For Keeps

by Rachel Lacey

  If he agreed to foster? Merry Atwater was too pushy for her own good. “No. If you want to bring foster dogs to my camp, you’ll bring an assistant.”

  She stared at him for a beat of silence. “Fine.”

  “For now, we’re agreed on you and Ralph participating in the camp, in exchange for a thousand-dollar donation to Triangle Boxer Rescue. I’ll give you five hundred now, and five hundred upon the successful completion of the camp.”

  Something flickered in her eyes, something raw and desperate, and again he was struck by the uncomfortable feeling that she needed his money more than she was letting on.

  But she blinked it away and nodded. “That sounds fair.”

  “All right then, I look forward to working with you and Ralph. I’ll decide on the rest after I’ve met the other dogs.”

  Merry stuck out a hand. “You have a deal.”

  They shook, and he tried not to notice how soft and feminine her hand felt in his.

  After she’d driven away, T.J. stood for a long time, stroking Tango’s neck. He should feel relieved. He’d secured a well-qualified therapy dog for his camp. But he couldn’t quite find his balance, and he suspected the spinning sensation was caused by a one-woman tornado named Merry Atwater.

  * * *

  Merry fist pumped the roof of the CR-V. Ralph cocked his head at her. “We’ve got this in the bag, don’t you think?”

  He panted happily in agreement.

  Her impromptu meeting with T.J. had gone far better than anticipated. Her thousand-dollar donation was a done deal—or half of it was anyway—and she felt pretty sure he’d agree to use her foster dogs in his program as well.

  He’d made a rookie mistake, agreeing to meet the dogs with Noah around. Her gut said the boy was going to fall in love, and what uncle could say no to a boy begging him to keep one? She was betting T.J. couldn’t. He had a major soft spot for his nephew.

  Still smiling, she pulled out her phone and dialed Olivia. “Hey, can I ask a huge favor?”

  “Not if it involves taking in another dog,” her friend answered.

  “It involves a dog, but he doesn’t have to stay with you.”

  “Okay,” Olivia said.

  “Could you go to Carla’s house tomorrow, pick up Bosley, and bring him to T. J. Jameson’s farm?”

  “Sure, but why?”

  “Because Carla’s got a broken leg and can’t drive, and I want T.J. to consider Bosley for his summer camp. Actually, I want him to foster him for me too. His nephew’s going to be there, and I’m hoping he won’t be able to say no in front of Noah.”

  Olivia laughed. “You sneaky bitch.”

  “All for the greater good. If he fosters Bosley, then I can place Amber with Carla.”

  “Sure, just let me know when and where to take him.”

  “I’ll email you later.” Merry decided not to mention the other half of her agreement yet, that if T.J. agreed to use her foster dogs, she’d bring a helper. She’d find a way to sweet-talk Olivia into it. Knowing Liv, she’d do it just for the chance to look at T.J. every morning.

  He was definitely giving Merry hot flashes. If she’d thought him sexy before, he’d ratcheted right off the charts astride his horse. Perfection, both of them. A flawless team of man and beast.

  She respected that and the way he treated his animals. He might not share her views on animal rescue, but he handled his horses with affection and respect and he cared for sick and injured livestock for a living, after all. She trusted that he’d take proper care of her dogs.

  Her phone rang, and she snatched it from her purse, glancing at the display. “Hi, Dad.”

  “Hey, sweetie. Just checking to see if you’re coming to The Watering Hole tomorrow night?”

  “Definitely. Can’t wait to hear you play.” Her dad played the fiddle in a local bluegrass band. They performed most Fridays at The Watering Hole, which pretty much matched its name. It was a place for locals to come stomp their boots and drink a few beers after work.

  “Great. We’ve got a couple of new tunes we’ll be trying out. Bring someone to dance with.”

  “I’ll see what I can do. See you tomorrow, Dad.” Merry hung up the phone with a sigh. It seemed her recent slump had extended from financial matters into her dating life. She usually had several guys she could call to go dancing with her on a Friday night, but while she’d been busy worrying about her finances, they’d one by one moved into serious relationships.

