Page 8 of Sweet Dreams at the Forever Home on Muddypuddle Lane (The Forever Home on Muddypuddle Lane #2)

Nora Bunting wasn’t a woman to take anything lying down, and when she wanted something, or had set her mind on something, she went for it.

Which was why she owned her own salon. She’d had a vision, and she’d worked hard to make it a reality.

But that was her career and her business, and hairdressing was a passion she’d held ever since she’d unwrapped a box containing a disembodied plastic head sporting a mass of fake golden hair one Christmas morning when she was six years old.

She’d wanted to play with hair ever since, and she’d been fortunate enough to be able to make a career out of it.

However, this was different. This involved her health, and she was convinced that a dog was just what she needed to help her lose weight and regain control of her glucose levels.

It also involved her emotions, because she didn’t want any dog.

She wanted Biscuit . Even in that short amount of time, they’d had a connection.

She could feel it in her heart. He’d looked deep into her eyes, and she’d seen the adoration in them.

He wanted her to be his new owner. He’d been silently begging her to take him home, and she wasn’t going to let him down.

When she heard Jakob say to the baker, ‘You’ve applied to adopt Biscuit,’ her heart had sunk. But she soon rallied, and before the man could open his mouth, she snapped, ‘You can’t have him! He’s mine.’

‘Um, technically, he doesn’t belong to either of you,’ Jakob pointed out. ‘By filling in an application form, you’ve expressed an interest, nothing more.’

‘Well, I’m more interested than he is,’ Nora shot back.

‘I saw him first,’ Elijah retorted. Then had second thoughts, and said, ‘Didn’t I?’ He turned to Jakob. ‘You didn’t tell me someone else was interested?’ His tone was accusing.

‘That’s because no one was,’ Jakob replied calmly.

‘Then I did see him first!’ Elijah cried.

Nora scowled. ‘I’m sure Jakob would have told me if someone had already applied to adopt him.’ She turned a glare on Jakob.

He held up his hands. ‘I didn’t realise Elijah had. He was going home to think about it.’

Nora rounded on the baker. ‘Ha! So when you almost knocked me over just now, you were on your way home. Ergo—’ she paused, dredging the word out of hours of watching crime and courtroom dramas on TV, ‘— I applied for him first.’

Elijah’s mouth dropped open. ‘You can’t have! I’ve just filled the form in, five minutes ago.’

‘I did it online – ten minutes ago.’ She turned to Jakob. ‘It was about ten minutes, wasn’t it?’

Jakob, who was already a tall man, seemed to Nora to grow in stature.

‘Calm down, people,’ he said, raising his voice.

‘It doesn’t matter who saw the dog first, or whose application form was received the soonest. The only thing I’m interested in is what’s best for Biscuit.

Who will give him the home he needs, and the home he deserves, and it mightn’t be either of you. ’

‘ What? ’ Nora cried, astounded.

Elijah was shaking his head. ‘Why wouldn’t it be me? I can give him all the exercise he needs.’ He looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

Nora bristled. If that was a sly dig at her weight, she wasn’t going to be responsible for her actions.

‘I run marathons—’ He stopped, flushed pink, then amended, ‘I used to run marathons, but even if I won’t be running them anymore, I’ll walk him for miles.’

‘Funny that,’ Nora said archly. ‘I can put one foot in front of the other, too. You don’t have a monopoly on walking.’

She was relieved to hear that he was no longer running marathons, because she couldn’t compete with that.

The last time she’d done anything remotely like running, was when she’d made a dash to the bar the other week because they’d called last orders and she’d wanted to get a final drink in before the landlord kicked her, Trinny, and the rest of the customers out.

She intercepted another look, this time a head-to-toe scan that lingered fleetingly on her waist, then her face, before darting away. Nora glowered in response.

Elijah said, ‘He won’t be left on his own for long if he comes to live with me.’ To Nora’s ears, he was starting to sound desperate as he added, ‘I’m usually home from work by one thirty in the afternoon.’

‘Hah!’ Nora crowed. She could trump that . ‘He won’t be left on his own at all if I adopt him, because I’m going to take him into work with me!’

Elijah visibly deflated. There wasn’t much of him to begin with, but now he seemed to shrink in on himself.

Taking pity on him, her voice grew softer as she said, ‘There are loads of other dogs to choose from. It doesn’t have to be Biscuit.’

His expression darkened. ‘Back at ya, darlin’! Why don’t you get yourself a cute little poodle; something a bit more manageable?’

