Forever Home Page 5

  Ana cheered, and Izzy dropped her head back on the seat rest. Puppies and pizza? She couldn’t fight that.

  She put the car into reverse and backed into the street. “We’ll be there in fifteen,” she told Brad and signed off.

  Ana cheered.

  Looking into the rearview mirror, Izzy put on her best stern-mom face. “We’ll go, you’ll play with dogs, we’ll eat pizza. But we are not, I repeat, not, getting a dog.”

  * * * *

  Izzy covered her ears; Ana’s high-pitched shrieks were enough to shatter glass. A dog on a ratty green sofa howled in harmony. Ana threw herself on the ground next to the dog bed that cradled the five puppies Izzy had found.

  The mama dog raised her head from her paws where she lay in the corner of the kennels, made sure Ana wasn’t going to hurt her pups, and settled back down with a sigh. Even after just two days, she looked like a different dog. Her skin wasn’t hanging quite so dramatically over her bones, and her fur was clean and brushed.

  Ana picked up a little brown puppy and rubbed her nose against its muzzle. The odd one out, the one who had caused Izzy all the trouble, clambered over the edge of the bed and stuck its front paws on Ana’s sneaker. Ana cooed and picked up that scamp, too.

  Izzy sighed. They were going to be here awhile.

  “Shall we talk about the fund-raising banquet?” Brad asked. Izzy nodded and turned toward the door to the exam room, expecting to go to his office. Brad didn’t follow. He strode to the corner of the kennels and plopped down next to the boxer mix. He pulled a dog cookie from his front pocket and held it out to the mama dog.

  Izzy weaved her way over to them, forging a path around groups of rollicking dogs. “Oh, we’re going to talk here?” At least she could make sure Ana didn’t get into trouble. She bent her knees, and her pencil skirt rode up an inch. Tugging it down, she twisted and tried to gracefully lower herself to the ground without exposing herself.

  Brad watched her maneuver, his smile growing.

  Putting a palm on the cement floor, she fell to the side and landed on her hip. She smoothed her skirt back down her legs. “So, what’s your big idea?”

  The dog sniffed the air near the treat but lowered her head without eating it. Brad placed it on the floor in front of her.

  “I don’t think she likes your cookies.”

  “She doesn’t trust the cookie-bearer is the problem.” Brad fondled the dog’s floppy ears. “But we’re working on that, right, girl?”

  The dog looked forlorn, her brows arching up and twitching. Izzy’s fingers itched to comb through her soft fur. Instead, she laced them together and rested her hands in her lap. “Tell me about this award idea.”

  “Sounds like I finally caught your interest.” Brad grinned, the corners of his eyes crinkling, and something tugged deep inside Izzy. His eyes weren’t the green she’d first thought, more hazel with bands of chestnut circling his pupils. His sandy blond hair was a little ruffled, as if he’d been running his hands through it, or maybe rolling around with his dogs. His smile was impish and his hands gentle as they soothed the boxer.

  All in all, not the sort of man she should be attracted to. If she ever found the time to date, she needed someone solid. Dependable. Not an irresponsible boy toy, sexy as he might be.

  Izzy rested her back against the concrete wall. “I’m interested in marketing. I don’t think I deserve any award for finding a bunch of dogs, but if it will increase my business and get you some donations, I don’t see the problem.” She looked around the kennels, smiled when she saw Ana lying on the ground with four puppies on her chest and stomach. If Burker sold his property and Forever Friends got booted from this building, Brad would need all the financial help he could get. She’d seen the rent he was charged. Brad would be hard-pressed to find a better deal.

  “Have you ever thought about moving the shelter?” she asked hopefully. “The space seems a bit small for your needs.”

  “Nah. Who has the money or time to move?” He crossed one long leg over the other, stretching them out in front of him. “This place suits us fine.”

  “Surely you must have some sort of reserve fund in case of emergencies.” Like getting kicked out. Unlike some of Burker’s other tenants, Forever Friends was renting month-to-month. Bob wouldn’t have to buy out a lease or give Brad much notice if he sold.

  He shook his head. “Why hold on to money that could be used to help my dogs? I don’t believe in keeping big bank balances.”

