The Love Pug

by J. J. Howard

  How had it fallen down? I picked it up, feeling the soft, silky fabric. At that moment, it seemed almost like a small message from my mom, telling me that she was still watching over me.

  I pulled out my journal, suddenly inspired to write about how much I missed her, how much I hoped she was still with me.

  I wrote and wrote, the words coming easily now. It felt good to get some of the feelings down on paper. I didn’t think I’d ever show this entry to anyone, but it still felt good to write it all down.

  Closing the journal, I wrapped the scarf around my neck, not caring that it didn’t match what I was wearing. I’d always wondered if my mother would have been proud of me. Right at that moment, somehow, I felt sure that she was.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to come with me and Travis? You love the Valentine’s dance! And I’m planning to tear up that dance floor!” Hallie sounded excited over the phone as I sat on the couch with Cupid. He snuffled against my side, and I gave him a pat.

  “Get Travis to take some video of that and text it to me,” I said. “But I think I’m going to spend a quiet evening here with my favorite date—Cupid.”

  I’d heard a few days ago that Theo had asked Katelyn Gold to the dance, and even though I was trying very hard to be a better person, I could admit to myself that I didn’t really want to see him dancing with another girl. Every time I’d seen him the last couple of days, I’d tried to act like nothing had changed while my heart started to race. It felt weird to feel so, well, weird around Theo.

  “Okay, if you’re sure,” Hallie said. “I have to go finish getting ready.”

  “Send a pic of your dress!” I said. “I’m sure it’s gorgeous. You and Travis are both really talented,” I added, meaning it.

  “Thanks, Em. Talk to you soon.”

  “Have fun!” I hung up, and suddenly the silence in the house seemed a little overwhelming. Dad was out on a date with Abby. Beside me, Cupid yawned and fell back to sleep.

  And I was suddenly second-guessing my decision to stay home. I thought about how beautiful all my friends would look in their dresses.

  Then there was a knock on the back door.

  Cupid perked up and beat me to the door. On the other side stood Theo, who would normally never knock. I saw he was wearing a suit, and I was even more confused.

  He knelt down to greet Cupid first and, as usual, received a big wet puppy kiss. And then my magic little pup came back to me and I scooped him up in my arms, where Cupid gave me kisses as well.

  Wait.

  Realization struck me then.

  All this time, had Cupid been doing his special “matchmaking” trick … on me and Theo?

  I thought back to all the times when Theo had come over and Cupid had given kisses to him and then me, or vice versa. Had my smart pug been sending signs all along that I’d never noticed? Did Cupid agree with what I’d just recently been thinking—that Theo was a perfect match for me?

  My heart was racing, but I tried to act like nothing was out of the ordinary.

  “Hi,” I said to Theo, setting Cupid down.

  “Hey, can I come in?” Theo asked.

  “Sure. Won’t you be late for the dance, though?” I asked, feeling a little awkward as I stepped back to let him in. I wondered why he was stopping here before picking up Katelyn.

  “Probably a little, but don’t they say it’s fashionable to be late?”

  “I guess so,” I said. He looked so handsome in his suit. He was carrying a bag. Had he brought me food or something? This was all so strange.

  “So, I brought you something.” Theo met my eyes for the first time, and I realized he seemed sort of … nervous.

  “Oh. Okay. Thank you,” I said, accepting the bag Theo held out to me. Cupid cocked his head and watched me with curiosity.

  I opened up the bag. Inside I found a tiny dog tuxedo and a tiny top hat. “You brought me clothes for Cupid?”

  As much as I loved dressing up my dog, at that moment, the thought of staying home and putting him in a tiny suit and top hat while all my friends went to a real dance seemed terribly pathetic.

  “It’s so he can go with us. To the dance.”

  I looked up at Theo as I played the words back in my head. He’d said so he can go with us. “But I thought you were going with Katelyn?”

  “Who told you that?”

  Now that I thought about it, I thought it might have been Frankie. “I’m not sure.”

  “Well, I was never going with Katelyn. I wanted to go with you,” Theo said, his cheeks turning red. He took a deep breath and added, “But I thought you liked Frankie Castillo.”

  “I thought I might’ve too, for a little while.”

  “So, you don’t like him?”

  “I feel bad saying this … but I sort of don’t like him. Sometimes he’s not very nice.”

  Theo grinned. “I couldn’t agree more. But maybe he just has some growing up to do,” Theo added, which was exactly what I’d been thinking the other day about Frankie. But then again, Theo always did try to see the best in everyone.

  “Hey, so now that we’ve talked about Frankie way more than I planned to—what do you say? Come to the dance with me?” Theo’s green eyes met mine hopefully.

  I smiled. “I’d love to,” I said, meaning it with all my heart. Cupid let out a happy bark, and I shook my head. “But, Theo—Cupid can’t come to the dance. The school won’t allow it.”

  “I got special permission. Remember, you’ve got a special connection.”

  I frowned. “But Abby’s out with Dad.”

