officer, and I arrived at the same time. Rocky was barking and we smelled smoke. The woman officer and I ran to the boathouse, and McManus called for backup and fire equipment. You know the rest.”
“I thought you had turned against me,” I said, “and all the time you were trying to protect me.”
We had reached the end of Aunt Jule’s property and turned back.
Rocky emerged from the river and came galloping toward us. Stopping in front of us, he shook water all over. I backed into Nick.
“Good dog,” Nick said. “That’s one of the tricks I’ve taught him, shaking water on girls so they back into my arms.”
“Really! How smart of Rocky — and you, of course.”
“That’s another thing I’ve been wanting to tell you,” he said, turning me to face him. “I’m tired of getting jealous of my dog. I mean, he has nice eyes, but so do I.”
I looked from Rocky’s golden eyes to Nick’s laughing green ones.
“I didn’t enjoy the way Rocky got to stick close to you while I played Holly’s boyfriend. He’s going to have some competition from now on.”
“Oh, yeah? Are you good at retrieving sticks?”
“I’m good at stealing kisses,” Nick said, then proved it.