  Izzy blinked. “Are you kidding me? You don’t think it’s important to save? To prepare for the future?” He really was a toddler in adult clothes. “That’s completely irresponsible.”

  His easy smile flashed again. “You’re such a mom.”

  Izzy opened her mouth, but he held up one hand. “Don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing wrong with that. I know you have to take care of your daughter. But money’s not everything. People really don’t need much to be able to enjoy life. Enough to put a roof over your head and food in your belly, but the rest of your happiness is up to you. Life is too short to waste clawing for every penny.”

  Wriggling her shoulders against the cool concrete wall, she crossed her arms over her chest. “I’d like to hear you say that again in your retirement years. I think you’ll be kicking yourself that you didn’t put some aside.”

  “You’re much too serious, Isabelle Lopez.” Rolling to his feet, he strode to the basket of dog toys and pulled out a frayed rope. He walked to Ana, bent down, and gave it to her. “The puppies seem to love playing with this,” he told her. He picked up the black-and-white puppy that was gnawing on the hem of her jeans at her ankle and came back to Izzy.

  He sat cross-legged in front of her. “No one can be serious when looking at this much cuteness.” Holding the pup under his belly, Brad lowered him to his mother’s face for a lick and then held him up to Izzy. The little dog held its paws out rigidly, waving them in circles, like some weird interpretive dance, and the edges of Izzy’s mouth twitched.

  “That doesn’t look comfortable for him.” Placing one hand under the puppy’s bottom, she used the other to pry him from Brad’s grip, then cuddled him close to her stomach. He was awfully cute. And soft as cashmere. “What’s his name?”

  “He doesn’t have one yet.” Brad stretched out next to the mama dog, lying on his side and looking up at Izzy. “None of the dogs you brought in do.”

  “Can I name them?” Ana piped up.

  “No,” Izzy said at the same time Brad said, “Sure.”

  Izzy leaned toward Brad. “If she names one, she’ll want to take it home,” she hissed.

  He flashed his pearly whites. “I know.”

  “We’re not getting a dog.” She said it loud enough for Ana to hear, as well as any of the dogs who might be looking at her like she was a meal ticket.

  “They do need homes.” Brad lost his smile and grew serious. He rubbed his chest, his fingers splayed wide, his large hand spanning from the “S” to the “E” on his Michigan State T-shirt.

  Izzy swallowed. A serious Brad was even sexier than a playful Brad.

  “The puppies we’ll have no problem adopting out. They’re adorable.” He rubbed a hand down the mama dog’s rear leg. “But this girl here will be tougher.”

  “Wait, you’re going to split them up? She won’t see her puppies again?” She glanced at Ana, and that tiny bud of dread inside her flared to life. She walked around all the time with the fear that if she didn’t take care, didn’t provide, she could somehow lose her daughter. She rubbed her damp palms on her skirt. She was being stupid. Of course all six of the dogs wouldn’t be adopted together. That wasn’t practical. But…“She can’t even keep one of her babies?”

  “She could.” Brad stared at her, raising one golden eyebrow pointedly. “If someone with a big heart was willing to adopt her and one of the little guys.”


  Izzy stared at the dog lying next to her, the puppy snoozing in her lap. Her chest burned. They seemed like nice enough dogs. And—

  She stabbed a finger at Brad. “You’re the devil. I am not getting any dogs.”

  “We’ll see.” Standing up, he brushed his hands together and held one out to help her up. He called over his shoulder. “Ana, why don’t you name the new dogs and then we’ll go get some pizza.”

  Ana cheered.

  Izzy took his hand and pulled herself up. She brushed dog hair off her butt and glared at Brad.

  Yep. Definitely a devil.

  Returning the puppy to his bed, she hurried Ana through the naming process. She did her best to ignore how adorable all the names were, then grabbed Ana’s hand and fled from the kennels.

  She also did her best to ignore the chisel of guilt chipping away at her resolve. She wasn’t abandoning the dogs; they weren’t hers to abandon.

