AllFreeNovel
Share Us
But it’d be a while before she’d see him again. Unless Dopey had something coming up, but Doc should be set now for months. She’d need heartworm and flea and tick meds, but she didn’t need to see the dogs for that. They could call and come pick it up.
“One thing about Carter that I can tell you, is he’s slow moving. Everything he does is slow. The way he moves and talks. That isn’t you either, but if you’re okay with it, then see what happens.”
“Nothing to be okay about,” she said. “As I said, it was a thank you dinner not a date.”
“But you want it to be more.”
“I don’t know what I want anymore,” she said.
“Which for you is a hard thing to get a handle on,” Laine said.
“It is.”
“One day at a time. You’re doing it now and it’s working.”
“Until it’s not. I’m sorry. I’m not good company today.”
“You’re entitled to feel this way today,” Laine said. “Your life probably doesn’t feel like your own anymore.”
“That is exactly how it feels. But in other ways, it’s a great feeling too. Being here and starting over.”
“Then go with that,” Laine said.
She turned and saw Josie walking in rubbing her eyes. “Laine,” Josie said, moving forward and hugging her friend. Her little girl needed her friend here today too. “I didn’t know you were going to be here. You need to see what I painted today.”
Laine stood up with her wine in her hand. “I heard you’ve been a busy girl. Why don’t you show me what pretty things you’ve been working on and then we can decide on what to order for dinner.”
“You’re staying for dinner?” Josie asked. “Yay.”
Laine turned to Avery and winked over Josie’s little dance in the kitchen.
The three of them went up the stairs and Laine started to walk around Josie’s room and gave encouragement and suggestions. Josie grabbed a piece of paper and made her own little notes on what colors to add.
“Can I see some more of your sketches?” Laine asked. “You told me you’ve been busy at the clinic this week.”
There were piles of sketch pads on a shelf, most used. She was going to have to buy more soon too.
Josie grabbed the one she was working in and handed it over. “This is all dogs from the clinic. When I’m all done I’m going to pick a bunch to put in frames, but I don’t want to pick any until it’s filled up and then I can get the best.”
Avery grinned. “They are all awesome that I’ve seen,” she said.
Laine was flipping through and making comments on how wonderful they all were. “Is this Dopey?”
“That’s Carter’s dog,” Josie said. “I’ve got a lot of pictures of Dopey. I gave one to Carter when he came in with Doc. Look, I’ve got pictures of Doc too. I want to bring it to him or give it to him when I see him again. He said Betty could play with his dogs.”
“He said that huh?” Laine asked, looking at Avery.
She shook her head at her friend. She didn’t need to go there right now.
“He did,” Josie said. “But if he comes in again when I’m in school, then I’ll have Avery give it to him.”
“I’m sure Avery would have no problem doing that, right, Avery?”
“Sure,” she said. “No problem.”
Hopefully it wouldn’t be months from now, but she didn’t know any other way to reach out to him. In her eyes, it was in his hands if he wanted to get to know her more and the silence told her what she needed to know.
13
