Page 61 of Ruff and Tumble

“I’m standing right here, Dad.”

“Hubris, I call it. He’s never been light on his feet.”

“I can hear every word you’re saying.”

“Then again, they did get a first down. Sometimes hubris has a place.”

Hailey laughed to see the expression on Cole’s face, but she also felt a pang of pity. If he’d come here hoping for a quiet, personal chat with his father, it was obvious he wasn’t going to get it.

She, however, was. Cole’s dad indicated the chair next to him, and this time with enough authority that she complied. He accepted the crushed flowers with a sniff, but it was apleasedsniff, so she was glad she’d brought them.

“Whatever it is you’re doing to break that curse, keep it up,” he said with a nod across the room at Cole. “We’re so close to the Kickoff Cup that I can taste it. What’s your secret? Chanting? Sage? Promises of your firstborn child?”

Hailey smiled and shook her head. “It has nothing to do with me, I’m afraid. I’m only a spectator, like you.”

“Bullshit.”

Cole’s mom overheard this last part. “Julian,language.”

Julian shot Hailey a conspiratorial smile. “Bullshit,” he said, quieter this time. “Is it those dogs of yours? Regina told me you gave one to Garrett Smith this morning. If you’re handing out lucky puppies, you might want to add Byrd to the list. His defensive tackles could use some work.”

She couldn’t resist. “Actually, there is a sweet little beagle who could use a place to stay for the next few weeks—”

“Hailey, I absolutely forbid you from giving my parents a puppy.”

She sneaked a quick peek up at Cole. Although he still looked like a little boy who was afraid his parents were about to send him to his room, the lines on his face had relaxed. It was as if just walking into the room—seeing for himself that his father was sitting up and talking and well on his way to recovery—had calmed him.

Which, if his family had any sense, they would have realized last week. Hailey could think of fewer fates worse than to be shut out at a time like this. These people were obviously everything to Cole, and he was obviously everything to them.

Didn’t they realize how precious that was? How rare?

“I wouldn’t begivingher to them,” she protested. “It’s only temporary. And it doesn’t seem fair that all your puppies get to enjoy rich, cushy homes before the big game while my puppies suffer deprivation and despair.”

“A beagle?” Cole’s mom pursed her lips thoughtfully. “They are awfully cute, Julian. And you know what the doctor said about you getting more exercise as soon as we get you home. You could take her for walks.”

“Don’t fall for it, Mom.”

Both of Cole’s parents ignored him. “Itwouldbe one of the lucky ones, right?” Julian eyed Hailey askance. “Not a knockoff?”

Hailey soothed her conscience with the thought that she wouldn’t evenbein this situation in the first place if Cole hadn’t asked it of her. Besides, a cuddly beagle was just the thing a man recovering from a heart attack needed. Unconditional puppy love healed everything.

Well, almost everything.

“Absolutely,” she promised. “A bona fide Puppy Cup puppy, and I’ll even deliver her to your door myself—including all the supplies you’ll need to take care of her.”

She could see them relenting and was toying with the idea of seeing how Cole’s grandmother and the Wegmores felt about temporary puppy custodianship when they heard a light knock on the door. It was followed by the entrance of a lab-coated woman in a bright-purple headscarf.

“Ghastly of me, I know, but I’ve come to see if I might borrow your visitor for a few minutes.” The woman, whose name tag proclaimed her as Dr. Shad, spoke with a cultured British accent. “Actually, that’s a lie. It never takes a few minutes, does it?”

Considering how hard Cole had fought to get into this room in the first place, Hailey was afraid he would take the interruption badly. At sight of the woman, however, he broke into his signature dimpled grin.

“And here I thought I might be able to slip in and out unseen.” He shook his head and heaved a mock sigh. “I should have known better.”

Dr. Shad looked immediately contrite, her exquisite brows drawing together in the center of her forehead. “Oh no. Do you want me to pretend I didn’t see you? I can, you know. I didn’t tell any of them you were here.”

“Them?” Hailey echoed.

“Children’s ward,” Regina supplied as she and Mia slipped into the room behind the doctor. She didn’t quite meet her brother’s eyes. “I meant to tell you, Cole, but for some reason or other, it kept slipping my mind. Amara wanted to know if you’d be available to make a round during one of your visits.”