Page 65 of Puppy Kisses

And the worst part was, she’d be right. Dawn had dozens of friends, more family than she knew what to do with, and plenty of hobbies to fill her time.

But that wasn’t the same as having a husband and daughter, like Lila. It wasn’t the same as having a boyfriend who was desperately in love with her, like Sophie. Even her parents had one of those mushy-eyed romances that spanned the decades. The amount of PDA those two indulged in had been a constant source of mortification in Dawn’s adolescence, though she found it awfully sweet now. They’d been married for thirty-five years and still considered every day they had together a gift.

“I guess it might not be so far-fetched for you to bring that stolen puppy home as a pet after all.” Lila hooked her arm through Dawn’s as they headed up the stairs to check out the future offices of Puppy Promise, LLC. “Heck, if you get a big enough place, you can start stealing all the dogs you want, and I promise not to say a word.”

Even though she still felt more like crying than laughing, Dawn forced herself to do the latter. It was what was expected of her, and what was more, it was all she really knew how to do.

“You’d better be careful with offers like that,” she said and prepared herself to find nothing but delight in the mother-in-law suite on display. “You know me. Now that I’ve had a taste of crime, it’s going to be awfully hard to rein me back in again.”

Chapter 14

“Well?” Adam stood hovering in the doorway to the kitchen, anxiously awaiting the results of Marcia’s exam like a father anticipating news of his new baby. “How’s she doing? Does she get the all clear? Is she safe to travel?”

Marcia’s laugh told him everything he needed to know.

“Relax, Adam. She’s great. More than great, actually. You’ve got one very healthy and surprisingly happy golden retriever on your hands.” She laughed again as Gigi’s low, playful growl indicated that she was trying to tempt the veterinarian into a game of tug-of-war. “And not the least bit afraid of me, it seems.”

“Sorry. She’s a bit spoiled.”

“A bit?” Marcia groaned as she presumably rose to her feet. “I’ve never seen a dog go from malnourished to pure menace in such a short time.”

He was about to apologize again when Marcia placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Good for you. It takes someone special to be able to manufacture that kind of transformation. I’m not saying you won’t see signs of her early trauma crop up from time to time—that’s inevitable—but there’s no question that she made it over the worst hump with flying colors. She’s good to go wherever you want to take her.”

It should have been a moment of triumph. After only five weeks, the healing effects of Uncle and Dawn and the good Dearborn Ranch air had done their work. Uncle supported her, Dawn trained her, and Dearborn Ranch gave her room to explore. That magical trifecta meant that Gigi wasn’t just physically healed; she also displayed a mental resilience they could all be proud of.

“Where are you taking her, if you don’t mind my asking?”

And that, right there, was the only dark spot.

“I’m not,” Adam replied. Gigi bounded over to him and pawed at his leg in a plea for affection. Dawn had instructed him not to give in, to ask her to sit patiently until her good behavior warranted attention, but he gave in anyway. As he crouched down and began lavishing Gigi with love and a scratch on her favorite spot right underneath her left ear, he could practically hear Uncle sighing his disapproval.

Too bad. Wise, sober Uncle could judge him all he wanted. It wouldn’t change his mind. If this was going to be his last day with Gigi, he was going to indulge in a little ear scratching.

“I’m going to send her home with Dawn today,” he said. The words felt stiff on his tongue, but he hoped that the more he said them, the easier they’d come out. “As much as I’d like to keep her with me, it’s not practical. It’s time she went to her forever home.”

“Oh, how sad!” Marcia quickly added, “Not that she’s going to live with Dawn, of course. Just that you’ll have to say goodbye. This puppy obviously means something to you. Hear how fast her leg is thumping?”

Adam stood up so abruptly that his head swam, and Gigi whimpered her displeasure at being abandoned when he was getting to the good part. He relished the dizzy feeling, welcoming how off-balance and uncomfortable it made him. It was a feeling he was going to have to get used to—disappointing the females in his life, learning to live in a world without them.

“This isn’t the place for her,” he said, his words necessarily curt. “Not for the long term, anyway. I’ve known it from the start. To keep her here any longer than necessary would only be cruel.”

“Yes,” Marcia agreed. “It would.”

“So I’m saying goodbye,” he added. There was no need to keep going. Marcia knew and understood animals better than anyone. She also knew and understoodhimbetter than anyone. “It’s going to be hard enough for her to move on as it is. Better to rip the bandage off now.”

Marcia’s hand came down on his shoulder again, this time lingering long enough for her to squeeze and hold the pressure. “Are you sure it’sherattachment you’re worried about?”

There was no use pretending—not now, not with Marcia. He had no idea if she knew that Gigi was only part of the equation, but he needed to say this tosomeone, if only to keep himself from breaking down when Dawn arrived.

He allowed the detached facade he’d been wearing all morning to fade. “You’re right. It’s me who’s really going to suffer. I don’t know what I’m going to do without her.”

There was no opportunity to hear what words of wisdom Marcia had to offer him. He had the feeling she’d do what she always did, which was gently question him—never pushing harder than he was comfortable with, never forcing him to say or do anything he didn’t want to. It was one of the things he appreciated most about her…and also one of the things that made him appreciate Dawn that much more.

Dawn pushed him. Dawn opened him up to experiences he’d never known existed. Dawn didn’t shy away from difficult conversations.

Dawn put herself out there, wholly and wholeheartedly, and damn the consequences.