique, but it was Bedford who came out with Phoebe.

  With the full pack on leashes, we headed to the dog park.

  “You know what, Clancy?” JayB remarked, “I’ve got to get myself a real job.” I glanced behind me at him because of my name, but kept even with the other dogs in front. “I can’t have Alana seeing me as nothing but a dog walker.”

  In the dog park, Phoebe took off and I pursued, unable to keep up with those long legs of hers. Odin predictably collapsed at the base of a tree and Spartan sniffed around in the grass, but otherwise ignored us. It was the most wonderful time.

  I noticed a woman walking over to JayB, and trotted up to be friendly. “This is my dog, Clancy,” JayB informed her. “He’s a yellow Labrador.”

  “Oh, that’s nice. So the other dogs aren’t yours?”

  “No.”

  “I see you here with them most days. Are you a dog walker?”

  “No,” JayB responded forcefully.

  The woman blinked. “Oh, sorry,” she apologized. She did not sit next to him on the bench.

  A little while later, I was over by the fence, lying on my back, letting Phoebe chew on my face. It was glorious.

  “Clancy!” JayB called.

  I jumped to my feet and saw him crank his arm back. With a snapping motion, a ball arced through the air and bounced near us. I beat Phoebe to it, snatching it, and after chewing it just a moment, trotted back to JayB for him to throw it again. He gave it a heave and Phoebe left me behind as she raced after it. When she grabbed it, she shook her head and it flew from her jaws. As it rolled across the bark chips, a large black and brown dog came storming up to us.

  I paused, unsure of the bigger dog’s intentions. Phoebe was standing with the ball on the ground between her front paws, her tail wagging uncertainly. The big dog stalked up to Phoebe, a low rumble in his chest. Phoebe’s ears went back. She glanced at me and I felt helpless. What should I do? Then I caught sight of motion out of the corner of my eye. Spartan was streaking across the dog park straight toward us, his face as expressionless as always.

  Dear Diary:

  I am a good dog. When I have gotten into brief altercations with other dogs, my person has always been very cross with me. If I’m on a leash when I engage angrily with another canine, he pulls me back with a yank. I have learned that dog-on-dog violence, even if justified, displeases him, and therefore I will back away from a fight.

  A good dog is friendly to dogs and people, though not necessarily cats.

  I suspect Spartan doesn’t know these things.

  Love,

  Clancy

  Thirteen

  Spartan dashed up to us and stopped so abruptly, the folds of skin over his brows appeared to roll forward, and I half expected that his entire face would fall into the dirt. The brown and black dog with the broad chest and big head who had challenged Phoebe for the ball turned to Spartan and they stared at each other. I cringed because this was not good dog behavior. Gazing directly into the eyes of another dog could mean only one thing.

  I was right.

  Spartan lunged and, with a snarl, was on the other dog, who rose up on his back legs. The air was split with their horrible shrieking growls as they snapped at each other. Instantly, I heard a woman screaming at me, or at least I interpreted it as being at me, communicating fear and anger and the word “No!” From behind me, I heard JayB yelling and I knew he was running in our direction.

  “No, Spartan!” he was shouting. “No!”

  Even though he was calling out to Spartan, I felt like a bad dog.

  When Spartan and the other big male dropped back to all fours, Phoebe gleefully dashed in, grabbed the ball in her mouth, and fled the altercation. JayB reached down and seized Spartan by the collar. But as he pulled Spartan away, the other dog snarled and lunged.

  The woman ran up and grabbed the collar of the big dog. “Bernie, no,” she scolded. She whirled on JayB. “Your dog is too aggressive to be in the dog park!”

  JayB shook his head. “I saw what happened. Your dog attacked first.”

  The woman put up a hand, palm out, facing JayB. “You’re wrong and you should be ashamed. You’re supposed to be a dog-trainer.”

  “I am not!”

  “Come on, Bernie,” the woman huffed. She turned, pulling her dog, who wouldn’t go willingly. His fur was still up.

  “Come, Spartan.”

  We all sheepishly followed JayB back to the bench where he had left our leashes.

