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  “As fine as he can be.” Doc Olson tugged on her jacket. “He might have some grieving about Lee, so don’t be worried if he’s not eating his full amount.”

  “Full amount? Grieving? Not eating?” I continued to ask all sorts of questions that I’d not even thought out.

  “Yes. You’re his new owner, so I figured you had all the particulars about his diet and exercise.” I guess she could see the look on my face. “Don’t worry.” She leaned around me. “Kayla, please give Bernadette a copy of Buster’s file and history. We want him to stay healthy. Just like you take care of Rowena.” She patted me and headed out the door.

  “I’ll be just a minute,” Kayla assured me, waving the manila folder in front of her. She disappeared into the room behind the desk.

  “How are you, Buster?” I asked him. He looked up at me with those big brown eyes. Instantly my heart dropped. He had no idea how his life was about to change. There was no way I could keep him. I was never home during the day, and that was why I’d gotten Rowena.

  Rowena was a rescue cat, and she didn’t need all the attention a dog did, which was why I didn’t have one. It wouldn’t be fair to the dog to have to sit there all day and hold his business or worse… potty in the house. If I lived in town, maybe, but I didn’t. I lived in the country in an old farmhouse. Perfect for a cat.

  “Here you go.” Kayla walked out, extending a stack of papers. “He’s due for his annual checkup in two weeks. Do you want me to go ahead and make the appointment for you?”

  “I’ll let the new owners do that.” I took the papers from her.

  “New owners? I thought…” A lightbulb seemed to go off in her head. Her demeanor turned suddenly. Her face grew still, and her right brow rose slightly.

  She was judging me. I could see her judging me.

  “I’m never home.” I pointed to the mail bag hoisted across my body. “It wouldn’t be fair to Buster for him to sit in the house all day.”

  I had no idea why I was explaining this much. She put me on the spot.

  “I’m sorry. Doc Olson and I assumed you were taking him, since you’re listed on the emergency contact form.” Her face didn’t twitch. It didn’t even move a tiny bit. She just stared. Judging me.

  “I’m the emergency contact?” My jaw dropped.

  “Mmm-hhhhmm.” Kayla tapped the air towards me with her index finger. “Right there in the first page.”

  My eyes scanned down the page, and right there in Lee’s handwriting—and I knew his chicken scratch from the mail he sent out—were my name and phone number. How did he get my phone number?

  “How much do I owe?” I decided to let this sink in. I wasn’t thinking clearly.

  “Nothing. Mac Tabor gave us his credit card.” Kayla shrugged, still had that judging eye on me. “If you don’t find a home for Buster, I’m sure he won’t live long at the shelter.”

  “What?” I gasped.

  “Not that he’d be put to sleep.” Kayla rolled her eyes at me. “He’ll be first to get adopted, so don’t feel too bad if you don’t take him. Even though that’s clearly what Lee intended. But who am I to judge?”

  My eyes lowered. Yeah, who are you to judge? Even though you did. Sometimes it was just best to keep my mouth shut. At least, my mom always said, “If you can’t say nothing good, don’t say nothin’ at all.” Clearly, Kayla wasn’t southern. Or she’d know better.

  “Tell Doc Olson thank you.” I patted my leg. “Let’s go, Buster. I bet you’re hungry. And I know just the place to go.”

  “Ummm…” Kayla stopped me with a happy smirk on her face. “If you read his chart, you’ll see Buster is on a diet. He could stand to lose a few pounds.”

  With a smile planted on my face, I nodded and took Buster right on out the door.

  “Need to lose weight?” I scoffed at her words. “We can all stand to lose a few pounds, can’t we? But not today.”

  We headed up Main Street and passed by Social Knitwork and Tranquility Wellness before we made it to the diner. The smell of fresh cornbread and Mom’s bean soup greeted my nose before she greeted me.

  “Hey, honey!” Mom waved the dish towel from the pass-through window when she noticed me. “Buster.” Mom’s eyes grew big, and she darted out of the kitchen.

