She got out of her truck and marched right up to the guy, who seemed to grow bigger and broader by the minute. Luke stepped out of the truck, getting ready to make right whatever was getting ready to go wrong.
“Is that your dog?” Shannon said.
“Who else’s would it be?”
“When’s the last time you fed him?”
“He gets plenty to eat.”
“Doesn’t look like it to me. You can’t just keep a dog on the end of a rope and not take care of him.”
“Says who?”
“Says the law.”
“He chewed up my sofa. What am I supposed to do? Let him loose in the house again?”
“Do you know the penalty for animal abuse? You could go to prison.”
“Good. I’ll be able to say hi to all my old buddies.”
Shannon must not have heard the guy’s mention of a prior stint in the Big House, because she moved even closer to him than before and raised her voice. Luke could tell she was only seconds from poking him in the chest with her forefinger. That kind of thing went over great with men whose self-images were tied up in lording their strength over weaker people. Women in particular.
Crap.
With a huff of irritation, Luke came up next to Shannon, who was going on about the advisability of messing with her, even though the guy was a head taller than she was, weighed twice as much, and had singlehandedly kept some lucky tattoo parlor in business. And he had plenty to say right back at her.
“Hey!” Luke shouted.
They both fell silent.
“Nice dog,” Luke said to the guy, nodding back over his shoulder. “I’ll give you forty bucks for him.”
The man blinked with surprise. “What?”
“You heard me. Forty bucks.”
The guy flicked his eyes over to the dog, who had settled down onto the ground and was panting like crazy. “Eighty.”
“Fifty,” Luke said.
“Seventy.”
Luke looked at the dog, then back again. “Sixty. Final offer.”
“Done.”
Luke reached into his wallet and pulled out three twenties. The guy snatched the money, went back into the house, and closed the door behind him.
Shannon’s mouth fell open. “What the hell did you just do?”
“Bought myself a dog.”
“Don’t you ever do that again,” Shannon said hotly.
“Do what?” Luke said, walking toward the dog. “Save you from getting knocked around by a very large, very angry man?”
She hurried along beside him. “I can take care of myself.”
“No, Shannon, you can’t. Not when he has a hundred pounds on you and picked up his attitude in prison.”
“Exactly. That guy should be in jail.”
“I agree.”
“He’ll only abuse another animal.”
“So report him. But right now, we need to get this dog out of here before the Incredible Hulk changes his mind.”
Luke knelt beside the dog, who stood up and whimpered, his ribs looking like corrugated tin. Luke pulled out his pocket knife and slashed the rope that held him, making it short enough to double as a leash. “Come on, Fluffy.”
“Wait a minute,” Shannon said as she walked beside them toward the truck. “Fluffy? Seriously?”
“My money. I get to name him.”
“Names generally roll right past me, but come on, Luke. That dog’s about as far from a Fluffy as a dog gets. He’s not even a long-haired dog.”
“His name’s Fluffy. Case closed.”
“You’re naming him that just to make me crazy, aren’t you?”
“Yes. I’m naming him that just to make you crazy.”
Luke grabbed a bottle of water out of the truck and poured it into his hand for the dog to drink from. Then he opened the passenger door of the truck. The dog didn’t have to be asked twice to jump in. Dogs had a pretty good survival instinct, and this one had undoubtedly decided his chances were better inside the truck than out.
Shannon yanked the truck into gear. “You’re out sixty bucks.”
“It’s only money.”
“Which you’re short on. The shelter will reimburse you.”
“Not necessary. I doubt you have a line item in the budget for animal purchase. You generally get them for nothing.”
Shannon shook her head with disbelief. “You bought a pit bull and named him Fluffy. You are so weird.”
Luke just smiled and gave the non-fluffy dog a pat on the shoulder. To his surprise, the dog lay down on the seat and rested his chin on Luke’s thigh. Nobody had ever accused Luke of being sappy or overemotional, but when those grateful doggy eyes turned up to meet his, he felt a funny twinge somewhere in the area of his heart.
Suddenly he knew. This was it. This was why Shannon had a look of determination permanently stamped