Beau saw Purvis and picked up his pace. He arrived and promptly gave my bulldog a good smell from head to butt.

At eight years old, Purvis was slower at avoiding dogs’ sniffs, but Beau was only a year and a half old and excited to be outside of the county kennel.

“You catch anything?” Marvin asked as the dogs consorted, both of them friendly.

“Some bass,” I said, leaning over and getting Beau to sit so Purvis got a break for a second. “Six or seven striper. That lake’s full of striper,” I said. “Practically jump into the boat.”

Marvin had brought some dog treats with him, and he rewarded both dogs for being nice.

We stayed out there a good half hour, and Marvin never asked about Kelly once. I liked that about him. That he didn’t push things. Eventually Marvin told me his legs were aching.

“C’mon, fluffy-butt,” I said to Beau, who had two large tufts of white hair on either side of his tail. I pulled hard on the leash. The dog wasn’t technically a puppy, but he was hyper as hell.

We brought the two home, but kept Beau on a longer leash, tied inside the house, like my friend at County had advised, while Marvin got off his feet. We talked fishing, and some changes Marvin was making to his yard.

“You’re planting in fall?” I asked, and Marvin nodded.

“Black-eyed Susans bloom in fall,” he said. “So do daylilies.”

As we talked, Beau smelled around the living room, and Purvis, who prefers to drool and sleep most of the time, left the area and went out back. I heard the plastic flap of the doggie door and guessed that Purvis was headed to his favorite area on the lawn out back.

“You stay two days on the lake and then get a dog?” Marvin asked. “You gonna buy a Porsche next?”

“You’re the one who said I needed to be open, didn’t you?”

“Hey, I’m not complaining,” Marvin said. “I’ve just always wanted to drive a Porsche.”

I smiled at my father-in-law, and we let Beau off the leash. He stayed close to us, and when we walked into the kitchen, he followed.

“I didn’t entirely think this out,” I said to my father-in-law, grabbing a Coke for him and a Dr Pepper for me. I pointed at the new dog, who was full grown at thirty-five pounds. “But they were gonna kill the little guy.”

“He’s a good dog,” Marvin said, leaning over and petting Beau. “You want me to take him for a couple days?”

“No,” I said. “I just gotta meet Remy tonight. Can you hang out for a bit and watch the two of them?”

“I thought you were off of work.”

“I am, and I’m not,” I said. “I promise I’m back by midnight. You can crash in your old bed if you get tired.”

“Hold on,” Marvin said. He checked the guide on the TV before answering and saw that the Braves were back playing the Phillies again, the first in a three-game stretch. He grabbed his Coke and waved for me to get going.