AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Hadley kissed Hershey’s soft head one last time and got to her feet.“I’ll be sure to pick up more food right away.We’ll get some new toys and treats, too.”
“I can tell she will be well loved,” Amie said, handing over the leash.
Amie helped carry Hershey’s belongings to the porch, and Hadley waved as the woman got back in her car.
Once Amie had left, Hadley looked down and found Hershey watching with a wary, uncertain expression in her eyes.“Hey, I know I’m new at this but I am really glad you’re here.We’ve got each other now.”
Hadley held out her hand and laughed softly when Hershey lifted a paw as though to shake.“Good girl.Let’s shake on it.”
Hershey blinked at Hadley and Hadley remembered the dog had yet to be trained.She held out her hand again.“Hershey, shake.”
More hesitant this time, Hershey lifted her paw and almost placed it in Hadley’s but lowered it before she followed through.“Aww, sweet girl, it’s okay.Hershey, shake.”
This time the dog followed through with the move, and Hadley practically jumped up and down in her excitement, petting and praising and loving on the dog.“Oh, you’re a smart girl!Yes, so smart!Okay, come on.Let’s get you settled inside.You can supervise and tell me if I’m doing it wrong,” Hadley said, opening the door.
Hershey entered but stopped a few steps into the living room.Hadley removed the leash and watched as Hershey roamed, sniffing and checking things out.“What do you think?Not bad for your new home and way better than the kennel, yeah?”
Hershey moved to the kitchen tile and slowly sank down, sprawling out on her belly.
“I guess you are a little hot wearing fur, huh?”Hadley found an old plastic bowl and filled it with water before tossing in some ice cubes.“We’ll just put this right here for you,” she said, placing it on the floor near the dog.
Hershey lowered her head with a deep, seemingly dejected sigh that broke Hadley’s heart.“Oh, Hershey.I know I’m not your family yet but we’re gonna be friends soon.”She stroked her hand down the dog’s head and back.“And I promise I won’t give up on you if you don’t give up on me, okay?We’ll figure out how to do this.”
Hershey didn’t move.
“Okay.Well, you think about it while I get back to work.”
Hadley kept an eye on Hershey and returned to the paint pan.The paint had set up a bit in the time she’d been away, and she used the roller to mix it all up again.It was a little gloppy but she made her first roll on the bathroom wall and grinned.She so had this.
Hadley lost herself to the process.She focused on her task and managed to get an entire wall done in no time.Then again, the bathroom was small and the wall she’d chosen the easiest to paint, with no obstacles.
Now she had to work around the vanity and toilet and light fixtures and switches.
Little by little, Hadley rolled the area before switching over to a brush.She scooted the paint pan into the hallway out of her way and was on her hands and knees painting behind the toilet when she heard the screen door slam.
When she didn’t hear a greeting, she poked her head out of the bathroom.“Hello?”
She didn’t spot anyone—or Hershey in the kitchen.
She turned toward the door again and looked down, her gaze flaring wide at the trail of suspiciously large paw prints across the floor.“No, no,no.”
Hadley tossed the brush aside and scrambled to her feet so fast she got a head rush, but she had sense enough to grab the leash on her way out of the house.“Hershey?Hershey!”
“This who you’re looking for?”
Hadley turned to find Bryson leading Hershey by her collar.Hadley gasped.The chocolate Labradoodle now had a white muzzle and face, four white “socks,” and random spots along her dark, furry body.“Oh, wow.”
Bryson chuckled and paused at the base of the steps, looking up at her.
“You can say that again.I think you’re wearing almost as much paint as the dog.”
She looked down at her paint-spattered legs and arms and shrugged.“It’s a learning process,” she said to Bryson.“Oh, Hershey, what did you do?”she asked, hurrying down the steps.
“Your paint roller is history.Hope you bought several.”
“I did.Thank you for catching her.”
“She came up to me carrying her prize like she’d won the lottery.”
