The Chesapeake Diaries Series 7-Book Bundle: Coming HOme, Home Again, Almost Home, Hometown Girl, Home for the Summer, The Long Way Home, At the River's Edge

by Stewart, Mariah

  “I imagine there’s a groomer in town somewhere.” Berry was momentarily disconcerted. There was no question that there would be no fleas in her house.

  “You’d need to make an appointment, and it’s late in the day.” Grant took both leashes. “Leave them. We’ll take care of them and we’ll bring them over as soon as we’re done.”

  “Do you offer to do this for everyone who adopts one of your dogs?” Berry asked.

  “Nope.” Grant grinned. “Only you, Miss B.”

  “Well then, how can we refuse?”

  “What’s a good time to drop them off?” Grant asked her.

  “Anytime they’re ready.” Berry smiled, an idea taking hold. “Does seven work for you?”

  “Sure.”

  “Then come at seven, you and Paige.” Berry started for her car. “And plan on staying for dinner.”

  “That’s not necessary, Miss B,” Grant told her. “Paige and I can eat before we come over.”

  “Nonsense. Seven it is. Cody, say good-bye to Fleur and Ally and tell them you’ll see them in a little while.”

  Berry walked to the driver’s side of the sedan and looked over her shoulder. Ally was exactly what she needed in her life. She’d known it the minute she looked into the dog’s eyes. Ally was meant to be hers. Sometimes we don’t know what we need until it’s right under our nose.

  Next to the barn, Grant and Dallas appeared to be deep in conversation. Berry smiled with secret satisfaction. They made such a handsome couple. They always had.

  Well, Berry thought, whether or not Dallas knows it, what she needs is a second chance at her meant-to-be. Berry was willing to move heaven and earth if necessary to make sure she took it.

  Diary ~

  Well, I suppose wonders will never cease to happen around here! Berry tells me that not only has Dallas decided to stay in St. Dennis for the rest of the summer (which has Berry dancing on air!). And now I’m hearing that Berry has taken in not one, but TWO dogs! Yes, I said DOGS! Can you imagine dogs running amok in that house, with all those antiques and ancient Persian rugs? Of course, it all makes sense only when one considers that the dogs came from the animal rescue that Grant Wyler runs. The intent, so I understand, was to get a dog for Cody, one that Berry perhaps might keep after the boy goes home, but she left the shelter with an old dog who’d been abandoned by the family of its late owner as well. Who’d have guessed that the old girl—Berry, not the dog—would be such a sucker for a sad tale?

  I wouldn’t have known any of this had I not been passing by Petals and Posies at the exact moment that Grant was coming out with an armful of dahlias, which he said were for Berry, who’d invited him and Paige for dinner that very evening because he offered to bring the dogs to her. Of course, he said he’d offered to drop off the dogs because they’d gotten muddy or some such thing, but goodness, he’s telling this to me with a straight face as if I don’t know the real reason he wants to pay a visit to the house on River Road! Ha! As if I don’t know why Berry issued the dinner invitation in the first place! This is a situation that definitely bears watching!

  Speaking of situations that bear watching, my dear friend Trula is coming for a long weekend next month, and I must plan some fun activities. Trula tells me there’s a wedding in the future for someone near and dear to her, and she’s lobbying to have the whole thing—ceremony and reception—at the Inn. Daniel is beside himself at the very thought. I reminded him once again that if he’s going to take on events of that grand scale, he needs to hire a professional event planner. Specifically, he should hire his sister. And once again, my counsel fell on deaf ears. He continues to argue that if Lucy wanted to come home, she’d do so—and I continue to argue that perhaps Lucy would come home if she had something to come home to! When, I’d like to know, do your children cease to drive you mad?!

  Perhaps it’s time to prod Vanessa into looking for those journals of Alice’s once again. You’d think that having bought Alice’s old house with the contents intact, the girl would be more curious about what’s in all those trunks in the attic. Berry says she has notes but the ink has faded over the years and she can’t read them. Sigh.

  ~ Grace ~

  Chapter 10

  “Berry, are you sure it was a good idea to invite Grant and Paige for dinner?” Dallas glanced back through the passenger-side mirror at the father and daughter as they disappeared into the clinic with the dogs. “And what ever possessed you to take both dogs?”

