Puppy Kisses

by Lucy Gilmore

  So as soon as that moment of madness had passed, Dawn had settled back and allowed her sisters to lead her to the supersecret surprise. Which, as it turned out, was this house.

  It was a nice enough place, if a little on the suburban side. She watched enough HGTV to know that features like vaulted ceilings and quartz countertops were a thing to be valued, but it all looked a little tame for her tastes.

  “Okay, I give,” she said. “What am I looking at?”

  “Welcome to the future home of the Ford family,” Sophie announced in her best television anchor voice. “It provides over two thousand square feet of modern living, complete with walk-in closets on both floors and a pantry big enough to feed a family of twelve. There’s radiant heating throughout the main floor, and I have it on good authority that there’s a jetted tub in the master suite.”

  Dawn broke into a genuine smile. The house, which had looked so barren before, suddenly took on new meaning.

  “No way, Lil!” she cried. “This place is fantastic.”

  Lila blushingly thanked her. Her sister would never be the sort to fall into rhapsodic ecstasies, but her pink flush betrayed her pleasure.

  “I can’t believe you bought a house without me knowing about it,” Dawn said. “I mean, I can believe it, but you know what I mean. You guys seem so happy where you are.”

  “In the place where we literally live on top of one another and can’t have more than five people over at a time?” Lila asked. She laughed to strip the words of any malice. “It’s silly to be this excited about a house, but what can you do? It took us forever to find one that fits. This one’s still in Emily’s school district, and it’s within walking distance of our old neighborhood, so we won’t lose contact with any of our friends. And it’s big enough for us to stretch our arms and not hit both walls.”

  “It’s not silly.” Dawn handed Sophie her champagne so she could wrap her arms around Lila and give her a hug. She held her long and firmly, making sure her sister knew how happy she was for her. Her own life might be a hot mess of romantic disappointments, but she was genuinely invested in Lila’s happiness. Hers and Sophie’s both. “It’s great. You guys deserve to have everything you want. But I should probably warn you ahead of time that I’m busy the weekend you’re moving in, so don’t count on my muscle or my great trunk space.”

  “I didn’t tell you when we’re moving in.”

  “I know. I’m busy all the weekends until every last box is unpacked and put away.”

  Both Lila and Sophie took this as it was intended, as a complete and utter lie. One of the rules of the Vasquez sisterhood was that all of life’s unpleasant tasks had to be shared. Cleaning toilets, moving to new houses, singing at karaoke bars—none of it was optional and, in the case of that last one, none of it was very good, either.

  “There’s more,” Lila said. She clasped Dawn’s hand and started leading her through the white-and-beige glory of the kitchen to a pair of french doors at the back. “And I think you’re going to really like this part.”

  “Is it a hot tub?” she asked. “A tiki bar? Oh! How about a giant trampoline? I always wanted one of those when we were kids, but you know how Mom gets about things like severed spinal cords. She’s never been any fun.”

  She had every intention of continuing in this vein, running a dialogue of jokes that no one was really listening to, but Lila gave her hand a warm squeeze. That warm squeeze told Dawn everything she needed to know, and none of it was good.

  “Ta-da!” Sophie pushed open the doors and waited while Dawn stepped through to the backyard beyond. “It looks small from here, but wait until you get inside. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

  The smile felt plastered to Dawn’s face as she followed her sisters down a stone path to the two-story detached garage at the end of a huge, rolling lawn. There were plenty of reasons why Lila and Ford might have chosen a house with all this acreage, including the fact that Lila’s seven-year-old stepdaughter would love being able to run around at liberty with her hearing service dog, a cockapoo named Jeeves von Hinklebottom.

  But that, Dawn knew, was a secondary consideration. It wasn’t just Jeeves who would be playing fetch and practicing obedience back here.

