CHAPTER 463

Landon’s whole body wiggled, he was so excited.

So Brandt kept helping the boy pet the dog, keeping Lexie’s head and teeth away from Landon’s poking fingers. He shot a glance toward Jessie, but she hadn’t moved.

Come on, Jess. You can do this. I know you can.

Three things happened while he was silently begging Jessie to look at them. His cell phone rang in his back pocket. As he shifted to reach for it, he stepped on Lexie’s tail. She yipped and scampered away, heading toward Jessie. When he loosened his hold on Landon, the monkey kid jumped down and raced after the dog.

But Lexie had wormed her way between Jessie and the kitchen cabinet. Before Brandt could catch Landon, he smacked into the back of Jessie’s calves, squealing, determined to get a hold of the dog.

Startled, Jessie spun around and knocked Landon to the floor. He landed with a thud on his diapered butt and cried out.

The rest of it happened in slow motion.

Jessie instinctively picked him up, with a reassuring, “You’re ok