The Sunday Potluck Club

by Melissa Storm

  Bridget stumbled a couple steps backward, not removing her eyes from Amy. “I don’t know, but I can check if it’s important to you.”

  “Please.” Amy wanted Jet, but not if it meant taking him away from a kid. She even suspected she knew which kid had laid claim to him.

  Bridget returned with a stack of applications and thumbed through them until she found the one for Jet. “Oh,” she said, shuffling the papers back into a proper stack. “It’s Olivia Springer.”

  “I thought it might be.” Pushing her disappointment aside, Amy marched down the row of kennels until she reached Jet’s on the end. She waited until he locked eyes with her, and mostly to herself said, “They should get him, Olivia and Trent. I know he’ll make them both very happy. Right, boy?”

  Jet thumped his tail halfheartedly and then laid his head down on top of his paws. Amy didn’t know whether he was signaling his agreement or whether he was simply too tired to care either way.

  “Are you sure?” Bridget asked, stepping closer. “You seemed really excited there for a moment.”

  Amy tore her eyes away from Jet. No sense drawing out the moment for either of them. What was done was done.

  “I don’t know a lot about dogs, but I do know Labs are family dogs,” she said with a smile she hoped her friend believed. “He’ll be happier with them. You said it yourself, I’m a cat expert. Maybe I should stick to what I know.”

  Bridget tsked. “C’mon, Ames. Don’t be like that. You’d be great with a dog. Are you sure you don’t want to put in for Jet?”

  “I’m sure.” She glanced down at the hearts in her hands and spotted Jet’s green and gold one sticking out from the pile.

  “Then how about a different dog?” Bridget suggested.

  “But you said it yourself, we have more applications than adoptable pets. I don’t want anyone to lose out because of me.” Should she be fighting harder for this, or was it right to step aside? An animal represented a big commitment. Was she ready?

  Bridget seemed to think so. She shook her head and took the hearts back from Amy. As she crossed the room to toss them in one of the totes Hazel had brought to pack everything up, she said, “That doesn’t mean that everyone who submitted an application is a good fit for the pet they picked. Tell you what—I know you wanted Jet because of fate and all that. Fill out an application, and I’ll let the staff decide whether you’d be the best fit for one of our dogs. Total roll of the dice.”

  Amy raised an eyebrow at her friend. “And if I’m not?”

  Fate? How much did she trust that anymore? Still, it might be nice to have someone to blame—or thank—other than herself.

  Bridget shook her head and rolled her eyes, all in one dramatic gesture. “Amy, you’re the sweetest person I know. They’re definitely going to pick you.”

  “I agree,” Hazel said from across the room. “Do it, Ames. Adopt yourself a dog.”

  “Yup,” Nichole chimed in from somewhere out of sight. “You need a dog in your life!”

  “Well, then I guess I’m getting a dog,” Amy said with a part-resigned, part-thankful chuckle.

  A few seconds later, Nichole appeared and pressed a blank application into her hands.

  Amy didn’t know which dog the shelter might choose for her, but perhaps it was more fun that way. The experts here would know who would match her lifestyle best. It made sense to leave this decision to them.

  Even if Jet wasn’t meant for her, she loved that he’d be going home with Olivia. That little girl needed the unconditional love, the impartial ear, the loyal friend. When Amy had first seen Jet on that busy street, she’d suspected he wouldn’t survive the winter. But now she knew that Olivia’s love would transform Jet’s life, just as much as he’d change hers.

  Yes, this was how things were meant to work out.

  Jet had run out in front of her car—that much was true. But two vehicles had been involved in the accident that night. Fate had connected him with Trent and Olivia. Amy had simply been there to witness the connection unfold.

  That felt right.

  Thinking of things this way put the decision out of Amy’s own hands. It also excused her meeting and falling for Trent. She’d simply been the vehicle to deliver him to Jet. This love story wasn’t about a man and a woman. It was about a girl and a dog.

