Puppy Love by A. Destiny and Catherine Hapka Page A

the Muckster was a superstar! Oh, I wouldn’t claim he was perfect. But he seemed to turn into a whole different pup with Adam at the other end of the leash.
    It was amazing. It was awe-inspiring. It was hot.
    Suddenly something clicked into place. Up to that point Adam had fit right into my usual type in some ways—the hair, the eyes, the accent. But he’d been an anomaly in others. I’d always gone for artsy guys. Singers like Corc, various actors, the occasional hip-hop dancer or whatever.
    But now I realized something. The thing they’d all had in common wasn’t being artsy so much as it was having a passion for something, whether that something was music, acting, or dance. That was what had attracted me to them, given them that certain something I couldn’t resist. And by that standard, Adam fit right in. His passion was dogs, and he had a real talent with them—just as he’d modestly mentioned the other day.
    The thought made me feel a tiny surge of optimism. And not only about my (potential) love life, either. With Adam helping me, maybe Muckle wasn’t a lost cause after all. Maybe he could work his magic, turn things around, make Muckle’s behavior acceptable even to my über-picky parents.
    Before I knew it, Adam was calling an end to that day’s class. Where had the time gone?
    â€œOne more thing,” he said as we started to gather up our stuff. “I forgot to mention it last time, but I wanted to tell you about the dog park over in Springdale. It just opened this past summer,and it’s a very cool place. They definitely created it with dogs and dog owners in mind. There’s agility equipment, private runs for smaller dogs, all kinds of stuff. I suggest you all check it out if you can. Because remember—a tired dog is a good dog.” He smiled. “Maybe I’ll even see you there—I take my dogs all the time. Okay, good class, everyone! See you on Saturday.”
    He turned away and fiddled with the paperwork on his chair. Jamal clipped on Ozzy’s leash, then leaned toward me. “That dog park sounds pretty cool, huh?” he said.
    â€œDefinitely,” Rachel said, looking up from adjusting Gizi’s harness. “Maybe we should all take a field trip sometime.”
    Jamal grinned. “Sounds like a plan.”
    â€œYeah.” I was too distracted to focus much on the chitchat. Excusing myself, I hurried over to Adam.
    He glanced up at my approach. “Hey, Lauren. Good work today.” He smiled and ruffled Muckle’s ears. “Your pup made a perfect demo dog.”
    â€œThanks.” I cleared my throat. “That’s, um, what I wanted to talk to you about. I want to thank you for showing me how good he can be. I guess I just assumed he’d always be too hyper to really learn much.”
    Adam chuckled. “Spoken like a first-time puppy owner,” he said with a twinkle in his eye. “Don’t fret, Lauren. Muckle is a terrific puppy. He’s supersmart and trainable, with a very sweet temperament. With the right guidance, he could go far in dog sports.”
    â€œYou mean like we were talking about the other day?” I said. “Um, agility and stuff?”
    â€œExactly.” Adam picked up his papers and tucked them under his arm, then turned to face me. “You really should consider getting him started in that, Lauren. Try some beginner lessons, see how he likes it.”
    â€œSounds good.” My heart was pounding. Was it my imagination, or was he gazing at me super intently? “Um, but I’m not sure where to start.”
    His smile broadened. “Well then, it’s lucky you know me. I’d be happy to help you out. Like I was saying the other day, I teach lots of beginners to love agility just as much as I do.” He winked. “Dogs and owners.”
    I was pretty sure I was blushing. Somehow, though, I didn’t mind. Adam and I were