  And that really sucked. Wasn’t she every man’s fantasy? A girl who just wanted to have some fun, no commitments, no strings? Apparently not.

  Well, no bother. She’d go to The Watering Hole tomorrow night and meet someone new, dance the night away, and see where things went.

  At home, she went through her evening routine with the dogs, feeding and playing and exercising. She really hoped she could get Amber into a quieter foster home soon. The poor girl needed some one-on-one attention. Being around Ralph and the puppies all the time was overwhelming for her. Merry suspected she needed peace and quiet for her personality to blossom.

  Salsa whirled around the kitchen until Merry threatened her with crate rest to keep her from busting a stitch. Crazy pup. Ralph and Chip played tug on an old rope toy.

  Amber lay in her usual spot in the corner, watching. Merry thought of the little girl who’d hugged her the other day. They’d encountered kids several times on their walks, and each time, Amber had perked up, looking eager to greet them.

  What if she recommended Amber for T.J.’s camp? It was a little bit crazy, except it might not be crazy at all. Merry had already given her a full behavioral assessment, which she’d passed with flying colors. There didn’t appear to be an ounce of aggression in her.

  Still, camp could be overwhelming for a dog like Amber. On a hunch, Merry clipped her leash on and drove her to the local pet superstore.

  She walked Amber up and down the aisles, dodging other shoppers and their dogs. Amber walked quietly at her side, shy but not fearful. A couple of older children asked if they could pet her, and Amber wagged enthusiastically while they fussed over her.

  On the way home, Merry called her friend Julia, who ran a dog training center in nearby Raleigh. She arranged to drop Amber off the next morning for a full assessment around other dogs and children. The camp dogs would be working with kids with disabilities, and they needed to be absolutely bombproof.

  Her gut said Amber would pass every test put her way. With her shy, quiet personality, she might be the perfect match for Noah. Camp might even be as therapeutic for Amber as it would be for him. It could be the start of something wonderful for both of them.

  The next morning, Merry was up bright and early to prep for her adoption event at Perry’s Pet Boutique. She’d be in the store from ten until four, with Chip and Salsa and several other foster dogs stopping by throughout the day.

  By nine o’clock, she was on the road. She dropped Amber off at Julia’s, then headed for the pet store with a backseat full of rambunctious puppies and a trunk full of goodies. Perry met her at the door and grabbed the leashes from her hand.

  “Who are these two?” she asked, bending down for puppy kisses.

  “Chip,” she pointed to the fawn male, “and Salsa.” Her brindle troublemaker.

  “Well, isn’t that just the cutest thing ever?” Perry brushed back her gray hair and straightened. “If you two don’t get adopted today, I don’t know what’s what.”

  “We can hope. They’re a bit rogue, but in a lovable way.” Teenage hooligans was more like it. Their first family hadn’t bothered with even the most basic obedience or manners, then dumped them in rescue when their behavior got out of hand.

  Merry had gotten them somewhat civilized, but they were a long way from being considered well behaved. Case in point, Chip leaped up and planted his front feet on Perry, lunging for her face with overeager kisses.

  “Ooh!” she laughed, stepping backward.

  “Chip, off,” Merry command
ed with a tug on the leash to emphasize her point.

  He jumped down and gave her a wounded look before sauntering after his sister in search of more trouble. Chip and Salsa were boxer mix puppies, probably boxadors—half boxer and half Lab. They’d be great dogs, but right now, with their bad manners and lack of purebred status, they were proving difficult to adopt.

  Merry tied them behind the table Perry had set up for her. She set out a bowl of water and a blanket for them to lay on. Then she got to work setting up. She hung Triangle Boxer Rescue’s banner, then arranged their goodie basket next to a bowl for raffle tickets, a separate canister for donations, pamphlets about the rescue, and a stack of volunteer and adoption applications.

  Dana arrived to set up her caricature station. By the time everything was finished, Merry’s adrenaline was pumping. She adored adoption events like this one, the chance to spend the day promoting her rescue, raising money, and hopefully adopting a few dogs as well.

  “Oh, what cute puppies!” A woman approached the table, drawn by Chip and Salsa’s sweet faces.