  “Hi, mom.” I tried to greet her with a hug, but she went straight for pup kisses from Buster.

  “Buster, I’m so sorry, you sweet baby boy.” Mom’s baby talk made me grin. She was always a lover of animals and I was sure I’d gotten the trait from her. “Honey, did you find him a home?”

  “I haven’t tried. I just figured I’d take him home with me tonight and on my route tomorrow see if anyone would like a good dog for a pet.” Mom finally hugged me.

  The diner was filled with the regulars who came on bean soup night. Mom made the best bean soup, and when you added in her fried cornbread and some chopped-up onion… your belly sang happy tunes.

  “Can I rustle him up something good for him?” she asked. “I already have something for Rowena.” She turned and headed back towards the kitchen.

  Whether or not I agreed that Buster could have something, she was going to make him something anyway.

  “I’m going to run upstairs and drop off some homemade chicken soup for Grady and Julia,” I told her. “Come on, Buster.”

  Buster followed me over to the door on the far-right side of the diner, which led up to the one-bedroom apartment upstairs.

  The steps were steep and just big enough for one person to go up at a time. They didn’t lead right into the apartment. A hallway and a storage room were up there as well. Mom and Dad used that room mostly for paper products and maybe some legal documentation.

  Buster sniffed his way to the apartment door.

  “You knew someone is in there.” I was learning new things about my little buddy. “You’re a smart dog.”

  The door whipped open before I could even knock.

  “Mom.” Grady had a wide-eyed look of surprise on his face. “What are you doing here?”

  “I came bearing gifts.” I went to dig down into my mail carrier bag to grab the soup.

  “If you’re trying to give us Buster, we are in no way needing a pet right now.” Grady bent down and patted Buster.

  “That would be a no. I would never try to give you a pet without asking you first.” I pulled out the container of soup and held it in front of me. “I heard Julia hasn’t been feeling well, and I couldn’t sleep last night, so I made her some soup.”

  “Hey, Bernadette,” Julia called from inside the apartment. I tried to rubberneck my way around Grady, but he took up the entire doorframe so I couldn’t see around.

  “Hey, honey!” I tried to yell through him. “I’m just dropping off some soup, but your bodyguard isn’t letting me in.”

  “Who told you Julia wasn’t feeling well?” Grady seemed awfully protective.

  “Now you’ve got me worried.” I looked up, trying to assess the look on his face. “Is she okay?” I handed him the soup.

  “I think it’s the flu. She went to the doctor, and they did a test. It should be back tomorrow.” He softened his stance a little, and I could get a small peek around him.

  Julia was sitting on their couch with a big blanket around her. She waved.

  “Thank you!” she called out. “I’ll let you know what the doctor says.”

  “You take care of yourself. Let me know if you need me to take off work and take care of you.” I nodded. Then Grady stepped back into blocking my vision.

  “I can take care of her. She’ll be fine,” Grady assured me.

  “I was just offering my services,” I assured him. “Not like I wouldn’t do it for you.”

  “I’ve got her all taken care of.” He took the soup. “Thank you for making this. We will have it tonight.”

  “Well, if you need me, I can be right here.” I reached out and hugged my little boy, who was much bigger than I was now.

  “Why aren’t you sleeping?
” he asked, shifting the conversation to me. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine.” I gnawed on the inside of my cheek, wondering if I should tell him about Mac.

  “You look like you’re champing at the bit to tell me something.” Grady gave me a sideways look as though he was not trying to read me.

  “Mac and I went on a date,” I blurted out.

  “I’m so glad you told him! I’ve been dying!” Julia exclaimed. She must have been listening to our conversation. “Mac has been in the best mood.”

  “Wait.” Grady gave a slight shake of the head, like he was trying to get all the words in his head in order. “You knew my mom and Uncle Mac went on a date?”

  “Technically, he’s not your uncle.” I made it clear.

  “He’s always acted like one, and you and Dad always told me to call him Uncle Mac.” Grady made a good point, but he was also making it very clear he was concerned.

