Project Valentine (A Homespun Romance) (4 page)

He looked down pointedly at the hand resting on his forearm.
Conscious of nails bitten to the quick, of being carried away, Jessica snatched her hand back.

Going down on his haunches Molly's uncle put his hand out to the dog.
Arthur lifted his head and stared at him, then gave a mournful sigh and settled down on his front paws.

"It will take a while to gain his trust and affection.
He's been badly hurt by his last owner's desertion." There was nothing she could do about the tremor in her voice when she thought of how Arthur had been left. It earned her another sharp glance.

"Uncle Karl, have you made up your mind?"
Molly was back, dripping ice cream cone in one hand. Evidently she didn't feel her uncle had to be obeyed to the letter.

His hesitation reminded Jessica of a thoroughbred balking at the gate.

"I don't know much about dogs," he said cautiously, like a man who had to feel his way out of a sticky situation.

"There isn't that much to know," Jessica said quickly, "they are a lot like children. You learn as you go along." It sounded like a power statement. Her mother always said that. "He's house broken so he definitely won't give you any trouble in that area. Besides if he has a dog house in the yard and the use of the garage when the weather's bad, he needn't come into the house at all." Molly's uncle could afford to hire help. "You could pay a teenager to walk him during the week, if you didn't have the time yourself. I know a friend's daughter who charges a dollar fifty a day for walking an elderly neighbor's dog. She also cleans the dog's dishes and sets out his food."

Something flickered in Uncle Karl's eyes.
Disinterest? Jessica wished she'd something more to hold him with. One inch long eyelashes. Legs like the model's. Fear inserted a quaver in her voice, "He'd be a fine friend."

"I'd take care of him Uncle Karl," Molly clung earnestly to his large hand.
"I'll give him a bath every week and you can have all my pocket money for feeding him. Mommy says she'll pay me more if I keep my room clean. I'll clean every day and give you that money too. You only have to keep him till we find a house. It won’t be for long. Please? Pretty please with macadamia nuts on it?"

So he liked macadamia nuts.
She would ship him ten pounds every month. If only he would take Arthur.

Each moment of silence was a weighted force crushing hope.
Jessica's heart sank. Maybe she'd been wrong about the mouth. Maybe the thought of the expense of paying someone to care for the dog was too much for Molly's uncle. The fact that he had money didn't necessarily mean he wanted to spend it.

Behind her Jose Garcia was packing up, a definite hint that he couldn't let her have any more time.
Five fifteen. Desperation clutched at Jessica's throat.

"If lack of time is all that's worrying you, I can come by every evening, walk him, and put out his food," she said urgently.
It was the least she could do for Arthur.

"You won't have to do a thing, Uncle Karl," Molly seconded seriously, "Jessica and I will do it all."

Jessica crossed her fingers behind her back.

"I'll give you my number," she reiterated seriously, "That way if you ever need any help with him, you can call me.
I have quite a bit of experience with dogs."

Her eyes were fixed on Molly but her words were meant for Karl.
Please, she appealed again to the powers that be, oh, please! Don't let him back out now.

A long pause and then just as her heart began to scrunch up with the pain of disappointment she heard him say, "We'll take him."

Her smile almost split her face. Molly squealed and wrapped herself around her uncle's waist. Jessica struggled with the impulse to follow suit.

"I'm going to call you Arthur too," Molly announced surprising Jessica, "You belong to me now boy.
You're never going to be lonely no more."

No one noticed the double negative.

Success was an unfurling rose, happiness the early morning dew on it.
Tears of relief flooded Jessica's eyes again. Arthur had a home and a new owner whose heart matched his size. Karl Wagner, she was sure, would eventually grow to love the dog.

Jose Garcia came up to them, the beaming smile on his face indicating how much he liked happy endings.

"Jose Garcia with the L.A. county humane society sir.
If you're sure about wanting the dog, I'll explain about costs and shots and so on."

The humane society had a minimum charge of twenty dollars for the dogs adopted, based on the premise that people were more careful with something they paid for.

"Karl Wagner," Molly's uncle shook the official's hand. "Yes I'm quite sure."

Surreptitiously Jessica put a hand up to the corner of one eye to blot a tear.
Stealing a glance upwards she saw Molly's uncle watching her and blushed. He looked at her for a long moment before following Jose Garcia to the folding table to take care of the paperwork.

Jessica took a deep breath.
The man's eyes were a lethal weapon against which she had no defense.

"Dogs are a big responsibility."
Jessica dragged her mind back to the present, launched into the speech they had been asked to include in their sales pitch. "It wouldn't be fair to take Arthur if you don't intend keeping him. Dogs get attached to people and if they're abandoned, they're heart broken."

"I know."
Molly nodded seriously, "My grandma is from England. She told me about Greyfriars Bobby, the dog who stayed on his master's grave for years and years. I won't ever give Arthur up."

"Does your uncle have a big yard?"

Molly nodded again.
"Do you know where Jacaranda Meadows is?" she asked Jessica. "It's a new development right off the sixty freeway, about ten minutes from here. Uncle Karl bought a house there. He has a huge yard plus half a hillside,"

Jessica blinked.
Jacaranda Meadows was only five minutes away from her apartments. She'd gone there last year to look at the model homes when the development had won national acclaim as best master- planned community of the year. The estate homes with view lots were spectacular. Arthur was definitely moving up.

"Will you come and help us pick out his things?"
Molly asked. "I don’t know what he needs."