  “The people who lived here before used to keep goats,” Lila explained. She pulled out a key and opened the door to the garage. A slightly musty scent mingled with the recent use of organic cleansers. “They also turned the upper story into a mother-in-law suite, so we can set it up as an actual office. No more answering the phone in our underwear or having clients tromp through the living room and kitchen to get to the kennel.”

  “And no more Dawn having to spend every night home alone with the puppies,” Sophie added as the lights flicked on. “Can you believe this place?”

  No, she couldn’t. It was almost too good to be true. After one quick sweep of the main floor of the garage, she could see water hookups, heating and cooling appliances, and plenty of space to set up the individual puppy pens. It was light and bright and airy, and a staircase at the back led up to what she was sure would make an admirable headquarters for this new phase of Puppy Promise.

  “Ford and I have talked about it, and we don’t see any reason why we can’t handle most of the off-hours puppy care between the two of us,” Lila said. Her voice had more vibrato than usual, her excitement difficult to subdue. “Since he works from home and I’m around most of the time anyway, we should be able to set it up so you and Soph only have to come when you’re doing actual training for the clients. Or when we want the occasional weekend or evening off, but Sophie promises that won’t be a problem.”

  “Are you sure?” Dawn asked. “It’s a lot of work, being the only one around at night, and—”

  “And you’ve already done your fair share of it,” Lila finished for her. “I know, Dawn. Sophie and I both do. That’s why this is going to work so well. Ford is weirdly excited about learning the training routines, and Emily has been bouncing off the walls since our offer on the house was accepted. She promises to name any and all of the puppies who haven’t yet been christened. I’m afraid there are a lot of Sir Reginalds and Princess Brandywines in our future.”

  “Princess Brandywine is a beautiful name,” Dawn said, hoping to keep things light. “We could do a whole line of alcohol-themed royalty. I call dibs on King Kahlua.”

  “Taking care of that many puppies is too much for one person,” Lila said, once again ignoring her. “That was the whole point of the three of us living under one roof, the entire reason we started this company in the first place. To share the workload.”

  Dawn opened her mouth and closed it again, searching in vain for the right words. This thing Lila was doing for her—for all of them—was kind and generous and everything that Dawn had asked for.

  “If it’s okay with you, we’ll put the old house and kennel up for sale next week,” Lila said. “It’s going to take a little money to get this place in perfect puppy condition, but there should be plenty left over in your share to put a down payment on another house or get a condo or even…”

  Lila held her hands out to Dawn as if offering her the world. Which, in a way, was exactly what she was doing. That house was the only thing tying her down. As long as those puppies needed a home and a caretaker, Dawn was bound to it. She had rules and responsibilities, had to spend every night with her head on her own pillow.

  “Well?” Lila prodded. “What do you think? Does that timeline work for you?”

  There was a look of anxiety in her large brown eyes, a question that Dawn would have been a monster to answer any other way.

  “It’s perfect,” she said and meant it. With her usual acumen and efficiency, Lila had found a way to solve all their problems, and in such a way that no one would be asked to put forth any more effort than they were willing—and able—to give. “This place is ideal, the puppies will love it, and I c
ouldn’t ask for anything else. But I’m still busy on moving weekend, so don’t even ask.”

  Both Lila and Sophie laughed at that, allowing themselves to be diverted by lighthearted chatter about paint colors and canine running tracks and what licensing paperwork would have to be filed before they could start moving the puppies over. More than anything else, that laughter kept Dawn’s smile pinned in place. Her sisters obviously needed her to be fun, easygoing Dawn Vasquez right now—the fun, easygoing Dawn Vasquez who balked at duty and enjoyed nothing as much as her freedom. In fact, she had the strong suspicion that if she raised one word in protest—one syllable, even—they’d put all their plans on hold until she was ready. Lila would probably even let this house slip through her fingers, asking her whole family to let go of their dream home for the sake of Dawn’s feelings.

