Elana worried her lip with her teeth. “I don’t know...”
Grandma nodded. “Dennis is right. Jack needs a minute to himself. In the meantime, Dennis, do you mind giving us a tour of your ranch?”
Dennis grinned. “It would be a pleasure. We’ll take my big truck.”He pointed to his large Dodge Ram truck parked in front of the barn.
Elana stood rooted in her place as hergrandmotherand Dennis walked toward the truck. She cleared her throat. “Jack, we are going to take a ride with Dennis to see the ranch. I know you are tired of riding, but I would like it if you came with us. Leaving you alone makes me nervous that you might run off.”
Jack cocked his head and lifted one ear as if he were listening intently.
Elana forced herself to leave the dog and slowly walk toward the others. When she glanced down, Jack as trotting by her side.
“You’re such a smart boy, Jack!”She petted his head.
“I knew that dog was smart.”Dennis grinned when theyapproached. “Now let’s see how he likes riding in the back of the truck.”
Elana cut her eyes at him. “Is it safe?”
Dennis let out a belly laugh. “Ma am. We live on a ranch. Nothing is safe out here.” He let the tailgate down on the truck. Jack walked over and put his front paws up.
“I bet there was a time when he could jump in the back of a truck. But like all of us, our old bones don’t always allow us to do what we want.”Dennis bent and picked up Jack and carefully placed him in the back of the truck.
Jack’s mouth split with a grin, and he wagged his tail.
Elana’s heart warmed in her chest. “He looks pleased with himself.”
Grandma Cecilia wrapped her arm around her. “He sure does. Now help me up in this truck and let’s go view the lay of the land.”
Elana waited until Dennis closed the tail gate before helping hergrandmotherinto the passenger seat of the truck. Elana climbed in the back seat.
When Dennis pulled off, Elana turned around to see Jack letting the wind blow his furry ears.
CHAPTER18
Jack lifted his head in the air and sniffed.
Mountain air was the best.
But he liked ocean air too.
He couldn’t stop wagging his tail as the man drove Elana and Grandma Cecilia around the pasture, where there were tons of cows grazing.
He liked the horse he met at the fence. He could smell that he was a good horse and not mean like some he’d seen in his life.
He was glad they’d had a flat tire. If they hadn’t gotten a flat, they never would have made it to the ranch.
He liked how things worked out in life. Sometimes events were like a standing line of dominos. Jack loved watching the old man’s grandson play dominos when he came to visit. Once one tile fell, it triggered the others. Once every domino had fallen, one could look back at the journey and see how many twists and turns it had taken to get where they ended up.
Sometimes by chance, other times by choice.
A low-flying blackbird cawed in the air. Jack lifted his head and barked in answer to the fowl.
After driving a bit across the massive land, they stopped. Dennis yelled, and suddenly a herd of large cows came toward the truck with a half dozen cowboys on horses.
Elana came to the back of the truck where he was sitting. He looked at her, barked, and wagged his tail.
“You certainly are enjoying yourself.” Elana laughed and rubbed his head.
He nuzzled her hand, enjoying the sound of her laugh. She didn’t laugh that often. She should do it more. It was nice.
