Chapter Four
Connor follow closely on Mrs. Leola’s heels, not caring if he was out of hearing range from Tiffany. “You cannot let her take Lilly.”
“Why on earth not?” Mrs. Leola shook her head. “I can’t understand what’s gotten into you.”
He sighed, wishing he didn’t have to break the ugly news to his neighbor. “She’s a drug user.”
Mrs. Leola raised a brow. “Have you arrested her?”
“I couldn’t tell you if I had.”
“Well, I need a bit more to go on.” She pattered his shoulder. “I’ve always trusted your judgement, but you’ve not been yourself since you answered that door.”
“Can you just trust me? Please?”A small voice told him he was being unreasonable, but he pushed the issue regardless.
“Normally, I would, but unless you can give me concrete evidence why this lady is not fit to adopt a dog, then I have no objection to her taking Lilly home. I’ve been around a number of years and consider myself an expert judge of character. My gut says this lady is as pure as they come.”
Connor snorted. “You’re wrong this time.”
She crossed her arms and glowered at him. “Why don’t you tell me what you know about her and let me decide.”
Drawing in a long breath, he realized he’d put himself in a corner, one he wished he hadn’t. “Her name is Tiffany Abrams, or that’s what it was when we dated in college.”
“Were you serious with her?”
“I’d purchased a ring and planned to propose.” The words hurt to say. Even his best friend didn’t know he still owned the ring.
“What happened?”
“We met at freshman orientation and hit it off immediately. From day one, we were nearly inseparable. The summer after our sophomore year, she tore a knee ligament playing volleyball, which led to surgery.” Pressing his palms together, he stared at the ceiling, overcome with memories. “It wasn’t an easy time, but I stood by her. Until the end of our junior year when I realized she’d become addicted to the pain meds. I caught her stealing from my parent’s medicine cabinet.”
“Did she have anything to say?”
“She denied the problem. When I talked to a friend about it, they told me they’d heard she’d been buying drugs off the street. I confronted her, and she admitted she had, but only because she’d lost her bottle the doctor had prescribed.” He lowered his gaze to meet Mrs. Leola’s. “That’s when I broke off the relationship. I couldn’t support her when she wouldn’t acknowledge there was a problem.”
Mrs. Leola ran her wizened fingers along her jaw. “I can understand that, but Connor, that was how long ago? Nine, ten years?”
“Nine. Almost to the day.”
She touched his cheek gently. “Have you considered the possibility that she realized she had a problem and found help?”
He shrugged. “Maybe.”
“Have you seen her since that day?”
“No.”
Her eyes locked with his, imparting her wisdom into them. “You are family to me, by heart if not by blood, so please listen to this old lady. Don’t hold on to that anger. It won’t lead you anywhere you want to be.”
“I’m not-” The denial froze on his lips. He was many things, but a liar wasn’t one of them.
She grabbed a paper off her dining room table and handed it to him. “I have a headache coming on. Would you mind taking these records out to her?”
“I know what you’re doing,” he said, taking the paper.
Her only response was a quick and not subtle wink before she glided from the room.
“Great, just great,” he muttered. Mrs. Leola was lucky he’d do anything for her, but this pushed the limits of what he would do, even for her.