  She must have done a decent job at all that ignoring. She only gazed back at the shelter twice while buckling Ana into the car. The Pizza Pit would be safe, she told herself. It would be a dog-free zone. No sad eyes to tug at her heartstrings.

  She sped like hell away from the den of temptation and breathed a sigh of relief. Until she remembered. There would be one more temptation to overcome. And unlike the puppy, Brad didn’t strike her as the kind of man who’d let a woman put him to bed and then allow her to just walk away.

  Chapter Five

  Izzy was wearing a charcoal gray skirt and jacket today, this skirt a little tighter than the one he’d first seen her in but still professional. It did fantastic things to her ass.

  She had opted to drive herself and Ana to the Pizza Pit. Careful and cautious to the last. Brad knew as a single mom she had to be responsible. Guarded. But it wouldn’t hurt her to loosen up. Humming softly, he leaned against the hood of his truck. And he’d be just the man to show her how.

  She strode across the restaurant’s parking lot, her legs looking amazing in her black heels. Ana’s hand was nestled in Izzy’s, and the girl was bouncing up and down, yanking on her mom’s arm. Puppies did have a way of stirring kids up.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked Ana.

  “Well, duh.” She rolled her eyes and looked so much like her mother when he irritated her, Brad couldn’t hold back his laugh.

  “Ana.” Izzy tugged on the girl’s ponytail. “Don’t be rude.”

  “Sorry, Brad.” Ana slipped her free hand into his and pulled them all to the door. “Can we get pepperoni?”

  “Works for me.” The feel of her small hand in Brad’s grip was strange. Her hand was slim and delicate, and warm as a furnace. He didn’t go around holding a lot of kids’ hands but had to admit something about it felt…nice.

  Opening the door, he let her go and waved mother and daughter through. “After you, ladies.”

  Ana skipped inside and made a beeline for the counter where orders were placed. “Looks like she’s been here before,” Brad said.

  “Too many times.” Izzy shook her head. “Part of the guilt of being a single mom. Overcompensation with pizza.”

  Placing his palm on the small of her back, he guided her to the order line. “Why should you feel guilty?”

  She snorted and then covered her mouth and nose with her hand, looking shocked at the sound.

  Brad grinned. Damn, she was cute. He lowered her hand and kept it nestled in his as they moved forward with the line. A different kind of warmth spread through his gut as he held Izzy’s hand.

  She flicked her glance down to where they were joined and chewed on her bottom lip. “Single moms always feel guilty. We have support groups for this. We’re guilty we didn’t give our kids a dad. We’re guilty that we don’t have as much time to spend with them because we’re so busy working. And that there’s not enough money for the camps they want or the toys the other kids get.”

  Brad blinked. “There’s a lot of crap going on in that head of yours.”

  “You have no idea,” she muttered.

  They reached the front of the line, and Ana bounced up to the cashier. “Extra-large pepperoni pizza, please.”

  “Extra-large?” Izzy raised an eyebrow and gently tugged her hand from his grip. “There’s only three of us. A medium will be fine,” she told the teenager behind the register.

  “A large at least,” Ana argued. She sucked on her lower lip. “I’m a growing girl, you know.”

  Brad burst out laughing. “Is this negotiation normal?”

  “Constant.” Izzy blew out a breath. “I think she just offered up the extra-large as an opening bid, knowing starting high is a good tactic to get what you really want.”

  “Aaah. She’s learning from her mom, then.” He ignored Izzy’s lowered eyebrows and stepped forward, handing the cashier his credit card. “Make it an extra-large and three sodas.” He shrugged at Izzy. “I’m a growing boy, too.”

  That earned a laugh from Ana, and they shot each other conspiratorial smiles.

  Rolling her eyes, Izzy reached into her purse and pulled out her wallet.

  “On me,” he told her, nudging her wallet back in the large bag.

  “Thanks.”

  They got their sodas and found a table, and Izzy plopped her bag on top of it and dug in. She searched for a bit and came up with a Ziploc bag full of tokens. “Here you go, Ana. Spend them wisely.”

  “Thanks, Mom.” Ana scooped up the bag and disappeared toward the video game machines.

