Chapter 5
Five
Kate didn’t get much rest. She couldn’t stop thinking about Old Farm and Rafferty and Hope’s Rescue Centre for Dogs.
The fact that an image of Raff striding into the sea to retrieve Rufus’s ball kept popping into her mind’s eye, was very annoying.
And so was he. The man clearly loved dogs though, she had to give him that.
She turned over onto her back and puffed out a long breath as she stared up at the ceiling.
What was his story? He’d seemed to tense when she had mentioned a wife.
Was he married? Divorced? Had she left him?
Or passed away? Wait. Hadn’t Granny Viv said she believed he was single?
And he’d purchased the place with his parents.
Did he live with them? At his age? A burst of laughter escaped her.
She silently reprimanded herself. Why shouldn’t he?
If she had had her way, Beth would still be living with her.
But Beth was thirty-five. Raff was … late fifties, early sixties at the most. Even so.
Good for him. And to open a dog rescue centre was a good thing to do.
Granny Viv was right about that. The man couldn’t be so bad then, could he?
Not that she cared. She now knew all she needed to about Old Farm, and Rafferty and Hope’s Rescue Centre for Dogs, so she wouldn’t be asking him any more questions.
No need to track him down. Well, not track him down.
She knew where to find him. No need to see him again.
If she bumped into him in the village, she would be polite and say ‘Hello,’ but other than that, there was no need for her to stop and chat.
So why was she feeling that seeing him again was exactly what she needed to do?
She sat bolt upright on the bed.
‘I know why!’
She jumped up and bolted down stairs; thankfully she was still fully clothed.
‘You were right!’ she exclaimed, bursting into the sitting room. ‘Meeting Rafferty Gale today was Fate.’
‘Of course it was,’ said Granny Viv, beaming at her. ‘I was just telling Millie all about it and she agrees.’
‘I do,’ said Millie, who was sitting on the sofa. ‘It sounds so romantic. He’s such a good-looking man and so kind and caring too.’
Kate hadn’t realised Millie was there. ‘Oh. Hello, Millie. How are you?’
‘I’m very well, thank you. And you?’
‘I’m good, thanks. But my encounter with Raff wasn’t romantic at all.
’ She glanced at her gran. ‘When I said it was Fate, I didn’t mean it was a meet cute between us.
’ She had seen enough romantic comedies to know what that meant and so had her gran and Millie.
‘I meant something else entirely. The universe was … is … telling me that the answer to my concerns about my future is right in front of me.’ She beamed at Rufus who despite the noise around him was still sound asleep on the rug.
‘It’s telling me to get a dog. A rescue dog. ’
Granny Viv and Millie exchanged concerned looks.
‘Get a dog! Really?’ said Granny Viv. ‘Is that what you believe?’
‘I didn’t see that coming,’ said Millie.
‘I’m not sure how much clearer it could be,’ Kate declared.
‘But…’ Granny Viv slowly shook her head, an expression of disbelief evident on her face. She let out a long sigh. ‘If you say so, darling. What will be, will be.’
‘Don’t you work all day as a teacher?’ Millie queried.
‘Yes.’
‘What do you intend to do with this dog while you’re at work?’
‘I’ll ask Mum and Frank to look after him. Or her. It’ll be company for Rufus. Having two dogs can’t involve that much more time and attention than having one, so I’m sure they won’t mind.’
Granny Viv smirked. ‘I can’t wait to see Rose’s face when you break this news. Are you serious?’
‘Yes. Why not?’
‘Would you like an entire list of reasons, or just one or two bullet points?’
Kate stood her ground and crossed her arms in front of her.
‘Why are you being so negative? This is unlike you. I love spending time with Rufus, and so does Mum. It’ll be lovely for me to have company again in the evenings.
I can pick him or her up after work and drop him or her back to Frank’s in the mornings.
I’ll be home at weekends, so it’ll only be during the week. ’
‘You overslept this morning, meaning Rufus was late for his walk and his breakfast.’
‘It’s my first day looking after him. We all make mistakes.’
‘You threw his ball into the sea and you weren’t prepared to go in and get it.’
‘I … Okay. But not many people would.’
‘Raff Gale did,’ said Millie. ‘And he didn’t even know Rufus.’
‘Okay. I’ve made two mistakes. I’ll learn. I’ve brought up a child, virtually on my own while my husband jetted off around the world. Taking care of a dog can’t be harder than that.’
‘You were much younger then,’ said Granny Viv.
‘I’m only fifty-six now. I’m not exactly on my last legs.’
‘You’ll have to go out in all weather, morning and night. Pick up doggie poop. Live with the constant smell of wet dog in bad weather. Your clothes will be covered in dog hairs.’
‘I’m glad Rufus is fast asleep or he might feel unwanted here.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous, Kate. Rufus is more than welcome here. Provided it’s not a permanent arrangement, three hundred and sixty-five days a year.’
‘Well I want a dog. And I’m sure that’s what the universe was telling me this morning.’
‘Oh for heaven’s sake, darling. The universe was telling you that what you need is a man in your life. From what I know of Raff Gale, he might just be The One.’
Kate gasped. ‘From what I know of Raff Gale, he couldn’t be farther from The One if I threw him into the sea myself and the current took him all the way to China. I’m going out. I’ll be back before lunch.’
‘Aren’t you forgetting something?’ Granny Viv called after her. ‘Aren’t you supposed to be looking after a dog?’
Kate shot back into the sitting room and pointed at Rufus. ‘He’s fast asleep.’
‘I can see that. I was being facetious and simply making a point. Leave him be and get some fresh air.’
‘Thank you. Point taken,’ Kate said. ‘Goodbye, Millie. It was lovely to see you again.’
‘You too,’ said Millie.
Kate could hear the two women mumbling and sniggering as she marched to the front door.