Jakob said, ‘I think you ought to hold fire for a while before you sign up for anything.’ Which Elijah translated as “you need to wait and see whether you’re chosen to re-home him”.
It pained him to acknowledge that the man was right. Elijahwasgetting ahead of himself. However, his comment kind of served its purpose when he noticed the flash of concern on Nora’s face, and he hoped she was having second thoughts about taking the dog on. Elijah had been honest when he’d told Andrea that he thought a smaller dog would be better for Nora. And once again, he told himself that if he honestly didn’t believehewas the most suitable owner for Biscuit, he would bow out.
Although Elijah wasn’t entirely sure how true that was, because when he looked into Biscuit’s intelligent brown eyes once more, he felt his heart constrict.
Once again, Jakob took them to the field and let them play with Biscuit for an hour or so. This time Nora had also brought some treats, and Elijah was ready with the ball. So when Biscuit had been given a few, Elijah began to toss the ball in the air, catching the dog’s attention.
For a while Biscuit was torn. Ball or treat? Treat or ball?
The ball won, but not completely, because after every third or fourth throw, he’d trot over to Nora and stare at her with a pleading look to beg for another morsel.
To Elijah, it seemed as though the dog’s favourite human was whoever happened to have what he wanted at the time. Biscuit was showing no particular preference for one or the other of them, although Elijah was still convinced there was a connection between him and the dog that Nora didn’t have. He just needed her to see it, but at the moment, he had no idea how he could make that happen.
The next day saw Nora in a foul mood, although she was trying not to show it. It wasn’t Kendra’s fault that today was her day off and that Paige was covering for her, meaning Nora couldn’t possibly leave the salon this afternoon. She was neededhere, which left Elijah free to see Biscuit all on his own.
She felt like growling with frustration, but what could she do? She just had to trust that Biscuit wouldn’t be swayed by Elijah’s cloying attention.
As morning became afternoon, Nora found herself becoming more and more tense, to the point where she lost focus once or twice. Thankfully it didn’t happen when she was snipping anyone’s hair, but the fact it had happened at all was concerning.
Would Biscuit wonder where she was? Probably not. Nora was being silly, projecting human thoughts and feelings onto the dog. However, Elijah would be expecting her to turn up at any moment, then he’d be exultant when he realised she wasn’t coming.
Although Nora guessed that her not being at the kennels today would make little difference to Dawn’s eventual decision, she nevertheless felt as though she was giving Elijah an advantage. And when Andrea popped in to make an appointment for a cut and colour, it kind of added insult to injury.
‘I hear you and Elijah have set your sights on the same dog,’ Andrea began.
‘Apparently so.’ Nora had known Andrea for years, but she felt suddenly wary. Was the woman here to spy on her? ‘Has he gone to the kennels this afternoon?’ she asked.
‘He has; Christina and Olive are manning the fort. Smitten with that dog, he is.’
Nora ground her teeth together as she consulted the diary. ‘When were you thinking of? I’m fully booked next week, but I can do the week after.’
‘How about the Wednesday?’
Nora pencilled her name in. ‘All booked,’ she said, expecting Andrea to leave now that she’d made an appointment, but the woman continued to linger.
‘Have you heard that Elijah has been told he shouldn’t run anymore? Poor love, he’s really down at the moment. I really feel for him. He lives for his running.’
Yes, Nora had heard, and he had seemed rather upset when he’d mentioned on Monday that he used to run marathons. ‘It’s a shame,’ she said, and was about to sympathise further when a thought occurred to her. ‘Didheput you up to this?’
‘Up to what?’
‘Trying to make me feel sorry for him so I’ll withdraw my application to adopt Biscuit?’
Andrea’s eyes widened. ‘Of course not!’
Nora didn’t believe her, and frankly she was dismayed but not totally surprised to discover that he’d stooped so low.
For a second, she was tempted to blurt out her own circumstances, but she kept her counsel; the last thing she wanted was anyone, least of all Elijah, feeling sorry forher.
Elijah kept glancing towards the gate, expecting to see Nora hurrying towards it, but when half-past two came and went and she still hadn’t appeared, he began to wonder where she was. Had something happened to delay her? Was she (he prayed this was indeed the case) having second thoughts about adopting Biscuit?
Elijah wasn’t about to complain that she wasn’t here, though – he was enjoying having the dog to himself far toomuch. Without Nora to distract him, Biscuit gave Elijah his full attention, and Elijah revelled in it. But after an hour of entertaining the dog on his own, he felt restless. He wasn’t built for standing still, and he longed to be able to take Biscuit for a walk, so when he spotted Jakob, he called him over.
‘Do you think I could walk him?’ he asked, and was delighted when Jakob agreed, with the proviso that Elijah didn’t let him off the lead.
Elijah was more than happy with that. In fact, he was over the moon he was being allowed to take Biscuit out and didn’t have to share this first precious walk with Nora.
However, it surprised him to discover he felt a little guilty. He knew she’d be disappointed and maybe even a tad upset, but it was hardly his fault she wasn’t here, was it? Then again, if she’d decided not to go ahead with her adoption bid, it didn’t matter a fig, so he told himself to enjoy the walk. Which he did, but part of him, a part which up to now he hadn’t known existed, missed her company.
