Page 6

Immediately, ice pelts smacked Shaun in the face. The wind had picked up, forcing the sleet to move horizontally. This was not a good night to be out on the roads.

He ducked his head as he walked into the wind. As he neared the SUV, he heard the ice pinging off the windows. He opened the back of the SUV, which provided some shelter from the weather.

All four pups were barking. He couldn’t blame them. It was a long journey, and he was certain they were anxious to run around and play.

He opened the crate closest to him. It was Theo’s crate. He was a yellow labrador retriever with the biggest heart.

He was so sweet when he was asleep, but as soon as his eyes opened, he was on the go. With an abundance of energy, he was all gas and no brakes.

He was the ring leader for whatever mischief there was to get into. When he finally slept, the others slept. When he ate, the others ate. And when he played, there was madness as the pups barked, ran, and pounced on one another.

“Let’s go.” Shaun hooked a leash to Theo’s collar.

He was going to take two pups into the pet shop at a time, but they were too wound up. He decided to move them one by one. It took a little bit, but finally, he took Maya, a fawn-colored hound mix, Peep, an adorable shaggy white terrier mix, and Mochi, a Bernese Mountain dog, inside—safe from the deteriorating weather.

Merry helped him put the last pup in the play area, which had room for them to run around. It also had a big water bowl for them to share. The pups were hesitant at first, as though not sure what to do in their new arrangements. But when Merry presented them with food, it no longer mattered where they were; they were ready to eat.

Merry turned to him. “I just heard back from Leah. She runs the Kringle B&B. She has a room available, so you’re in luck.”

Even though he wasn’t planning to stay in town for the night, perhaps it wasn’t such a bad thing. It was now dark out, not to mention it was windy and icy. He didn’t particularly want to be out driving in those conditions. The last thing he needed to do was have an accident.

“Thank you. I really appreciate it. How far is it to the B&B?”

“Not far at all.” She gave him directions.

After purchasing some dog food and a few dog toys, Shaun called Mochi to him. The four-month-old Bernese Mountain dog walked right up to him. She was so well-behaved and had the best disposition.

He hooked the leash on the dog before turning back to Merry to thank her for everything. He thought about waiting around to see Candi, but with the deteriorating weather, he had a feeling she might not make it back to the store that evening.

He was headed for the door, when he spotted Candi entering the store. He wondered if she’d remember him.

As soon as she saw him, she smiled. It was a big warm smile. No wonder his father was always going on about her. “Candi, it’s good to see you again. Thanks so much for taking the pups.”

“I don’t mind at all. I love dogs. Of course, between myself and my fiancé, we already have two rescue dogs.”

He was happy to find she was doing well in her new hometown. “I know my father has been asking about you. He really misses you.”

“I miss him too. How is he doing?”

“Good. He wanted to make the trip but someone had to stay behind to look after the remaining rescue animals.”

“I would have loved to see him, but I totally understand.”

They talked a little more, and then he said goodbye. Now it was time to locate the Kringle B&B. As the weather switched between rain and ice, he turned up the wipers.

Chapter Three

How far away is it?

Shaun followed the directions Mrs. Kringle had given him. But the longer he drove, the farther he was from Main Street. Of course, it didn’t help that he wasn’t going above twenty miles per hour. Between the slick roadway and sleet mucking up his windshield, it was better to take his time.

Mochi whined from where she was lying on the passenger seat.

Shaun glanced over at her. “It’s okay. We’ll be there soon. I’m tired too.”

The street lights faded in the rearview mirror and were replaced by big trees on either side of the road. It was really dark out here.

He was starting to wonder if he’d made a wrong turn somewhere along the way. He slowed down. The road was a narrow two-lane road. It didn’t even have a center line. You just had to judge for yourself that you were on your side of the road. He felt as though he were way out in the country. He definitely needed to find a place to turn around.