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I wasn’t losing the bet, but we still went overboard with pet supplies. I just kept finding dog toys and Ro seemed to think our little beanie baby should wear clothes for some reason. And then there were leashes, collars, treats, food and water dishes. A small crate and pet carrier. We had to go through everything quite thoroughly just to be sure we didn’t miss any essentials.

We were waiting for a machine to let out a personalized tag when Ro said, “I’ve figured out your punishment if you don’t make word count today.”

“Why does it have to be punishments? What do you have against bribes?”

“You get everything you want all the time. There’s nothing to bribe you with.”

I could have argued with that rather obviously, but I let it go. “What’s the punishment?”

“You have to listen to only John Denver music for an entire day.”

“What the fuck kind of a punishment is that?”

“A funny one.”

I didn’t realize she’d sabotaged me until about six p.m. The puppy just kept coming into my office, and I brought some toys in there, even set up a little bed. I sprawled out on the floor and started throwing a mini tennis ball I’d gotten, and she stumbled over her feet getting it back to me.

When I realized I was teaching her to fetch and she was picking it up quite easily, I was delighted.

“Ro! Come here!”

She appeared in my doorway like she’d been waiting to be called.

“Watch this,” I told her and threw the ball.

The itty bitty thing couldn’t even get her mouth around the minuscule tennis ball, but she grabbed a bit of the fuzz on the outside and carried it with valiant effort back to me. “She is clever,” I said unconsciously.

I realized what was happening and glared at Ro. “I see what’s happening. You’re trying to win the bet and sabotage my word count.”

“Not at all. Even I didn’t know you’d be this obsessed with her. Want me to keep her out of here? I’ll be happy too.”

“Oh, you’d love that, hogging her all to yourself.”

She bit her lips to keep from laughing as she turned away. “Whatever you want, boss. Just let me know.”

I picked up the puppy and looked into her adoring eyes. “See how she says the word boss so sarcastically? Yeah, you picked up on that too, didn’t you? She’s so sassy she doesn’t even know how to put it away, and that’s why I’m your favorite.”

I didn’t altogether appreciate the loud laughter that Ro left behind as she walked away.

The week went by in a blink. I couldn’t remember ever having a quicker passage of days, in fact.

I knew the second Ro realized that I was keeping the Muppet. I was working at my desk and she walked in, looking around.

“Have you seen Mac?” she asked.

I met her eyes, no expression in mine. “No,” I lied.

Just then a little bark erupted from my lap.

Ro raised a judgmental brow. “You know, I talked to the person that sold her to me. It will be no trouble to bring her back. There’s already another home lined up if you don’t want her. Just say the word. I concede. You can win our bet right now.”

I was rubbing an ecstatic Mac’s belly as I told her, “You are so evil, but I think you know that. You don’t have to gloat, you know.”

“Me? Gloat?”

“Yes. You’re laying it on a bit thick. You are not convincingly guileless, so that’s a dead giveaway.”

“Oh no, you misunderstood. I’m full of guile. Is that better?”