  “If you don’t approve, then it’s not a big deal to not do it again.” I gulped, thinking I was about to do it again tonight. In a few short hours.

  “No. You’re single. A grown woman. I guess…” He hesitated.

  “Shut up, Grady! They are good together.” Julia continued to put in her two cents from the couch. “Besides, don’t you want your mom to have companionship with someone you love?”

  There was that word again… companionship. Did people think I was too old for a real relationship? At what point did a relationship turn into companionship?

  “It’s fine.” Grady bent down and kissed my cheek. “I’ll call you tomorrow about Julia.”

  “Bye!” Julia waved me off before Grady shut the door.

  I stood there with my nose nearly pressed up against the door for a few seconds before looking down at Buster.

  “That was odd,” I told him. I headed back down to the diner to find Mom and Dad waiting for me at the counter.

  “That was a short visit.” Mom was putting to-go containers in a bag.

  “Yeah. Almost a little too short,” I muttered before giving my dad a hug. “You doin’ all right?”

  “Honey, don’t you worry about your old dad.” He winked and patted my hand. “I’m worried about you finding another body.”

  “I’m good. I feel bad for Buster. I guess I’ve got to find him a good home.” I looked down at the pup, and he was lying next to my feet. “I’m sure he’s exhausted from running around all night and then being at the vet all day.”

  “Looks to me you found him a home.” Dad smiled up at me from the stool.

  “You?” My tone jumped up an octave.

  “I think he looks comfortable with you.” Dad winked, sending me into a tailspin with his observation. He knew how I stood on leaving a dog at home all day because of my job.

  “I put some chocolate crinkles in there for you.” Mom scrunched up her nose. “I made a fresh batch for the supper crowd.”

  “Can you put a few extra in? I’m having Mac over for supper, and I’m not sharing mine.” I tried to soften the blow about me having Mac over by joking about me hoarding the cookies.

  Mom threw her hands up to her mouth. Dad smacked the counter with his hand. Buster jumped to his feet.

  “Hot dog! It’s true.” Dad yelled. “It’s about dang time the two of you noticed the spark.”

  “Spark? Whoa.” I put out a hand. “We are good friends.”

  “But you’ve never had Mac over for supper without someone else being there. Unless you’ve been keeping a secret?” Mom asked. “Luke Macum came in here today ordering some food for Lee’s repass. He mentioned he saw you and Mac a little chummy over dinner at Pasanoe.”

  And why did I think I’d be saved from gossip? I should’ve known better.

  “I wondered why you didn’t tell me you were going out on a date, but I figured you’d tell us in your own time.” Mom had a permanent smile on her face. I swear it was stuck there.

  “You better get home.” Dad was trying to rush me off. “Brush your hair too.”

  “Really?” I looked at him.

  “Let me get those extra cookies.” Mom took off like a jet to the kitchen.

  “I’m not saying you’re not beautiful. You are in your dad’s eyes.” My dad was backtracking.

  “I get it, Dad.” I bent down and kissed the top of his head. “I’ll see y’all tomorrow with your mail.”

  “And all the details of your big date.” Mom was filled with giddiness as she handed me the to-go bags. “I put some beans and cornbread in there so you didn’t have to cook. The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, and I know he loves my beans.”

  “Thanks, Mom. Come on, Buster.” I patted my leg, and like a good boy, he followed right alongside me.

  NINE

  Buster and I made it back to the post office. I dropped off my mail carrier bag, and he and I got into the car to go home. The entire way, he seemed fine, even without some sort of car cage or seat belt. He sat straight up like a human in the passenger seat and even stared out the front window.

  “It looks like you’ve been in a car before.” I couldn’t help praising the pup. My heart still ached for him, and I couldn’t imagine what he’d gone through or the confusion he was feeling, but he seemed okay.

  When we got to the farmhouse, the lights I left on for Rowena were all lit up, and the glow of the television peered through the family room window.

  “Now, I’ve got a cat,” I warned Buster. He looked at me and tilted his head. “Her name is Rowena, and I’m not sure how she’s going to take you staying with me until we find you a home.”

