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“He really doesn’t. He refused to walk for Rodrigo yesterday, made him carry him from the back play area. That’s why he has the longest-resident award.”

I turned back to Bean. “Just because you’re particular doesn’t mean you’re not lovable.”

“That sounds like someone else I know,” Erin teased.

“No, I’m both particularandnot lovable,” I joked back.

She laughed.

I stood and crossed my fingers as I passed more kennels full of barking dogs. I pushed through the swinging door to the front lobby, used the hand sanitizer attached to the wall, and rounded the corner.

An older woman I knew I should’ve recognized but didn’t stood with a smile. “Wren!” she said.

“Hi, nice to see you again.”

“I’ve come back for Toto. I couldn’t stop thinking about her.”

“Oh…” Oh! The woman had been here before. “Toto found a home already.”

“What? You said you’d hold her for two weeks.”

There was no way I said that. We had animals to move here, this wasn’t some furniture storage facility. “Did you put a deposit down? Or fill out paperwork?”

The woman wasn’t smiling anymore. “No, but I told you I liked her a lot.”

I tilted my head, assessing her for a moment. “Can I introduce you to one of my very favorite dogs in the shelter?”

The woman looked at the tall counter where we didn’t have anyone working at the moment. We were short-staffed today. Then she gave a reluctant grunt that I took as an agreement.

“Follow me,” I said.

We passed several rows of kennels before we came to Bean’s. I presented him like the prize he was. The woman glanced into his kennel. “I don’t know about a pit.”

“He’s the sweetest. Aren’t you, Bean?”

Bean took one look at the lady, snorted in her direction, then retreated to the far corner of the kennel.

“Bean, come here.”

He turned his backside to her.

The woman gasped. “Well, that is the rudest dog I’ve ever met.”

Okay, so maybe Bean wasn’t the best introduction to make. Erin was right, hewasa little particular. Or a lot.

“I really just want Toto,” she said. “Can you call the person you gave her to and explain the situation?”

“What situation?”

“That she was mine.”

My eyes went wide and I held back a grunt. “I’m sorry, but she wasn’t yours. She has a family now. A little girl adopted her.” I nearly finished with:Guess you’ll fill out paperwork next time.I stopped myself, biting down on my tongue and taking a deep breath. I did not say everything that came into my mind.

Regardless, the woman huffed out, “Is your manager here?”

This time I let out a heavy sigh. Why were people so annoying sometimes? “Yes, if you’ll wait in the lobby, I’ll get her for you.”

The woman headed off, not giving a single glance to any of the dogs she passed.