Heart's Refuge

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“Does that mean you want to adopt a cat?” Sarah asked, the corners of her mouth twitching.

Will grunted. “Not if I can help it. And if I catch you planting the suggestion, I’ll have to devise a devious form of payback for you and Chloe both, something involving a mall but not me.” But he wouldn’t sabotage her shot at funding. Because Will Barnes was a good man, with integrity.

She tried to imagine him bailing on Chloe, even for her own good, and the picture wouldn’t form. Maybe he had trouble in small, day-to-day things, but Chloe could count on him for the big stuff.

Once, Sarah would have said the same thing about her own father.

“Your threat lacks some sting.” Sarah would dance through the racks at Neiman Marcus given a chance and a credit card. “Malls are wonderful.”

“The last time Chloe and I shopped for jeans, I was pretty sure someone had replaced my baby girl with an evil imposter. One who cried. A lot.” Will’s gruff voice suggested he could have handled almost anything but that.

“That’s your problem. Many women cry when they try on jeans.”

His chuckle made her grin so hard her cheeks hurt. And the blush filled her cheeks again.

Why was she enjoying this conversation so much? She’d flirted with doctors and lawyers and men with yachts. Talking with Will about his daughter filled her with a warm glow of comfort. Laughing with him convinced her life was about to get easier.

“I know you want to get the adoptions going again. Just don’t count on Chloe and Jelly to start it off,” Will said.

“This time next month, things will be different. I know it.” She straightened in her chair. “And it’ll be thanks to you, Will.”

She jotted a note to add a thank-you card to the shopping list. Squinting at the note made her realize that he wouldn’t be able to read her handwriting anyway, so she almost crossed it out again.

“So, I’ll be ready on Monday. How about early? Eight?” Sarah bit her lip. She hoped she could be ready by then.

“Uh, sure.”

“Is that a problem? Do you have clients scheduled?” Sarah traced the number eight over and over at the top of her pad. She’d have to get a predawn start so that Shelly didn’t have to feed and water all the animals by herself.

Predawn start? What kind of crazy talk is that? Feeding and watering the animals is Shelly’s job.

“I didn’t picture you as the early-bird type,” Will said. His voice had lost some of its warmth.

“Oh, I’m not. Never have been.” Sarah sighed. Living in the shelter’s office meant fewer hair products and cosmetics. An unlikely silver lining. “But I can make it if you can.”

“I’ll see you at eight, then.”

Before he could hang up, she blurted, “Will, without your help, I’m not sure... Well, you’ll get as many tail wags as you like here at Paws for Love. Free dog hair for life, okay?”

Then she wrinkled her brow. Stupid. You’re trying to convince him you’ve got a solid businesswoman inside. That sounded like you routinely put a heart over every i.

But his quiet laugh eased some of the disappointment that was making her shoulders droop. “Good to know. A little dog hair now and then is exactly what I need.”

Sarah hung up the phone and stared over at Bub, who was blinking at her from his perch on the couch. “Don’t get up. I’ve got this taken care of.”

He licked his lips and then shoved his nose back under his tail.

“Some assistant you are. Better watch out. I’ll replace you as soon as I have the chance.” Although spending time with a real, live human who answered her would take some getting used to.

“All right. New list. Estimates I Need. Fence, roof, signage, flooring, paint...” Everything about the place needed an overhaul. Four months ago, she’d had visions of a new, fancy, streamlined lobby with interactive videos and digital boards that would be updated as dogs and cats came and went. Now she wanted electricity.

“Just the first round, Sarah. Focus. There’ll be plenty of time for dreaming big later.”

The cash register sound signifying a text snagged her attention. She fumbled the phone before gripping it tightly enough to make the plastic creak.

Take care of business.

The number was unfamiliar. But her father’s favorite exit line—the one he’d always delivered on his way out the door of Hillman Luxury Autos—was so familiar.

He was okay. Somewhere, her father was able to text.

From a number she didn’t recognize.

Where are you?

Sarah chewed her fingernail while she waited. Ten minutes of glaring at her phone was enough to give her a headache.

“Business. Take care of business.” Sarah carefully set the phone down and turned back to the mess on her desk. That text was enough to keep her going for a few more days. She could count on her father to fix everything. All she had to do was hold on a little bit longer.

CHAPTER FIVE (#ulink_2d1d2ee2-2be3-524b-a653-8fc7763caad6)

WAKING UP AT the same time she used to fall into bed had been a shock, but Sarah might be getting the hang of it. Instead of dealing with wolf whistles and offers to buy her a drink, she worked to clean up the pens, but grateful, goofy dogs were their own reward.

Coffee would be better.

Especially since this meeting with Will Barnes was going to require all her focus. “I’ll help you with the meds as soon as I get back, okay?”

“No worries, boss,” Shelly said. “You’ve already done so much. And now you look like a corporate raider. There’s no way you can fail in heels like that.”

Sarah checked her black heels, one of the three pairs she’d refused to sell on consignment. They made her legs lethal. And the dark suit had stayed in her closet on the understanding that there would be occasions when she’d need to impress rich men with her business aptitude.

She’d never seriously planned to get the aptitude.

That might have been a better place to start.

“We’ll work with what we’ve got.” Sarah stacked her neat pile of file folders with the few estimates she’d gathered and her ragged notepad. No matter how many times she rewrote her figures, consciously doing her best to use her best penmanship, she still had a difficult time reading her own writing. “You don’t happen to have a laptop, do you, Shelly?”

A nice spreadsheet would have been the perfect accessory.

“No, sorry,” Shelly said. “Martin took his when he moved out.”

“That’s fine. Maybe...” She wanted to say she’d buy one. That was the Hillman thing to do. Go out. Swipe the card. Simple.

But the cards were overloaded and overdue.

“There’s always the library,” Shelly said helpfully. “We could take your notes in, work something up. I know they’ve got people who will help. We could go before we let the dogs out this afternoon.”

Tempted to hand everything to Shelly, Sarah studied her coworker’s hopeful face.

Shelly was excited about a field trip to the library to work on the computer.

With Sarah.

Why was that flattering?

She’d been surrounded by people who were excited to be with her...in the VIP section of the hottest club or enjoying Sunday brunch where a Hillman credit card covered the tab.

Shelly needed to get out more.

For that matter, so did Sarah. These shoes pinched her toes like the worst torture device and they were at least two inches shorter than her dancing shoes.

“Shelly, you’re the best. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” Sarah studied the scribbled writing on her pad to avoid eye contact. “But this is a job I should do myself.”

Shelly’s grin faded, but before she could smooth things over, Sarah added, “Instead, I think this afternoon we should...” What did women bond over other than shopping and lunch?

“Talk. We should definitely talk.” Sarah nodded confidently and watched Shelly process her weirdness. “Meanwhile, keep your fingers crossed.” She straightened her shoulders. “Bub, keep an eye on the place.”

He woofed and then meandered into her office to jump onto the couch.

“Les is coming in this morning. Anything you need me to pass along?” Shelly tugged the bottom of her shirt and then fussed with the gray hair at her temples. “He wants my opinion on paint colors. He’s repainting his house.”

Les, the retired vet who went above and beyond for Paws for Love... Was Shelly into him? The mention of his name certainly brought color to Shelly’s cheeks.