You can tell a lot about a man by how he treats his dogs.
For many years, I enjoyed living with my dogs, Tilly and Chance. Their1 was nearly enough to keep my loneliness at bay. Nearly. Last year, I started dating, but with reservations. When I first dated Steve, I2he had a dog, Molly, and a cat, Flora. While I was3that he was an animal lover, I4that three dogs were perhaps too many, and my dogs might attack5, the cat.
The next week we6our dogs together. It was a hot day. When we paused to catch our7, Steve got down on one knee. Was he proposing(求婚)?I liked him too, but so soon? He poured water from a bottle into his hand and offered it to my dogs.8, I began to fall for him.
We9to date, though neither of us brought up the future. And then in late
November, Tilly had an operation on her10. I took the dogs out four times a day, and I worried that Tilly11climbing the stairs could reopen the wound. Then Steve suggested his house. All worked12. The three dogs formed a pack that, with coaching, respected
Flora's space; Steve and I formed a good team13for Tilly. We made good housemates.
A year later, much to my delight, this man produced a little box with a ring and proposed to me. He did not kneel(跪) down, nor did I14him to. That's only for giving15to the dogs that brought us together.
