“What a little sweetie you are,” Vanessa said to Ginger. “You’re putting Mountain Dog Rescue on themap.”
“She’s three weeks old,” Linx added. “And Cedar’s been playing mommy or at least bigsister.”
“Going to let her try solid foodsoon?”
“Yes, she’s a real trooper.” Linx’s chest puffed with pride. “And to think someone abandoned her on a rainyday.”
“I saw the pictures.” Vanessa shuddered. “You’ve come a long way,baby.”
Linx warmed up a bottle of formula for Ginger and gave it to Vanessa. “Want to feed her? I’ll get you atowel.”
“Oh, thanks.” Vanessa’s face spread with a genuine smile. “She’s so adorable, I wish I could take her home. But I already have two dogs, and I live in an apartment in thecity.”
“I sometimes fantasize about keeping her, too,” Linxadmitted.
“But you have this wonderful dog.” Vanessa sat down on the sofa next to Cedar who made room for her. “Grady says she used to be hisdog.”
Wow. Grady shared a lot with thiswoman.
Sheesh! More than he shared with his sister,Cait.
“I found her after a forest fire,” Linx said. “She needed lookingafter.”
Vanessa only nodded, her gaze fixed on the puppy as she fed her the puppyformula.
Linx sat on the other side of Cedar and ruffled her fur, and Sam plodded to her side, begging for attention. She scratched his ears and let him rest his head on her knee. “You’re a good dog, but you can’t be bitingpeople.”
“He was provoked,” Vanessa said. “The man admitted he was jealous of Sam. It’s not a goodsituation.”
“Did Sam belong to hiswife?”
“No, the woman wasn’t even his girlfriend, and I gather Sam felt protective of her. She was making progress too, but this guy, who’s also a veteran, wanted to be her protection. At the end, she chose the guy overSam.”
“Oh well, buddy boy.” Linx ran her hand down Sam’s back. “I know a man who’s quiet and strong just likeyou.”
“So do I,” Vanessa said. “When you hear from him, will you let meknow?”
So, they were on the exact samewavelength.
“Sure, I will.” Linx wasn’t going to admit to Vanessa that she also wondered when she’d hear fromhim.
Vanessa finished feeding Ginger and set her down on the floor. The puppy stumbled along like a drunk. She was socute.
Both Vanessa and Linx took videos of the little drunk’s weaving movements, her belly so full it was distended almost to the floor, and her tail upright andwagging.
They oohed and aahed over the sweet thing, and laughed at her attempts at howling. Cedar nudged and licked her while Sam basically ignored her. He jumped out of her way and quirked one eyebrow at Cedar as if to say, “keep your baby away fromme.”
“Such a typical male,” Linx said, cracking up atSam.
“Yep, that dog is Grady through and through,” Vanessa said. “Can I take a look around at the other dogs on Grady’slist?”
“Sure, let me put Ginger back in herplaypen.”
After securing Ginger, Linx and Vanessa went out the back door, followed by Sam andCedar.
The dogs in the kennel let out volleys of excited barks. There were also a few who’d lost all spark of hope that they’d be adopted, so they stayedquiet.
Linx led the way out back to the kennels. “We have an elderly bulldog, two retrievers, a chow chow who’s the sweetest young lady, a basset hound mother, and well, take yourpick.”
