To be perfectly honest, she wasn’t sure she liked herself that way.

“You know what?” Sophie said, feeling a sudden urge to push back. “I like him. He works hard and he’s good with the puppy. He’s also a really good kisser, in case you were wondering.”

This time, her mother’s clucking sound was closer to a growl. Sophie recognized that growl—knew it down to her bones. It was the sound of a mama bear awakening from hibernation. In a few seconds, the bear would be fully awake, prepared to throw herself on anyone who dared to even look at her precious cub the wrong way.

Which was why Sophie decided to take matters into her own hands. Too many people—herself included—had been suffocated by that bear. All she wanted was a chance to breathe.

Throwing caution and common sense to the wind, she added, “Besides, it doesn’t matter if he’d be better off with Dawn or Lila. It’s too late. We’ve already started the more specialized training. To back off now would only compromise the relationship between Harrison and Bubbles, which the puppy’s fear of fire has already strained.”

“But—” her mother began.

She was on a roll now and doubted whether she could stop even if she wanted to. “In fact, we’ve decided the best thing to do to help Bubbles get over it is for me to live in for the duration of the training.”

Both women swiveled to stare at her.

“Live in?” her sister echoed.

“You can’t!” her mother cried.

Sophie held up a hand to stop them both. She was proud to note that it didn’t waver in the slightest. “Stop, you guys. Lila did it last year with that nervous bichon, and no one said anything. You know it’s our standard operating procedure. If the puppy or the owner has difficulty adjusting, the trainer should be there as much as possible, even if that means around the clock.”

Both women opened their mouths to protest, but Sophie didn’t let them speak. She couldn’t. She knew exactly what would happen if she did. They’d talk her back from the ledge, pull her into their arms, and stuff her with cookies and rainbows and promises that everything would be okay.

She liked cookies, and rainbows were pretty, but things weren’t always okay. Life was hard and messy and, where Harrison was concerned, a bit of a battleground.

And that, to be perfectly honest, was just fine with her.

“Well, I’m finally going to admit it,” she announced. “This puppy has difficulties. A lot of them, actually, and I’m still not a hundred percent sure she’s going to work out. If Bubbles is going to battle forest fires someday, she’ll need lots of extra attention and lots of extra time. And I’ll have to do a few nights for the scent training anyway. It makes sense for me to stay there.”