Chapter 3
Chapter Three
When Holly arrived at Purr ’n Woof, she saw the Closed sign in the window. She wondered if Merry had gotten tired of waiting for her and left. When she tried the door handle, it moved, and the door swung open.
Holly stepped into the shop and closed the door behind her. “Hello?”
There was nothing but silence.
She stepped farther into the shop and raised her voice. “Hello?”
“Holly…” Merry walked toward her from the back. “I’m glad you’re here.” She waved at her to follow her. “We’re in the office.”
We? Who is we? Holly followed her. She had to say that her curiosity was piqued.
Holly came to a halt at the doorway. When she saw Dr. Colin Bishop, DVM, her heart lodged in her throat.
In her childhood and teens, he’d been the boy-next-door.
He was a few years older than she was, and she’d had the biggest crush on him.
Of course, he never noticed that she hung on his every word.
Nor did he complain when she would follow him around as he cared for his pets.
When he was a teenager, he’d mow her grandmother’s grass. In the winter, he’d shovel the driveway and sidewalk. He was somehow always around.
Even though she was too old to write letters to Santa by the time she fell for him, it didn’t stop her from wishing each Christmas that he would see her as a young woman and not the kid who used to follow him around. However, her Christmas wish never came true.
After he went away to college and then vet school, they’d drifted apart.
When he returned to Kringle Falls a couple of years ago to open up his own veterinarian office, her life was busy working at the soap company.
Each year, she took on more responsibility to lighten the load for her grandmother.
Sure, they’d see each other in passing, but their interaction was never more than a hello.
She swallowed past the lump in her throat. “Hey, Colin.”
He glanced up from where he was petting a white puppy with large brown spots.
When Colin’s brown gaze met hers, her heart launched into her throat just like it used to do when she was a teenager.
A smile lifted the corners of his lips, and his dimples were on full display.
She swallowed hard past the lump in her throat.
Colin was no longer a lanky teenager that she remembered. Now he was all muscle and attitude. His brown eyes turned dark as though camouflaging his secrets.
He was a man with a history she knew nothing about. And it made her wonder what had happened to him in the past fourteen years—not that she’d ever find out.
“Hi, Holly. It’s great that you’re fostering this puppy.” He sent her an approving smile.
What is he talking about? Her gaze moved to the puppy sitting on the desk. She was supposed to foster him? No. He had to be confused.
“There must be a mix-up, because I’m not fostering him.”
Merry stepped forward. “Sorry for the confusion.” Her gaze moved to Colin. “I haven’t had a chance to ask her yet.”
“Oh.” His brown eyes widened. “Sorry.”
In that moment, Holly felt as though she’d stepped in a trap. Her instinct was to leave, but her thoughts were jumbled. She couldn’t come up with a legitimate excuse.
“Holly.” Merry’s voice softened. “I could use your help. I need a home for Tater Tot.”
Cute name. But this isn’t happening. Holly’s wide-eyed gaze moved to the puppy on the desk and then back to Merry. “I… I can’t. I don’t know anything about dogs.”
“Oh.” Merry sent her a reassuring smile. “I think you’d do an amazing job. Don’t you think so, Colin?”
He turned his attention from the puppy to Holly. “Definitely. I remember how she was always good with my dogs when we were kids.” Then he gestured for her to step closer. “Come say hi.”
Her feet of their own volition stepped closer to Colin…
and the pup. She had no idea what they were up to, but there was no way she was taking that puppy home with her.
Even if he was cute and had big almond-shaped brown eyes that could melt even the coldest of hearts. Still, she had to stand her ground.
She just had to tell them it wouldn’t work. Yet, when she opened her mouth, she said, “He’s so cute.”
Now why had she gone and said that? It would only encourage those two to further their agenda. Still, as she stared at the puppy, she couldn’t deny her words. He was cute, and he was going to make someone a great pet, just not her.
“Go ahead,” Colin said. “You can pet him.”
