by Avery Ford
“I guess.” Arthur held the hoodie loosely, but made no move to put it on. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” Dmitri’s dark eyes rested on him a moment longer than they should have, and Arthur felt his whole body start to heat. It wasn’t that Dmitri’s gaze was particularly intense or smoldering, but there was a spark of something raw and interesting in it that had Arthur hooked.
Arthur drew in a deep breath and met Dmitri’s gaze until Dmitri shook his head and took a step back.
“I’ve got to get back to my station,” Dmitri said. “Stay warm. One of us will swing by to pick you up later.”
“Sure,” Arthur murmured.
There was nothing more said between them. Dmitri left, and once he was out of sight, Arthur shook out the hoodie and slipped it over his head. The smell of Dmitri’s fabric softener clung to the hoodie, but so too did something else. It was a smell Arthur could only describe as Dmitri.
He buried his nose against his shoulder and breathed it in, and a thrill ran through him that he couldn’t ignore. Guilty, he drew his head back and put his mind back to fundraising.
Dmitri’s scent filled his lungs whenever the wind blew, and every time it chased a little smile onto Arthur’s face.
16
Dmitri
When Dmitri got the call at ten that morning, he dropped everything and made his way to Locust Hill, brimming with excitement. When he turned up the dirt path and loose stones crunched beneath his tires, he couldn’t help but grin.
Today was going to be a good day.
Soldier was going to be adopted out.
The car was barely in park before Dmitri undid his seatbelt and jumped out. With energy he seldom let show, he entered through the front door and found himself in the lobby. Celeste stood there, chatting with a woman approximately Dmitri’s age. Her wide hips led to a narrow waist, and when she turned her head, and smiled at him not just with her mouth, but with her eyes. She was gorgeous.
“Hey,” the woman said. “Are you the Dmitri Celeste has been telling me so much about?”
“That’s me,” Dmitri said. “Although I’m not sure you should believe the things Celeste has been telling you.”
Celeste chuckled. “No rumors this time, Dmitri. I’ve been telling her about what an excellent dog trainer you are, and how far Soldier’s come since you’ve taken him beneath your wing.”
“It’s really impressive,” the woman said. She turned to face him in full, holding out her hand. “I’m Stacy.”
Dmitri shook her hand. “Nice to meet you.”
Stacy’s smile grew indulgent, and Dmitri was pretty sure that she was interested. He was flattered, but he didn’t return her feelings.
“Have you met Soldier before?” Dmitri asked.
“No,” she said. “I saw his picture online and I read a little about his issues, and I thought that we’d make a great fit. I work from home all day doing online marketing, and I live just outside of Rollins city limits where everything is quiet and peaceful. I’ve got a big fenced backyard he could run around in, and really, living all on my own out in the middle of nowhere, having a bigger dog would help me feel safe.”
“Have you ever taken care of dogs with fear issues before?” Dmitri asked. He didn’t want to sabotage Soldier’s chances at finding a home, but he also wanted to make sure that home was a good fit for Soldier. If Stacy wasn’t ready to take care of a dog who needed a little extra work and a gentle hand, then Soldier might end up hurting her without meaning to.
“When I was young, I used to live on a farm in Wisconsin with a ton of farm dogs. I know it’s not quite the same thing, but I’m not the kind of girl who doesn’t know what she’s getting into. I know how to read a dog’s body language and how to adjust my own to deescalate situations. I might need to do a little bit of research into how to handle a fearful dog, but I’m positive that I’m going to get it down pat. Besides, with a peaceful home environment and some stability in his life, I think Soldier’s going to do fine.”
Dmitri was inclined to believe she was right. He got a good vibe from Stacy. As beautiful as she was, she wasn’t expecting a dog to be an easy pet.
Soldier would be good for her, and she’d be good for Soldier.
“I’ll teach you,” Dmitri volunteered. “We can talk about it a little when I introduce you to Soldier, and then afterward, if you’re still feeling uncertain, you can call me up and set up a training session with Soldier, free of charge.”
