Page 101 of Mistletoe and Mischief

Bailey grabbed one puppy and Sophie another. Beth scooped up the third. The last one made a beeline for the Christmas tree and got tangled in the bottom garland.

“Get those dogs out of here,” Danielle shouted between sneezes. “Oh, good grief, there’s another one. What is this place—a puppy mill?”

“My mother wouldnever—”

“It’s all right,” Beth said, cutting Bailey off. “Danielle is understandably upset. I apologize, Danielle. I opened the door without realizing—”

“You did that on purpose!”

“Danielle,” Kent said, his voice calm and reasonable, unlike hers. “It was an honest mistake.”

The other woman sank down on the sofa and held a wad of tissues to her nose before she sneezed three times in quick succession.

“I’m afraid there’s dog hair all over the house,” Beth said. “Maybe it would be best if—”

Danielle held up one hand, stopping her. The other clasped a tissue to her face. “I have allergy medication. We will not be leaving on my account.” This last part was said in a muffled voice that nonetheless conveyed steadfast determination.

Kent sat next to Danielle, who sneezed again.

It wasn’t funny; still, Beth couldn’t help it—she had to smother a giggle. Kent caught her eye and knew instantly that she was having trouble hiding her amusement, and that was when Beth lost it. She started laughing and tried desperately to hide her laughter by coughing.

“What’s so funny?” Danielle demanded.

“Nothing,” Kent said promptly, getting to his feet. “I think, uh, Beth might have swallowed wrong.”

“This...isn’t funny.”

“No, it isn’t,” Kent said. He bent down and untangled the last puppy from the garland on the tree and brought him back to the laundry room.

In the meantime Beth carried Roscoe upstairs and out of harm’s way. Making it through tonight would require a Christmas miracle.

The phone rang as she came down the stairs. Call display told her it was Bob Beldon. They exchanged Christmas greetings, then he said, “I heard you’re looking for homes for some puppies.”

“Yes, I am.”

“Great. Well, I’m interested in taking one.”

They chatted for a few more minutes and she’d just replaced the receiver when the phone rang a second time.

“Your mother gets more phone calls than a bookie,” Beth heard Danielle comment.

Teri Polgar was inquiring about a puppy for her sister, Christie.

A moment later, another call. This time it was Ted. “How’s it going?” he asked.

“About as well as could be expected.” She’d mentioned casually that her ex-husband was coming to Cedar Cove for Christmas. Lowering her voice, she said, “Except that Kent arrived with a...friend.”

“A friend?” Ted sounded perplexed. “I was asking about the puppies.”

“Oh...the puppies.” She wanted to roll her eyes. Of course he’d be phoning about the puppies. “Five down and five to go, although I just heard from someone who’s a possibility. And if Bob Beldon takes one too, that’ll leave three.”

“Listen, I know someone else who could be interested. Gloria Ashton—for her parents,” he said. “Would it be all right if I stopped by later to say merry Christmas?”

“Sure. That would be nice.” Ted was exactly the balm she needed. And, if he came over, Kent would see that she hadn’t been twiddling her thumbs for the past three years.

She missed Kent. She missed their life together and it was killing her that he’d found someone else. The divorce wasn’t the end, she realized now; his remarriage would be. If he married Danielle—and the other woman had certainly staked her claim on him—it would mean their life together was over. Really over.

“Who just called?” Bailey asked.

---