  “You do come here a lot if you keep tokens in your purse.” He leaned over. “What else have you got in there?”

  She slapped at his hand and put the purse next to her as she sat. “None of your business.”

  He straddled the bench seat and sat facing her. “So, Isabelle Lopez, tell me about yourself. I know you are a secret softie when it comes to dogs and that you’re carrying around a lot of misplaced guilt. What else?”

  “I’m a woman who likes to get down to business. And you still haven’t told me the details for your cockamamie idea about this award.”

  Clutching his chest, he tsked. “You wound me. It’s a marvelous idea. We’re going to hold a little ceremony, maybe make it a lunch. Put out a nice spread. Charge, I don’t know, fifty bucks a ticket. At some point, yours truly will get up, make a little speech about how marvelous you are.” He leaned in close, smelled a hint of perfume on her skin. “That should be easy enough to do. You’ll get your picture taken; people will throw money at Forever Friends. A win-win.”

  She scraped her teeth across her upper lip. “How much money do you think you’ll raise?”

  He shrugged. “Hopefully enough for the next couple of months.” A server brought the pizza to their table, and Brad rubbed his hands together. “Should I go find Ana?”

  Izzy stared at him for a moment and shook her head. She blew out a breath. “No, I’ll go get her. Back in a moment.”

  Spreading out the plates and silverware, Brad watched as Izzy tugged on her daughter’s ponytail, a sweet smile softening her features. That woman had a lot of armor on, but it wasn’t as impenetrable as she thought it was. She just needed someone to pry his way in.

  Ana jogged up to the table, jingling a handful of tokens. “Thank God the pizza’s here. I’m staaarving.” She dumped the brass coins on the table and one lazily rolled toward the edge.

  Brad snagged it before it could fall. “Got it.” He tossed it on the pile of tokens.

  Ana slid onto the bench seat. “You could have kept it. It would be like your commission for selling my mom on the extra-large.” She gave him an impish grin, and Brad chuckled.

  Izzy settled across from them and reached into her bag. She pulled out a little squeeze bottle of hand sanitizer and squirted a dab into Ana’s outstretched hands. She offered it up to Brad, and he shrugged and stuck his palm out, too. After
rubbing the sanitizer between her own hands, she returned it to her bag and pulled out little packets of red flake pepper.

  She caught his surprised look and shrugged. “The Pizza Pit is good at many things, but refilling their condiments isn’t one of them. I like to be prepared.” She tugged a slice of pizza off the serving dish and placed it on the plate in front of Ana. “There you go, baby. Don’t eat too fast.”

  “I’m not a baby anymore.”

  Brad decided to nip that fight in the bud. “That’s right. We’re growing boys and girls.” He lifted his arm and flexed his biceps. Ana mirrored his action, her thin limb about a tenth the size of his. He poked her muscle. “Definitely need more pizza.”

  Laughing, she lifted her slice and took a large bite. Cheese stretched from the pizza to her mouth, and she chewed her way to the end of the string.

  Brad shared a smile with Izzy and took a bite of his own slice.

  “Those puppies are so cute,” Ana chattered. “Did you see when Pansy licked my neck and Jasmine bit his tail, and then I don’t think their mom, Buttercup, saw this, but then Daffy bit her brother’s nose!” A stream of words was pouring from Ana’s mouth, a seeming impossibility as pepperoni and cheese kept disappearing into that same mouth at the same time.

  “Eat first. Talk later,” Izzy instructed.

  Ana nodded, and lowered her face to her plate. Her eyebrows drew together and she methodically fed the slice into her mouth, her teeth chomping together in a steady beat like a hungry Ms. Pac-Man. It was serious pizza-eating time.

  Brad’s lips twitched.

  “Don’t laugh,” Izzy warned him. “You’ll only encourage her behavior.”

  He lowered his slice. “What? I wasn’t even smiling.”

  “You were amused.” Picking a piece of pepperoni off her pizza, Izzy popped it into her mouth and chewed. “You have a very expressive face. You don’t seem to hide anything you’re feeling.” She leaned over the table and whispered. “Including the fact that you don’t like the names Ana picked out for your new dogs.”

  “I never said—”