“That’s not necessary,” he told her. “I’m going.” How was he supposed to maintain control around her if she kept putting her hands on him?

When they reached the yard, Agatha raced over, her stupid ears flapping. He lifted her leash from the hook and clipped it to her collar. Together, he and Finley walked toward the foyer.

“You’re going to give the family her supplies, right?” he asked.

“Oh yes. We provide every adoptive family with a bag full of the dog’s familiar items, plus food, treats, and toys.”

“Did you include her stuffed lamb? She likes her lamb.”

“I included her lamb.”

As soon as Agatha entered the foyer, the Gomez family of four let out gasps of adoration and dropped to their knees to greet her.

The son looked to be around twelve, the daughter a few years younger. Their dark-haired mother explained that she’d kept the kids home from school this morning because adopting a dog was such a big moment for all of them. She said that their fifteen-year-old Pomeranian had died nine months ago. They’d been mourning his loss and struggling to live in a house that suddenly felt too empty and too quiet. This was the first time the kids would have the chance to raise a puppy.

Luke nodded and put on what he hoped read as a pleasant expression.

Finley went into raptures with the Gomezes, clearly delighting in her matchmaking skills. “Luke is the one who’s been fostering Agatha.”

“It looks like you did a great job,” the dad said. “She seems happy and healthy.”

She’s awful, and she ruined my life.

“You must have had so much fun with her,” the daughter said.

If you consider cleaning dog accidents to be fun.

Finley answered the family’s questions and gave them encouragement and suggestions. The parents signed the paperwork. As they gathered up Agatha’s gear in preparation to leave, the puppy positioned herself between Luke’s legs. She eyed the others suspiciously, as if he were her protector and they were her abductors.

When the mom came forward to pick Agatha up, the puppy placed her front feet as high on his pants leg as she could reach, which was only about five inches. Her eyes said, Save me. I don’t want to go anywhere with these strangers. Which proved how unintuitive Agatha was. She didn’t have enough sense to recognize the gravy train that had just pulled to a stop in front of her.

He leaned over and placed her front feet on the ground. Agatha plopped down and rested her chin on his boot.

“Aw,” the girl said. “She loves you.”