Fuzzy Logic Read Online Free

suitcase from her rental car, Jan walked past the koi ponds and marveled at the well-tended oasis. It had to be an enormous amount of work to create and maintain such attractive manicured gardens.
    In the distance, a small but extremely furry polar-bear-like animal was barreling toward her. Jan mentally chastised herself; polar bears were rarely seen in Southern California. But this one was moving at high speed right toward her. She dropped the suitcase and waved her arms in an attempt to suggest that the animal turn in a different direction, preferably away from her new dress.
    As the hairy thing grew closer, it became obvious that it was a dog, not a bear. Its pink tongue was flapping in the wind, and it was smiling widely. Jan corrected herself again. Neither polar bears nor dogs are able to smile.
    With a final burst of enthusiasm, the dog launched off the lawn onto Jan, slamming her to the ground and knocking the wind out of her. She squeezed her eyes shut as the dog stood on her chest licking her face and ears with unadulterated joyous abandon.
    Jan was less joyful about the tongue bath. She flailed her arms and struggled to remove the whirling mass of white fur from her body. Finally, she was able to roll over and push the dog off, which resulted in the distinctive sound of tearing fabric as an errant claw caught on her dress. Still spinning and wagging, the dog gave her one last slurp before running off.
    Jan looked down at the remains of her dress. What had been a pretty floral scoop-neck dress now was a torn and grass-stained wreck that was better suited for the rag bag than a wedding. Somehow even her stockings were shredded. All the time she had taken with her hair and makeup earlier was a total loss. She blew a lock of her curly, reddish-blonde hair out of her mouth. So much for that chignon. Tugging at the front of her dress, she made a feeble attempt to cover various tender body parts with fabric again. It was clear she wasn’t going to be suitable for public viewing any time soon. She yanked at the remains of her hairstyle, pulling out the bobby pins and holding them in her mouth.
    Hearing a panting sound above the noise of the ocean, she looked up from the sorry state of her wardrobe to find a man running toward her. He bent over in exhaustion, putting his hands on his knees. With a great exhale of breath, he asked, “Did you see a furry white dog go by here?”
    Jan pulled the bobby pins out of her mouth. “Yes. I’m surveying the damage now. And I could have been seriously hurt.”
    “Sorry about that. She really likes to run. And she likes people. Sometimes those two things conflict.”
    “There’s about to be a wedding here. You shouldn’t have brought a dog. I don’t think they are allowed at the gardens. Didn’t you read the rules?”
    “My dad is getting married, so they made an exception. My dog is participating in the wedding. Or she is supposed to be, if I can find her again.”
    “Don’t you have a leash?” Jan shook her head. “I hate irresponsible pet owners. I could have been seriously hurt. And if I were afraid of dogs, I would have been terrified as well. In any case, my dress is completely ruined and the wedding starts in an hour.”
    The tall man crouched down to look at Jan more closely. His eyes widened in surprise. “Wait, don’t I know you? You’re Janelle, right?”
    “I prefer Jan.”
    “I’m Michael. Remember? I lived in the house next door to you when we were little. My dad is marrying your mom.”
    He did look vaguely familiar, and she’d known he’d have to be here somewhere because of his father. But she had hoped to avoid him. A warm flush rose to her cheeks as Jan mentally connected the well-dressed man in front of her to the obnoxious skinny neighbor kid she’d known years ago.
    Now instead of gangly limbs and tousled hair, he had broad shoulders and movie-star good looks. Not quite at the exceptional level of Cary Grant maybe, because of course Cary was