Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
Olivia
As we turn into a gravel driveway, the arch overhead greeting us reads, “Welcome to Resilient Paws Animal Rescue.”
Biting my lip in an effort to contain my excitement, I turn to Rhett. “What are we doing here?”
“I know how much you love dogs, so I thought you might like to come meet Carol and some of the rescues she has here.”
“Carol? Is there only one woman who runs this whole rescue?”
“Yeah, pretty much. She lives with her sister, but I don’t think Aimee gets involved much. Carol does amazing work here though, even on her own. There are a lot of dogs that would not be alive if it weren’t for her. The shelters in Dallas are getting overcrowded, and Texas isn’t a no-kill shelter state. Carol has helped take in some of those dogs that wouldn’t otherwise have a place to go.”
“That warms my heart to hear there’s people who care, even in this tiny town.”
“Roots is a lot more than just a small town.”
As we pull the truck up to the house at the end of the driveway, a woman with graying hair swept into a bun appears almost out of nowhere. She rushes over to us and wraps Rhett up in a hug. “Look what the cat dragged in. I haven’t seen you in ages.”
“I haven’t been hiding.”
“I know. You’re just a busy man. I get it. Who’s your friend?” She wiggles her eyebrows at Rhett with a not-so-subtle smile. I try to hold back my laughter before she turns to me and gives me a hug.
“I’m Olivia Parker. My parents are Jack and Mandi Parker.”
“Of course! I know your parents. They adopted their dog Daisy from me. I’m Carol, by the way.” She shakes my hand. “Well, come on, let me show you around. If there is any piece of you that loves dogs, then this place will be both your heaven and hell.” The smile on Carol’s face is bittersweet.
“These poor animals. I can’t believe how cruel people can be. I admire people like you. I wish I could do something more like this with my life.”
“I always need helping hands. You should come help out.”
“That would be incredible!”
Rhett steps in close, grabbing my arm and leaning in to whisper in my ear. His soft lips brush against my skin, igniting me. “Do you think you should be volunteering at the rescue right now? I thought you wanted to work on your mental health and your relationship with your parents? You don’t need to overwhelm yourself with too many commitments.”
I bat my eyes at him and give him a plastic smile. “Thanks, Mom . I’ll be fine. All kinds of studies show dogs are actually great for reducing anxiety and improving mental health.” I lower my voice, adding, “I have been miserable for the last two years. I have felt helpless and broken. I am these dogs. Maybe I can help these innocent animals find homes and find pieces of myself along the way. I don’t see any harm in that, do you?”
“No,” Rhett sputters, looking stunned. I get an odd sense of satisfaction in making him a little off-kilter. “You’re right. I was butting in when it’s not my place. I think this could be good for you. I mean it.”
“I think it could be too. This is something I really want to do.”
“Then let’s do it.”
“Let’s?”
“I mean, you will be the one coming back to help out. That can be your thing, but let’s go meet the dogs now and make sure you’re up for it.”
I nod, bouncing up and down in excitement.
Carol unlocks the gate to her backyard. “Let’s go see some pooches, shall we? You two came at the perfect time. I like to let all the dogs wander the property as much as I can, but the best time to see them playing is early in the morning and then later in the evening when it’s not so hot for them.”
Carol makes sure to lock the gate properly behind us and then gestures to the several acres of land in front of us, completely enclosed with high fences. “Here we are.”
A large Husky rushes up to greet us, followed quickly by a black Pitbull-looking dog. Their tails wag rapidly, and they both look as happy as ever to see new people. My heart cracks in two as I immediately crouch down to pet one with each hand, speaking to them in a high-pitched voice. This is where I belong.
Carol places two fingers into her mouth and whistles, which instantly attracts the attention of the rest of the dogs wandering around the grassy yard. In an instant, about fifty dogs are rushing toward us. Behind them, the expansive Texas sky is highlighted in orange and red hues as the sun slowly starts to sink below the horizon. The sight makes my soul happy. I’ve never seen so many happy dogs in one place.
I quickly capture a video of it and then glance up at Rhett, ready to thank him for bringing me here, but I find his attention is already on me, his eyes looking softer than I’ve ever seen them. Trying to distract myself from the fluttering in my stomach, I turn to the chocolate lab in front of me.
Her whole butt wiggles and her tongue lolls out of her mouth as she slips under my palm and then finds her way to Rhett. She nuzzles her face right into his hand until he starts petting her.