  “The same dog wouldn’t suit both Cody and me. He needs a playmate. I need a companion. One of us would have missed out if we’d only gotten one dog.” Berry stopped the car at the end of the drive and waited until an oncoming SUV passed before proceeding onto the road. “Besides, as you pointed out once before, it would be very hard on Cody to leave behind a dog he’d become attached to when you leave to go back to California at the end of the summer.”

  Berry paused, then added, “Dallas, promise me that if something happened to me, you wouldn’t send Ally to a shelter.”

  “Of course I wouldn’t.” Dallas turned to her aunt. “But nothing’s going to happen to you anytime soon. I think you’ll probably be around to watch me grow old.”

  “No one lives forever, dear.”

  “Berry, is there something you’re not telling me?” A concerned Dallas studied Berry’s face for a hint.

  “Of course not. No need for drama, dear. But it is a proven fact that sooner or later, everyone …” Berry looked in the rearview mirror, where Cody was hanging on every word. “Well, the old dust-to-dust thing. You know. I only brought it up because of what Grant told us about Ally’s owner passing and her daughter immediately discarding her mother’s dog. Her mother’s much-loved dog.”

  “Maybe she was allergic,” Dallas offered weakly.

  “I don’t care. It was inexcusable. Allergy or no, she could have made some efforts to find another home. Perhaps with the brother who lives in Maine. Or a neighbor.” Berry sniffed with indignation. “My feeling is that she didn’t want to be bothered. I don’t expect such behavior from you.”

  “Why do I suddenly feel like a scolded fourth grader?” Dallas muttered.

  “Sorry, dear. It just upset me, that sweet little creature being tossed aside like that. I know you’d do right by Ally. And by me.”

  “It’s interesting to see you so worked up over this,” Dallas observed. “Especially since you’ve never had a pet of any kind before.”

  “You don’t need to be an animal lover to know right from wrong.”

  “Well, at least give the woman credit for taking Ally to a place where she’d be kept instead of …” Dallas remembered that Cody was listening and didn’t want to get into a discussion of what “put down” meant. “Well, you know. Or for not just opening the door and letting the dog run off.”

  “Dallas, you always amaze me.” Berry chuckled. “You always seem to come up with some means of making crass people look not so bad.”

  “Dad always said to look for the best in people. That everyone had some redeeming feature and it was our job to look for it, even when it seemed futile.” Dallas smiled. “Especially when it seemed futile, because those were the people who needed our kind thoughts the most.”

  “You do know where your father got that from, don’t you?”

  “Where?”

  “From my grandmother Priestly. She beat it into all of us at a young age. She always said she never met anyone who didn’t have a soul, and we needed to find the best in them.” Berry glanced over at Dallas. “Of course, Grandmother Priestly never worked in Hollywood.”

  The car made a right turn into a parking lot, where Berry eased into a spot under the canopy of a magnolia tree.

  “I’m going to pop into the market to pick up a few things for dinner,” Berry said. “Why don’t you and Cody run across the street to that pet shop and pick up some dog supplies. Food and toys and whatever else dogs like.”

  “Good idea.” Dallas unfastened her seat be
lt and opened her car door. “What do you think, Cody?”

  Cody nodded vigorously. “I think Fleur would like some toys to play with.” He unstrapped his belt and hopped out after his mother opened his door for him.

  “Berry, you never did answer me about inviting Grant and Paige for dinner tonight.”

  “What was the question again?” Berry paused on her way to the market.

  “I asked if you were sure it was a good idea to invite them. It’s five forty-five already and I’ll bet you ten bucks that you don’t even know what you’re going to serve.” Dallas stood on the sidewalk, one hand on Cody’s shoulder to hold him back from rushing across the street to the pet shop.

  “If I hadn’t thought it was a good idea, I wouldn’t have invited them. I can tell time, so I am aware of the hour. And you owe me ten dollars. Anything else?” Berry stood poised impatiently, about to enter the market.

  “I guess not.” Dallas bit her bottom lip to keep from smiling.

