My hands loosen on the steering wheel. “Thank you.”
“Did you put in your bet about Elizabeth and River yet?”
I guess ‘dropping the subject’ doesn’t mean not discussing love. “Why? They’re together now.”
This time it’s going to stick, too. River declared his love for my sister in front of half the town. If he tries to run away again, the gossip gals will chase after him with pitchforks until he changes his mind. I’ll be joining them.
“The bets are open on when River will pop the question.”
“Is there something in the water in Winter Falls? Every time I turn around, someone else is falling in love.”
“You make love sound like a bad thing.”
“Because it is.”
I’m lying. Love isn’t bad. Love is glorious. And, despite my grumpy words, I am happy for my sister. The same as I was happy for my other sister, Gabrielle, when she found love. But love isn’t for me. I don’t deserve it after what I did.
“What kind of dog do you think I should get?” I ask in a blatant attempt to change the topic of conversation.
“Kind of dog? You mean breed? Well, I think…”
She launches into a lecture about dog breeding and how bad it is for the dogs because … I have no idea why. I stopped listening two sentences into the lecture. My mind wanders to Cedar as it’s wont to do. I wonder if he’ll manage to stay in town.
“It’s here,” Juniper points to the left, and I realize my mind drifted off for most of the drive. Good thing this car has a fancy schmancy collision avoidance system.
Juniper winds her arm through mine as we enter the animal shelter. “I love this place.”
“Naturally.”
“But I’m not allowed to adopt another dog.”
I don’t get a chance to ask her why before the woman at the desk greets us. “Can I help you?”
“I’m here to adopt a dog.” There’s a sentence I never expected to speak in my life.
A smile breaks out on the woman’s face. “Wonderful. I’m Melanie. I’ll be happy to help you expand your family today.”
She leads us through a door into the kennels. “Walk around and see if any dog tickles your fancy. If you find one, we can bring them out for a cuddle.”
Crap. This is really happening. “Thank you.”
Juniper drags me toward the kennels. “What do you think of this big guy?” She motions toward a dog about the size of a horse.
“I live in an apartment,” I remind her.
“Good point.” She marches on.
“What about this cutie pie?” She’s gone from huge to tiny.
I shrug. “He’s okay, I guess.”
The words are barely out of my mouth before Melanie’s there popping open the kennel and retrieving the dog. She sets the furball on the ground in front of me and he immediately latches onto my leg and starts humping me.
I shake my leg, but he holds strong. “Get him off! Get him off!”
“Don’t be such a baby. It’s natural,” Juniper says.
“Natural? A dog humping my leg is natural? What does he think is going to happen? We’re going to make human-dog hybrids?”