“Roll over,” came the next command. There was no stopping the boys after that. All three boys started rolling and giggling anew, but Wheezy, who had reached his two-and-a-half limit, found a patch of shade and stretched himself out in it.

“We’re still working on a few things,” Ruby said, feeling defensive. “He’s made considerable progress the past few days.”

“He’ll be a show dog in no time,” Spencer agreed blandly.

“We still have three weeks to go,” she added. “There’s no saying what could happen between now and then.”

“You two will be the stars of the event.”

“You’ll end up having to eat your words… See if you don’t. He’s lost a pound since you last saw him. Once I take him to the groomer and they clear out some of his undercoat, he’ll have lost twice as much.”

“He’s never looked better.”

All this calm acquiescence was starting to alarm her. She turned to face Spencer, arms akimbo and much of her energy restored. “Okay, who are you, and what have you done with Spencer?”

Instead of taking offense, he laughed. “I’m determined not to let you get to me today. Nothing you say or do will move me.”

The idea of Spencer being docile and good-humored was intriguing enough to pique her interest, but not so intriguing that she was willing to accept it at face value. Spencer didn’t make anything easy. It was a large part of his charm.

“Nothing?” she countered. “Those are bold words coming from a man who…rises so willingly to a challenge.”

“Nice try, but it won’t work this time.” He nodded across the yard to where the boys were attempting to roll circles around Wheezy. “And since you can hardly start taking off your clothes while you’re watching those three, I figure that gives me twenty-four hours of safety. Thirty-six, if I know Eva. She’s going to stretch this weekend out as long as she can.”

The prospect of being abandoned to the mercy of those high-adrenaline children for that long didn’t, as it might have a few minutes earlier, daunt Ruby. Thirty-six hours in Spencer’s company—thirty-six hours in which to chip away at his resolve one innuendo at a time—was enough to make her wish Eva and Maury would never return.

“They have to sleep sometime,” she pointed out.

Spencer laughed. “Is that what you think? Oh, my sweet summer child.”

“You have to sleep sometime, too.” She paused as the full implication of thirty-six hours sank in. “Wait… Are you staying here? With me? For the whole weekend?”