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“You are beautiful,” Sophie murmurs. “Just as you are, right now. And I’m so happy that I was there for you at a time of your life when you needed someone. You’ll never know how much that means to me.”
“God, I feel like a fool,” Rhonda says as she wipes away tears. “But I just truly look up to you, and to have you just walk right into where I work, well, it’s exciting and unexpected.”
“I’m so happy to meet you,” Sophie assures her.
God, I love her.
“Ike is also one of my favorite people,” Rhonda confides as she looks over to me. “So, I think it’s just awesome that the two of you are together.”
“I think it’s pretty awesome, too,” Sophie says. “And I’m happy to be here, but I’m afraid that I’ll just feel horrible for all the animals and want to take them all home with me.”
“That’s just part of the job,” Rhonda replies. “My new partner, Jen, informed me that if I bring home any more animals, she’ll move out. Not because she doesn’t love me, but because there won’t be any more room for her.”
“Yeah, I can understand that,” Soph replies. “Okay, what can I do to help?”
“You’re with me today,” I inform her. “I’ll show you the ropes, and then next week, you can work on your own if you want.”
“Awesome, lead the way.”
“Before you go…” Rhonda turns to me with worried eyes. “Ike, I have bad news. Buster’s back.”
“What?” I scowl down at her and prop my hands on my hips. “He hasn’t even been gone more than two weeks.”
“He’s a big dog, and the family just couldn’t handle him. They didn’t have patience for him, to be honest.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” My heart hurts for the Great Dane, who’s been adopted and then brought back no less than four times.
“Who’s Buster?” Sophie wants to know.
“The best dog ever,” I reply immediately. “Come on, let’s go say hi to the poor guy.”
I take Sophie’s hand in mine and lead her back to the dog kennels.
“Someone brought him back?” she asks. “That’s horrible.”
“And it’s happened to him four times,” I reply, my voice tight with anger. “He’s a great dog, but he’s big. He has good manners, and he just needs someone to be patient with him.”
I approach the kennel, and when Buster sees me, his head comes up, and his tail starts to wag in excitement.
“Hey, buddy.”
The dog jumps up to greet me, and when I unlock the kennel, he jumps up with his front feet on my shoulders and kisses my face.
“Yeah, I missed you, too. I’m sorry that you’re back here in the slammer. We’re going to find you a home. I promise, okay?”
His whole big body shakes with excitement as he turns circles, and then he approaches Sophie, who simply sits on the floor and kisses the dog’s face.
Buster takes that as an invitation and lies down next to her, rests his head in her lap, and practically purrs with happiness.
“It’s a good thing they brought him back,” Sophie says between placing kisses on Buster’s black head.
“Why’s that?”
“Because he’s yours.” She turns those eyes up to me and grins. “He’s clearly your dog, Ike. He adores you.”
I cross my arms over my chest and grin. “I’m not the one he’s all over right now.”
“You didn’t see his face when he realized you were here,” she says, cuddling him. “You’re his human. You’re his safe person, Ike. You have to take him home.”
“We talked about this. I can’t take him. I can’t stand the thought of boarding him when I’m out of town for games, and that would happen too much.”
“Why? I can’t take care of a dog?”
I pause and stare at her, not wanting to hope too hard.
“You’re saying you’d take care of him when I’m gone?”
“Well, duh.” Sophie kisses Buster’s cheek. “We can manage without you for a day or two. Can’t we, you big baby?”
Buster groans pathetically and rubs up against her, then smiles up at me with that big tongue hanging out of his mouth.
“I don’t want to leave him here with the possibility that he’ll never be adopted. He was here for more than a year when the last family took him.”
“If you don’t take him home, I will,” Sophie says. “And I’d keep him at your house because you have the perfect yard for him.”
I laugh now and then shrug. “Okay. You’re coming home with me, buddy.”
“That’s just the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard.” Rhonda is crying in the doorway, wiping her eyes furiously with tissues. “I just knew he belonged with you, but you’re so stubborn.”
“Luckily, the stubborn man has me now,” Sophie says with a wink. “Can Buster follow us around while we work?”
“He should stay in here until we’re ready to go,” I reply. “Not all the cats are dog-friendly.”
