Page 45 of Will Bark for Pizza (Bluebell Springs #1)

THIRTY-FOUR

HUSKER

Mom’s here! Mom’s here! Mom’s here!

“She’s taking you to the lake.”

Opal, you give the best head scratches.

More head scratches, please.

The lake?

“She’s a little stressed out.”

Stressed?

“You’ll be good today, right?”

I’m always good.

“Yes, you’re always good, Husker.”

Is that a treat in your pocket?

Sniff, sniff, sniff.

Opal giggles are my favorite.

“Sit.”

Plop.

“Take it nice.”

I’ll take it really slow.

There.

“Good boy.”

Num, num, num.

Is that the front door?

Run, run, run.

“Has he been good?”

Duh, Mom.

I’m always good.

“He’s been good.”

See, Opal knows.

“Thanks for watching him.”

“I thought you’d be working?”

Nana?

Nana, do you have treats?

“She doesn’t have treats, Husker.”

Opal, how do you know that?

What if they’re in her pocket?

“I’m just taking a quick break while the weather’s nice.”

“Beckett going with you?”

New Best Friend?

Is he here?

I’ll look out the window for him.

Where is he?

“What? No.”

“Good. He doesn’t need distractions right now.”

Nana sounds grumpy.

Is she grumpy?

Maybe she’s hungry.

Someone give Nana pizza.

“I’m not distracting him, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

Mom sounds grumpy too .

Opal, we need to order pizza.

Right now.

Everyone’s grumpy.

“How about another treat?”

Okay, Opal.

“Can you give me high ten?”

Oh, this is my favorite trick.

Plop.

Lift both paws.

Paw Opal’s hands.

“Good boy!”

Num, num, num.

“I like you.”

Nana likes Mom?

It doesn’t sound like Nana likes Mom.

I don’t know about Nana.

“But?”

“But Beckett’s been through a lot. I don’t want to see him screw up a good thing over a bad decision.”

“Bad decision.”

Mom’s shaking her head.

Why is Mom shaking her head?

Does she mean no pizza?

No, that can’t be right.

“Beckett is a grown man, capable of making his own decisions.”

“Everything all right in here?”

Grandma Connie!

Do you have pizza?

Or snacks?

Any snacks will do .

“I was just picking up Husker.”

Hey, that’s me!

“Going to the lake, then?”

Grandma Connie doesn’t sound grumpy at all.

I bet she remembered to eat.

“With Lila.”

“Lots to discuss about the store I assume?”

Grandma Connie, are you going to the store?

“Yes.”

“Strange place for a meeting.”

Nana still sounds grumpy.

“I do my best thinking on the lake.”

It’s true.

Mom is way more chill at the lake.

Unless she falls in.

Mom, don’t fall in this time, okay?

“We’ll see you for dinner?”

Dinner?

Grandma Connie, did you say dinner?

“Yes. C’mon Husker.”

But Mom, what about dinner?

“It’s not time yet.”

Are you sure, Opal?

“Be a good boy, okay?”

I’m always a good boy!

“Yes you are, Husker.”