  Then again, maybe it was all just dumb luck. Maybe it was also time for Amy to stop putting so much faith in destiny.

  Sometimes things just happened.

  After all, was it fate for Olivia and Amy both to lose their mothers? While it seemed wrong to attribute something bad to kismet, if she were to believe that good things happened for a reason, then she also had to accept that the reverse could be true as well.

  Honestly, she would rather believe that people made their own luck—or at least that they made the best of whatever situation was randomly tossed their way. It was easier on her heart than to think that God had knowingly deprived her first of her father and then her mother; that He had used Amy to help Trent and Olivia find their dog regardless of what such a ploy would do to her heart; that He chose to offer good to some and take it away from others.

  Amy didn’t know the truth when it came to these things, but she knew what would make it easier to get through the day.

  She’d do as Bridget suggested and roll the dice.

  Chapter 27

  The next day at school, Olivia arrived with a huge smile on her face and a photo printout of Jet in her hands. “I’m getting a dog,” she told anyone who would listen. “His name is Jet, and he’s coming home with me this weekend!”

  The other students gathered around to congratulate Olivia. Some asked if they could come over to play with her and Jet. Others shared stories about their own dogs back home, but all seemed truly pleased by this development.

  Olivia, who had never uttered more than single-word answers to her fellow classmates, now stood in the center of her peers telling them everything she could about her new four-legged family member.

  “His name is Jet, and he’s a black Lab mixed with some other kind of dog, but we don’t know what exactly. And after school today, my dad is going to take me to the pet store to pick out a bed and toys and even a new collar for him.” Olivia said this all so fast, she had to stop and take a deep breath after. She held the photo up high, so everyone could see. And for the first time, Amy caught a true glimpse of what Olivia must have been like before her mother died—happy, outgoing, kind. She liked this version of Olivia very much and was proud that she’d gotten to play a small role in bringing her back to the world.

  “Wow, you’re so lucky,” one of the other students remarked with a tinge of sadness. “I wish I had a dog.”

  “I wished I did, too,” Olivia revealed with a huge, toothy smile. “And now I do!” She almost looked as if she’d burst into song, which was the last thing needed to make this a true fairytale moment. There would be no riding off into the sunset with a handsome prince for Amy, but at least the little princess would have her dream fulfilled.

  She was almost sorry to interrupt this special moment so that she could call the class to order, but she had an idea of how to transition into their day nicely. “Okay, everyone!” she called, clapping her hands to turn the attention toward the front of the room. “Olivia shared some very exciting news with us today, but we still need to work on our lessons. Back to your desks, please.”

  The children groaned and shuffled back to their assigned seats.

  Olivia kissed the blurry photo of Jet and tucked it away inside her desk. Amy thought she heard a murmured, “I love you,” but couldn’t be sure.

  Once all the students had settled into their chairs, Amy strode toward the reading corner and searched the little alcove of books until she found the one she’d been looking for. Holding it up for all to see, she announced, “In honor of Olivia’s new dog, we’ll read something special for story time today. It’s about a dog that goes to school. Isn’t that funny?”

 
She returned to the front of the room and propped the colorful book on top of the chalkboard ledge, then clasped her hands and turned back toward her students. “But first, it’s time for your spelling test. Please take out a piece of lined paper and number from one to twenty.”

  For the most part, the day moved quickly, although several times Amy had needed to fight the urge to text Trent and tell him about how well Olivia was socializing with the other children. No, it would just have to wait. Normally, teachers didn’t have a direct line to their students’ fathers, anyway. She settled on tucking a quick note into Olivia’s take-home folder and left it at that.

  During recess time, however, Amy received a new text from Bridget: Our checks are done, and you’re going to be a dog mama! Congratulations, it’s a boy. Picture incoming!

  Amy leaned back against the brick exterior of the school and waited for the photo to load. The connection tended to be ridiculously slow around the campus, which was why she rarely sent pictures. Still, she was eager to find out which dog the shelter had deemed the perfect fit for her.