The hair on Jessica's nape warned of Karl Wagner's return.
She turned to watch lean strong fingers fold a piece of paper and put it into a leather wallet. Had he heard his niece's request?

"We have to get a dish and some food, Uncle Karl," Molly informed her uncle.
"Hurry before the pet store closes."

"I'm ready Molly."

"Will you come and help us?" Molly asked again.

Jessica looked at Karl Wagner.
Now that the decision was made he seemed reconciled to having Arthur. That was good. Given time he might even begin to care for the dog.

"I can sit in the car with Arthur," he said, one side of his mouth quirked upwards, "and you two can pick out whatever he needs."

Jessica hesitated. It was as much of an invitation as she was going to get from him. She squared her shoulders, said crisply, "There's a store quite close by. Let me give you directions. I'll meet you there."

As Jessica slid behind the wheel of her second hand Honda Accord she took a deep breath.
And a few more. Shaking her head she squared her shoulders. She was doing this for Arthur. And her imagination better believe that.

Half an hour later they stood by the car again, purchases completed.

"You have all you need for the present," Jessica said as Karl got out of the car and put the packages into the trunk. "Molly's going to feed Arthur tonight and tomorrow. I'll be over Monday evening." Jessica had to tilt her neck way back to look at him. In the gloaming she couldn't see his face clearly. Holding out the change from the hundred dollar bill he'd given her with the cash receipt, Jessica was very conscious of his nearness.

"Thanks for helping Molly pick out the things."
The warmth in his voice sent tiny tremors through Jessica's body.

"Well, I guess I'd better be going."
Wanting to, was no excuse for lingering.

"How about dinner?" The question caught her by surprise.
"I noticed a place called Kim's Soup and Sandwiches across the street. Would you care to join us? I know Molly's hungry."

Jessica hesitated.
He probably wanted to discuss times she could go over to care for Arthur and so on. Her stomach growled an urgent reminder that she was starving. "A sandwich does sound nice."

Molly asked to eat in the car.
Jessica suspected Arthur was going to share the requested double burger but she didn't say anything. A little spoiling was exactly what Arthur deserved.

The only available table was tiny.
Karl placed the tray on the table and sat down. Jessica felt a surge of electricity move up her spine and interfere with her breathing. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Maybe she should have gone straight home.

This close he seemed to shut out the world.
He took big clean bites and chewed quietly. He didn't talk with his mouth full. He didn't......

For Heaven's sake!
she was really going overboard with this awareness thing today, Who nominated you Emily Post the Second? Concentrate on your meal.

"Whatever you may think, I didn't talk Molly into adopting Arthur."
She hated untidy ends and she had to clear this one up.

"I know.
My niece has a mind of her own. It's just that for a few moments there I felt trapped."

She could understand that.
"He won't be any trouble, you'll see," she said comfortingly.

Karl Wagner flicked her with his gimlet gaze.
"So, how does it feel to be victorious?"

"Victorious?"

"You found Arthur a new owner. Jose Garcia told me how you championed his cause, what it meant to you to find a home for him. You're a fighter aren't you?"

Color stained Jessica's face.
The old blabbermouth. She had a good mind not to take him the bowl of special chili she'd promised him. "Arthur deserves another chance. I only wanted to make sure he got it."

"What would have happened if he'd been returned to the shelter today?"

"He would have been put to sleep," Jessica swallowed the lump in her throat, "The length of time they keep the animals depends on space. Arthur's been there three weeks already."

A silence ensued.
And grew.

"You won't regret taking him.
He's a wonderful dog." Jessica repeated.

Narrow prisms of light reached out to her from Karl's dark eyes.
Jessica felt her mind pull up anchor, drift away to a distant galaxy where the sky was silk, each new sensation a star.

"I don't think I will at that."

"I beg your pardon?" What had they been talking about?

Karl wiped his mouth, crumpled the napkin and tossed it into the empty box in front of him.
"Never mind. You've had a long day. You look half asleep. Shall we go?"

Half asleep wasn't what she wanted to look like.
She wanted glamorous, gorgeous, unforgettable.

"I haven't finished my sandwich."
Jessica took another bite, chewed slowly. One didn't hurry a dream along.

"Should I get some meat and a bone for Arthur from the supermarket tomorrow?"

"No." Jessica vetoed the suggestion immediately. "Raw meat is bad for dogs. It carries all kind of bacteria that cause bad stomach infections. Real bones are out too. When dogs chew them, bits break off and damage their intestines. Natural bones wear out a dog's teeth as well. There's a nylon bone in the bag Molly can let him have. Surveys show that's the best kind for a pet."

"Do you have a dog of your own?"

"Not now.
I live in an apartment that doesn't allow pets. As a kid though, I can't remember a time when I didn't have a dog."

"A Great Dane?"

"No. A Benji type first called Tramp, then a black and white mongrel called Trucker."

The trouble with fast food was it disappeared too quickly.
One couldn't chew forever. Jessica closed up her empty box, emptiness pooling inside. It was time for the last curtain call.

Outside she thanked Karl Wagner for her dinner, patted Arthur on the head, and exchanged a few words with Molly through the window of the Audi.

"Bye Jessica. I'll take good care of Arthur. Don't you worry about him," promised Molly solemnly.

Jessica felt the prick of tears behind her lids, "I know you will, Molly."

A cold mist of loneliness that had nothing to do with leaving Arthur accompanied her home. There was no reason a successful day should leave her so empty.