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Penny scootched down onto the floor and petted the dog, allowing her hair to cover her face to hide the hurt at being set aside.
“A car will be here in ten minutes,” he told her and began to sort through the papers on his desk.
“Please, can I use the bathroom?” she asked.
“Of course,” he replied.
When she returned he was hunkered down, petting the dog. An overwhelming sense of loss swept over her as she recalled his love for their Golden Retriever, Honey. How happy they’d been. It hurt that she would never see Honey again. She couldn’t help a sob escaping.
David’s head whipped up. He stared at her uncertainly.
She gave a weak smile.
Rising to his feet, he crossed to her. “This need of yours to keep the dog, I think it stems from losing your brother,” he said gently.
His thoughtfulness brought a fresh flood of tears. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a clean folded handkerchief.
She took it and wiped her face.
He patted her shoulder awkwardly.
“Oh, David, what would I do without you?” she asked sadly, knowing full well how badly she was doing without him.
He cleared his throat, sounding embarrassed. “I think we should go, the car will be here soon.”
* * *
“You will phone me ifan owner comes forward and you won’t give him to anyone else if they don’t?” she asked the Battersea assistant, watching as Pippin was taken away to the kennels.
“Yes, my dear. Someone will be in touch to assess your living conditions first. You do have a garden, I take it?”
“What? No, I live in an apartment. Will that count against me?” she asked anxiously.
“We do insist on a garden when re-homing a dog.”
“Daddy-vid!” She made a quick verbal save and clutched David’s sleeve.
“First things first, don’t panic. Let them do their checks to find if the animal has an owner. Come along, I think it’s time we left.” He patted her shoulder. “Thank you,” he said to the assistant.
Penny didn’t move until he caught her by the hand and tugged her away from the reception area.
“What shall we do?” she wailed as she trotted along beside him. His stride was so much longer than hers.
“I am not sure when this became my problem,” he responded gruffly.
“Don’t be so mean. A dog’s happiness hangs in the balance. You have to help me!” she insisted.
He came to a halt and ran an agitated hand through his dark hair.
Her heart twanged at the familiar gesture. She groaned.
He must have taken that as a comment on him because he slipped an arm about her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. “I don’t remember you being this much trouble when I met you as a girl, were you?” he asked.
She gulped. Wow, he totally believed her lies. “Well, you did call me ‘Trouble’ quite often,” she fibbed.
“Well, that’s because you are. Get in.” He held the taxi door open for her.
“To the Ritz,” he told the driver.