  He tilted his head the other way as if he were really listening. Then he did the strangest thing. He lifted his right front leg and stretched it out, putting it on my hand like he was telling me it would all be okay.

  “Fine then.” I took a deep breath through my nose. “We will see how this all goes.”

  I reached into the back seat, grabbed the to-go bag Mom had prepared for us from the Wallflower, and got out of the car. Buster had moved over to the driver’s seat and jumped out of the car behind me.

  “Here we go.” I wasn’t sure what I would walk into. Rowena always greeted me at the door, and I figured tonight would be no different.

  I put the key into the kitchen door’s lock and turned it, praying and hoping we wouldn’t scare poor Rowena into a heart attack. The orange tabby was used to being the queen of the house, and I’d never made her feel any differently.

  “Good evening, Rowena. Did you have a good day?” I asked like I always did, pretending as if there weren’t a big four-legged lab dog next to me, one that was at least seven times as big as she was.

  Rowena didn’t pay a bit of attention to me. The hair on her back stood straight up. She hissed a couple of times and bounced on top of the kitchen table. Just then, her automatic feeder went off, signaling it was six-thirty.

  Buster ran over to the bowl to see what the fuss was all about.

  “No, that’s not yours,” I told him and put the bag on the kitchen counter. “That’s Rowena’s.” I looked at the time to make sure it was right. And it was. “Mac will be here any minute, but I need to feed you too.”

  Lights coming down the driveway shined right into the widows.

  “Crap.” I knew it was Mac. Of course it was. He was always on time. A great characteristic I admired about him since Richard was always late, but today I was hoping Mac would be a little late himself. “So much for trying to get myself all cleaned up.”

  Instead of fighting with myself, I took the food out that Mom had sent for Buster and Rowena.

  Before I could even get the plates out of the cupboard, Mac was at the door. I waved him on in.

  “Wow, Buster is here.” He waved the bouquet of flowers at the dog. “Sorry.” He laughed. “These are for you.”

  When he walked toward me, there was an uncomfortable air between us. It was like both of us were trying to figure out whether we should hug, kiss, or just laugh.

 
I picked kissing him on the cheek, but he must’ve also picked a kiss because he turned his head at the right moment and our lips touched. And touched some more and then a little deeper.

  “I… ummm…” He pulled back, searching my eyes. “I would like to say I’m sorry, but I’m not.”

  “It’s fine.” I smiled and brushed the free hand over my hair. “I’m a mess.” I hurried around him and laid the flowers on the table next to the food.

  Rowena was still on high alert, with her hair still standing straight up and her eyes fixed on Buster. Buster was too busy trying to get Mac’s attention.

  “You aren’t a mess.” Mac glanced over at me with a softness in his eyes. “Let me get these in water while you feed them.”

  Mac busied himself looking for a vase under the sink and then filled it up. I got out the rice and chicken and sweet potato pieces Mom had sent for the fur babies. I divided the food between two plates while Mac arranged the flowers.

  That was the thing with Mac. He knew his way around my house like he lived here. I’d like to say it was because he and Richard were so close, but in truth, he knew his way around because he took Richard’s place while Richard was away on business, which was at least half of each week.

  “Say…” I had to banish the thoughts of that kiss from my head. I’d not kissed a man in… well, since I dated Richard. My lips were still tingling. “How much do I owe you for Buster’s bill?”

  “You can pay me with whatever it is in that bag your mom sent.” He smiled, and I turned away. “Bernie, are you blushing?”

  “Stop it.” I couldn’t do this anymore. “Really. What are we doing?”

  “We are being adults who want companionship.” That word rolled off his tongue.

  “I’m sorry. I’m fifty years old, and I don’t want companionship. That sounds like my parents.” I put Buster’s plate of food on the floor, setting the dish on the opposite side of the kitchen where Rowena’s food was located. “I’m young. I want a real relationship.”

  “Is that right?” He walked up to me and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. Then he slyly curled a hand behind my back, pulling me closer. “Relationship?”