She glanced over and saw Merry watching the interaction. Holly’s attention returned to the pup. It wouldn’t hurt anything to pet him. Because who doesn’t like puppies and want to pet one?
She reached out, and the puppy jumped back, away from her reach. Well, that wasn’t the reaction she’d been expecting. She yanked her hand back as a frown pulled at the corners of her lips.
“It’s okay,” Colin said. “He doesn’t know you, so you have to move slow. Slowly raise your hand and hold it out so that he can get your scent.”
She didn’t think this would work, but what better way to prove to them that she wasn’t the right person to foster him. And so, Holly raised her hand and held it out there. Tater Tot looked at her hand, but he didn’t move, not a single solitary step.
“Now, call him,” Colin said.
Really? Couldn’t they see this was hopeless? Apparently they didn’t get the point that she wasn’t good with animals. She swallowed. “Tater Tot.”
“Not like that,” Colin said. “Put a little enthusiasm in your voice. You know, like you’re going to play with him.”
“But I’m not.”
“But you could try.” Colin arched a brow at her, just like he’d done all those years ago when they were kids, and he’d bring her over to play ball with his dog Moose.
That dog had been almost as big as her. She had been scared to death of him, though she didn’t tell Colin that. She’d wanted him to like her, and she knew he loved all animals, both big and small.
Moose hadn’t been your typical dog. He had problems walking, and eventually Colin’s family had to get Moose a wheelchair for dogs.
But as she looked at Tater Tot, she realized she had nothing to fear. Tater Tot was just a little dog, one that was made for cuddling. Something told her Tater Tot was more afraid of her than she was of him.
And so she tried again. This time she took her time so as not to startle him.
“Talk to him,” Colin coaxed. “Let him know that you want to be his friend.”
Holly cast Colin a frown. She knew that much. When she turned back to the puppy, she wore a smile.
“Hi.” She tried to keep her voice soft. “I’m Holly. I just want to pet you. I promise I won’t hurt you.”
As she talked to him, she continued to move her hand forward.
Tater Tot’s little white tail swished back and forth like a windshield wiper on overdrive.
And then at last, her fingertips touched him.
His fur was smooth as she petted him. All the while, he was staring at her, as though trying to decide if he should trust her.
When she went to pull her hand away, Colin said, “Here.” He got to his feet. “Sit here and keep petting him. Let him get used to you.”
After she was seated, she gazed up at Merry’s smile and Colin’s creased brow. She had to dispel this notion they had that she would be taking Tater Tot home. “He’s a sweet puppy, but I can’t take care of him.”
Colin’s gaze met hers. “I remember how you used to be afraid of Moose.”
“I was not.” The denial rushed from her mouth, causing Colin to arch a brow. She huffed. “Fine. But he was as big as a real moose.”
A half-smile lifted the corner of his mouth, taking her back in time.
That was the way he’d look at her when she would try to show off for him.
Back then, she’d have done anything to get his attention.
She’d even considered getting a dog, knowing how much Colin loved them, but her grandmother shot down the idea.
It was probably for the best. Holly wasn’t good with animals.
The cautious look Tater Tot gave her was evidence of that.
While she was still looking at Colin, she felt something wet and cold on her hand. She turned her head to find Tater Tot had moved over to sniff her. And then he ran his smooth tongue over the back of her hand. She didn’t know what to do, so she sat still and let the puppy do his thing.
“See. He’s just giving you puppy smooches.” Colin smiled.
She sat there, letting the puppy sniff her and lick her. In return, she petted him. By the time she was ready to leave, she was holding Tater Tot. His warm little body felt good in her arms.
She liked the little guy, but she had reservations. “I still don’t think this is a good idea.”
“It won’t be for long,” Merry said. “I would take him home, but Kris is allergic to dogs.”
Before she could stop the words, they came flying out. “But you own a pet store.”
Merry smiled as she nodded. “The store came before the husband. And it worked out because this way, I get to be around animals every day without it bothering Kris. I guess you could say I get the best of both worlds.”
