Page 58 of How to Ruin a Wedding

Dainese chuckles, but her doe-eyed gaze is filled with gratitude as she stands and helps us with the treats. Sora remains lying on the tiny blanket, staring at all of us, and I have to tell myself I have no way to care for this dog, and I cannot reasonably bring him back to Anders’s home.

But he has the cutest round dark eyes, and I see such pure gentleness in them that tears fill my eyes.

Dainese pulls out an individually wrapped treat. “They’re five dollars each.”

I’ll probably overdraft for this, but I say, “I’ll take ten.”

When Olive reaches into her polka-dot wallet, I grab her hand. “Olive, get the big guns. Let’s clear it out.”

“You got it,” she says, then sprints off in search of Bethany.

Dainese laughs as she runs my card. “I can spot a true dog lover a mile away, and you’ve got the heart of one.”

I nod. “I volunteer at this shelter in New York every week. I love them so much.”

She raises her brows. “Not from here?”

I shake my head. “Here for a couple of months.”

Dainese reaches over and hands me a business card. “If you ever have the time to volunteer while you’re visiting, I work at a tiny shelter by Folly. It’s not much, but we love what we do, and there are never enough hands.”

I pocket the card in the tiny bag I received from a vendor. “Will do.”

Olive returns with Bethany in hand. “I got her.”

“Oh.” Bethany takes one look at Sora and hands over her black card. “We’ll take it all.”

“Thank you!” Dainese squeals.

“Leave the treats,” Bethany says when Dainese reaches in the container. “Consider this a donation. Add a zero to whatever it is. Sell the rest if you can.”

Dainese begins this stammer of gratitude, and though it has nothing to do with me personally, I hold Bethany’s hand in mine and squeeze. “Thank you.”

Bethany pokes my nose. “You softie.”

We wrap it up here, and the employees scramble to put together a bag with human treats and a thank-you card for Bethany before we go.

“Now,” Bethany says, “I’ve worked up an appetite. Let’s get some food.”

16.

I don’t admit I’ve never had high tea before, but the way I examine each tiny sandwich and delicate pastry, I’m sure it’s obvious to Bethany. But she only laughs at each declaration as everything I bite into becomes my next favorite food of all time.

I grab a stack of chocolate from the top of the three-tiered silver platter between us and make the same announcement.

“Lucy,” Olive says as I take another bite. “Are they going to kill Sora if nobody adopts him?”

I choke on the cake, pounding on my chest while I cough it out. Olive shoves a glass of water toward me, too hard, and it spills on my dress. The water drenches my entire top, dripping over the skirt.

“Sorry!” Olive yells while Bethany shoots up and shoves a napkin all over me.

“It’s okay,” I say, taking the cloth and blotting my chest while Bethany flags down a waiter for me. “I was getting too hot anyway.”

The waiter offers me plenty of napkins, and I wave off Bethany’s aid. While I dry myself off, I answer, “It seems like Dainese really cared about Sora. I think she’s going to take care of him as best as she can.”

“So he will die?” Olive says simply, then turns to Bethany.

Bethany immediately holds up a hand. “No, you know I’m allergic.”