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Fred had three puppies.Two girls and a boy. All three were tiny and orange, just like Fred. After the vet said the best thing was a c-section, I took her–and Lindy’s apron she nested with–to the vet’s office for the surgery.
The last person I wanted to connect with was Danny, but he had a right to know about the puppies, especially since the vet told me there was no way Earl could be the dad because of the size difference. When he said that, I’d been stunned. This whole thing with Daniel had been because I was sure Earl was the father.
Turned out, Daniel had been right to question and Danny needed to know he was off the hook.
So I swallowed my mortification and let him know the puppies were born. The puppies that weren’t his.
Now, two days later, Fred was home. I was home.
Mallory was visiting.
We were sitting on the kitchen floor beside Fred’s bed. She was snuggled on top of an old towel, the puppies little lumps beside her. The vet had given important tips to watch for, like post-surgery complications, puppy rejection, or nursing problems, so I was watching all four of them closely.
I leaned against the kitchen cabinets and Mal was across from me propped against the wall.
“I can’t believe your mom and Roger left without saying goodbye.”
I shrugged because I wasn’t surprised or disappointed. “They left a messy guest bedroom and an empty fridge. They ate all my prepped meals.”
“What’s the deal with the blank spot on the wall?”
I turned my head toward the hallway where she pointed.
“Mom took two framed decorative fans Nana got somewhere in Europe. I’m not sure if she snagged them for sentimental purposes or to sell, but that’s for Nana to hash out with her.”
There was a knock on the backdoor and Danny stuck his head in.
“Hey,” I said, pushing to my feet. “Come on in.”
He spent the day working on the driveway with the rest of the Pearson team. Snow was coming again so they hustled to get the last of it done. Earl was with him and for a big bumbling oaf of a dog, he seemed to sense he needed to be gentle and settled near Fred, but not too close to jostle her or their new babies. Mallory reached out and pet him.
Danny stepped inside. He wore jeans, a lined canvas coat with a sweatshirt hood over the collar. He tugged a beanie from his head and stuffed it in the jacket pocket. His eyes were the same brown as his father’s and his cheeks were ruddy from the cold.
There were five dogs and one huge elephant in the room: the fact that he found me wrapped around his father in only a flannel. I was the recent virgin and even I would have known what that sight meant.
This wasawkward.
I gave Mallory a look. She gave me one right back. One that said I had to talk with Danny about having sex with his father and she wasn’t missing it.
He ran a hand through his hair and looked down at the brown balls of fur. “So this is what happens when dogs don’t use birth control.”
I bit my lip and tried not to smile. “I’m really sorry I accused Earl of being the father.”
He squatted down to get a closer look but didn’t touch. Shrugged. “The way Earl has been behaving, humping everything in sight, it made sense.”
“I should have considered the neighbor’s little Shih Tzu, which the vet thinks is an actual possibility, especially since he got into our yard that one time. Although, unless I do a dog paternity test” —like Daniel had wanted— “we’ll never know who the dad really is.”
“I know, right? It’s like a doggie soap opera,” Mallory said. “How’s it going, Danny?”
He flicked his gaze her way. “Hey, Mal.”
Obviously, they knew each other.
“Look, Danny. I’m sorry,” I blurted.
He stood, set his hands on his hips. “You? For what? The dog thing? No big deal.”
I pushed my glasses up. “Not that. No one wants to see what you did with me and your dad.”
