Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 133849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 535(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 535(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
Parents. It was natural to think of Jack and Abby and Sam as his parents now. They’d acted as his parents for a long time, but he’d always made the distinction in his head. He’d always told himself he was a charity case.
Something about learning he was in the will had changed the relationship for him.
He wasn’t concerned with the money, but he damn straight wanted the place in the family.
His mom and dads. His. He had a relationship with them that went beyond Josh. He had a place even if something ever happened between he and Josh.
He had a home.
“Hey, Grim.” Dakota Smart was all of twenty-two and had boundless enthusiasm when it came to furry friends. She was one of the shelter’s most active volunteers and often helped him when he was working on sick animals. She would make an excellent vet, but he couldn’t convince her to go to college. “We’ve got a litter of puppies some jerk dropped off. They’re barely weaned. I think he was breeding and those dogs, well, they’re definitely mutts. He didn’t watch her closely enough and now he’s washed his hands of the whole thing. The living things that were his responsibility. It kind of reminds me of home.”
Dakota didn’t have the greatest homelife. Her parents had gotten divorced when she was eight and her mom dated a lot, and not always the best men. Her father was kind but did not live up to his last name and often forgot things like birthdays. He drifted in and out of his daughters’ lives. She had one sister, Cheyenne, who was frequently in trouble.
“Hi.” Landon gave the pretty girl a once-over.
Dakota’s eyes went wide as she took in the ex-sailor. “Hi.”
Good lord. He did not have time for this. He gripped his bag and started down the row of cages. “Are they at the end?”
The end had two big cages for momma dogs and their babies. Too often they found neglected pregnant dogs who needed care.
“Yes, and I’ve already cleaned them all up. They’re in pretty good shape, but I think they miss their mom. At least he didn’t dump them. Unlike the little guy in four. I’m worried he’s got a broken leg, but he won’t let me touch him.” Dakota stopped at a cage that held a small dog who huddled in the corner, like he could hide from the world.
Grim crouched down and reached into his bag. He always had some treats on him. “Hey, boy, you’re okay now. Everything is fine.”
“He’s not eating,” Dakota said, worry on her youthful face. Her blonde hair was back in a ponytail, and she wore a T-shirt emblazoned with the shelter’s logo.
“He’s scared. He’s in survival mode.” Grim stood and opened the cage. The dog growled but didn’t look his way. Grim sat at the edge of the cage. “It’s okay, buddy. No one’s going to hurt you here.”
He gently tossed one of the soft treats he carried so it landed close to the pup. So close he didn’t need to move. The food bowl had been placed at the edge of the cage.
The dog was far more afraid than hungry, unwilling to risk his life for the temporary comfort of food.
So Grim would have to show him it was okay, that he’d landed in a safe place.
It was kind of a theme in his life now.
But then once, he’d been the stray, and the home he’d found had been worth everything.
Grim took a long breath. “I might need for you to drive the ladies home, Landon. This could take a while. I need to spend some time with this guy and see if we can get him eating. And we have some new guests. How many puppies?”
“Eight,” Dakota replied. “And the momma is a pure bred golden, while I’m pretty sure daddy was what we like to call around here a junkyard dog. Those puppies are so ugly they’re cute, if you know what I mean.”
What she meant was they needed to get those babies adopted and fast. They would be cute as puppies and look scary as big dogs no matter how sweet they were. “Well, they’ll all need their shots. Could you get them ready for me?”
“I’d like to help.”
He looked up and Nicole was standing there, bags of groceries in her hands. Harlow had two big bags as well.
“Abby forgot to tell us she’d called the order in,” Harlow admitted.
“Or maybe I wasn’t listening. Apparently this was a list to check off.” Nicole set the bags on the big reception desk. “She’s worried the young man who fills the orders isn’t very accurate. He was today. What are you doing?”
“Trying to get him comfortable enough to eat.” He kept his voice low and gentle. The dog was sniffing around the treat, his head going up and down as he tried to find a way to get it without exposing himself. “I’m going to sit here for a while. It could be an hour or two, and then I have some puppies to vaccinate. I thought it was a quick trip, but sometimes I get pulled in. It happens a lot. I should have known and let you drive us.”