  She knew exactly how Lila would sell it, too. Dawn doesn’t have anything else. Dawn doesn’t have anyone else. No matter what life throws at us, we’ll always have each other, but she’s all alone.

  And the worst part was, she’d be right. Dawn had dozens of friends, more family than she knew what to do with, and plenty of hobbies to fill her time.

  But that wasn’t the same as having a husband and daughter, like Lila. It wasn’t the same as having a boyfriend who was desperately in love with her, like Sophie. Even her parents had one of those mushy-eyed romances that spanned the decades. The amount of PDA those two indulged in had been a constant source of mortification in Dawn’s adolescence, though she found it awfully sweet now. They’d been married for thirty-five years and still considered every day they had together a gift.

  “I guess it might not be so far-fetched for you to bring that stolen puppy home as a pet after all.” Lila hooked her arm through Dawn’s as they headed up the stairs to check out the future offices of Puppy Promise, LLC. “Heck, if you get a big enough place, you can start stealing all the dogs you want, and I promise not to say a word.”

  Even though she still felt more like crying than laughing, Dawn forced herself to do the latter. It was what was expected of her, and what was more, it was all she really knew how to do.

  “You’d better be careful with offers like that,” she said and prepared herself to find nothing but delight in the mother-in-law suite on display. “You know me. Now that I’ve had a taste of crime, it’s going to be awfully hard to rein me back in again.”

  Chapter 14

  “Well?” Adam stood hovering in the doorway to the kitchen, anxiously awaiting the results of Marcia’s exam like a father anticipating news of his new baby. “How’s she doing? Does she get the all clear? Is she safe to travel?”

  Marcia’s laugh told him everything he needed to know.

  “Relax, Adam. She’s great. More than great, actually. You’ve got one very healthy and surprisingly happy golden retriever on your hands.” She laughed again as Gigi’s low, playful growl indicated that she was trying to tempt the veterinarian into a game of tug-of-war. “And not the least bit afraid of me, it seems.”

  “Sorry. She’s a bit spoiled.”

  “A bit?” Marcia groaned as she presumably rose to her feet. “I’ve never seen a dog go from malnourished to pure menace in such a short time.”

  He was about to apologize again when Marcia placed a hand on his shoulder.

  “Good for you. It takes someone special to be able to manufacture that kind of transformation. I’m not saying you won’t see signs of her early trauma crop up from time to time—that’s inevitable—but there’s no question that she made it over the worst hump with flying colors. She’s good to go wherever you want to take her.”

  It should have been a moment of triumph. After only five weeks, the healing effects of Uncle and Dawn and the good Dearborn Ranch air had done their work. Uncle supported her, Dawn trained her, and Dearborn Ranch gave her room to explore. That magical trifecta meant that Gigi wasn’t just physically healed; she also displayed a mental resilience they could all be proud of.

  “Where are you taking her, if you don’t mind my asking?”

  And that, right there, was the only dark spot.

  “I’m not,” Adam replied. Gigi bounded over to him and pawed at his leg in a plea for affection. Dawn had instructed him not to give in, to ask her to sit patiently until her good behavior warranted attention, but he gave in anyway. As he crouched down and began lavishing Gigi with love and a scratch on her favorite spot right underneath her left ear, he could practically hear Uncle sighing his disapproval.

  Too bad. Wise, sober Uncle could judge him all he wanted. It wouldn’t change his mind. If this was going to be his last day with Gigi, he was going to indulge in a little ear scratching.

  “I’m going to send her home with Dawn today,” he said. The words felt stiff on his tongue, but he hoped that the more he said them, the easier they’d come out. “As much as I’d like to keep her with me, it’s not practical. It’s time she went to her forever home.”

  “Oh, how sad!” Marcia quickly added, “Not that she’s going to live with Dawn, of course. Just that you’ll have to say goodbye. This puppy obviously means something to you. Hear how fast her leg is thumping?”

