“You bet. They hit it off immediately,” he told her. “Whoever owned Old Blue before he found a home here with meabused him pretty badly—that’s what happened to his eyesight. The poor boy doesn’t trust easily, but he trusted Lilly.”
Horrified to think anyone would mistreat a dog, especially to the point of blinding him, she straightened. “He lost his eyesight because of... because of abuse?”
“At best, it was negligence. Anyway, I think Old Blue and Lilly were kindred spirits, just trying to heal together.”
Steve seemed like such a kind, decent person. “Would there be any chance that... I mean... would you mind terribly much if I were to bring Lilly to town one day to see you and Old Blue? I think she’dlovethat.”
“Of course. Lilly’s always welcome here. I’d even...” He cleared his throat. “I’d even let her live with me if you don’t want to become her guardian, so don’t feel as if you’re painted into a corner.”
Charlotte’s jaw dropped.“You’d take her in?”
“Why not? I seem to gravitate to broken things,” he said with a laugh. “I want to make them whole. You asked me about Sabrina. That was probably the case with her, too. But she wouldn’t let me help her, wouldn’t letanyonehelp her. I offered to keep Lilly when she left. I truly believed the girl would be better off here. But Sabrina wouldn’t hear of it.”
“She’d given up one child. She probably couldn’t think of giving up another.”
He hesitated before saying, “I’d like to think that was the reason. I suppose Sabrina loved Lilly in her own way. But she couldn’t seem to put Lilly’s needs above her own. That’s what made me mad. And when I tried to step in, she accused me of wanting to keep Lilly for... for the wrong reasons, which is just plain sad because she should’ve known me better than that. We weren’t together very long, but I’ve never done a thing to hurt an animal or a child and I never would. I just wanted togive Lilly a stable, loving home. That was what she needed. But because of what Walter did... That certainly played a role.”
“WhatWalterdid?”
“You don’t know about that?”
“I don’t know aboutanything,” she said. “I’m coming into this entirely cold.”
He hesitated as if he wasn’t eager to explain.
“Steve? If it’ll help me understand Lilly better, what she’s been through and what she might need, please tell me.”
“I’m sure it’s something she’d rather you not know. It’s probably something she’d rather no one knows. According to Sabrina, she was pretty upset. So I’m thinking I should let her share what happened. When she’s ready.”
His loyalty only made Charlotte trust him more. She wanted to press him; he’d raised her curiosity. But she could tell from the finality in his voice that he wasn’t going to change his mind. “Okay. Then just tell me this. Who was Walter?”
“The guy Sabrina was with before me, in Colorado.”
“I see. And he hurt Lilly in some way?”
“I’ll let her tell you,” he reiterated.
Charlotte believed Sabrina had made a grave mistake leaving Steve. Just the way Lilly talked about him indicated he was a good man. But Sabrina hadn’t been able to stop sabotaging her own happiness, which, unfortunately, directly affected Lilly’s.
“I’ll keep everything you’ve said in mind. And when we get back to the States, we’ll plan a trip to Iowa.”
“Sounds good.”
“Don’t forget to send me a picture of Old Blue.”
“I won’t,” he said.
Sloane was waiting to comment on the conversation as soon as Charlotte hung up. “What’d he say?”
“He said he’d take Lilly himself.”
“That’s what I thought he said. Was he serious?”
“Sounded like it.”
“But... does that mean her grandparents, father and extended family aren’t viable options?”
“Sabrina was raised by her grandparents, who are too old these days. He didn’t say where her mother is, but she was a drug addict, and maybe she never got clean.”