“You’re serious?” Stacy’s eyes widened. She grinned. “That’s so kind of you. I really don’t want to impose.”
“You’re not imposing at all,” Dmitri said. “I want to see Soldier go home with someone who’s right for him, and I think you guys would make a good team.”
Celeste clapped Dmitri on the back. “Looks like you’ve got this all figured out. I’ll draw up the adoption paperwork. Why don’t you bring Stacy to go meet Soldier?”
“Definitely.” Dmitri unlocked the door and held it open for Stacy. They walked together down the hall, then into the kennels. The dogs, seeing someone new and unknown, all started barking. Dmitri ignored them and led Stacy past all the kennels to the individual kennels at the very end where they kept the aggressive or troubled dogs.
“Oh my god,” Stacy said. “That’s him! He’s beautiful.”
She stopped in front of Soldier’s kennel, looking in at him. Soldier barked, but judging by his body language, it was an impulse he indulged instead of a reaction to a fearful stimuli.
“Soldier, easy,” Dmitri said.
Soldier stopped barking. His tail wagged.
“Sit.”
Soldier sat. When he did, Dmitri opened the kennel door and stepped in. He kept an eye on Soldier’s body language, looking for signs of trouble, but saw none.
When Dmitri was sure that Soldier wasn’t going to act out, he invited Stacy into the kennel. She followed him in, moving slowly. Dmitri brought her to stand near Soldier and had her hold her hand out. Soldier, curious, sniffed.
“You can crouch down so you’re on his level and pat his chest, if you want,” Dmitri said. “When you get on a dog’s level, the dog sees you as less of a threat. Sometimes they’ll be more inclined to listen to you that way.”
Stacy did as she was told. Once she was crouched, she reached forward and stroked Soldier’s chest.
“Hey boy,” Stacy said. Her voice was almost drowned out by all the barking. “Do you think you’re ready to go home? You’re so gorgeous I can’t just leave you here.”
Soldier’s tail thumped, and Dmitri was fairly certain it wasn’t out of nerves — Soldier was genuinely happy.
“He knows all his basic commands,” Dmitri said. “That means sit, stay, down, and easy. He’s housebroken. He gets along okay with other dogs as long as they’re introduced in a calm, safe environment. I’m not sure about cats. As long as other people don’t invade his personal space, he seems to have no issue with them.”
“That’s fine. We don’t get much company anyway.” Stacy didn’t divert her gaze from Soldier. It was so rewarding to see the dog he’d trained win the love of his new owner. Dmitri was beyond proud. “That’s something we can work on, right?”
“Of course. You’re going to want to slowly expose Soldier to the source of his fear so he adjusts to it over time. If you want, we can discuss strategy if you stop by for training.”
“Of course I will!” Stacy ran her fingers through Soldier’s fur. “I guess everything I need to know about his vaccinations is going to be in the adoption paperwork, right?”
“Right.”
“Then I think I don’t really have any other questions. I’ve got a collar in my car. Should I go out and get it?”
“We’ll take Soldier to the lobby together on a slip leash, and I’ll keep him while you get it,” Dmitri said. He was beyond glad that the adoption was going through. There was no better feeling than to know a dog he’d rehabilitated had done well enough to go home.
“This is so incredible,” Stacy gushed as she stood. She exited the kennel, a huge smile stretching her lips. “I can’t believe he’s so sweet! I think he’s going to love it back at my place.”
“I’m sure he will.” There were a few slip leashes near the back door, suspended on hooks. Dmitri selected one and secured it around Soldier’s neck, then led him out from the kennel and toward the hall back to the lobby. He was elated to see that even though the other dogs were barking and causing a scene, Soldier was calm and focused on walking.
Dmitri slipped him a treat. He always kept some in his pockets when he was at Locust Hill, and right now, Soldier deserved all the praise in the world.
It wasn’t long before Dmitri waited with Soldier in the lobby while Stacy went to get his collar. Celeste had drawn up the paperwork and placed it on the ledge. The door opened and Stacy returned, a leash and collar in hand. Behind her came Arthur. He noticed what was going on and waited patiently by the far corner of the room.
