Page 51 of Puppy Kisses

“There’s no such thing as a day off when you live on a working ranch.”

“The Smithwoods take days off all the time. That’s what hired hands are for.”

Dawn felt it was timely to intervene before things descended into a squabble. In a voice that was audible to both the hostess on the phone and all three of the Dearborn siblings, she said, “You know what? Let me place an order for pickup.” Without waiting to take requests, she ordered all of her own favorites—lasagna and pasta primavera and parmesan-encrusted tilapia and an entire flourless chocolate cake to wash it all down. If any of the Dearborns didn’t like it, that was too bad. She was planning a goddamned party.

“An hour?” she asked as the hostess completed the order and rattled off the total. “Yes, I can make that work. Thanks.”

When she hung up, it was to find their entire party looking sheepish and ashamed of themselves. Well, Phoebe and Adam looked ashamed of themselves. Zeke mostly looked sweaty.

“It’s just as easy to have the celebration back at the ranch,” Dawn said in a matter-of-fact voice that was meant to rob the situation of any more drama. “Plus, this way I can pick up a whole case of cheap wine for us to share. I don’t know about you guys, but there’s no way I’m pairing the world’s best parmesan tilapia with butterscotch schnapps.”

Phoebe glanced over at her, a glint in her eye. “Wait. How do you know about the—”

For the second time, Dawn felt a need for intervention. “Phoebe, you can take Adam back to the ranch and perform all the necessary bovine labors. I’ll run Zeke to my house so he can help me settle the puppies. By the time we’re done, the food will be, too, and we can bring it out. Voilà! Problem solved. Chocolate decadence acquired. It’s a shame she didn’t believe me about the birthday thing, though. Cake is always better when it’s free.”

Only Adam seemed to be aware of how hard she was trying to make this work. “Dawn—” he began.

She quelled him with a bright, cheery voice. “I know. I’m being overbearing and presumptuous and foisting myself on you without invitation. But you guys have to let me come over now. Otherwise, I’m just going to be a sad, lonely, single woman eating an entire chocolate cake by herself. And I will too. I’ll eat every last bite just to make you feel bad for abandoning me.”

Phoebe assented to the plan. Her smile was strained and flat around the edges, but at least it was a smile.

“I don’t know how much help I’m going to be at the kennel” was Zeke’s contribution. “My arms won’t lift all the way.”

“They’re puppies, Zeke, not half-ton cows,” she said in a tone that brooked no argument. “Are there any wine requests, or should I just grab my favorites?”

“Dawn, we really don’t need you to—” Adam began again, but she cut him short. It wasn’t necessary to hear the end of that sentence. They really didn’t need her to patch things up. They really didn’t need her to feed them. They really didn’t need her to direct their lives and overstay her welcome.

Well, it was too late for that. As was usually the case, she’d already invested both her time and her emotions into this family before any of them had asked her to. They might assume she was doing this because it was in her nature to throw a party at the least provocation, but not even she could spend every minute of every day in celebration mode.

“If I agree to this, can we at least stop and grab some Gatorade on the way?” Zeke asked. He hoisted his athletic bag over his shoulder. “Wine might kill me if I don’t build up a base layer of electrolytes first.”

From the looks the three of them were wearing, a quick, painless wine death was preferable to continuing this conversation a minute longer.

“You know, you guys could at least pretend I haven’t just ordered you to attend your own funeral,” she said. “None of my parties have ever ended in death before.”

Zeke was opening his mouth to argue this point, so Dawn forestalled him before he could make her feel any worse about herself. “And no, Zeke. There’s no need to remind me that it’s come close a few times. How was it my fault that the stripper cake we ordered for Raul’s birthday two months ago wasn’t gluten-free? I didn’t actually expect anyone to eat it.”

“What else are you supposed to do with a stripper cake?” he asked, laughing. It was a real laugh, and it was accompanied by real smiles from Phoebe and Adam.

There.Balance was restored, the universe set right again.

“If you can’t think of a few seedy alternatives, then I have no use for you,” she said, pressing both her hands on Zeke’s sweaty back and giving him a shove in the direction of the parking lot.

* * *

“Their food amounts are listed on the clipboard. Don’t overfeed them, and make sure you initial after each one. Lila likes us to keep records of each feeding.”

“I still don’t know how I got roped into doing your job for you,” Zeke grumbled as he scanned Lila’s clipboard. “It’s my first real day off in months, and I’m ankle deep in kibble.”

“That is a very fine blend of roasted chicken, rice, and high-nutrient puppy chow, thank you very much,” Dawn said primly. “Nothing but the best for the residents of Puppy Promise. You can try a bite if you want. It’s not bad, especially after a hangover.”

Zeke relaxed enough to laugh. “I’m not going to ask.”

“That’s probably for the best. And I wouldn’t recommend trying the same technique at home. I doubt hay and grass would have the same effect.”

Mentioning cows and their dietary habits was a mistake. Zeke’s easy air dissipated in a flash.Damn.And after she’d been making such painstaking efforts to elicit and maintain it, too.

“Thank you for today,” he said, his pencil poised above the clipboard. He made no move to either mark the page or to feed the black Lab at his feet, who was rapidly working herself up into a frenzy of anticipation. “Adam has never come to one of my races before.”