  “They’re chaperoning the dance and then going out to dinner.” Theo grinned.

  “You arranged this?”

  “Guilty.”

  I guess I wasn’t the only one capable of making plans.

  I dropped the bag of doggy clothes and threw my arms around Theo. He really was the absolute best.

  His arms slowly closed around me. Finally he pulled back. “So, I take it that’s a yes? About the dance?”

  “It’s a yes. Give me ten minutes!” I said, letting go and running upstairs.

  I ran halfway back down a few seconds later to yell, “You dress Cupid. And make that twenty!”

  I heard Theo’s chuckle follow me back up the stairs.

  * * *

  In the end, I wore the dress I’d worn on New Year’s, since, in my heart of hearts, I’d really wanted Theo to see me in it way back then. Luckily my New Year’s dress also matched the earrings that Hallie had made for me, and there was no way I wasn’t wearing those tonight.

  Theo, Cupid, and I walked over to the school and entered the gym. It was decorated beautifully—with pink and red balloons and streamers. I was proud of the work I’d put in.

  “You came after all!” Hallie shrieked when she saw me, Theo, and Cupid walk into the gym. She ran over and threw her arms around me. “With Theo, huh?” she whispered in my ear mischievously. “About time.”

  “What do you mean?” I asked, blushing.

  “I’ve been waiting for you to wake up,” Hallie said.

  I laughed. Apparently Hallie and Cupid knew me better than I knew myself. “I found out recently I can be pretty clueless sometimes, huh?”

  “You are usually brilliant. But yes, once in a while, you can be a little clueless. We love you anyway, though,” Hallie said, gently touching the earrings she’d given me. “These earrings are smashing, by the way,” she added with a wink.

  “Thank you,” I said with a grin. “I think they look even better with this dress, actually.”

  “You know, I think so too.”

  We hugged again, and I gave Travis a high five and complimented him on the design of Hallie’s dress. He actually blushed a little as he said thank you, then showed me the latest picture of Boxer on his phone.

  Autumn was already wearing her Queen of Hearts crown, and she waved happily at me from across the gym. Standing beside her was her date—Frankie. I had to laugh at that. Of course Aut
umn and Frankie had found each other—they were actually kind of perfect together.

  I looked down at Cupid. “From now on, I’ll leave the matchmaking to you,” I whispered to him.

  Cupid himself was the belle of the ball, sitting up in his stroller in his finery. Everyone came by to coo at him and pet him. While Cupid was being watched over by Abby and Dad—and avoided by poor Chris Thompson, whose sneezes I heard echoing across the gym—Theo led me out onto the dance floor.

  “You know, I’m kind of glad you get to see my New Year’s dress,” I said to him shyly, reaching up to put my arms around his neck.

  “I knew you were mad I missed New Year’s,” he said, pulling me just a little bit closer.

  “Only because I missed you,” I admitted. “I always miss you when you go away.”

  “But I always come back,” Theo said.

  “You’d better,” I told him in a mock growl, and then he surprised me for the second time that night by leaning in closer to kiss me. The rest of the gym disappeared. All the kids, even the music, went silent as Theo and I kissed. My first kiss—and the most amazing one I could ever imagine.

  Then the world restarted again and I was standing there with my very best friend—and the boy I adored.

  “Speaking of travel, I have some news,” I announced. I’d been sitting on the secret since yesterday. “I’m actually going somewhere this summer. So, you’ll have to try not to miss me too much.”

  Theo’s eyes widened. “Did you apply for the Society of Letters summer program after all?”

  I nodded. “I did—and I just got the news that I was accepted!”

  Theo picked me up and twirled me right around then. “Emma—I’m so proud of you!”

  “I realized after hearing those other kids read their pieces that I have a lot of work to do if I really do want to be a better writer,” I confessed. “Thank you for coming with me that day. I’m so glad I got to go. That trip—even though it was short, it was really important to me.”

  “I’ve always told you that travel is very important to personal growth,” he said seriously.

  I rolled my eyes. “Yes, I know, and you’re so wise because you’re …”

  “A whole year older,” we finished in unison.

  I laid my head against Theo’s shoulder with a happy sigh. I heard Cupid’s short bark of approval from his spot at the edge of the dance floor. I glanced over to give my pug a smile.

  He really is a very magical dog.

  Turn the page for a sneak peek at Pugs in a Blanket by J.J. Howard!

  “Only two more weeks of school—finally!” my best friend, Nina, announced as she stepped off the bus after me.

  I looked over at her, surprised. “I’m usually the one counting down to summer vacation,” I said. “You love school.”

  She sighed. “Yeah. I’m just really excited to go to California!”

  Now it was my turn to sigh. Thanks to my parents’ catering business, my family almost never went on trips. Since cooking was my favorite thing in the world, I didn’t mind helping out at our events. But sometimes I did feel jealous of all the traveling Nina’s family did.

  “I will miss Monster and Molly when we go,” Nina said as we walked down the street together.