For once, Dmitri wasn’t frustrated with his choice.
“All right, so, we need to have you fill out this form,” Celeste said. “It’s basic contact info stuff. Soldier’s been microchipped, and we’ll use the info on your forms to get the info in his microchip changed to reflect your details.”
“Great!” Stacy secured the collar around Soldier’s neck, then scratched his chest lovingly. The leash was already clipped to the collar, so she passed it off to Dmitri as Dmitri folded Soldier’s old slip leash.
For a while, there was only the scratching of a pen against paper. Money traded hands to cover the adoption fee, and the adoption was finalized.
Soldier was officially going home.
“So that’s it?” Stacy asked. “We’re good to go?”
“Good to go!” Celeste confirmed. “You take care of our boy for us. Let us know if there’s anything.”
“I will.”
Dmitri said his goodbyes. He’d said goodbye before, but it was never any easier. Whether it was dogs he’d raised from puppies or shelter dogs who’d only been in his life a brief second, each of them stole a piece of his heart.
“You take care of her, Soldier,” Dmitri told him. “She’s going to take good care of you in exchange, okay?”
Soldier’s tail wagged. There was light in his eyes — trust — that hadn’t been there when Dmitri first met him.
“Here’s my card,” Dmitri said. He slid a business card out of his wallet and handed it to Stacy. “Call me to set up an appointment and we’ll address any behavior or obedience issues that Soldier has once he gets home. Remember that it’s going to take him a few days to adjust to his new surroundings.”
“I will, and thank you for reminding me,” Stacy said. “I’m prepared for some mayhem before things smooth out. It’s going to be a wild ride.”
“You can handle it,” Dmitri said. “I have faith in you.”
Stacy smiled. “Thanks. And thank you so much for being such an outstanding guy. I’ll be in touch before long.”
She took her first steps toward the door. Soldier followed her like a dream.
“Bye!” Stacy waved over her shoulder, and then she was out the door with Soldier.
The lobby went back to normal. Dmitri glanced in Arthur’s direction, wondering if he should make an attempt to strike up conversation.
Arthur was wearing his hoodie.
Dmitri’s heart skipped a beat, and he decided that starting a conversation now was probably a bad idea. Once Arthur took off the hoodie and he felt a little less flustered, maybe.
He made his way to the door. His fingers struck the number on the key pad from memory, and the lock mechanism released. Dmitri eased the door open and stepped through, but before he could close it, Arthur was there with him. In the privacy of the hallway, Arthur met his eye.
“Can we talk?” Arthur asked. He twisted the hoodie’s metal aglet in his fingers nervously.
Dmitri was certain that his heart stopped. He closed the door and looked Arthur over, then swallowed the lump rising in his throat. “Yeah.”
He’d give it his best shot, but he wasn’t sure he’d be much of a conversationalist. Seeing Arthur wear his hoodie was an intimacy he wasn’t prepared for.
He looked so damn good.
But he’d look better with that hoodie on Dmitri’s bedroom floor.
17
Arthur
“I just…” Arthur dug his heel into the floor. Nervous excitement twitched in his muscles and left him feeling like he was flying. “I wanted to ask about that dog. That was Soldier, right?”
“Yeah, that was Soldier.” Dmitri’s eyes were soft in a way Arthur wasn’t used to. “What about him?”
“You trained him, didn’t you? He used to be one of the fear aggressive dogs.”
“He’s still fear aggressive, he’s just learning to cope with it better.”
“Oh.” Arthur pushed his tongue against the roof of his mouth, trying to find the words he wanted to say. Stirrings of arousal clouded his thoughts. Seeing Dmitri act like he had with Soldier and the woman in the lobby had changed Arthur’s opinion of Dmitri. Just like how he’d witnessed Dmitri laughing and animated while talking with Harry, he was a different person around dogs, too.
Arthur wondered if the problem wasn’t Dmitri, but him.
“How do you do that?” Arthur asked, breaking from his reverie. “How do you take a dog and turn him around like that? You only had Soldier for a few weeks, right?”
