Read Online Déjà Date by Susan Hatler - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Susan Hatler
Tags: Romance
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it,” I blurted, unexpectedly.
Mary Ann kept her gaze on me as she stepped inside the entryway, and Sarah closed the door behind us. “Was it hard for you to read it?” Mary Ann asked.
“Yes.” I pressed my lips together and followed her inside, thinking it would’ve been easier if I had asked Nate to stay with me like I’d wanted. Even though it had been years since we’d seen each other, being with him felt comforting—like we were still best friends.
“What did he say in his letter? If you don’t mind my asking . . .” Sarah’s tone was friendly, but cautious.
I gave her a reassuring smile, touched by how genuinely interested she seemed. “He told me good-bye and that he’d always love me.”
“Oh!” Mary Ann’s eyes watered. “Sounds like your dad was really special. Mine wouldn’t write me a letter in a million years, let alone say he loves me. I’m just fortunate he completed rehab. We’re having a celebratory dinner Saturday night and I’m so not looking forward to seeing him.”
I gave Mary Ann a sympathetic look. “My dad wasn’t perfect, by any means. In his letter, he also left me a Carpe Diem list, which I have to complete.”
“Seize the day?” Sarah asked.
I nodded, following her down the hall. “Task one is to adopt a dog.”
“Oh!” Mary Ann’s hand flew to her mouth as she skipped along beside me. “That makes total sense now. You’re adopting the dog because your dad wanted you to, which is so sweet. Was he an animal lover?”
We crossed through the living room, went out the sliding back door, then entered Sarah’s yard. Barking ensued.
“I don’t know,” I mumbled. My dad liked animals well enough, but that’s not why he’d put the task on my list. He knew how much I loved Checkers and he wanted me to seize the day—whatever that meant. Sigh.
“These are the rescues available for adoption.” Sarah wore a wistful smile as she leaned on the chain link fence of her dog run. There were eight dogs inside, most of whom were jumping against the fence and barking loudly.
Thinking of Checkers, my heart pinched. I glanced away from the yippers, mentally grumbling to my dad about how he could do this to me. What if my roommate rethought her decision to let me have a dog once she heard the barking in her tranquil condo? I wasn’t really a cat person, but Ginger’s kittens were certainly quiet. And, even more, I’d made sure not to bond with them.
For a moment, I pondered the possibility of my mom letting me modify task number one to a cat. No, that was just wishful thinking. My mom and dad had been sticklers for backing each other up, so I’d have to complete task one as he wrote it if I wanted the inheritance money so I could buy the bakery.
“I rescued that one from the pound.” Sarah interrupted my thoughts by pointing to a yellow lab mix. “He’s sweet, but rambunctious for sure.” Then she waved her finger at a tiny brown fluffy dog. “A woman dropped that one off after she found her wandering the streets.” Her lips pressed together as she faced me. “Is there a certain type of personality you’re looking for in a pet?”
“Low maintenance.” I came up next to Sarah, keeping my gaze away from the dogs, prolonging the inevitable decision as long as I could. “Potty-trained. Obedient. Under twenty-five pounds. And not too needy. I’m giving him a home, but we’re both going to need our own space.”
“You’ll want one of the older dogs then.” Sarah lifted the latch on the gate. “Why don’t you go inside and get to know them? You can give them a few commands to see which will be the best fit for you.”
“Can I go inside, too?” Mary Ann squealed with delight when Sarah nodded. She squeezed through the narrow gap Sarah had cracked open, then she was promptly attacked by obsessive licks from random dogs.
While the pups were diverted, I slipped inside, and went to the opposite end of the pen so I could study each dog from afar to
Mary Ann kept her gaze on me as she stepped inside the entryway, and Sarah closed the door behind us. “Was it hard for you to read it?” Mary Ann asked.
“Yes.” I pressed my lips together and followed her inside, thinking it would’ve been easier if I had asked Nate to stay with me like I’d wanted. Even though it had been years since we’d seen each other, being with him felt comforting—like we were still best friends.
“What did he say in his letter? If you don’t mind my asking . . .” Sarah’s tone was friendly, but cautious.
I gave her a reassuring smile, touched by how genuinely interested she seemed. “He told me good-bye and that he’d always love me.”
“Oh!” Mary Ann’s eyes watered. “Sounds like your dad was really special. Mine wouldn’t write me a letter in a million years, let alone say he loves me. I’m just fortunate he completed rehab. We’re having a celebratory dinner Saturday night and I’m so not looking forward to seeing him.”
I gave Mary Ann a sympathetic look. “My dad wasn’t perfect, by any means. In his letter, he also left me a Carpe Diem list, which I have to complete.”
“Seize the day?” Sarah asked.
I nodded, following her down the hall. “Task one is to adopt a dog.”
“Oh!” Mary Ann’s hand flew to her mouth as she skipped along beside me. “That makes total sense now. You’re adopting the dog because your dad wanted you to, which is so sweet. Was he an animal lover?”
We crossed through the living room, went out the sliding back door, then entered Sarah’s yard. Barking ensued.
“I don’t know,” I mumbled. My dad liked animals well enough, but that’s not why he’d put the task on my list. He knew how much I loved Checkers and he wanted me to seize the day—whatever that meant. Sigh.
“These are the rescues available for adoption.” Sarah wore a wistful smile as she leaned on the chain link fence of her dog run. There were eight dogs inside, most of whom were jumping against the fence and barking loudly.
Thinking of Checkers, my heart pinched. I glanced away from the yippers, mentally grumbling to my dad about how he could do this to me. What if my roommate rethought her decision to let me have a dog once she heard the barking in her tranquil condo? I wasn’t really a cat person, but Ginger’s kittens were certainly quiet. And, even more, I’d made sure not to bond with them.
For a moment, I pondered the possibility of my mom letting me modify task number one to a cat. No, that was just wishful thinking. My mom and dad had been sticklers for backing each other up, so I’d have to complete task one as he wrote it if I wanted the inheritance money so I could buy the bakery.
“I rescued that one from the pound.” Sarah interrupted my thoughts by pointing to a yellow lab mix. “He’s sweet, but rambunctious for sure.” Then she waved her finger at a tiny brown fluffy dog. “A woman dropped that one off after she found her wandering the streets.” Her lips pressed together as she faced me. “Is there a certain type of personality you’re looking for in a pet?”
“Low maintenance.” I came up next to Sarah, keeping my gaze away from the dogs, prolonging the inevitable decision as long as I could. “Potty-trained. Obedient. Under twenty-five pounds. And not too needy. I’m giving him a home, but we’re both going to need our own space.”
“You’ll want one of the older dogs then.” Sarah lifted the latch on the gate. “Why don’t you go inside and get to know them? You can give them a few commands to see which will be the best fit for you.”
“Can I go inside, too?” Mary Ann squealed with delight when Sarah nodded. She squeezed through the narrow gap Sarah had cracked open, then she was promptly attacked by obsessive licks from random dogs.
While the pups were diverted, I slipped inside, and went to the opposite end of the pen so I could study each dog from afar to
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