Ryan laughed, and although Grace understood he was trying to suggest solutions, the essential concern remained.
“You’re right, but I need to think about what’s best for Stanley. Maybe I’m not the right owner for him. Maybe the people at the rehoming centre could find a much better person to care for him, someone who’s home much more than I am and who can give him the time and love he needs. Plus, if I decide…”
“If you decide what?” Ryan pressed when she trailed off.
Grace sighed, searching for the right words to explain it. “If I decide to apply for this job in York, and if Igetthe job in York, there’d be a huge upheaval ahead in my life. I can’t take on a dog when I might be about to make such a huge change and start in a job that would definitely be much more demanding and time-consuming than the one I have right now.”
Ryan nodded, his expression unreadable. “It sounds like you’ve got a lot of thinking to do.”
“And not much time to do it in. The dog warden is coming tomorrow afternoon to pick him up.”
“You’ll find the right answer. I’m sure of it.”
Ryan gave her a smile filled with such certainty and reassurance, it sent a surge of emotion crashing through her. And when she looked along the path to where Stanley was trotting ahead of them and the little dog spun around and barked and wagged his tail, before racing towards her playfully and zooming off again, she thought she might actually well up with tears.
She didn’t want to say goodbye to little Stanley, or to Ryan, for that matter. But pursuing that job opportunity in York might mean having to do just that if things turned out her way.
So what did she want?
Grace had no idea—and that was the most unsettling part of all of it.
