Kentucky Home by Sarah Title Page A

burrow beneath the fence. His tail was wagging manically. It looked like his butt was going to take off.
    It was sort of funny. Sort of cute. Peanut wasn’t scary. Just, well, energetic.
    â€œYou’re nothing but a big bully, too, you know.” Mal thought about how long she’d been afraid, how she’d cross the street when she saw her neighbors out walking their dogs. Little dogs, who couldn’t attack her restrained on a leash and, even if they could, could do nothing more than bite her ankles. She rubbed the scar on her chin. She had been a kid. That dog was old, sitting in the sun, and she was just petting him. No, she was trying to get him to play, but he was old and wanted to sleep. Now she could see it clearly, the dog trying to inch away, but she kept tossing him the ball, pulling his collar when he wouldn’t chase it. So he nipped her chin and scared the hell out of her. He hadn’t really hurt her; she needed three stitches and had a scar smaller than some people’s acne scars. She hadn’t known anything about dogs, still didn’t. Except now she knew to leave them alone when they wanted to be left alone.
    Peanut, clearly, did not want to be left alone.
    During her reverie, Peanut had calmed down. He sat looking at her, panting, his front paw on the fence rail. It sort of looked like he was smiling.
    â€œYou’re pretty cute for a bully, aren’t you?”
    He tilted his head, giving her that curious dog look.
    Mal took a deep breath. Even if she didn’t become best friends with Peanut, she couldn’t have every member of the Carson family, and apparently everyone who worked on the farm, spending their energy keeping her and the dog apart.
    â€œHow about a truce? You don’t eat me, and I won’t throw up every time I see you.”
    Peanut let out a little bark.
    â€œOK.” She took another deep breath, steeling herself. She took a step forward, letting Peanut smell her hand. She must have smelled good, because he licked her. She flinched back and Peanut jumped off the fence and took a step backward.
    â€œOh, OK. You didn’t mean to scare me. You’re just being a dog. Dogs lick.” She wiped her hand on her jeans. “No offense.” She smiled ruefully. Peanut took a step toward the fence.
    Mal squatted down, stuck her hand between the rails. “Can I pet you?” Peanut shoved his head into her outstretched hand. “I’ll take that as a yes,” she said, and began to stroke his head. When she scratched behind his ears, Peanut flopped to the ground, his three legs in the air. “Well, there’s no need to be such a slut about it.” But she laughed, and reached through to scratch his belly.
    â€œIf I come through this fence, are you going to jump on me? Or can we take this slow?” Peanut tilted his curious head again, then let his tongue loll out to the side. “I guess you probably don’t speak English. OK, here I come.” She moved to the gate, just a few yards away. When she opened it, Peanut was there. He didn’t jump on her; maybe he did speak English. He just shoved his big body against her legs, then dropped to the ground again, rolling his stomach up to her. Mal laughed, then squatted down next to him and rubbed his belly.
    While she was making friends, one of the horses had come up to them. Peanut rolled up and sniffed the horse’s snout. The horse put his nose in Mal’s hair and snorted. She put her hand to the side of his face.
    â€œI feel like Snow White,” she said, half expecting a bunny, and then maybe a bird to sit on her shoulder. Peanut licked her cheek. “But maybe with a few more germs.”
    The horse lost interest in her pretty fast, and she let it go. She was too happy with Peanut, who rolled onto the ground and let her scratch and scratch and scratch. Then he got up, picked up a stick, and nudged her hand.
    â€œOK! OK, I get it. Here you