Page 44

“Do you want me to stay and keep you company overnight?”

A part of me hoped he’d say yes, but he shook his head. “That’s okay. At least one of us should get some sleep. Will you get home okay?”

“Yeah, I could use a walk,” I said, trying not to show how disappointed I was that we weren’t going to continue our make-out session, or at least talk about it.

“Oh, and Olive?”

“Yes?”

“We should talk about what happened,” he said as if reading my mind. “This weekend, perhaps?”

I smiled at him and grabbed my handbag. “Sounds good.”

“Well, good night then,” he said.

I didn’t know whether to pull him into a hug and give him a goodnight kiss or be professional and do nothing. I squeezed past him, throwing him a quick smile. The look on his face let me know he was facing the same internal dilemma as me.

He grinned and waved his hand at me. It was awkward, but not because we regretted what had happened. At least, not where I was concerned. For me, it was more the thought of how I’d let my hands run all over his scrub shirt as if it were the normal thing to do.

As I left the clinic, breathing in the fresh evening air, I let out a big sigh. I needed it. This entire night had been so confusing, so enthralling… I needed something to take my mind off it all.

I rummaged around in my bag until I found my headphones. The walk home was the perfect opportunity to continue listening to my Daisy Dollops audiobook. She was the kind of amateur sleuth I looked up to. Daisy was courageous, bold, and sweet as a cookie.

I crossed the street and started my walk home, completely intrigued by the story. As I passed the community garden to my left, a dark shape startled me. A set of piercing eyes stared at me, making me jump. I froze for a moment, then decided I should at least investigate. I paused the audiobook and let my headphones dangle from my neck.

With one hand on my phone, I opened the gate to the community garden, ready to dial the cops if needed. I might have looked up to Daisy, who went into every situation without an ounce of fear, but I myself wasn’t that brave.

The dark figure jumped up from between the rhubarb patches, making me shriek. The creature threw me a curious look, and I laughed.

“Hey there, buddy. Are you lost?” I asked when I realized I was dealing with a dog and not some ancient monster.

The furry animal let out a bark in response.

I gently stepped closer with my hand extended. Thank goodness I carried my small bag of dog treats everywhere. The dog approached me and eagerly swallowed the treat down. My heart skipped a beat when I looked at his adorable face. He, or she, was still a puppy, and I wondered who would leave such a sweet-looking dog to its own devices.

“Wow, you’re hungry. Don’t you have an owner?” I asked.

I looked at his neck but didn’t spot a name tag. He had mats and tangles in his red-colored fur, making me doubt he had a place to live. A quick gender check revealed the puppy was a she, not a he.

“Poor thing,” I said in a soothing voice. “Why don’t you come home with me, and we’ll see if we can find out more about you tomorrow?”

All it took for the dog to follow me was another treat.

“What should I call you?” I asked as she trotted next to me. “How about Rhubarb? Seems appropriate if you think about where I found you.”

Rhubarb barked in response, although it was probably nothing but a plea for more treats. I bent down and rubbed her small head. “I’m sorry, honey. Too many treats are bad for you.”

Before I walked into my street, I picked Rhubarb up and held her in my arms. I tried to shield her from being seen by placing my handbag in front of her. I knew pets weren’t allowed in the building, but come on, it was only for one night. What harm could a small fluffy animal like her do?

I put the dog on the floor in my living room. She immediately started exploring every corner of the room. It was adorable to see her running around, her little tail wiggling with delight.

Rhubarb stopped next to the couch and whined, looking at me with pleading eyes. Aw. My heart melted instantly.

“You want to go on the couch?” I asked, gently picking her up.

The dog snuggled herself against my favorite pillow. The poor thing must’ve been exhausted. Who knew how long she’d been roaming the streets without someone to turn to for safety and comfort?

I got a bowl out of my cupboards and filled it with water. Then I put a portion of dog food in another bowl. I always kept a small bag around to bring with me whenever I attended a fair or event where people had to wait in line to have their dog’s cards read. It sure came in handy now.