Page 61 of Not Mine to Rescue

“Jim, if Denise wants a dog, you both need to get one of your own.”

You tell him, baby.

Her voice turned biting. “Maybe we need to revisit the agreement again?”

That’s right, sue that bastard.

Whatever Jim said made her flush red. Molly whined. Shit. I pulled her head close and let both dogs use me as furniture.

The call ended shortly after.

Honoria stared at the pile on her couch. “Jim wants to introduce Molly to Jacob.”

Her voice didn’t sound right. “Right now?”

She shook her head. “This weekend.” Her quick head turn tried to hide the tears in her eyes, but she was too late. I’d seen them.

Chapter Sixteen

Honoria

My therapist deserved a raise. I’d snuck in an appointment early Friday. But we’d spent most of the discussion talking about Wombat. I swear she was fixated on the wrong things. What she should have been preparing me for was five hours of Jim and Denise the following day.

And Jacob. Let’s not forget that little…

I tried really hard to focus on Molly. No one knew how she’d react to an infant. But it was plain to see that Molly had a mothering streak a mile wide. One sniff and she practically kept her nose plastered to his skin.

She breathed him in like he was ambrosia.

I made an excuse to make a call. I retreated to the three-quarter porch that most days was the best room of the house, but today held a chill that just wouldn’t let go. I shivered as I tried to figure out an excuse to call Wombat. But I couldn’t think of anything.

There were footsteps in the hall behind me, so I dialed quickly. He picked up on the fourth ring. The noise was loud where he was.

“Hey, hang on a minute, I gotta find somewhere quiet.”

There were voices in the background, and yet the music was somehow louder. Denise poked her head in and saw me on the phone.

“I’ll hold.” I pretended this was important and quickly held a finger up at Jim’s wife so she’d get the hint not to interrupt. “Yes, that’s right, Mr. Blessing.”

Wombat would hate that I was using him to avoid talking to her.

Denise smiled and sent a little wave at me, promising to come back later.

I breathed a sigh of relief as soon as she left. The volume on the other end of the call decreased dramatically.

“What’s this mister shit?” Wombat sounded amused and not angry.

“I’m at Jim and Denise’s.”

A beat of silence, then, “Right, how the meet and greet go?”

Too goddamn well. “Molly likes him.”

“She likes everybody.”

I sighed. “She really likes him. Fixated.”

“Oof. Are you staying?”