“Looks like you found yourself a friend,” I say, trying not to let the image of Rhett loving on a dog melt me right here and now.
“That’s Hope. She’s fairly new to the rescue. She’s only about six months old, but she’s a perfect angel,” Carol explains.
Rhett gently scritches the soft patch of fur behind the dog’s ears. “Hi, Hope.” I can tell he’s trying not to get attached to the sweet pooch, but I think he’s failing.
More dogs continue to come up to us, and all of them gravitate toward me, making me feel whole. It’s like they know I need their love. Or maybe they need what I have to give. I’d like to think it’s a mixture of both.
I pull out my phone to take a video of all the dogs for @Dog_Central_. This content would be great for the rescue’s social media too.
I start to ask Carol about her marketing plan, but I quickly become distracted when a German Shepherd comes up and sets his snout on my shoulder. Suddenly the smile that hasn’t come off my face in the past twenty minutes wavers, and tears threaten the corners of my eyes.
“What’s wrong?” Rhett instantly goes into protective mode.
“Look at him! He’s practically giving me a hug. This is just what I needed today. Thank you for bringing me here.” I turn to Carol, sniffling. “I just want to take him home. I want to take all of these dogs home. It’s just not fair. How do you do this?”
“It’s not easy. Most days suck. But when I find a good home for these animals, it’s an amazing feeling. It’s a lot to take care of so many dogs, but it beats the alternative. I’ll keep hundreds of dogs here with me if it means they get a shot at a good life. I just do my best every day. That’s all I can do.”
The German Shepherd has moved from giving me a makeshift hug to basically sitting in my lap, even though he must easily weigh at least ninety pounds. Man, he knows how to wiggle into a woman’s heart.
“I haven’t seen him like this,” Carol notes. “He came to the shelter a week ago, and he’s been so skittish. He must really like you.”
I stroke his back and kiss his cheeks. “I think I’m in love.”
“You should take him home,” Rhett says.
“I can’t.”
“Why not?” His tone is a little accusatory, so he softens it and asks, “Wouldn’t it make you happy?”
“More than anything in the world, but I can’t take him home. I’m only here for three months, and, in case you’ve forgotten, I’m living in your house indefinitely.”
“I’d allow a dog in my house if it’d help you.”
“But I’m going back to living in a high-rise apartment in the concrete jungle at the end of all this. I don’t know if you’ve ever been to San Francisco, but that city legitimately has no grass. I can’t have a dog like this there.”
“I always need more fosters,” Carol interjects.
I chew on my lip, looking into the eyes of the dopey dog who is clearly just as much in love with me as I am with him. I want a good reason to say no to this, but the only one I can come up with is that I’ll get attached. That’s a fairly weak argument considering I’m already attached.
Sensing my hesitation, she adds, “You can co-foster. It’s perfect! You two live at Rhett’s place together now, right? You can share responsibility for him, so you can still enjoy your time here. Plus, this way, when Olivia has to go home in three months he won’t have to be sent back to the rescue, and he will be staying with someone familiar.”
“That sounds an awful lot like adoption,” Rhett interjects. “I don’t know how to take care of a dog.”
“Call it whatever you want,” Carol says with a smirk.
“I’ll do most of the work for the first three months, Rhett,” I jump in. “I’m sure Carol could give you some tips too.”
Carol nods eagerly at Rhett as she strokes the top of the dog’s head. “This guy would love to go to Copper Hill with you too. Besides, you normally live all alone on that big property. You could use a friend just as much as he could.”
“He’s just a puppy. He needs to be trained.”
“He’s almost a year old. He’s already potty and crate-trained. Plus, he does well on a leash,” Carol explains.
I turn back to the scruffy dog in my lap, knowing this might just be the nail in the coffin. “I’m sorry, buddy. I won’t be able to take you home today, but I’ll come back to play with you real soon.” I place a kiss on his forehead right between his eyes.
“Fine. I’ll do it.”
I swoop the dog into my arms for a hug and then leap from the ground into Rhett’s arms. He stumbles back, stunned by the force, but he still manages to wrap me up. Having his arms around me might just be the greatest feeling in the world. He places his hand over the top of my head and smoothes it down gently. At the motion, a small sound of satisfaction slips from my lips, and I have to cough to cover it as I go rigid and pull back.
“I guess we’re doing this.”
Rhett looks at the sweet dog watching us with wonder and hope in his eyes, then back to me. As if he’s too weak to say no to the two of us, he says, “I guess we are. What am I getting myself into?”