Page 123 of Jay Bird

Anna Grace smiled. “Technically, several need homes.”

“Absolutely not.”

Mia tilted her head. “But Lily loves the one with the purple collar.”

“Lily also loves pancakes, purple crayons, and licking icing directly off cupcakes. She’s not responsible for major household decisions.”

Anna Grace laughed. “You should let her ask Jay Bird.”

Willow stared at her, then glanced at Mia, only to find both women grinning at her.

“No.”

Mia laughed. “Why not?”

“Because I know exactly how that would go. All it will take is for Lily to say ‘Jay puppy.’ Then he would look at her with those big dark eyes of his and say, ‘You want the puppy, Peanut?’ and suddenly I would come home from work to six black Labs destroying the living room.”

Mia laughed again. “That’s actually a valid concern.”

“Thank you.”

The puppies yipped again, and Willow glanced toward the hallway. They really were cute.

No. Absolutely not. She wasn’t even thinking about it.

Mia looked at the clock.

“We should get out of here before someone brings in another emergency thirty minutes after closing.”

“Don’t say that out loud,” Anna Grace warned.

“Why?”

“Because now you’ve cursed us.”

Willow laughed as she grabbed her purse and phone from the cabinet.

They finished their last few closing tasks, checked the doors to the rescue area, and made sure everything was secured for the evening crew before heading toward the front of the clinic.

Mia shut down the reception computer.

“You’re off tomorrow, right?”

“Yep.”

“Any big plans?”

“Nothing that I am aware of. Unless Jay Bird has something planned.”

The three women walked outside together.

Even though the sun was beginning to drop lower in the sky, the heat immediately wrapped around Willow when the door opened.

“God, it’s still hot,” Anna Grace complained.

Willow pulled the clinic door shut behind them while Mia checked the lock.

For a moment, Willow stood there listening to the women talk about their plans for the next day.