And she also had a couple of places to visit for a possible puppy for Abraham Swartz. Something else she was excited about.
She had homework to do, too. Because she was in college. Finally.
Life was exactly what she made it.
And that was fine.
* * *
IAN CALLED SATURDAY morning, inviting Josh to join him and his wife, Amy, and Amy’s single, ex-cheerleader friend for an afternoon of golf followed by dinner at the country club.
He accepted the invitation. But only played nine holes and took a side trip home before dinner to let L.G. out for a bit.
When Olivia, the ex-cheerleader, offered to take him mountain climbing not far from the cactus jelly plant outside of town Sunday morning, he agreed to go. L.G. would only be locked up for about four hours. And then he’d be home with him for the rest of the day.
But the invitation he received for Thanksgiving dinner, the one that would give him reason to leave Dana Harris well and truly alone, he declined.
His mother had taught him a long time ago that once you accepted an invitation, you did not turn it down for another one that came along.
At least that was the excuse he gave himself.
* * *
DANA DIDN’T FIND a puppy for Abraham on Saturday. But late Sunday afternoon, she had a good feeling when she pulled up to the desert home a few miles outside of town. Puppies Free To A Good Home, the sign read.
The owner was a client at the clinic and, according to Zack, had been shocked a few months earlier to find out that her cherished, rescue dog—a poodle-spaniel mix—wasn’t ailing as she’d feared, but was, instead, expecting pups.
The second Dana saw the four-foot-by-four-foot wired cage with newspaper flooring, filled with a slightly suspicious mother and four little pups, one white, one brown and two a mixture of the two colors, she knew she was in trouble.
“How soon can I take one?” she asked the owner.
“Today if you like,” the plump mother of two young boys said, practically throwing the pups her way. “They’ve been wormed, had their shots and have been eating puppy food and drinking water out of the bowl since the beginning of this week.” A holler sounded from the other room. “Excuse me,” the woman said, while Dana held first one and then another of the puppies.
She’d find homes for all four of them, she promised herself. But for now, the little brown male would be perfect for Abraham.
Holding her choice, she looked back at the cage. To the brown-and-white female with the tiniest paws, who was climbing on her siblings’ backs in an attempt to get back to Dana.
“What did you decide?” The harried dog owner was back.
“I’ll take him,” Dana said, holding up Abraham Swartz’s new puppy. And then, with one last look at the cage, reached down and grabbed the little girl. “And her, too.”
She might not be good enough for Josh Redmond, but she would do just fine as a human mother to a new pup.
* * *
JOSH WAS CONTEMPLATING taking another drive with L.G. Sunday evening, maybe to Phoenix to find some good take-out sushi, when the text message came in.
Are you still joining us for Thanksgiving dinner?
The holiday was still almost two weeks away.
Yes.
He waited. No reply. Grabbed his keys.
Is LG busy tonight?
He grinned.
No.
Can he come over to play? I have someone I’d like him to meet.
Someone.
Someone else, not him.
Josh had never been an emotional guy. And he didn’t appreciate the surge of disappointment he felt.
He’s going to Phoenix with me. Josh punched in the words, reread them.
Idiot. You just told her he didn’t have any plans.
He deleted what he’d written, sent off a quick Okay and dropped his phone back into its holster.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
TEN MINUTES AFTER she’d texted Josh, Dana heard a car out front.
He’d rushed right over. Grabbing up Lindy Lu, she went to greet Little Guy. She’d already promised her growing pet family that she was not going to make a fool of herself over Little Guy’s father.
With them watching over her, she’d be sure to keep her promise.
“Come on in,” she said, holding the front door open as Josh, wearing jeans and a white button-down shirt, came up the walk, Little Guy under his left arm like a football.
“You got a pup!” Josh grinned.
“I told you I had someone here who wanted to meet Little Guy.”
“I thought...” He broke off as Little Guy, seeing Lindy Lu, squirmed to get down. “Doesn’t matter what I thought,” Josh said, squatting as he put his pup down on the tile floor in her living room.