Lyle studied her for a moment, something unreadable flickering in his expression. “Yeah,” he said slowly. “I believe they do.”
And just like that, the air thickened with something they weren’t addressing, something unspoken. She could feel the world swirling around them: laughter and barks, rough-and-tumble volunteers jostling past, children weaving through the lines of crates. All of it felt so alive and yet solitary, as though it was only just the two of them.
Because in the middle of that chaos, as she held Lyle’s gaze, she realized that there was a true connection between them. A connection that had begun years ago.
The question was, could it last? Or would the pull of his other life in Montana win out?
They worked together in harmony, passing the dogs to hopeful families, voices mingling over shared laughter and joy as they celebrated each animal that found a new home. Time slipped away.
And before she knew it, the event wound down. Families began gathering their new furry friends, wrapping up the evening with exuberant stories and promises of new cuddles and adventures to come. They’d placed eight dogs today. Only one of them was from their litter of terrier puppies. Buttercup. The calmest of the group. There was interest in Pepper, but Charlotte had been quick to point out that the puppy was a little crazy and sometimes naughty. Heather wondered if that had been her sly way of discouraging potential adoption candidates from considering the frisky puppy. An older couple had expressed interest in Coco, but wanted to make sure their daughter was on board to bring a puppy into the home. They’d filled out an application and would be in contact in a few days.
Heather glanced around for Charlotte, found her sitting in a row of chairs against the back wall. Charlotte clung to Buttercup, her tiny fingers gently tracing the pup's ears and fur, obviously knowing her adoptive family would be showing up any minute to collect the baby dog. “Can we keep her just a little longer?” she pleaded, her eyes wide and hopeful. “Maybe she caught some worms from Sherry. We should probably make sure.”
Heather knelt down, her heart twisting in on itself. “Sweetheart, we can’t keep her. Buttercup needs a family of her own. You know that. And your Uncle has given her a thorough examination and she’s perfectly healthy.”
“But I love her! I want her to live with us!” Charlotte’s voice trembled, her disappointment palpable.
Lyle appeared next to Heather, squatting to meet Charlotte's gaze. “Hey, Char. Remember what we talked about? How we couldn’t keep all of the puppies forever? Buttercup is going to have a great life with people who love her just like we do.”
Charlotte’s face crumpled, and even Lyle’s comforting tone didn’t seem to soothe her right now. Heather braced for the tears.
“But I wanted to take care of her!” Charlotte’s little voice rose. “It’s not fair,” she added, as if the injustice of it all weighed so heavily on her small shoulders.
“Hey,” Lyle’s voice was low and soothing, “I know it feels unfair. Caring for animals can be hard. But we’re helping Buttercup find a family who can take care of her forever.”
He reached out as if to offer Charlotte comfort, but she ducked her head, holding tight to her puppy.
Heather felt a pang of sorrow at Charlotte’s reaction and pulled the little girl close, her heart aching to help ease the hurt they both felt right now. “Listen, what if we set up playdates with Buttercup’s new family? We could go visit her sometimes!”
Charlotte sniffled, wiping her eyes. “Will they really let us?”
“I bet they would love it. And we could bring them snacks,” Lyle said, trying to encourage.
Charlotte peeked up, her eyes still wet, but a hint of curiosity flickered there. “All kinds of snacks?”
“All kinds,” Heather assured her, brushing a stray curl away from her face. “And who knows? Maybe we can even do puppy playdates once their yard is set up.”
Slowly, Charlotte began to perk up again, her excitement still unresolved but a little less volatile. “Okay! But I want to pick the treats.”
“Deal.” Lyle smiled brightly. “It’s settled then.”
Charlotte slid off the chair, kissed Buttercup’s soft ears. “You be sweet,” she whispered and walked over to the young couple waiting to take the puppy home.
“She’s a really good dog,” Charlotte said, carefully handing her over to Misty Jeffers and her husband.
“We’ll take very good care of her and love her,” Misty said, unable to miss the fat tears still riding on Charlotte’s cheeks.
“Okay,” Charlotte whispered.
As they gathered up the other puppies and turned to leave, the moon rose high over Bear Valley, illuminating the way with soft silver light.
Heather and Lyle each held a pet carrier in one hand, and Charlotte’s hand in their other. The little girl was stoically quiet, but accepting. Tonight had been about family. And walking hand in hand with Lyle and Charlotte, Heather began to yearn, dreaming that this one could be hers.
9
The drive across Bear Valley to Dolly’s home was lined with sprawling ranches and fields dotted with wildflowers. Lyle kept his focus on the road, but every so often, his gaze flicked between the rearview mirror and Charlotte's joy-lit face, eagerly chattering about her grandmother. The air was thick with excitement, and he could feel the anticipation radiating from her.
“Are we almost there?” Charlotte asked, her blue eyes wide and sparkling as she fidgeted in her booster seat. Pudge, nestled comfortably in her lap, squirmed slightly but didn’t protest.
