Neither spoke. No one moved.
Her brain screamed for her to turn and run away, but her feet were cemented to the spot where she stood.
An elderly lady came to the door, her silver hair pulled into a graceful bun. She looked at the man, then at Tiffany. A curious gleam filled her eyes, but she didn’t address the obvious tension. “May I help you?”
Tiffany swallowed and found her voice. “I’m here about possibly adopting Lilly.”
“Ah, yes, Connor told me I’d have visitors today.” She shot Connor an inquisitive stare, but he remained silent. “I’m Leola Edwards. It’s my Pookie who had the babies. Come in, and I’ll take you to them. They’re outback, in my screened-in porch.”
“Thank you.” She followed Mrs. Leola through the house, barely noticing her surroundings.
Her mind was on the man at the door, Connor Dempsey, the one who got away. She only had herself to blame for the dissolution of their relationship, but that hadn’t made it hurt any less. Connor had been her first love. If she was honest, he had been her only love.
Her marriage to Brad was never about love, at least not romantic love. He’d had access to the drugs she needed to feed her addiction. In her muddled mental state, the union had made sense. By the time she’d realized her mistake, it had been too late. He lorded her addiction over her, broke her down and abused her until she believed she didn’t deserve better.
Only by God’s grace did she escape that life.
How much did Connor know about her life after they broke up? Had he heard she’d hit rock bottom and spent time at a shelter for battered woman? She squared her shoulders. So what if he had. She wasn’t proud of the choices she made in her past, but neither was she ashamed of her time as a resident at Hope House.
She was a survivor. She had overcome obstacles and turned her life around. And it was that time at Hope House that led her to the career she had today. As daycare director at the shelter, she had the opportunity to help other abused women escape the similar situations that she’d experienced.
A horrible thought crossed her mind. Would Connor hold their past against her, give her trouble adopting Lilly? Surely, he knew that nine years was a long time, and while some addicts never broke away from that life, she had. She was a responsible citizen, perfectly capable emotionally, physically, and financially, of taking care of a pet.
Mrs. Leola opened her back door and walked to the far end. She bent over, scooped up a puppy, and brought her over. “This is Lilly.”
“Aww.” Tiffany’s heart melted the moment she held Lilly. She brought the small dog near her face, and Lilly licked her nose, prompting a giggle from Tiffany and Mrs. Leola.
“She is a licker,” Mrs. Leola admitted. “We’ve tried to teach her otherwise, but I’m afraid it’s hopeless.”
“I don’t mind.” Tiffany ran a hand from Lilly’s head down her back. “She’s so soft.”
“All of the puppies are. Mama and papa pup both have very soft hair, so it shouldn’t turn coarse.”
“And she’s had her initial puppy shots?”
Mrs. Leola nodded. “Yes, but she’ll need her next set within the coming two weeks. I’ll be happy to provide the records I have.”
“Thank you.” Tiffany looked down at Lilly. “What do you think, little girl? Would you like to come home with me?”
Lilly stared up at her with the sweetest brown eyes Tiffany had ever seen, then let out an adorable bark.
“I think she gave her answer,” Mrs. Leola said then laughed. “Give me a minute, and I’ll get you her papers from the vet.”
Connor stepped outside. The years had been kind to him, though Tiffany hated that she noticed. His light brown hair was cut short, in a style that made her wonder if he’d served in the military. That, and his incredibly fit physique. No one could accuse him of letting himself go. The only negative she could find was the angry glint in his jade eyes.
Eyes that pierced her with emotion and made her gulp. “You know what, I don’t need the papers. If you tell me what vet you use, I’ll take her there for the follow-ups.”
“Nonsense. I’ll just be a minute.” The elderly lady motioned for Connor to follow her into the house.
He shot her another glare before he disappeared from the porch, leaving her scouting for a path to escape.