  I felt another sigh escape—I was also jealous of the fact that Nina had not just one but two adorable dogs. I’d been asking for a puppy for Christmas or my birthday or Arbor Day—I wasn’t picky—since I was six. But my mother was firmly anti-dog. Well, she was anti-anything that got in the way of working on events for Calloway’s Creations.

  “Too bad I can’t dog-sit for you,” I said, adjusting my backpack on my shoulder. It was a typically hot May afternoon in West Palm Beach, Florida.

  “I know,” Nina agreed. “I hate that M and M have to stay at the vet’s. I even asked my parents if I could bring them with us.”

  I laughed out loud as I pictured Monster—a Great Dane—and Molly—a Siberian husky—trying to fit under an airplane seat.

  “Sam, I wish you could have a dog,” Nina told me, lifting her long brown hair off the back of her neck.

  I nodded sadly, looking down at my green sandals. “I just have to keep asking. Summer would be a great time to get a puppy—I’d be home from school so I could train him or her.”

  “Good point. You can put that on your list.”

  I glanced up. “My list?”

  Nina raised one eyebrow. “You’ve never compiled a comprehensive list to present to your parents of reasons you should have a pet? Have I taught you nothing?”

  I laughed. “Can you picture getting my mom to stand still long enough to read a list like that?” I shook my head. “Not unless it was a grocery list for an event.”

  Nina put her arm around me sympathetically. “You’re right,” she said. “It’s pretty much food twenty-four seven at your house, I know.” She paused. “Hey, do you have a new recipe in the works?” Nina loved being a taste tester for my cooking creations.

  I smiled with anticipation as we rounded the corner. “I’ve been thinking of two new dishes. One’s a spicy chicken meatball and the other is a roasted broccoli side.”

  “Yum on the meatballs, but you can keep the broccoli.” Nina crinkled her nose. “My dad makes it all the time, and … yuck.”

  I chuckled, remembering the last time I’d been at the Katzif house for dinner. “You can’t blame the broccoli,” I said. “Your dad just boils all the flavor out and then puts cheese on top. If you treat it right, broccoli is super delicious. It’s my second-favorite cruciferous vegetable!”

  Nina rolled her eyes and laughed. “Only you, Sam Calloway, could get so excited defending the honor of a vegetable.” We reached the corner of Nina’s street and she turned and waved. “Text me later!”

  “Okay. Later, friieeeennnndd!” Nina and I had a tradition of calling each other friend but drawing out the word so that it lasted as long as possible.

  “Bye, friieeeen …” Nina’s voice trailed off as she headed down her street.

  I hitched my backpack higher on my shoulder and walked over to my town house on the next block. I reached into the front pocket of my backpack for my key, but then I realized that our porch gate was unlocked. I knew right away that it was my little brother, Oliver’s, fault. His elementary school gets out before my middle school, and our parents’ van and car were both missing, so they weren’t home yet. Ollie knows he’s supposed to lock the gate; Mom, Dad, and I have all reminded him one million times. But still, he always forgets.

  I was halfway across the porch when I heard it: a whimpering sound.

  I froze.

  After a quick look around, I didn’t see anything out of place. Maybe I’d just heard a squirrel in a nearby tree. But then the sound came again. It was definitely a whimper, and this time I could tell that it was coming from a big cardboard box that was sitting on one of the lounge chairs. At first I hadn’t even noticed the box. Now I wondered if it was some sort of delivery of catering supplies for my parents.

  I walked over to the box and peered inside. And I couldn’t believe what I saw.

  It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single author working in solitude cannot produce a truly excellent story. As always, thank you, Aimee Friedman and Olivia Valcarce, for the insight, ideas, good humor, and of course #pugpuns.

  Thank you to my awesome agent, Devin Ross, and to everyone at New Leaf.

  Yaffa Jaskoll, thank you so much for designing another pug-dorable cover.

  As Jane Austen wrote, “It’s such a happiness when good people get together”—here’s to my good friends Nikki, Beth, Carol, Mandy, Jeff, Sarah, and Gaby. <3 you guys.

  Thank you PBDA family for your support, and for always being awesome.

  And thanks, Mom, for our daily call. Talk to you tomorrow.

  PHOTO BY MICHELE LAWRENCE

  J.J. Howard is the author of Sit, Stay, Love; Pugs and Kisses; and Pugs in a Blanket. She teaches English in Florida, where she lives w
ith one very spoiled miniature dachshund named Willow (who does exactly as she pleases and ignores all commands … unless there are cookies involved). Visit J.J. online at jjhowardbooks.com.

  Pugs in a Blanket

  Pugs and Kisses

  Sit, Stay, Love

  Copyright © 2020 by Jennifer Howard

  Emojis throughout © i43/Shutterstock.

  All rights reserved. Published by Scholastic Inc., Publishers since 1920. SCHOLASTIC and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc.

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  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  First printing 2020

  Cover design by Yaffa Jaskoll

  Cover art © 2020 by Mike Heath | Magnus Creative

  e-ISBN 978-1-338-33936-9

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