Page 126 of Broken
“Can I see?” Ethan asked.
She carried the carrier across the threshold, and he shut the front door.
“I got a puppy, Ethan. Would you like to meet him?”
A joyous giggle exploded out of him as Prescott set him down.
Ethan knelt in front of the carrier, and the dog barked again. Though Ethan flinched, he shoved his tiny fingers into the cage. “It’s okay,” he said. “You can come out and play wif me.”
Jack gently pulled his fingers out. “He might be afraid, so let’s give him a little space, okay?”
“Why don’t we take him out back so he can pee?” Prescott suggested.
“Good idea.” Jacqueline held out her hand to Ethan. “Would you like to come with me?”
“Okay.” Ethan clasped her hand.
She lifted the carrier, then regarded Prescott. “Would you mind bringing in Loki’s food? It needs to be refrigerated.”
He tossed her a nod, before she and Ethan walked toward the back deck.
Seeing them holding hands touched his soul. They looked like they belonged there, with him, in this large, way-too-quiet house. In that moment, his mind was made up. He didn’t want her to leave. He wanted her, and her puppy, to stay.
He stored the dog food in his second refrigerator, located in the mudroom, then joined them on the back patio.
The dog was still in the carrier. Jacqueline had pulled over a lawn chair and was talking to Ethan.
“Why?” Ethan asked.
“He’s a baby so we have to teach him not to bite,” she explained.
“Okay.”
“Are you ready to meet Loki?”
Ethan started jumping up and down, his excitement contagious. Jacqueline opened the door and the black puffball made a beeline for Ethan.
Ethan ran a hand over his fluffy coat. “He’s soooo soft. Can I hold him?”
Prescott laughed. “He’s almost as big as you are, bud.”
Ethan giggled when Loki licked his hand. Next, Loki went over to Jack.
“Hi, Loki,” she said. “You’re a good boy.”
His tail wagged as he made his way to Prescott and started sniffing his bare feet. Prescott petted him before Loki took off into the grass. Ethan followed while Loki sniffed around, then peed.
Prescott eased into a patio chair beside her. He wanted to pull her onto his lap and kiss her, but he needed to take things slowly so he didn’t push her away.
“He went pee pee,” Ethan announced.
“Good boy, Loki,” Jacqueline said before she flicked her gaze to Prescott. “I have no idea what I’m doing.”
“You and me, both,” he replied. “We’ll figure this out,together.”
The air crackled with chaotic energy, her gaze locked on his. Unable to resist the constant pull, he slipped his hand around the back of her neck and gently massaged. Her eyes fluttered closed and a sigh floated from her. He loved touching her, loved making her happy. He massaged one shoulder, then her other.
When he finished, she peered at him. “I… you… that was—”
