Emily returned the wave, balancing Lily on her hip, thinking nothing of it. But Ranger paused. He stopped so abruptly that his nails clicked against the patio stone. His ears lifted, his body straightened, and he stared toward the far corner of the yard — not tense, not frightened, just… fixed. Studying something Emily couldn’t see.
“Ranger?” she called softly. He didn’t move. Not for a long moment. Then, just as suddenly, he looked away and followed them inside, as if nothing had happened. Emily shrugged it off. Ranger didn’t. Ranger adjusted to their home faster than Emily expected.