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“I know the wordtool,” Asher said. “Why?”

“Why do you know that word? I don’t know, maybe because Dale is your friend?”

Asher’s eyes shot down and then back up. “No, I meant why is your dad’s boss one?”

I internally cursed at myself.Why did I say that out loud?Maybe because the wind rushing through the cabin was making it hard to think. “I know that’s what you meant. I’m sorry,I’ma tool sometimes.”

“It’s okay, he can be. Especially if you don’t really know him.”

He was right. I didn’t know Dale very well. I had just let my harsh judgment take over. “Where is your sidekick today anyway?”

“His family has been at their cabin this week. He gets home tomorrow.”

“Right…” Of course Dale had a family cabin.

“Your dad’s boss?” Asher asked, reminding me I hadn’t answered his original question.

“My dad’s boss overworks and underpays him. You know, the age-old plight of the working class.”

“Yeah, sounds familiar.”

I pulled into the parking lot of the public beach. “Bean loves the water. People won’t be able to resist him after I post these pics.”

“Over nine months, huh? Is that a long time for a dog to be at the shelter?”

“Yes, very long.” I shifted the car into park and turned off theignition. “And as much as I love ours, shelters aren’t great places for dogs. They can be very stressful: noisy, chaotic, cold.”

Asher put his hands on either side of Bean’s face. “How could a charmer like you go unpicked, Beano?”

I chuckled. “I call him Beano sometimes too.” I picked up the scarf that was draped over the parking brake between us and opened my door. “And he’s not charming.”

Asher climbed out. “Maybe he doesn’t want to be picked,” he said as we walked across the parking lot and toward the sand. Like most summer days, the beach was packed with people and blankets and umbrellas. We’d have to keep Bean on his leash.

I pulled the baseball cap I wore lower, to shade my eyes from the sun. “You think he wants to stay at the shelter?”

“Maybe he wants to stay with you,” he said. “You’re easy to be around.”

“Am I?” I asked. That wasn’t something I heard often. Most of the time I heard I was closed off or cold. Bean’s twin, Rodrigo had called me not fifteen minutes ago. Definitely not charming. “Youare. Maybeyoushould adopt Bean.”

“I wish I could but we have this nasty little Chihuahua who would rip him to pieces. It’s my mom’s dog.” We walked a few more steps and then Asher said, “Sorry, no offense, I forgot you like all animals. Buffy has her moments.”

I laughed. “I dig the name. And I don’t like all animals.”

“Really?”

“I genuinely don’t like sea lions. They are jerks.”

We reached the dark compacted sand, which was wet from theretreating water. I squatted down and tied the scarf I’d brought around Bean’s neck.

“ ‘Adopt me’?” Asher read the big red words printed on the scarf. “That should work.”

“People of the beach!” I yelled. “Come adopt this uncharmingdog!”

Asher smiled. “He only likes cool people!”

“Or uncool people! We’re still trying to decide!”

“I can do this all day,” Asher said. “Is this the plan? Yell until someone takes him?”