Page 11 of A Forever Home
Della pushed open her car door as well to get some air. It wasn’t all that fresh. Instead, it was tinged with gasoline and cigarettes. She coughed, preparing to close the door again when a dog came dashing toward her with a friendly bark.
“Well, hello to you as well.” Della didn’t stick her hand out immediately because the furry canine might be rabid. It timidly approached her with a wagging tail, panting softly as its tongue lopped out of its mouth. There was no collar on the dog’s neck, and it appeared to be thin and dirty. “Where’s your owner?” Della asked.
The dog took another step closer.
“Are you hungry?” She turned back toward the center console, where she had a piece of bread she’d pulled out of her bag. It was homemade bread that she’d packed for her trip. She broke off a piece and held it out to the stray. It stepped closer, sniffed, and then pulled it into its mouth quickly, eyes trained on her the entire time.
“It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you,” Della said quietly.
“There you are!” a man said, taking quick steps toward the car. He was wearing a shirt with the gas station’s logo. “I’m sorry if the dog is bothering you, ma’am,” he told Della.
“Oh, he’s not bothering me at all.”
“Well, she’s been bothering me for about two weeks now. Every time I call the animal shelter to come get her, that rascally stray is MIA.” The man addressed the dog, pointing his finger. “Not this time, girl. They’ll be here any minute, and then you are going to doggy jail.” The man laughed like that was funny.
Della didn’t find the humor in that prospect, though. She looked into the dog’s sad eyes. “She’s been hanging out here for two weeks?” she asked the gas station attendant.
“Maybe longer than that.”
“Where’s her owner?”
“Don’t know,” the man said. “Whoever it is must not care too much if they didn’t even put a collar on her. I’ve searched the local message boards to see if anyone’s missing her. Nothing.” He pointed at the dog a second time. “Enjoy your freedom while you can, sweetheart. Because in a few minutes, you’re gonna be locked up.” He laughed again and then waved at Della as he headed back inside the gas station.
Della flicked her gaze up to see Roman exiting the station. She nibbled her lower lip some more. Then, on an inhale, she stepped out of the car, opened the back passenger-side door, and whispered to the dog, “Hop in, girl.”
The dog didn’t waste any time. It jumped in the back seat and settled on the floorboard. Della closed the door and plopped back into her seat. She closed her own door behind her and faced forward. When Roman took the driver’s seat, he was all business.
He glanced over. “You okay?”
She nodded quickly, hoping he wouldn’t see the dog until they had at least left the gas station parking lot. She couldn’t stand the thought of the poor thing being hauled away to a shelter, where it would likely go unadopted and might even be put down. “Yep.” She rolled her lip between her teeth.
“All right,” Roman said, setting the car into motion. “Next stop Somerset Lake.”
Chapter Four
Della broke off a piece of her bread and glanced over at Roman. He seemed to be lost in thought, so she reached behind her seat and handed off the bread.
The dog was surprisingly quiet. It sniffed and took the bread. The poor thing was starving. And scared. All alone. What was she to do?
“My boys have asking for a dog for Christmas,” she told Roman.
He glanced over. “A dog? That’s a pretty big request. Are you getting them one?”
Della shrugged. “Maybe so.”
“What kind of dog?” he asked.
“Oh, probably a rescue of some sort. Maybe a brown one with a white patch of fur on its forehead.”
He gave her a humorous look. “That’s pretty specific.”
“Do you like dogs?” she asked, resisting pulling her lip between her teeth. That was a sure telltale that she was hiding something.
“I like them well enough. I don’t have one of my own. I agree that finding a dog in need of a home is the way to go. I’m sure your boys would be happy if you got them a pet.” His cell phone buzzed again, and Roman looked unnerved.
Della held out her hand. “Mind if I talk to her?”
Roman gave her an are-you-crazy look. “What?”