  “Good.” Berry proceeded to nab one of the small shopping carts and went through the automatic door.

  The rush-hour traffic had mostly cleared out, but there were still some fast-moving cars on Charles Street, so Dallas took Cody’s hand as they crossed to the other side. The shop was two doors down. The front window displayed sundresses, bathing suits, and sleeveless T-shirts with KILLER or SECURITY in black block letters.

  “Mommy, I think Aunt Berry was wrong.” Cody tugged at her arm. He pressed his face to the glass. “I think this is a store for kids.”

  Dallas took a step back to check the name of the shop. The sign over the window assured her that yes, this was in fact the right place. A smaller sign urged you to come in and ACCESSORIZE YOUR PET!

  “Furry kids.” Dallas pointed to the sign overhead.

  BOWWOWS AND MEOWS—ACCESSORIES FOR LES CHIENS AND LES CHATS.

  Cody screwed up his face and asked, “What does that say?”

  “It’s the name of the store—Bowwows and Meows. Les chiens means ‘the dogs,’ and les chats means ‘the cats’ in French. It says they sell accessories for dogs and cats.” She pointed into the window. “See? There are some cute leashes and collars over on the side of the window display.”

  “Why do dogs need bathing suits?” He was riveted to the spot, staring.

  “They don’t, sweetie. And they don’t really need sundresses or T-shirts, either.”

  “Jack in my school? His mom came to pick him up one day and she had her dog in the car and the dog had on a dress.” Cody turned and looked up at her. “Fleur and Ally don’t wear dresses, do they?”

  She shook her head. “And they’re not going to. Let’s go inside to see what things they do have that our new dogs might like.”

  “Toys, I think.” He followed her to the door and went on in when she opened it. “And a bowl for food and a bowl for water.”

  He went immediately to the rack of collars and leashes and ran his hands over a stream of leashes that were hanging from a wall unit. He held out a bright orange one. “This would be good for Fleur.”

  “It’s certainly bright.” Dallas almost had to back away from the horrendous neon shade.

  “I like it. I think it would be pretty on Fleur.”

  “Maybe this green would be better.” She held an alternative between her thumb and index finger, but Cody shook his head.

  “I like the orange one.”

  Dallas shrugged. It was his dog. If he wanted Fleur to wear orange, orange it would be.

  “And we need one for Ally, too,” he reminded her.

  “Perhaps something a little more subdued for Ally.” Something that won’t give Aunt Berry a headache. “This red one would be very pretty on Ally, don’t you think?”

  Cody shook his head. “Aunt Berry’s favorite color is purple.” He grabbed the purple leash and matching collar. “She would like this one best for Ally.”

  “Oh, good call. Ally gets the purple.” Dallas held up the different sizes and tried to determine which would be best for each dog.

  “May I help you?” A woman appeared from behind the counter and began to artfully arrange a stack of canine T-shirts on a round table.

  “We’re getting a new dog,” Cody announced importantly. “Two new dogs.”

  “Well, isn’t that wonderful.” The woman looked over her shoulder. “What kind of dogs are you getting?”

  “A small and white and fluffy for me,” he told her, “and a golden one for Aunt Berry. We are rescuing them.”

  The woman looked over Cody’s head to Dallas, then took a second look. “You’re Dallas MacGregor.”

  “Yes.” Dallas nodded.

  “We heard you were in St. Dennis for a visit.” She put down the stack of shirts.

  Before Dallas could ask who the “we” might be, the back door of the shop opened and a boy around Cody’s age came in.

  “Gramma,” he called, “I’m here.”

  The woman smiled. “I’m out front with a customer, Logan.”

  Cody peered around the woman, then grabbed his mother’s arm and pointed to the boy excitedly. But before Cody could speak, the boy was almost to the front of the store.

  “Hey,” he called, a big grin spreading across his face. “Cody!”

  “Hey, Logan.” Cody took off to meet the boy halfway up the aisle.

  “Did you see the fishes in the tank?” Logan pointed to a huge fish tank.

  “We’re buying a leash for our new dogs,” Cody told him with equal exuberance as his friend pulled him over to the fish tank. “And a collar and toys, too.”

