19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Dinner went smoothly. I thought that Reggie was a little more comfortable in his skin by the end of it, but when we returned to the truck he looked around to check no one was looking and instantly shifted back into Fluffy. I sighed; it was a work in progress. I loved my dog but he was a person too, and I ached that he liked being a dog more than being himself – but everyone had the right to be what they wanted to be.

‘It’ll take time,’ Stan murmured. ‘I’ve seen shifters who lost themselves to their animal forms come back to human, but you gotta be patient. Don’t push too much. Just be there for him.’

‘Always.’ I sighed.

‘You’re a good person.’ He gave me a one-armed hug. ‘I can’t stay too long. Sidnee and I are going to have a movie night and then I’m taking her out tomorrow for breakfast. After that, I’m flying back – I’ve got a meeting I can’t be late for.’

‘So this is goodbye?’ I felt unexpectedly emotional. Man, this homesickness was doing a number on me. I couldn’t wait to get back to Portlock in a couple of weeks, even if it would be to my favourite situation: situation normal, all fucked up.

‘For now.’ He flashed me one of his exuberant, cheeky grins. ‘Hey, what’s a bunny’s favourite mode of transport?’

I groaned.

‘A hareplane!’

I groaned even louder, making Stan laugh. ‘I’ll be seeing you, Bunny.’

‘See you, Stan. Thanks for coming. It means the world to Sidnee and to me.’

A hint of wistfulness filled his gaze as he looked at me. ‘Anytime.’

I broke the awkward moment by giving Sidnee a big hug goodbye. ‘You’re the best,’ she whispered.

‘Back at you, lady. Have a fun night.’

They motored off in a truck that looked a darned sight better than the monstrosity Connor and I were riding in.

‘How did you do it?’

‘Do what?’

‘Get him here in…’ I checked my phone for the time. ‘Four hours?’

He gave a casual shrug and unlocked my door. ‘I know a guy.’

‘Does he have a portal?’

Connor laughed. ‘No, he has a very nice helicopter.’

I slid into the cab next to Fluffy and scratched his ears. He leaned into me and I put my arm around him as Connor drove us back to the Airbnb.

When we arrived, Connor looked at Fluffy. ‘You still haven’t told her,’ he said softly. A beat later, Fluffy became Reggie.

‘Told me what?’ I asked, putting my arm back around my young friend.

He let out a breath. ‘Connor – well, I agreed, but the academy reached out to the Nomo’s office to have you and me do a K-9 presentation. It’s a three-day thing, but only for an hour each class.’ Reggie squirmed and looked at me hopefully. ‘If you want to, that is.’

I beamed at him. ‘Absolutely! It’ll be so much fun. We’ll blow them away!’

Reggie smiled. ‘I’ll be the best K-9 they’ve ever seen.’ I was positive that he would be. As Fluffy he was formidable, and he knew it. I was determined that one day he would know his worth as a human, too.

Reggie said a quiet goodnight then went to his and Shadow’s room next door. I was pleased that at least he walked out as a human.

As Connor and I went into our room, I wondered what I would do with three hours of K-9 class. I had no training and no teaching experience. Usually we winged it when we were working and used Fluffy’s intelligence to get us through by the seat of our pants. I knew from the movies that a lot of highly trained dogs were taught commands in German but neither Fluffy nor I spoke a lick of German. I’d studied French and Latin; French had been useful when I vacationed in southern France in my youth, but no one spoke Latin.

Well, this K-9 and handler spoke English, so that would have to do.

‘Penny for your thoughts?’ Connor asked me.

‘I’m thinking about the K-9 classes,’ I admitted. ‘Obviously Fluffy will do anything I ask of him, but I don’t know anything about being a proper K-9 handler. I’m going to have to spend some of our time together doing research if we want to pull this off.’

Connor nodded. ‘I know, but I think it’ll be worth it. Reggie’s self-confidence is so low, I thought this might bring him out of his shell a little, help him see his own worth. Then we can try and apply Fluffy’s confidence to Reggie.’

‘It’s a great idea.’ I kissed him. ‘And so thoughtful of you. Have I told you how much I love how much you care for my…’ I trailed off: ‘dog’ wasn’t quite the right word.

‘I know what you mean. Anyway, I’m not throwing you in the deep end without giving you some tools to kick ass with.’

‘I do like kicking ass,’ I said brightly. ‘What tools have you got for me?’

‘A training manual. With your memory, you’ll have it down before you’re put on the spot.’

I felt some relief at that. I had a superdog that no one knew was human under the fur, and I knew he’d do everything perfectly; frankly, I was the weakest link here. But I did have an excellent memory and the ability to absorb a book in record time. I could do this.

I slid Connor a sidelong glance. I suspected that Fluffy’s wasn’t the only confidence he was trying to bolster. He took a kettle out of his bag, filled it with water and started to make me an honest-to-goodness cup of tea. ‘You’re making me tea,’ I said dumbly.

He gave me his lopsided grin. ‘I’d give you the world if I could, but tea will have to do.’

I moved towards him and spoke some words I never ever thought I’d hear myself say. ‘Fuck the tea.’

We stared at each other for a long moment then lunged. Without knowing quite how we got there, we were soon tangled on the bed and our clothes were disappearing as if by magic.

I wrapped myself in Connor and all my worries fled.