Rules of the Ruff

Rules of the Ruff — page 3

Rules of the Ruff — page 4 — CHAPTER 1 Jessie knew persistence was the key to getting anything she wanted She liked to picture herself as a trickle of water slowly and endlessly dripping wearing down stones and filling oceans How many times have I told you no you irritating child Wes asked her His tone was gruff and discouraging discouraging but at least he’d opened his front door again at her knock That was a good sign I don’t keep track of things like that Jessie smiled her best smile the one she’d seen her dad use whenever he needed something I only focus on the positive And right now I’m positive that you’re getting tired of telling me no Wes ran two fingers up and down the deep groove between his eyebrows as if he thought he might be able to smooth it out He was a funny-looking man what with those bushy eyebrows and that too-wide nose his gray blond hair long enough that it brushed his shoulders and floated around his head I work alone Alone he said drawing out the word 1

Rules of the Ruff — page 5 — You can still work alone I’d just come along and help out Do you even understand the meaning of the word alone Of course I do But in this case I think I could be a huge asset to you Asset huh His scowl twitched around the edges That’s a pretty fancy word for a kid How old are you Jessie’s heart leapt at the question Usually he’d have slammed the door in her face by now Twelve she said And what’s your name again Jessie Jessie Jamison He winced Terrible alliteration My dad’s name is James Jamison Then he should have known better That’s not a very nice thing to say Jessie said Yeah well I’m not a very nice man And frankly you’re not a very nice child A nice child would have gone away by now A nice child would have listened when I said no the first oh seven hundred times Jessie nodded slowly OK she said OK I’m probably not nice But I’m a hard worker and I really really love dogs And I’m not even asking you to pay me Just take me on just for a week and see how it goes She needed this job Without it her summer would be an endless stretch of desolation a desert island with nothing to do and no one to do it with A week eh Wes hooked his thumbs in the elastic of his hip pack and studied her Don’t you have friends to bother Or video games to play Or whatever it is you kids do these days 2 HEIDI LANG

Rules of the Ruff — page 6 — No No He raised his bushy eyebrows Elaborate Jessie took a deep breath I’m visiting my cousin for the summer and right now she hates me I don’t have any other friends out here And I don’t really like video games it’s too much sitting around I’ve noticed you have trouble staying in one place Jessie paused her weight on her left foot She realized realized she’d been hopping from foot to foot this whole time and carefully lowered her right foot to the ground I can stand still if I need to If it is important for the job Wes sighed Look kid the whole reason I became a dog walker was so I wouldn’t have to deal with people And you are a particularly irritating person Jessie couldn’t argue with that Still she wasn’t ready to give up not when they’d just had their longest conversation conversation yet He was definitely weakening she just needed to give him one more good push He started to close the door in her face Wait Jessie moved fast sticking her foot in the way You at least have to admit I’ve been doggedly determined He stared at her the door falling open again Please tell me you did not just say that If you give me a job I’ll stop hounding you Please stop He kept his mouth in a firm upside down U but his blue eyes twinkled and Jessie knew he wanted to laugh If I take you on will you stop these terrible dog puns Absolutely I’ll put them on paws He rubbed the groove between his eyebrows again 3 RULES of the RUFF

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