  Merry smiled broadly. “Thank you. They’re available for adoption if you’re interested.”

  She spent the next two hours in happy mayhem as a steady stream of customers visited her table, leaving donations, entering the raffle, and having caricatures drawn of themselves and their dogs. Volunteers arrived with foster dogs, and Perry’s Pet Boutique was filled with wiggling boxer butts.

  By one o’clock, she had four fosters in the house, not counting her puppies, and a customer had brought in two of his own boxers to help celebrate.

  Olivia breezed through the door, looking like a cover model with her shiny blond hair and petite figure draped in a pink cotton sundress. “Wow!”

  Merry waved her over. “Hey, Liv. Come give me a hand.”

  “This place is a zoo. You must be raking it in.”

  Merry glanced at the donation jar, packed with singles and fives. “Well, there’s probably close to a hundred dollars in there. We’ve had a couple of people fill out adoption applications too. One lady really fell in love with Trista’s foster, Luke.”

  “Cool. Are you taking pictures to post on Facebook?” Olivia moved behind the table to greet Chip and Salsa.

  “No. The only people who seem to visit our Facebook page are my own volunteers and people trying to surrender dogs.”

  Olivia looked up. “Be consistent, and you’ll find an audience. Keep posting. And make sure your Facebook page is on all your promo stuff.”

  Merry shrugged. “I guess, but I seem to get a lot more interest from events like this.”

  A dog barked somewhere in the store. Chip’s ears pricked. He lunged forward, and his leash came free from the table leg Merry had tied it to. He dashed off, darting into the crowd.

  “Chip!” Merry ran after him.

  Chip sideswiped someone’s fawn boxer, who growled a warning. Luke, a TBR foster standing nearby, snapped at him. Chip darted for cover, but Luke and the visitor’s boxer turned on each other.

  Peaceful chatter was shattered by snarling, fighting dogs. Blood splattered the floor of Perry’s Pet Boutique. Someone screamed.

  Swearing under her breath, Merry bolted toward the melee.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Merry managed to keep her chin up as she hustled out of Perry’s Pet Boutique, but the effort cost her. Chip and Salsa, oblivious to her distress, yanked her this way and that as they sniffed their way to the car.

  “Well, that was unfortunate,” Olivia offered with a wry smile.

  The fight had been easily broken up, but Luke suffered several puncture wounds, which meant more vet bills. Worse, Perry had ended the event early and suggested Triangle Boxer Rescue look elsewhere for their next fund-raiser.

  It wasn’t the end of the world but, combined with the ultimatum from Dr. Johnson and her shortage of funds and foster homes, it was a step in the wrong direction. And that pissed Merry off, big-time.

  “This means we’ve really got to kick ass when we bring Amber and Bosley to T.J.’s later,” she said. Julia had called earlier to report that Amber got two thumbs up for participating in the summer camp. She had remained calm and obedient through extensive behavioral testing.

  Olivia nodded. “Failure is not an option. Got it. You said he’s cute, right?”

  “ ‘Cute’ is not quite the right word. He’s too, I don’t know, masculine to be cute.”

  “That’s not the guy version of ‘she’s got a great personality,’ is it?”

  Merry snorted. “Not even close. You’ll see.”

  “Sweet. Okay, so I’ll meet you there at five?”

  Merry nodded as she loaded her troublesome pups into the backseat of the CR-V. She picked Amber up, then drove home and stood in her living room, twitchy with frustration and no way to let it out.

  Her best friend Cara would go for a long jog. Her dad would spend some time with the punching bag. Merry had nothing but the overwhelming desire to scream until her throat was raw.

  The dogs gave her a wide berth, sensing her fiery mood. They tousled in the kitchen while she fumed in the living room. Only Amber stayed nearby, watching quietly from her bed in the corner.

  Finally, with a groan, Merry sank to the carpet and released a deep breath. She forced the anger back, bottled it, and screwed the lid on tight. She sat there until her pulse slowed, then looked at Amber. “I’m bringing you to meet a little boy and his uncle later today. Would you like to live on a farm?”

  Amber’s tail thumped the bed.

  “So show them how charming you can be, okay?”

