Restless Hope

Chapter 30

In this competition, alone there had been several inventions that trapped kinetic energy and transferred it into electricity. The advantage to our model is canines build up kinetic energy a lot faster than humans due to speed and stamina. In other words, let the dog do the work.

Sophie has decided a dog park is the best way to demonstrate the potential of her clothing line. She's hoping to show Snickerdoodle in several different outfits, gathering kinetic energy and showing the convenience of letting the dog's energy charge a thin, lightweight battery that can be used to power small devices.

After a delicious breakfast, a van shuttles Sophie and me to the dog park. The filming crew are already there when we arrive. I'm surprised to see I recognize one of them.

"Peter! I didn't realize you were going to help film the pitch," Sophie says.

"I wasn't sure I would be able to either. I was lucky that my business trip was called off last minute and I was freed up. Let me introduce you to my guys," he says. "This is Dominic, Luis, and Vern. Now, Miss Sophie, why don't you show me what you have in mind here."

I lean against the company van next to the other guys and watch her walk through her plans with Peter.

"So Peter owns the company, I take it?" I ask casually.

Luis laughs.

"More like half of Nantucket Island. That's not much of an exaggeration," Luis says. "He inherited his father's real estate business."

Ah. So, apparently that's what makes a guy worthy in Aunt Alice's eyes.

"Really. Does he do this often? Shoot with you guys?"

"Never. We've been giving him a hard time that he's only here to flirt with the ladies," Vern says, nodding toward Sophie. "Can't say that I blame him."

I laugh with the guys, but inside I'm annoyed.

"So, is there someone he likes in particular?" I ask.

"He kept going on about someone, didn't he Vern? What was her name? He's known her since they were kids. I think her name starts with a B. Becky. Betty. Something like that," Luis says.

"Beth?" I ask.

"That's it," Luis snaps his fingers. "She must have made quite an impression on Peter. I haven't met her yet. Do you know her?"

"Yeah," I say. "She's great."

It seems like there will always be another guy—David, Greg, Peter, whoever, blocking my way to Beth. I wonder if Peter was her summer version of me. Surely not, or she wouldn't have tried to convince her father to bring me to the island that one time. It's a good think I'm clearing things up with Sophie today. I don't want to have to compete against Peter for Beth.

Sophie and Peter return to the van to discuss their plans with the others. The guys set up their equipment and filming begins.

For the first half hour, everything flows smoothly. Snickerdoodle clearly knows she's the star of the show. She prances and poses and plays with other dogs in the park. I'm not necessarily a dog person, but I can tell this is going to play out well on the camera. If the video turns out half as well as I imagine, Sophie has a good shot at winning this competition.

I feel a twinge of guilt as I think it. I probably should have mentored Beth after all, even if it would have been distracting. If Sophie beats Beth, it will likely be because of the changes I recommended for her product.

A beat-up blue pickup truck pulls up not far from the van. A short man wearing a red muscle shirt and brown ball cap gets out. His dog, a German Shepherd with a scruffy black coat and a tan patch on the neck, prowls in the back. The dog seems fine, until the man pulls out the leash. It bares its teeth and growls, then lets out a furious set of barks and snaps at his owner. The owner yells at him and gives him a swift kick in the side. The dog quiets down and the man attaches the leash. There is something eerie about the stillness of the dog and the way it eyes his owner. It's almost as if it's waiting for him to turn his back.