"Hi, stranger."
Jasper lifted his head—ears raised, tail stiff, body alert. Eugene smiled as he reached them. "And who is this cute guy?" He bent slightly, extending a friendly hand, only for Jasper to growl.
"Ah. Message received." His hand retreated slowly, palms raised in surrender. "I'll… admire from afar."
"This is Jasper," Ivy said quickly, resting a soothing hand on the dog's back. "He is usually a well-behaved dog. Ignore him. He's just hungry."
Eugene gave her a look. "Noooo… I don't think he likes me very much."
Ivy chuckled despite herself. "Come on. Let's go inside," she said, waving him in.
As they walked through the foyer—Eugene glanced around. "Is Sam home?"
"He went for his daily walk," Ivy replied, guiding him toward the sitting room. "I would go with him, but I didn't want to risk Jasper getting in his way."
