Page 57 of Happy Harbor
“No, honey, he’s not gone. He’s at home with your brother. He came right back, but then we couldn’t find you.”
“He’s home?” She turned to Josie and grinned. “You were right!”
Josie knew she wasn’t right. The dog likely went around the block and was home before Rebecca even made it to the Riverwalk, but she wasn’t saying a word. Letting kids believe in magic as long as they could was a good thing, she figured. One day they would learn about the cruel world.
“Thank you so much for taking care of her. I was horrified when I looked outside and she was gone,” the woman said, tear tracks staining her cheeks. Josie understood the terror. Once, when Kendra was about three, she got away from her in a grocery store. Those few minutes seemed like hours, and Josie was desperate to find her. Eventually, she found her sitting underneath a display of strawberries.
“Oh, I didn’t do much. Glad you got your dog back,” she said to Rebecca, patting the top of her head before she trotted off with her mother.
“You did a lot.”
She turned to see Walker standing on a nearby boat. “Good Lord! You scared me to death! How long have you been standing there?”
“The whole time.” He stepped off the boat and walked closer. “I work here, remember?”
“You mean you let me walk back and forth looking for the dog and said nothing?”
He smiled. “I was busy. And you seemed to have it handled. I’ve never seen you so...”
“Caring?” she said, chuckling.
“You said it, not me.” He leaned against the railing across from her.
“I care about people. Certain people. And I love animals. Well, certain animals.”
“What animals do you dislike?”
“Do spiders count?”
“No.”
“I suppose I’d dislike a wild boar if I ran across one.”
“That makes sense.”
“I’d better get home,” she said, standing and turning toward the street.
“Hey, Josie?”
“Yeah?”
“I know you don’t care, but I liked seeing that side of you, and I bet a lot of other people would like it too.”
“Don’t get used to it,” she said, laughing as she walked away.
CHAPTERTHIRTEEN
Josie stood in her kitchen and stared at Kendra. “So, you’re going to prom?”
Kendra smiled broadly. “Yes.”
“With who?”
“His name is Scotty. He’s cute, smart, and nice. And he’s on the spectrum, which makes him quirky.”
“On the spectrum? What exactly does that mean?”
“Look it up, Mom. Honestly,” she said, rolling her eyes in true teenager fashion.