  The dog rested her chin on her front paws. Sadness haunted those big, brown eyes. Merry ached to see her shed that sadness and romp happily in open fields, her tongue lolling out the side of her mouth, her eyes alive with joy.

  She’d been unable to find a rescue to take Amber, so she’d listed her on Triangle Boxer Rescue’s website as a courtesy posting. She didn’t get many visitors looking for a Lab mix, but the rescue listing entitled her to post Amber on Petfinder.com, and anyone could find her there.

  Like it or not, Amber was a TBR dog until she found her forever home, and as such, Merry was responsible for ensuring her happy ending.

  Which started in approximately an hour, when she introduced her to T.J. and Noah.

  * * *

  T.J. took Noah’s hand and guided him out the front door. The boy hadn’t said a word since he had arrived an hour ago. He’d been resting at home since Wednesday, yet somehow he looked more exhausted than ever.

  Maybe he should ask Merry to take a look at him while she was here.

  Speaking of Merry, she was currently unloading a dog from the backseat of her SUV. She wore jean shorts and a pink top, and, even from a distance, she fired his pulse into overdrive.

  The dog she’d brought today, unlike Ralph, appeared to be some kind of mutt. It was whiskey colored with a limp tail and world-weary stance. Also unlike Ralph, this was exactly what T.J. imagined a shelter dog to look like, exactly the kind of dog he didn’t trust.

  Exactly what he did not want for his summer camp.

  He tightened his grip on Noah’s hand. After thinking it over last night, he’d decided it would be best to stick to his original plan: Merry and Ralph only. Now he just had to come up with a viable reason why this dog couldn’t participate in camp without upsetting his nephew.

  Noah wiggled his hand out of T.J.’s. “Is this my dog for camp?”

  And just like that, he was a normal, happy eight-year-old again.

  “It’s a dog Merry wants us to consider for the camp, but I have a feeling Ralph will be a better fit for you.”

  Noah was already walking toward Merry and the mutt. T.J. hustled after him.

  Merry gave him a look that made all his nerves twitch, then turned her attention to Noah. “Hey, Noah. Is your head feeling better?”

  The boy nodded, his eyes locked on the brown dog at her side. “I got a new Lego set yesterday. It’s a garbage
truck.”

  “That’s exciting.” She gave him a warm smile. “This is Amber. Would you like to say hi to her?”

  He crouched down in front of the dog and held a hand toward her.

  “Be careful,” T.J. warned, staying close so he could yank his nephew away from potential danger.

  “That’s good, Noah. Just give her a minute to check you out. She’s shy,” Merry said.

  Noah nodded as if this made perfect sense.

  The dog leaned forward to sniff his hand, and her tail began to wag. She took a step closer to Noah. The boy rubbed her beneath her chin, and her tail wagged faster. Noah sat cross-legged in front of her and rubbed and petted while the dog seemed to sigh with contentment. She nuzzled his chin and curled up beside him with a paw on his knee.

  “Wow,” Merry said, looking awestruck. “This is exactly what I was hoping for.”

  “I like her,” Noah said.

  “And she likes you.” She sat beside them. “What do you think, T.J.?”

  He couldn’t quite let go of the urge to pull his nephew to safety. “She seems nice, but she’s too much of an unknown. I’d rather stick with Ralph.”

  Noah shook his head. “Ralph is Merry’s dog. I want Amber to be my dog.”

  Merry smiled smugly, and T.J. realized belatedly he’d been set up. She’d known there was no way he could say no in front of his nephew. Well, shit.

  He shoved his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. “You realize we’re just talking about dogs to use in the camp, right? Amber or any other dog wouldn’t be yours to keep.”

  “I know, Uncle T.J. I want her to be mine for the camp.”

  “Well, you just met her. Merry’s got some other dogs for us to look at too, don’t you, Merry?” He didn’t want any of her foster dogs, but maybe he could find a compromise to keep Noah happy. Maybe one of her other dogs would be more like Ralph.

  She nodded. “I do. My friend Olivia will be stopping by with another foster in a few minutes, and I could bring my puppies out tomorrow if you’d like to meet them too.”