  Adam stood up so abruptly that his head swam, and Gigi whimpered her displeasure at being abandoned when he was getting to the good part. He relished the dizzy feeling, welcoming how off-balance and uncomfortable it made him. It was a feeling he was going to have to get used to—disappointing the females in his life, learning to live in a world without them.

  “This isn’t the place for her,” he said, his words necessarily curt. “Not for the long term, anyway. I’ve known it from the start. To keep her here any longer than necessary would only be cruel.”

  “Yes,” Marcia agreed. “It would.”

  “So I’m saying goodbye,” he added. There was no need to keep going. Marcia knew and understood animals better than anyone. She also knew and understood him better than anyone. “It’s going to be hard enough for her to move on as it is. Better to rip the bandage off now.”

  Marcia’s hand came down on his shoulder again, this time lingering long enough for her to squeeze and hold the pressure. “Are you sure it’s her attachment you’re worried about?”

  There was no use pretending—not now, not with Marcia. He had no idea if she knew that Gigi was only part of the equation, but he needed to say this to someone, if only to keep himself from breaking down when Dawn arrived.

  He allowed the detached facade he’d been wearing all morning to fade. “You’re right. It’s me who’s really going to suffer. I don’t know what I’m going to do without her.”

  There was no opportunity to hear what words of wisdom Marcia had to offer him. He had the feeling she’d do what she always did, which was gently question him—never pushing harder than he was comfortable with, never forcing him to say or do anything he didn’t want to. It was one of the things he appreciated most about her…and also one of the things that made him appreciate Dawn that much more.

  Dawn pushed him. Dawn opened him up to experiences he’d never known existed. Dawn didn’t shy away from difficult conversations.

  Dawn put herself out there, wholly and wholeheartedly, and damn the consequences.

  She’d done it yesterday, offering him the sole use and glory of her body for no reason other than that she wanted to. She was doing it again today, bursting in the front door with the ringing, musical tones of her laugh.

  “Is that Marcia’s van I see out in the drive?” she called.

  Her answer was the full-force skitter of Gigi’s nails on the hardwood as the puppy shot out to greet her preceptress. Witnessing how happy the golden retriever was to see Dawn was a consolation, but Adam’s heart still hung like a wrecking ball in his chest.

  “It sure is,” Marcia replied. She squeezed Adam’s shoulder one more time, making him think that she did know more about this situation than she let on. Th
at, too, was only half a consolation. “I’ve just been telling Adam the good news. Methuselah—Gigi—whatever it is you’re calling her these days—has the all clear from me. You guys have done wonders in terms of her recovery.”

  “The all clear?” Dawn asked. “All clear for what?”

  Adam had hoped to make his capitulation in private, but that didn’t seem to be in the cards. Making the most of the situation, he shrugged and said the words he’d been practicing for days. “You win.”

  “I win? Like…a prize? A million dollars? An all-expenses-paid trip to Cabo?” She heaved a playful sigh. “I hope it’s that last one. I could use a vacation.”

  “You and me both,” Marcia said. “I can’t remember the last time I saw the bottom of a margarita glass.”

  “Then don’t be surprised to find me standing on your front porch one of these days with a pitcher of Don Julio’s finest. You’ve laid the challenge on me. I won’t rest until you’ve seen the bottom of at least a dozen.”

  A lot of people would have made an offer like that purely for form’s sake, but Dawn meant it. Even on such a short acquaintance, Marcia could tell. All Dawn had to do was bring a bottle of tequila, and her presence became a party.

  “You’re an absolute darling. Anytime this week would be great—just make it after six. My husband’s been dying to meet you.”

  Adam was tempted to ask her to make it right now instead, whisking Dawn and Gigi out of here before he lost his resolution, but Marcia made her excuses and bid farewell to the puppy.

  “Make sure you bring Gigi when you come, yeah?” she added before she stepped out the front door. “Our home is open to both people and dogs.”

  “That’s nice, but how do you feel about rogue cows?”