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“Back to the dog thing, huh? They’re a lot of responsibility.”
“So are babies.”
I frowned. “Babies? We weren’t talking about babies.”
“I’m just saying dogs are easier than kids. Do you like kids?”
“Sure.” I was confused how we’d even gotten onto the topic of children. “Do you like kids?”
“Yeah, Duchess. I like kids.”
My stupid little ovaries perked up at the thought of the brawny, tattooed biker holding a tiny infant.
Brain melted. Ovaries now in control.
We pulled into the parking lot of the animal shelter and I cut the engine. Bones held my hand as we walked toward the building.
“How do your magical powers work?” Bones asked.
I grinned. “I walk the rows. I look at the dogs. When I see one, I ask to spend time with it. I know everyone at the Rose Hill Retirement Community and it just kind of…merges. I don’t know how to explain it.”
“What if you pick out a dog for someone who doesn’t want a dog?”
“Hasn’t happened yet. You can literally see the moment a person falls in love with a dog.”
Bones and I were silent as we walked down the shelter rows. The dogs jumped and put their paws onto the fence, their tails wagging, some of them vocally greeting us.
It tore at my heart. I hated that I couldn’t save them all.
We came to the end of a row and there was a black Shepherd mix that was laying on the cement floor.
I crouched down and softly called to the animal.
It lifted its head and stared at me, but it didn’t get up to investigate.
A volunteer I knew by name came around the corner and stopped when she saw Bones and I at the Shepherd mix’s kennel.
“She came in a few days ago,” Annie said. “We think she’s about six months old. She should have more energy, but Dr. Henderson said there’s nothing physically wrong with her. Best we can figure, she’s depressed.”
“She’s the one,” I said, rising. “Can I take her?”
Annie smiled. “Sure thing. Let me get a leash for you.”
She disappeared around the corner and I heard a door open and close.
“Just like that?” Bones asked.
“Just like that,” I said. “I’ve done this enough that they know the drill.”
“Who’s she going to? Do you have an idea?”
I nodded. “I have an idea.”
I knocked on the apartment door and waited.
“Coming!” A voice called from inside. A moment later, the door opened. Jazz was wearing glasses, her dark hair in a loose braid and she was dressed in a pair of yoga pants and a purple sweatshirt.
“Bones,” she said in surprise. “I didn’t know you were coming.” Her gaze dropped to the dog sitting serenely next to him. “You brought a dog.”