  Then, when the image finally came through, she laughed and clasped a hand over her mouth. There sat a chubby white dog with long ears and black and brown spots. She knew this dog just as well—probably, better—than she knew Jet.

  It was Darwin, the elderly beagle Bridget had paired her up with for their wintery walk through the park. Of course, it is him!

  She thought back to the morning they’d spent together and tried to remember everything she could, but first she texted Bridget to let her know how pleased she was with her match.

  I love him. Thank you!

  Darwin was definitely suited to her, and her cat would be relieved that she could still easily get away from the stubby-legged, little guy. By the end of this week, she’d have a matched set of geriatric animal companions—one cat and one dog. And with her proclivity for baking, crafting, and remaining single, Amy was more or less an honorary senior citizen herself.

  She messaged Bridget again, getting more and more excited by the minute. When can I pick him up?

  Come by the shelter Saturday morning. We’ll have him ready for you.

  Perfect! Thank you, B! That gave Amy two days to gather everything she needed and to puppy-proof the house. Did you still need to puppy-proof for an older dog? Okay, maybe she hadn’t given this a lot of thought before deciding to submit an application, but still . . . it felt right.

  And as much as she wanted to shuck off the very idea of destiny, it really did seem as if this was meant to be.

  With her urge to text Trent at last gone, she instead stole a few minutes to bring up articles online—beagle breed traits, training an elderly dog, a suggested shopping list for bringing a new dog home. A part of Amy had thought she’d never get the chance to own a dog, given that her mother had been allergic, and it was looking more and more like she might never fall in love, get married, or have children of her own.

  But this small victory, whether or not it was easily gained, felt like a turning point. If one dream could come true, why not another? So what if Trent wasn’t for her? So what if she was rapidly approaching thirty?

  The right guy could still be out there, waiting for her to find him.

  She’d lost her family, but she had all the other trappings of a perfect life—a great job, even better friends, and now a little fur family to call her own, too. She wasn’t ready to put herself out there for a romantic relationship. Not yet.

  But one day she would be.

  Just focus on all the positive things you have going for you, she reminded herself with a small smile. It had been a bad season, but that didn’t make it a bad life. Like Darwin, she was getting a fresh chance at life, too. She could let her near miss with Trent continue to drag her down, or she could chalk it up to a lesson learned. And, oh, she had learned it well.

  How else would she have known that she wasn’t quite ready for a relationship, if not for having briefly tried?

  Olivia had come so far in such a short period of time, and now Amy could, too. Losing her mother, losing Trent, while both hurt terribly, neither had to be anything more than painful losses—for Amy had not lost herself.

  Only misplaced her temporarily.

  But she was back, and now she had a dog.

  Chapter 28

  Amy tugged on her comfiest pair of sweatpants and paired them with a concert T-shirt that she’d owned since high school. It only seemed fitting that she’d don her comfiest outfit for her first day as an official dog owner. After all, she anticipated a lot of running, jumping, crouching, and dog hair in her near future. Thank goodness she had two full days to help Darwin get acclimated before she’d have to return to school on Monday.

  Bridget had asked Amy to be at the shelter right when it opened at ten. Darwin would be there and waiting with everything he needed to go home.

  Home.

  Her home would now include a dog. She’d never had one growing up, because of her mom’s allergies, and she’d known better than to beg and plead, despite her strong desire to have a furry friend. Well, now she’d lost her mother but gained a dog. She’d still take her mom over just about anyone, but found it funny how things worked out sometimes.

  The shelter parking lot appeared mostly empty as Amy pulled into a spot near the front entrance. The icy winds of early morning stung her face, but even so she couldn’t stop smiling.

  Bridget stood waiting for her just inside. “I figured you might be early. Ten minutes early to be exact.”

  No surprise there, since Amy was always ten minutes early for everything. “Is he ready?” she asked, craning her neck to search the lobby but not spotting the dog anywhere.