  Phoebe did not seem traumatized. In fact, she actually bumped up against Spartan in a playful manner. When he turned to her, she bowed, chewing the ball with a wide-open mouth so it fell into the dirt and rolled to Spartan’s feet. Spartan sniffed at it. I stared at it as if fascinated, but really, I felt sick inside.

  Phoebe wanted to play with Spartan, not me.

  It seemed to me that I might have lost my only love to a dog with no personality and a face made up of piles of folded skin.

  Later, when we walked back, Phoebe smelled like Spartan. When she mounted the steps, wagging, so that Bedford could let her into the house, her glance back was for Spartan, not me.

  Odin could sense that I was unhappy and sniffed me in support, but I was too miserable to appreciate the gesture. I was happy to see Rodney arrive to take Spartan away. I hoped I would never see Spartan again, but I knew that was unlikely. People get stuck in a pattern and there’s little a dog can do to help them out of it.

  Odin spent most of the rest of the day with us at home, and I felt his spirits lift a little when he surged to the end of his leash and Kelsey fled. My mood improved as well.

  The next morning had a different feel to it, which I took as a hopeful sign that Spartan wasn’t coming over. JayB seemed less inclined to hurry, and I got the sure sense that we probably were not going to go visit any of the other dogs. As disappointed as I was over not seeing Phoebe, I actually felt some relief. I didn’t know if I could face her scent after her betrayal of the day before.

  I was tracking JayB with my eyes, mindful of the smell of his breakfast, and thinking it would be appropriate for him to share some of it with his good dog doing Sit, when the phone rang.

  “Hey, Alana,” JayB greeted the caller, then listened for a moment. “Take the dogs for a walk,” he repeated. “Sure, we could do that. I never get to do that.” He laughed. “No, it’s fine. We’ll be up in a little bit. Okay. Thanks.” He pulled the phone away from his ear and set it on the counter and looked at me. “She wants to talk to me, Clancy.” I heard my name and thought there might be some bacon coming my way, but I was wrong.

  JayB trotted down the hallway, his quick motion alarming Kelsey, who dashed away. I pointedly followed JayB, wagging, then waited as he showered and toweled himself dry. Next, he played with his face, covering it with soap and then scraping it off. And then he messed with his hair and gazed into his mirror. Finally, he dressed and put the leash in my collar.

  Kelsey was cowering somewhere, still afraid.

  I wasn’t surprised when we turned up Odin’s driveway. I noted that all the people who had been wandering around the day before were gone. The heavy door was open, but the screen door was shut. JayB rapped his knuckles on it, and I heard Alana stepping out of the kitchen.

  “Come in!” she called.

  JayB and I entered the house. I looked around. Everything was different. All the furniture seemed to have been taken away. Helen’s smell was still there in the carpet, but it was mostly gone from the house now.

  Alana had her phone to her ear. “I know, honey, I get that we don’t have much room, but what was I supposed to do? I’ll get a storage unit or something. We’ll figure it out.” She listened a little longer while JayB waited, looking awkward. “Okay, sure,” she agreed. “How’s the cat?”

  I reacted to that word, but there was no sign of a cat in the house. Odin was sprawled in his dog bed, and I went to see him. He flapped his tail once but did not greet me with any sort of joy. His sense of loss was particularly strong today, covering him like a heavy blanket.

  “I know,” Alana continued soothingly. “I’m going to put the house on the market soon. I’ve been talking to the realtors. It’s complicated. Okay.” Then she said, “I love—” and blinked, pulling her phone away from her face with a frown.

  “Hey, Alana,” JayB greeted.

  Alana smiled at him. “Hi. Thanks for coming over. Odin, you want to go for a walk?”

  Odin did not want to go for a walk. I could tell in the reluctant way that he left his dog bed, climbing out of it the way a dog slogs out of a river, the water dragging him back.

  He stood without wagging while Alana put his leash on his collar.

  “Okay.” She beamed at JayB. “Let’s go.”

  Back outside, I lifted my leg and noted that Odin did the same, though he didn’t sniff the result.