Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 131387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 657(@200wpm)___ 526(@250wpm)___ 438(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 657(@200wpm)___ 526(@250wpm)___ 438(@300wpm)
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Was this intrusive, or did he need to know for training purposes?
“Why do you need a guard dog, Mabel?” There was a definite bite to his question.
And again, my back got straight at his tone.
“I’m not sure that’s your business,” I decided to say.
“You want me to train the damned dog, I need to know what I’m training it to do,” he returned.
So it was for training purposes.
Whatever.
“I’m not sure I want you to train her. For one, you cost a lot, and I’m sure you’re worth it, but sadly, I’m not made of money. And two, I hope you aren’t insulted when I say, you don’t seem like a very nice person.”
The bite was back with, “How is that not supposed to insult me?”
“I thought you knew you were surly,” I stated blithely.
“I’m not surly,” he clipped.
“Well, you’d have to be on my end of the conversation to make that call, and trust me, you’re surly.” Before he could say anything, I said, “I’m really thankful for your time. But I think we’re done here. Goodbye, Mr. Hutchison.”
And with that, I hung up on him.
“What a dick,” I said to my phone.
I dropped it on the desk and looked back at my laptop.
“Guess what, Tonks. If we bond, as Mr. Grouch says we need to do, you’re coming home soon.”
I slapped my laptop down.
And the oven timer dinged.
Excellent.
Just what I needed after that call.
Brownies.
I took them out and poured the Mars bar frosting I’d already made on top of them.
It oozed over the hot brownies, but I helped it with a spatula (better to be able to have something to lick afterwards).
That sorted, instead of going to the bureau I should be sanding, I went back to my laptop and did a deep dive on red Siberian huskies while my sweet treats cooled.
SEVEN
Tonks and Moxie
Mabel
It was official.
I was in love.
It was the next morning.
I was not in my workshop sanding that bureau.
I was at the Stony Bluff Animal Rescue and Wildlife Sanctuary, in one of their meet and greet rooms, falling in love with a dog.
“She really likes you,” Winona, the slim volunteer who was with us at the rescue and had blue and pink tips in her short dark hair, said.
I was giving Tonks a full head rubdown, while Tonks panted happy dog breath into my face, but I looked to Winona. “Does she like everyone?”
She smiled and shrugged. “Pretty much.”
I turned back to Tonks, looked into her blue, blue eyes, and whispered, “Well, I love her.”
“I’m glad,” Winona said hesitantly. “But—”
I stood straight and grinned at her. “But…huskies are vocal. They have strong personalities. They need constant grooming. And they’re bred to run, so they have a ton of energy and need a lot of activity. They’re also remarkably intelligent, so they need their brains engaged and lots of challenges.”
She grinned back. “You did your research.”
“Several threads call their vocals ‘husky yodeling.’”
She laughed. “You know, yeah. That kinda covers it.”
Tonks sniffed my hand hoping I’d take her hint, and I did, scratching her behind her ears. “I found her on your website and did some research. I live alone. I talk to myself. It’ll be good to have someone to talk to who might not understand me, but she’ll talk back.”
Another laugh from Winona. “Sounds like it’s a fit.” She got serious. “But I need you to fill out an application. It’s nothing super invasive, but we want to make sure when an animal leaves our care, they’re going to a good home, and they won’t come back. The board is notified when an application comes in. There are seven members, and you just need a majority to vote yes for her to be yours. We guarantee a twenty-four-hour turnaround on a decision.”
I nodded. “That works for me.”
“Excellent, let me put Tonks back, and I’ll get you an application.”
She headed to the door, but the idea of Tonks going back to her cage made me frown.
“It’s only twenty-four hours, Mabel,” Winona said quietly.
I sighed and asked Tonks, “Can you wait twenty-four hours?”
Her ears cocked, and then she yodeled.
I busted out laughing, crouched, and she snuffled my neck as I gave her another rubdown, this one full body.
“I think it’s gonna be torture for me, girl,” I said. “But if you can do it, I can too.”
With that, Tonks, Winona and I headed out.
While she went into the dog wing, I stood in the hall at the door to the cat wing and peered inside the window.
My life had been tumbling from one turmoil to another.
However, in that turmoil, the only constants I’d had were the animals we’d had along the way.
I’d had cats and dogs, and I still grieved the loss of every one of them.
I knew I was gazing through the cat room window longingly when I didn’t even notice Winona coming back until she offered, “Wanna take a stroll down the cat aisle?”