“Oh.” She hadn’t been expecting to hear that Kris was allergic to animals. But still, sending Tater Tot home with her wasn’t the best idea. “Are you sure there isn’t someone else who could take him in?”
When her gaze landed on Colin, he held up his palms. “Don’t look at me. My place is already full of animals. It’s starting to look like a petting zoo. I don’t want to run afoul with the mayor.”
She wasn’t giving up. “Surely there has to be someone else.”
“It won’t be for long,” Merry reiterated. “Please. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t urgent. The other puppies he’d been living with have already been adopted, and I don’t want to leave him in the store overnight all by himself.”
Holly glanced around. The store was big and with the lights out, she could imagine how scary it would be for a puppy.
“And I’ll help you out as much as I can,” Colin said.
She wanted to take comfort in his words. “But you’re so busy with the veterinarian office.”
He nodded. “But I’ll give you the number to the bat phone.”
His Batman reference made her laugh. It brought back memories of him wearing Batman T-shirts. It had been a long time since she thought of that.
He frowned at her. “What are you laughing about?”
She sobered up. “I didn’t know you still liked Batman.”
“Of course, I do. He’s unbeatable.”
She smiled again as she shook her head. The puppy rubbed his head against her chin. Maybe she wasn’t so bad with animals after all. Or maybe she was just deluding herself. She smothered a laugh.
When Holly glanced up, she found Colin and Merry sending her an expectant look. She was starting to feel as though she didn’t have a choice.
“It won’t be long,” Merry said. “Just a night or two.”
Holly glanced over at the puppy. He was cute. Then the reality of the situation settled in. “But I have to work.”
“Take him with you,” Merry said. “I’m sure your customers will love to see him. He might even find a home that way.”
Holly searched for another reason this situation wasn’t going to work. “I don’t have anything for him. No food. No nothing.”
“No problem.” Merry moved off to the side. Behind her was a little table with a big brown paper bag plus a bunch of other stuff, including what looked to be a fluffy bed.
It looked like these two had put their heads together and tried to head off her reservations. She had to admit that they were persuasive.
She tried to come up with any other reason this was a bad idea, but she struggled. A silence settled over the room, as though they were waiting for another objection. But what was it? She was certain there was another reason this was a bad idea.
And then it came to her. “It’s snowing outside, and I didn’t drive. You don’t want the puppy out in the snow.”
“No problem,” Colin said. “I have my pickup. I can give you a ride home.”
She frowned at him. He wasn’t supposed to keep solving her problems. All he did was smile back at her.
At last, she felt as though she’d lost the battle. She turned to the puppy. She reached out and petted him. His tail swished back and forth across the desktop. “You can come home with me, but it’s only temporary. Okay?”
Tater Tot’s tail continued to swish.
“I’ll take this stuff out.” Colin collected the supplies from the table.
As Holly took in the magnitude of what Merry had collected for her, she thought it was an awful lot of supplies for just a night or two.
But Merry distracted her as she gave her tips about the pup’s feeding schedule and potty breaks.
Holly tried to memorize it all, but there was so much, and her mind was still trying to come to terms with the fact that she would be taking care of a dog.
Now that her grandmother had passed, she’d been forced to sell the only home she’d ever known and move into the apartment above the soap company.
Even though it had been five months since her grandmother’s passing, Holly would still forget and rush into the storage room in the back of the store to tell her grandmother something.
When she would find her grandmother’s stool at the work table empty, the sense of loss would wash over her again.
Maybe Tater Tot would be a good distraction. Even though his stay would only be temporary. This arrangement was just for a night or two.
Needing reassurance, Holly looked at Merry. “This is just for a night or two at most. Right?”
Merry nodded. “I appreciate this.”
Colin entered the office after his second trip to the pickup. “Everything is ready to go.”
Holly’s stomach shivered with nerves. She didn’t want to mess this up.