Free Puppy Love by A. Destiny and Catherine Hapka

tips. And for helping me catch my little monster.”
    â€œAnytime.” He bent to ruffle Muckle’s fur, which made the puppy leap around in ecstasy. “See you in class, Muckle.” He straightened up and directed that megawatt smile at me again. “You too, Lauren.”
    â€œOkay.” I didn’t want this to end. “Um, actually, I’m on my way out too. I’ll walk you.”
    â€œSure.” Adam glanced at Robert and Jamal, still barely visible at the far end of the aisle. “What about your friends?”
    â€œUm, they’re going somewhere after this. Without me.” Not wanting him to ask any more questions, I decided to switch us back to a safer subject. “So these private lessons—how often do you teach?”
    We chatted about his dog training schedule for the short walk out of the store. Realizing it would be pathetic to actually follow him to his car, I stopped on the sidewalk.
    â€œOkay,” I said, holding tightly to Muckle’s leash. “See you Tuesday.”
    â€œFor sure.” He lifted one hand in a wave. “Later, Lauren.”
    â€œBye.” I bent down and pretended to fiddle with Muckle’s collar so I had an excuse to stay right there, watching as he went striding out into the parking lot. He climbed into a beat-up beige minivan—not exactly the rugged Range Rover type of vehicle I would have imagined he’d drive, but whatever—and drove away.
    Only then did I head back inside. I found Robert browsing the magazine rack near the registers.
    â€œHow’d it go, lover girl?” he asked with a smirk.
    â€œGreat. Tell you after we get out of here.” I looked around. “Where’s Jamal?”
    â€œHe took off after you went outside with your hot new boyfriend.” Robert shrugged. “Guess he was jealous.”
    â€œHa-ha, very funny.” I wasn’t really focused on Jamal. I just wanted to make sure he wasn’t going to wander up and interrupt once I started telling Robert about my Adam encounter.
    â€œYou know, he actually isn’t the macho jock type you’d take him for at first glance,” Robert said.
    I blinked. “What are you talking about? Adam isn’t the jock type at all.”
    â€œI’m not talking about Adam,” Robert said. “I mean Jamal. I only started talking to him to keep him out of your hair, but he’s actually a pretty cool guy.”
    â€œSure, he’s great. Maybe you two can go antiquing together sometime.” I snorted, then grabbed his hand and dragged him toward the door. “Now let’s get out of here so I can tell you all about Adam. And then start figuring out what I should wear to puppy class on Tuesday.”

ChapterEight
Tuesday, 1:45 p.m. and counting
    W hen did school get so freaking boring?” I muttered to Robert as we walked out of English class on Tuesday afternoon.
    â€œIt was always boring. You’re just noticing now?”
    Robert shuffled through his backpack—a vintage leather number he’d picked up on eBay. “Shoot, I forgot my science stuff. Walk me to my locker?”
    â€œYeah, okay.” I trailed along after him. Every time I had to dodge a group of obnoxious jocks elbowing one another like Neanderthals, or a pack of expensively dressed prepsters slouching along as if they owned the planet, I found myself wishing I were at MVHS instead. Sure, there were probably plenty of jerks there, too. But at least there I’d have a chance of spotting my own personal Prince Charming in the halls.
    Speaking of halls, County Day Academy was located in a historic building right in the middle of what passed for a downtown in Maple View. That meant it was on the small side as schools went, with the lockers to match. I rarely bothered to leave more than my gym clothes and a couple of granola bars in mine. Actually, that was pretty much all that fit without squishing.
    But Robert hated