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environmental controls you asked for
but decided to set up one of the temporary buildings for it instead
of one of the permanent structures. Thought it could be tailored to
your needs easier."
    "Good. Several breeders have said they'll
refuse to come if we don't provide them," Ignacio said, trying to
keep his attention on the design.
    The building looked plenty big. The Pet Show
didn't allow pets over the size of large canines, so they should
have plenty of room. Much better than the previous year when he'd
been forced to turn down displays for lack of space. The committee
listened to his complaints and suggestions after the problems last
year. Always a good thing.
    He tried to match up the tentative plan he'd
made for the displays with the scale of the building. He even
brought out the pocket computer to refresh his memory, and still he
couldn't get them to work together.
    "What's bothering you?" Paul asked. "And don't
try to tell me it's the show. You're too organized to be
worried."
    He should have known his friend would pick up
on his mood so fast. He looked up from the pad with a frown.
"Marcie has been gone for four years. It's nothing to be guilty
over. It's only dinner."
    "What dinner?" The shocked expression on
Paul's face startled him.
    If Paul didn't mean the dinner with Rachel
Henderkito, what was he talking about?
    "I figured you were reacting to the Silky
going into labor," Paul said, still staring at him in
shock.
    Of course. Why hadn't he thought of that
instead? It would have been an obvious answer to give Paul and end
any questions. "Uh, she's fine. A litter of six, all of which were
swimming strong this morning."
    "A litter of six when you would have been in
high-heaven with three. What is this about dinner?" Paul asked, his
eyes sharp on Ignacio's face. "Dinner with who? I'm guessing from
the comment about Marcie it is with someone of the female
gender."
    "It doesn't matter," Ignacio muttered,
returning his attention to the map of the buildings, determined to
concentrate this time. "I'm going to call it off anyway. I don't
know what I was thinking when I asked her."
    "A woman. You are going out to dinner with a
woman, and you were the one who asked? Where did you meet her?"
Paul demanded.
    "She returned Irvine after he escaped. It's
not important." Ignacio took off towards the future site of the
exotic animal building, wanting to pace it out to make sure he had
the dimensions right in his head.
    "Oh no, my friend. You are not getting off
that easily. I want all the details. And, did you say you are
calling it off?"
    "It won't work. I'm busy with the
breeding."
    "Did she freak about the newts?"
    "No, she watched the birth. She was fine with
all of it."
    "And you don't want to go out with this
woman?" Paul put out a hand to stop him. "Ignacio, what is this
really about?"
    "This isn't the right time. We have the show
to get ready and I have a batch of Friskies to get ready for
shipment at the end of the show." As he said the words he tried to
reinforce them in his head. Everything he'd said was true, he had a
lot of responsibilities to take care of right now. It didn't leave
much time to start creating a romantic social life. "Forget I said
anything."
    Paul parroted his words back at him before
saying in his normal voice, "Forget it? I'm your friend, which
means I support you. In this case, support means I make you go
through with something in your best interests."
    "Paul, the show."
    "Ignacio, your life," Paul said, mimicking his
tone. "You are going to that dinner, end of discussion. This is
exactly what you need. Trust me."
    Ignacio didn't quite think so, and yet he
found himself not putting up as big of a fight as Paul wheedled out
of him the time and day of the date. Even the excuse of watching
over the new litter was shot down when Paul volunteered to come
over for the few hours he would be away.
    It appeared whether he liked it or not, baby
newts or not, he had a date to get ready