Wow, she actually did behave.
“Thank you.” Dante smiled. “And I heard you were instrumental in reuniting him with his K9 best friend. Is Braddock here?” He glanced around.
“No,” Holden replied. “We weren’t sure if Noah was afraid of dogs or ever around any.”
Dante shook his head. “He isn’t afraid of them. He loved playing with the neighbors’ two Labs back in Phoenix.”
Braddock was an amazing dog. The most amazing dog Amanda had ever seen. Holden had apparently been his handler in the military. The beautiful Belgian Malinois was intelligent, sweet, shadowed Holden’s every move, and adored Holden almost as much as her sister.
“Next time you come over, bring him,” Dante said. “I’d love to see him again.”
“Will do.” Holden grinned. “I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to see you, too.”
The wind picked up a little and Dante glanced at the sky. “We might want to move the party indoors before it rains.”
She looked at the sky and frowned. “But it’s still sunny.”
“Yeah,” Emily said, gazing upward as well. “There isn’t even a cloud.”
Hunter shook his head. “If Dante says it’s going to rain, it’s going to rain.
“Yes,” Holden agreed. “Dante has a knack for detecting those things. It’s called aDanterometer.”
“Is that right?” she asked, a grin tugging at her lips.
Dante choked out a laugh. “Yeah, that’s the nickname the guys gave me overseas.”
“Because it’s true,” Holden said. “He always had a knack for forecasting the weather. He was like a human barometer.”
The handsome man opened his mouth to respond but his son suddenly rushed over with the other two kids in tow.
“Daddy!” Noah propelled himself at Dante, who effortlessly gathered him in his arms. “Did you see me? Did you see? I went down the slide.”
“I know, little dude.” Dante smiled. “I saw you and your new friends having fun.”
“DatsMindy andDiwin,” Noah informed, pointing at the kids down by his father’s legs.
Dante said hello and Mindy smiled shyly while Dillan smiled wide.
“Wow. Hello, sir,” Dillan thrust out his hand and pumped Dante’s up and down then released him to turn to Hunter and grin. “Dad, you told me your friend and his son were moving here but you didn’t tell me it was the Falcon!”
Hunter chuckled, picking Dillan up. “My bad.”
A frown rippled across Dante’s brow. “Falcon?”
Amanda laughed. “Dillan is big into superheroes. His dad is Captain America, right, Dillan?”
“Yep.” The little boy grinned from ear to ear, his chest puffed out as he settled against Hunter’s chest. “And I’m Ironman.”
“Oh.” His smile returned. “Nice to meet you, Dillan. I mean, Ironman.”
“Thanks,” the little boy said then his gaze moved past Dante and he spotted her. “Miss Amanda! What are you doing here?”
She smiled. “Hi, Dillan. I’m here for the same reason as everyone else. To help Noah and his father move in.”
“Did you meet Noah?” Dillan asked.
“No, not yet,” she replied, realizing she hadn’t met the boy.
