Forever Home. Allyson Charles
cheered, and Izzy dropped her head back on the seat rest. Puppies and pizza? She couldn’t fight that.
She put the car into reverse and backed into the street. “We’ll be there in fifteen,” she told Brad and signed off.
Ana cheered.
Looking into the rearview mirror, Izzy put on her best stern-mom face. “We’ll go, you’ll play with dogs, we’ll eat pizza. But we are not, I repeat, not, getting a dog.”
* * * *
Izzy covered her ears; Ana’s high-pitched shrieks were enough to shatter glass. A dog on a ratty green sofa howled in harmony. Ana threw herself on the ground next to the dog bed that cradled the five puppies Izzy had found.
The mama dog raised her head from her paws where she lay in the corner of the kennels, made sure Ana wasn’t going to hurt her pups, and settled back down with a sigh. Even after just two days, she looked like a different dog. Her skin wasn’t hanging quite so dramatically over her bones, and her fur was clean and brushed.
Ana picked up a little brown puppy and rubbed her nose against its muzzle. The odd one out, the one who had caused Izzy all the trouble, clambered over the edge of the bed and stuck its front paws on Ana’s sneaker. Ana cooed and picked up that scamp, too.
Izzy sighed. They were going to be here awhile.
“Shall we talk about the fund-raising banquet?” Brad asked. Izzy nodded and turned toward the door to the exam room, expecting to go to his office. Brad didn’t follow. He strode to the corner of the kennels and plopped down next to the boxer mix. He pulled a dog cookie from his front pocket and held it out to the mama dog.
Izzy weaved her way over to them, forging a path around groups of rollicking dogs. “Oh, we’re going to talk here?” At least she could make sure Ana didn’t get into trouble. She bent her knees, and her pencil skirt rode up an inch. Tugging it down, she twisted and tried to gracefully lower herself to the ground without exposing herself.
Brad watched her maneuver, his smile growing.
Putting a palm on the cement floor, she fell to the side and landed on her hip. She smoothed her skirt back down her legs. “So, what’s your big idea?”
The dog sniffed the air near the treat but lowered her head without eating it. Brad placed it on the floor in front of her.
“I don’t think she likes your cookies.”
“She doesn’t trust the cookie-bearer is the problem.” Brad fondled the dog’s floppy ears. “But we’re working on that, right, girl?”
The dog looked forlorn, her brows arching up and twitching. Izzy’s fingers itched to comb through her soft fur. Instead, she laced them together and rested her hands in her lap. “Tell me about this award idea.”
“Sounds like I finally caught your interest.” Brad grinned, the corners of his eyes crinkling, and something tugged deep inside Izzy. His eyes weren’t the green she’d first thought, more hazel with bands of chestnut circling his pupils. His sandy blond hair was a little ruffled, as if he’d been running his hands through it, or maybe rolling around with his dogs. His smile was impish and his hands gentle as they soothed the boxer.
All in all, not the sort of man she should be attracted to. If she ever found the time to date, she needed someone solid. Dependable. Not an irresponsible boy toy, sexy as he might be.
Izzy rested her back against the concrete wall. “I’m interested in marketing. I don’t think I deserve any award for finding a bunch of dogs, but if it will increase my business and get you some donations, I don’t see the problem.” She looked around the kennels, smiled when she saw Ana lying on the ground with four puppies on her chest and stomach. If Burker sold his property and Forever Friends got booted from this building, Brad would need all the financial help he could get. She’d seen the rent he was charged. Brad would be hard-pressed to find a better deal.
“Have you ever thought about moving the shelter?” she asked hopefully. “The space seems a bit small for your needs.”
“Nah. Who has the money or time to move?” He crossed one long leg over the other, stretching them out in front of him. “This place suits us fine.”
“Surely you must have some sort of reserve fund in case of emergencies.” Like getting kicked out. Unlike some of Burker’s other tenants, Forever Friends was renting month-to-month. Bob wouldn’t have to buy out a lease or give Brad much notice if he sold.
He shook his head. “Why hold on to money that could be used to help my dogs? I don’t believe in keeping big bank balances.”
Izzy blinked. “Are you kidding me? You don’t think it’s important to save? To prepare for the future?” He really was a toddler in adult clothes. “That’s completely irresponsible.”
His easy smile flashed again. “You’re such a mom.”
Izzy opened her mouth, but he held up one hand. “Don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing wrong with that. I know you have to take care of your daughter. But money’s not everything. People really don’t need much to be able to enjoy life. Enough to put a roof over your head and food in your belly, but the rest of your happiness is up to you. Life is too short to waste clawing for every penny.”
Wriggling her shoulders against the cool concrete wall, she crossed her arms over her chest. “I’d like to hear you say that again in your retirement years. I think you’ll be kicking yourself that you didn’t put some aside.”
“You’re much too serious, Isabelle Lopez.” Rolling to his feet, he strode to the basket of dog toys and pulled out a frayed rope. He walked to Ana, bent down, and gave it to her. “The puppies seem to love playing with this,” he told her. He picked up the black-and-white puppy that was gnawing on the hem of her jeans at her ankle and came back to Izzy.
He sat cross-legged in front of her. “No one can be serious when looking at this much cuteness.” Holding the pup under his belly, Brad lowered him to his mother’s face for a lick and then held him up to Izzy. The little dog held its paws out rigidly, waving them in circles, like some weird interpretive dance, and the edges of Izzy’s mouth twitched.
“That doesn’t look comfortable for him.” Placing one hand under the puppy’s bottom, she used the other to pry him from Brad’s grip, then cuddled him close to her stomach. He was awfully cute. And soft as cashmere. “What’s his name?”
“He doesn’t have one yet.” Brad stretched out next to the mama dog, lying on his side and looking up at Izzy. “None of the dogs you brought in do.”
“Can I name them?” Ana piped up.
“No,” Izzy said at the same time Brad said, “Sure.”
Izzy leaned toward Brad. “If she names one, she’ll want to take it home,” she hissed.
He flashed his pearly whites. “I know.”
“We’re not getting a dog.” She said it loud enough for Ana to hear, as well as any of the dogs who might be looking at her like she was a meal ticket.
“They do need homes.” Brad lost his smile and grew serious. He rubbed his chest, his fingers splayed wide, his large hand spanning from the “S” to the “E” on his Michigan State T-shirt.
Izzy swallowed. A serious Brad was even sexier than a playful Brad.
“The puppies we’ll have no problem adopting out. They’re adorable.” He rubbed a hand down the mama dog’s rear leg. “But this girl here will be tougher.”
“Wait, you’re going to split them up? She won’t see her puppies again?” She glanced at Ana, and that tiny bud of dread inside her flared to life. She walked around all the time with the fear that if she didn’t take care, didn’t provide, she could somehow lose her daughter. She rubbed her damp palms on her skirt. She was being stupid. Of course all six of the dogs