  “He’s just finishing up after a bath,” Bridget informed her with a pleasant grin that was far more formal than the one she normally wore. “Come with me. I’ll introduce you to my boss here, and she’ll catch you up on Darwin’s history.”

  They walked past the cat room, which Amy noticed held only about half of its original occupants now, and to the very end of the main hall.

  Bridget knocked, then pushed the door open. “Peg, this is Amy Shannon. She’s adopting Darwin,” she announced, extending her arm to motion Amy inside.

  Peg rose to greet Amy, and took Amy’s hand between both of hers. “So good to meet you, Amy,” she said enthusiastically. On her windowsill, a row of solar-powered knickknacks danced in the early morning light. Her walls were covered with the same kind of motivational posters that filled the teachers’ lounge at Amy’s school. The room, like the woman before her, felt cheery and optimistic, as if only good things could come from it.

  “I’ll be back in a few,” Bridget announced before disappearing back down the hallway.

  Peg moved back behind her desk. “Darwin’s a special dog,” she told Amy with a sad smile. “His late owners were actually friends of mine.”

  “The biology professors,” Amy ventured, recalling her first meeting with Darwin and the other rescues at the park.

  Peg nodded and riffled through the stacks of papers on her desk. “They were generous donors for the shelter and good people, too. It saddened me that none of their relatives came through when Darwin needed a new home, but I can tell you’ll give him a very good second chance at a family.”

  “I will,” Amy said with conviction as she gripped the strap on her purse tightly.

  The older woman pushed a bright folder across the desk. Amy recognized it from all the hours she’d spent assisting with the event preparation. “This is Darwin’s going-home folder. It has his health records, history, everything. He’s actually a purebred AKC-registered beagle, not that that does you much good since he’s old and neutered, but it’s a fun fact.”

  Amy nodded along as Peg described Darwin’s diet, routines, likes, and dislikes. Bridget had been spot-on in calling her event Date-a-Rescue, because that’s what it felt like now—the early stage of a relationship when you were eager to learn everything about that special new perso
n in your life. Amy had felt it recently with Trent, but now she had a much healthier relationship to focus on. That of a dog and his person.

  “All done in here?” Bridget asked, popping her head in again about fifteen minutes later.

  “We are.” Peg stood again and took Amy’s hand again. “So nice meeting you.”

  Bridget placed a guiding hand at the small of Amy’s back and led her back through the halls. “Let’s go get your dog.” Her friend looked every bit as delighted as Amy felt.

  When they made their way into the kennels, Amy was surprised to find they weren’t alone. She’d thought that Bridget had staggered arrival times today, but clearly that wasn’t the case.

  Too late, Amy spied a familiar silhouette at the end of the row by Jet’s cage.

  Trent.

  He finished saying something to Olivia, then turned just in time to see Amy staring straight at him. Liv spotted her, too, and came skipping over.

  “Ms. Shannon!” she cried, bouncing up and down. “We’re getting our dog today!”

  “That’s great. Congratulations!” she said around the giant lump in her throat. Why couldn’t today just be about her and Darwin? She didn’t need another reminder that she’d been wrong about the possibilities with Trent, that she’d fallen too hard and too fast for someone who just wasn’t meant for her.

  Olivia surprised Amy with a tight hug around her lower waist, then pulled back, her arms still clinging to Amy’s midsection. “Hey. Wait a sec. What are you doing here?” she asked.

  “I’m getting a dog today, too,” Amy informed her with a chuckle she hoped didn’t sound forced. Her difficulties with Trent weren’t Olivia’s fault, and she wanted to share in the little girl’s enthusiasm unreservedly, the way a teacher normally would with one of her students.

  “Want to see him?” she asked with a fresh smile, a real one.

  “Yes, yes, yes!” Olivia chanted. It was the happiest Amy had ever seen the normally stoic little girl, and her heart did a dance as she led Olivia toward Darwin’s kennel.

  He wasn’t inside, though.