Drake snorted. "Who says I'm unhappy?"
"Well you'reactingunhappy."
"Compared to you?" he laughed. "Nah, I don't think so."
"Well of course I'm unhappy," she snapped. "We're making a giant spectacle of ourselves."
He shrugged. "So stop yelling."
"I'm not yelling!"
Next to me, Lexie whispered, "You know, I think sheisyelling. I mean, I've never heard her sound like thatbefore." She turned and gave me a concerned look. "I know he wants the coat, but do you think we should, I dunno, turn back and give them some privacy?"
Just then, a porch light two houses away flicked on and off several times as if the home owners were sending a signal.
When the flickering stopped with the lights on, I told Lexie, "Sorry, that ship has sailed."
I scanned our surroundings and did a double-take when my gaze skimmed the house where Lexie was living. The blinds were fully open, and the front window was crowded with cats.
They were lined up on the windowsill – all five kittens plus one adult cat – the mom, apparently.Miss Lucy, was it?The kittens were watching Gwen and Drake with wide-eyed curiosity while Miss Lucy looked considerably less impressed.
I was still eyeing the cats when a floppy-eared dog nosed its way upward amidst the felines and started yipping through the glass.
Lexie gave a little jump. "Wait, we don't have a dog." She whirled to face me. "You see him too, right?"
I had to say it."What dog?"
"Oh, stop it," she said. "I know you see him. I just meant…" She paused. "Do you think he's with Drake?"
"That'd be my guess." I fought a sudden urge to smile. "But how do you know it's a he?"
"I dunno. He looks like a he." She gave the dog a long curious look. "Doesn't he?"
"Eh, I'd give it fifty-fifty."
With a cute little snicker, she said, "Way to hedge your bets."
"Hey,Ithought so."
She gave the crowded window another glance. "Should I be worried about the cats?"
I returned my attention to the window. As I watched, one of the kittens – a vivid orange one – pounced sideways, landing on the dog's back like the kitten wanted to slap on a saddle and ride the dog around the living room.
The dog ignored the attack and kept on yipping even as the kitten slid out of view and popped up a moment later to stare once again out the window.
I told Lexie, "If I were you, I'd worry about the dog."
"Why?"
"Because he's outnumbered."
"Yeah, but the dog's bigger."
"Not by much," I said. "And from the looks of things, they've been friends for a while."
"But theycan'tbe," Lexie said. "That dog – it's the first time I've seen him."
When the dog kept yipping, Drake and Gwen stopped arguing and looked toward the crowded window.