‘What makes you think I won’t be able to manage Biscuit? Jakob thinks I can. He’s all for me adopting him.’

‘Whoa, I didn’t say that,’ Jakob protested, and Nora blushed as she realised she’d gone too far.

But once again, she rallied. ‘Depending on Dawn at the Thornbury Centre giving me the go ahead,’ she amended, adding, ‘I can’t see any reason why she won’t.’

‘I can’t see any reason why she won’t support my application, either,’ Elijah countered.

Jakob intervened. ‘Okay, folks, there’s nothing further that can be done at the moment, so I suggest you go home and wait for Dawn to contact you. And if you’re not successful in adopting Biscuit, I hope you’ll consider one of the other dogs who desperately need a loving home.’

Nora wanted to stay and argue her case, but she knew it was pointless.

The decision of who would adopt Biscuit wasn’t Jakob’s to make.

She knew she was in a strong position – her house and garden were perfect for a dog, he wasn’t going to be left on his own while she was in work, and although she didn’t look particularly athletic, she thought she’d be able to convince the centre manager that she was committed to walking Biscuit every day.

But might there be any way to make her case even stronger? As Nora returned to her car, it occurred to her that maybe there was something she could do.

She hadn’t imagined the connection between her and the dog, so what if she worked on that? She could demonstrate her commitment to the pooch by showing up every day and spending some time with him.

She didn’t know whether Biscuit’s preference would be taken into consideration, but she was going to make damn sure that if he was asked, she would be the dog’s first choice.

Elijah watched Nora Bunting stalk out the door, her nose in the air, her hips swaying, and he scowled at her confidence. He knew in his heart that he would be a better owner for Biscuit, Nora taking the dog to work with her notwithstanding.

He lamented, ‘I thought Biscuit had taken to me.’

‘I hope this hasn’t put you off adopting,’ Jakob said. ‘Would you like another look at Xanadu, or I could show you the other dog I have in mind?’

‘Go on, then,’ he replied, not really wanting to meet any other dogs, but maybe it would be a good idea in case he was turned down for Biscuit.

Although, if he was turned down for Biscuit, didn’t it follow that he’d probably be turned down for the others as well?

The thought made him flinch. Was there any point in carrying on, he wondered, but when he neared Biscuit’s kennel and saw that expectant face and those loving eyes once more, Elijah knew he couldn’t give up on him; not while there was hope.

Until he was officially told that he wouldn’t be Biscuit’s new owner, he would continue to fight.

Although, exactly how he was going to do that was something he’d yet to work out. Would bribery work? Could he say to Dawn, if you let me adopt Biscuit, you can have all the pastries, bread, and cake you want? Or would Nora bribe her with free haircuts for the rest of her life?

He had a feeling Nora wasn’t going to give up, either.

She was rather lovely – dark-haired, amber-eyed, a face made for laughter, a curvy figure – but she was also stubborn, opinionated, confrontational and selfish, so no matter how attractive she might be on the outside, on the inside she was as irritating as hell.

And he didn’t just think that because she seemed determined to win Biscuit at all costs.

Not that the dog was a prize to be won. If Elijah didn’t genuinely believe he was the best person to adopt him, he would have retreated gracefully.

Jakob broke into his thoughts. ‘Why do I get the feeling this kennel is as far as we’re going to get?’

‘Because it’s true?’

‘I thought as much.’ The man sighed. ‘Believe me, I get it. Some dogs just touch you here.’ He placed a meaty hand on his chest.

Biscuit whined for attention, which Elijah happily gave him, ruffling his ears through the bars of the pen.

Elijah recalled how happy he’d been driving back up Muddypuddle Lane, how he’d been planning their lives together, his and Biscuit’s: where the dog would sleep, where they’d go walking, what toys he’d buy him.

And now… Now he was going to have to say goodbye to him, possibly for good.

‘Sorry, boy, I’ve got to go,’ he said to Biscuit, whose eyes were closed in bliss at having his ears fondled.

Elijah looked up at Jakob; there was something playing on his mind, something he’d read on the sanctuary’s website…

Ah ha! He got it!

‘It says on your website that dogs can meet their potential owners several times to give them a chance to build a bond. Will it help if I build a bond with Biscuit? I mean, I can’t see any reason why Dawn would think I’m not suitable to re-home him.’

Jakob sighed. ‘You can visit him as many times as you like. The centre is open between two and four every afternoon.’

Elijah pulled a face. ‘Is that a good idea? I’m worried he might become too attached to me, and be disappointed if I’m not able to have him.’