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“Thanks so much.” Rather than wait for the elevator, I scoop Jackie up and take the stairs. He’s a game little guy, but stairs are hard on him.
The children’s room has a more modern look than the ground floor. There are bookshelves, of course, just like downstairs, but they’re shorter and interspersed with low tables, chairs, and beanbags. A large expanse of one wall has been marked off into numbered sections with dozens of cutout paper dogs, colored with crayon or pen, on one side. A large banner above declares: Enjoy the Dog Days of Summer by Reading!
Around the room, dogs are paired with young children who are reading aloud quietly from books while parents hover nearby. A handful of dog-less kids wait for their turn.
I spot Blaze immediately. Her back is to me, but there’s no mistaking the shiny blond hair or the bold curves under her silky, ocean-blue dress. She’s talking to a woman with a little boy who looks vaguely familiar.
I put Jackie down and am most of the way to her when she turns around.
Her eyes widen at the sight of us. “Hi, what are you doing here?”
“They told me about this event when I adopted Jackie. Thought I’d come in and show off how well he’s doing.”
“Oh. Well, nice to see you. Chief Wainwright, do you remember Trip from Mrs. Redmond’s class? And this is his mom, Mrs. Schultz.”
I grin at the little boy. “You’re one of our future firefighters, right? Good to see you again, Trip.” I shake hands with him and then his mom. “Pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Schultz.”
“Call me Crystal. I’m divorced,” she says quickly, holding onto my hand a moment longer than strictly necessary.
Blaze, who’s a half step behind Crystal, rolls her eyes at this. “Since you’re here, Chief Wainwright, do you think maybe Trip could read to Jackie for a little while? He’s been waiting for a dog to free up.”
“That would be so nice of you,” Crystal gushes. “Such a cute little guy, isn’t he, Trip?”
I kneel down to focus on Trip. “Well, of course. I bet Jackie would love to have a story from you, Trip. What are you going to read him?”
“Green Eggs and Ham,” he replies, showing me the book. “It’s one of my favorites from when I was little.”
“What do you know? That’s still one of my favorites,” I tell him, and he grins widely.
The grin fades as he pets Jackie’s head. “What happened to his leg?”
“Accident,” I tell him, not wanting to bring the mood down by telling him about Jackie’s former owner. “But he’s doing really well now. He’s not in pain, and he gets around just great, so don’t worry about him. Here,” I hand him Jackie’s leash. “Go read him that story. Pretty sure he’s never heard it before.”
“There’s a free beanbag right over there if you guys want.” Blaze gestures toward a blue beanbag in a corner.
“Would you like to join us?” Crystal asks, a little too brightly.
She’s an attractive woman, casually dressed in shorts and a tank top that show off a slender, athletic body, but there’s something a little overeager about her. I’m more drawn to the snarky librarian beside her.
“You guys go ahead,” I tell her and Trip. “I’ve never been here before. Thought I’d look around a little.”
“Of course. Just come and find us when you’re done,” Crystal says, not missing the chance to pat my arm before she, Trip, and Jackie head for the beanbag.
Blaze lifts an expectant eyebrow. “Did you really come for the dogs, or did you just stop by to flirt with the single moms?”
Is it possible she’s a little jealous?
Somehow, I like that idea.
“Nah,” I reply. “Just wanted to see you in your natural environment.”
She cocks her head to the side, and for a moment, her expression reminds me so much of Jackie’s that I have to repress a laugh. “Ah, I see. Scoping out the competition.”
“Figured it was only fair,” I shrug. “You got to see mine. Now I get to see yours. Workplace, that is.”
She ignores my innuendo. “Well, since you’re here, you might as well get a quick tour.” She gestures around the room at the kids and the dogs. “This is the kick-off to our summer reading program.”
“I’m impressed. You know, given that you’re terrified of dogs and all.”
