Neither of those reactions was surprising. Lila had always carried herself with a serene grace that matched her status as the eldest in the family. It also matched her tailored clothes and the topknot she wound her almost waist-length hair into. Dawn wore her own dark locks—a gift, along with the sisters’ deep-brown eyes and light-brown skin, from the Vasquez side of their family—in a tousled bob that made the most of her natural waves. Her wide, sunny face was sprinkled with freckles and a smile to match. Lila’s demeanor was one men could admire; Dawn’s one they couldn’t help but be charmed by.

It was only Sophie who lagged behind. She’d done the best she could to distinguish herself from her sisters, her short, boyish figure offset by a pixie cut that made the most of her delicate features, but it was no use. When the three of them stood side by side, she inevitably faded into the background.

Or, rather, she used to fade into the background. From the way Harrison was looking at her, like she was his walking savior, she couldn’t help but feel a warm glow start to take over.

“There’s nothing to apologize for,” she said with what she hoped was breezy unconcern. “It was a slight misunderstanding, that’s all. I should have warned you ahead of time that your animal had already been selected for you.”

“About that…” Lila began, but Sophie turned to her with an imploring look. Lila might technically be the one in charge of Puppy Promise, the service-dog training organization that provided the Vasquez sisters with their life’s purpose, but Sophie needed this. Bubbles needed this.

Lila had been uncomfortable with the idea of using a puppy mill dog from the start, since the poor thing had obviously been subjected to more than one cruelty in her short life, but Sophie had no doubts on that score. Five minutes in that animal’s company had been more than enough to convince her that she was worth taking on.

With some animals—some people—you just knew.

“I realize Bubbles isn’t much to look at, but she’s smart and eager to learn. All she needs is a chance to prove herself.”

Harrison didn’t say anything. He kept watching her in that intense, panicked way, as if he couldn’t make up his mind whether to sit down again or run screaming from the room.

Please don’t run screaming from the room, she wanted to beg him. Please don’t run screaming from me.

“What do you say we make ourselves scarce, Lil?” Dawn asked, a deep dimple appearing in her right cheek. “Scott has that new litter of blue heelers he wanted us to come take a look at.”

“But we don’t need any—”