  “You got a dog?” Logan looked envious.

  “Well, we’re getting it—them—tonight. We’re getting two!” Cody held up two fingers.

  “Lucky duck!” Logan was wide-eyed. “My mom won’t let me have a dog because she’s allergic.”

  “You can come to my aunt Berry’s house and play with my dog,” Cody offered. “Mommy, Logan can come and play after library tomorrow, can’t he?”

  Dallas opened her mouth to say something appropriate, like, As long as Aunt Berry doesn’t mind, when Berry came through the door.

  The two boys ran off to the fish tank, and Logan began to point out the different kinds of fish to Cody.

  “Dallas, I have fish in the car so we can’t dilly-dally,” Berry said. She smiled absently at the woman next to Dallas, then smiled with more warmth and said, “Why, Hannah, is that you? For heaven’s sake, how long has it been?”

  “Five years,” the woman replied, and reached for Berry’s hand. “It’s good to see you, Berry.”

  “And good to see you, too, Hannah. I was so sorry to hear about Dave.…”

  Dallas’s attention drifted to the water and food bowls on a nearby shelf.

  “Thank you, Berry. It’s been a hard year for all of us.”

  “Did I hear you’d moved to South Carolina?”

  The woman named Hannah nodded. “We turned the farm over to our son when Dave decided to retire. We bought a place in Myrtle Beach and no sooner were we settled in when Dave had that first heart attack.”

  Berry reached a hand to her. “I do recall hearing about his heart attack. I’m so sorry, Hannah.”

  Dallas began to sort through the bowls. Maybe the pink one that said PRINCESS in fancy script for Fleur? Should we worry about the bowl clashing with the collar?

  “Thank you. For years he was fine. Then he had the second one, and, well, that’s all she wrote. Sometimes even now it’s hard to remember that he’s gone.” She tucked Dallas’s purchases into a bag. “I stayed in South Carolina because it was too hard to face coming back here alone. Then my daughter lost her husband in Iraq two years ago, and she was all at loose ends. She moved in with me for a time, but after a while we both agreed that it was time to come back to St. Dennis. We’d stayed away too long. Brooke had Logan, and with my son here in town, well, it just seemed like the right time to move back.”

  Dallas held a white bowl with black paw prints in one
hand, and a green one with dog bones in the other, when her ears picked up.

  Brooke?

  She tried to recall if there’d been more than one Brooke in St. Dennis back in the day.

  “I’m happy to see you, Hannah.” Berry squeezed the woman’s arm. “I’m glad you came back.”

  “I appreciate that. We’ve only been back a short time. I needed to do something, so I looked around town and found that no one had a place where you could buy fun things for your dog or cat. We’d noticed that all the dogs in the cities were wearing little coats in the winter and little T-shirts, so I thought this might fly here.”

  “How’s that going for you?”

  “Sales are brisker with the tourists for the fancy dog clothes—the ‘Discover St. Dennis!’ tee is especially popular—but local folk seem to like the different collars and leashes and the toys best.”

  Berry picked up a white tee from the table and read the front of it aloud. “ ‘My owner went to St. Dennis and all I got was this lousy T-shirt.’ ” She turned to Dallas. “Dear, you might remember Hannah’s daughter, Brooke Madison. I believe she was about your age.”

  “The name rings a bell,” Dallas replied with a slow nod.

  “Mommy, did you ask Aunt Berry if Logan can come over and play?” Cody was at her elbow pleading.

  Berry refolded the T-shirt and turned around. “Oh, it’s Logan from the story hour.” To Hannah, she said, “Logan is your grandson?”

  Hannah nodded.

  Berry replaced the shirt on the table. “Of course Logan is welcome. As long as his mother and grandmother approve, he can come home with us from the library tomorrow.”

  “That might be a nice change for him,” Hannah said thoughtfully. “We’re all staying at the farm. There aren’t any children his age out that way, so he hasn’t really had many playmates this summer. He’s been going to the library story hour and to that day camp at the park every other day, but he gets rammy after he’s been home for a few hours with no one to play with.”

  “Do you want to check with his mother?” Dallas came back into the conversation, her arms piled with dog bowls.