“Something like that.” Arthur was pretty sure Dmitri was being vague on purpose. He didn’t pry for more. “I’ve spent almost my whole life working with dogs, so I know how to relate to them. When I take a dog home, I’m able to work with him at a near constant rate. It’s little things, but they add up.”
“I see.” There were a lot of unanswered questions Arthur needed to know before he could pass judgment. Dmitri wasn’t the man he thought he was, but he wasn’t fully redeemed, either. “I guess I just… I don’t understand why you do what you do.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, you breed dogs for profit, don’t you?” Arthur asked. He dropped his gaze, unable to meet Dmitri’s eye. It felt a little too intimate for the moment. “Purebred dogs? I don’t understand why you would do something so incredibly selfish and destructive, and then volunteer here as often as you do like you’re some kind of saint.”
The words came across a little harsher than he meant, but it got the point across. All things considered, it was probably better to bare himself plainly than hide the truth of how he felt. If Arthur wanted answers, he had to be bold enough to ask the right questions.
“Ah, I think I understand.” For what felt like the first time, Dmitri smiled at him. Arthur’s gaze was lifted just enough to see it, and he felt his whole face grow hot. He hooked his thumbs into the kangaroo pouch of his hoodie and tugged at it as a distraction. “You think that I’m some monster who breeds dogs and sells them just for the money.”
“Isn’t that what a breeder is?” Arthur asked. He bit the inside of his lip. “Especially purebred dogs. There are so many genetic defects and health concerns with dogs that all have similar genetic backgrounds, right? Kind of like inbreeding? So why do you think it’s okay to do that to some dogs, but then treat other dogs with such respect like you did with Soldier?”
To Arthur’s surprise, Dmitri’s expression brightened. “And that’s where you’re getting hung up. Not all breeders are bad, Arthur. There are a ton of horrible people out there thinking about their wallets more than they think about their animals’ health, but there are people like me who care about the dogs they raise.”
“How do you care for them differently than other breeders?” Arthur still wasn’t sold. “You’re breeding in desirable traits, aren’t you? But doing so means that you’re matching those traits with the closest genetic approximation you can in order for those traits to manifest.”
“Mm, well, yes. That’s partially t
rue.” Dmitri paused. “But you know, there’s more than breeding in desirable traits. As a breeder, I also keep an eye out for undesirable traits. Things like hip weakness, disease, blindness, or any other of the many other health problems that affects purebred dogs. I do everything in my power to make sure that those traits are weeded out of the gene pool.”
Arthur had only thought of selective breeding as something done to improve a dog’s aesthetic appearance. He’d never considered the possibility that there were people selectively breeding in order to reduce a dog’s health risks.
With every answer Arthur received, he gained appreciation for Dmitri he hadn’t had before. The villain he’d painted Dmitri as wasn’t real.
“But why breed dogs when there are so many in the shelters?” Arthur asked as a follow-up. “You work with them almost every day. You know how many dogs here are waiting for someone to take them home. Why would you breed dogs when you know there are so many abandoned animals?”
Dmitri looked over his shoulder to check something, then leaned against the wall. When he looked that casual, he was stunning. Arthur couldn’t help but stare.
Was it wrong to want someone so badly? Arthur had hated Dmitri for a while, but he was beginning to see that his emotions were misplaced. Dmitri wasn’t bad.
“It is a moral dilemma,” Dmitri agreed. “I’m here at the shelter doing all I can to rehome these dogs because I acknowledge that there is a problem, and I want to be part of the solution. But the way I see it, shelter dogs and dogs raised by breeders are two distinct categories of pet. Shelter dogs are good for the kind of family you’d perceive to be ‘typical’, but there are so many different kinds of families that shelter dogs aren’t always going to meet peoples’ needs. With shelter dogs, you get a loyal pet, but you usually don’t have much information about what that pet has been through, what health risks that pet faces, or what the general life expectancy for your individual pet might be.”
“Okay?” Arthur frowned. “I’m not sure I’m following your reasoning.”
