Page 7 of A Baby for Christmas
"Aw, I'm sure. He's such a good boy," Robin said, petting the Retriever. "Finding the puppy likethat."
I walked to the dresser next to the front door where I'd placed the note the boy who rang the door earlier had given me. It had his phone number on it. Max barked again as if he knew I was going to call the boy and he was ready to go home. What a little rascal. Still holding the sleeping puppy on one arm, I got out my smart phone, dialed the number, andwaited.
"Hello?" The young boy's voice greeted me on the other end of theline.
"Hi, this is Benjamin Ravan. I believe I've found your dog. Is he big, yellow and verytrusting?"
The kid gave an audible sigh of relief. "Yes, that's him! I'll come get him. What's theaddress?"
I gave it tohim.
"Thank you so much, sir!" he said before hanging up. Nice kid. I was glad to be able to reunite him with his dog. Putting the phone away, I looked back at Robin, who was still petting thedog.
"I wonder if I know your owner," he mused, stroking hisfur.
"You probably do," I commented, walking over to the fridge so I could give the dog a treat. I had no idea what I was going to feed the puppy when he was up, but for now, I could throw Max a slice ofham.
"I don't teacheverykid in Oceanport," Robin gaveback.
"No, but most of them," I said, trying not to get run over by the Retriever, who had noticed the ham in my hand. Robin taught fourth grade at Oceanport Elementary School. Why the hell he wanted to go back to school after everything he'd been through, I had no idea, but he claimed to like hisjob.
Once Max had received his treat, I wrapped the puppy up in a blanket and set him down on thecouch.
"We'll have to find a name for him," Robinsaid.
"If we can't find the owner, yes." Secretly, I was already kind of wishing that we wouldn't find the owner. The tiny dog was starting to grow on me. He was just so cute and warm. I knew alphas weren't supposed to be enamored with cute things, but whoever made up that stupid rule had clearly never held apuppy.
Only a few minutes after I'd taken care of the puppy, the doorbell rang. "C'mon, Max," I called the Retriever to me. "Time to go home." Max didn't need to be prompted; he ran to the door as if he knew exactly who was on the other side of it. When I opened it, I was faced with the red-haired boy from earlier, accompanied by a grown-up alpha—probably his dad, judging by the haircolor.
"Max!" The boy called out and then dropped to his knees to let the dog slobber all over hisface.
"We're very sorry to trouble you," the alpha addressed me. "Thank you for finding our dog and calling. Christmas was about to beruined."
"It was no trouble, Mr. Hayes." Robin spoke up from behind me. "Please enjoy yourChristmas."
Mr. Hayes nodded. "Thank you. We'll be more careful from now on." He looked around. "You have a nice house. I didn't know you livedhere."
Right, I'd only givenmyname on the phone. The alpha hadn't expected to run into a teacher he mightknow.
"Oh, I don't live here," Robin said, growing visibly uncomfortable. I understood only too well. He'd been spotted in an unmated alpha's house in the middle of the night. This was Oceanport. There were going to be rumors. As a teacher, Robin had a reputation to protect. "We're just friends," he added, as if that could ward off any potential talk the town could get upto.
"I see. Don't worry," Mr. Hayes said with a kindexpression.
"We're not here to get you in trouble," the boy added. "Thank you so much for findingMax!"
"You're welcome. Max wasn't the only dog we found either," Robin said with a twinkle in his eyes. "Turns out Max spotted a puppy in Ben's backyard. Your dog is a truehero."
"Apuppy?"
"Yes, he's sleeping on the couch now," I said, not wanting anyone to disturb the littleone.
"Do you think someone abandoned him?" Mr. Hayesasked.
"Maybe," Iagreed.
He shook his head. "Awful. In any case, we know a good vet if you need one. One who won't mind getting up to work on Christmas morning to help a puppy in need. Here, let me give you theirnumber."
"Thank you. That would begreat."
