Read Online Pennyroyal Christmas (A Ruthorford Holiday Story Book 1) by Shanon Grey - Free Book Online Page A

of his strong jaw until the corner of his lip hitched up in acknowledgment of her stare. She felt heat diffuse from her neck into her face. And, having waited a second too long, she was rewarded with a quick lick from the back seat.
    “Tramp.” She laughed and reached over her shoulder to scruff his fur. “I missed you, too.”
    Rowe glanced over at them and smiled. “That dog runs until he collapses and then he snores.”
    “He does love life, doesn’t he?” She petted him a bit more until it was obvious he wanted to leap into the front of the truck. She turned around and simply shook her head. Tramp slid back onto the seat and settled down.
    “He definitely doesn’t obey anyone else like that,” Rowe admitted. “How long have you had him?”
    “Oh, not that long. A year, maybe.” She got a faraway look. “I was asleep and heard this loud barking. It sounded close and seemed to be coming from the back. I got up, thinking a dog had somehow gotten over my fence. I turned on the light and saw movement in the back corner of the yard. I shined the flashlight on this ragamuffin—he was scrawnier than hell—barking his head off at the back fence. There was a board broken off.”
    She glanced lovingly into the back seat before continuing. “Someone had cut through the lock on my gate and gone through the back to break into the house. There was a window pane broken on the back door. I hadn’t heard a thing. But, apparently, this fellow did and snuck up on the burglar. You can imagine the guy’s surprise when he turned around to this growling black beast. From what the police could gather, he took off across the back with Tramp in pursuit and broke the fence fleeing.”
    “The cops offered to take him—he had no collar and was dripping wet and muddy from the rain. They couldn’t get near him, though. Every time they tried, he would growl deep and low. I went in and got a towel. We’ve been together ever since.”
    She saw Rowe’s look. “Oh, I did try to find his owner. No one answered any of my ads or posters and no one called the vets or pound. The vet said she wasn’t sure he wasn’t feral. However, as long as I was with him, he behaved like a gentleman. I’d step out of the room and all hell would break loose.” She tilted her head and studied Rowe. “Funny, you haven’t had any problem with him.”
    Rowe shrugged. “Nope. He’s been great.”
    “That’s odd. Anyway, he must have been someone’s at sometime because he was completely housebroken. We had a little talk in the beginning and everything’s been fine since.”
    “You do know your rapport with animals is a little beyond the norm?”
    “Whose norm?” She flashed a big smile.
    “Point taken,” he conceded.
    “So where are we go…,” her voice trailed off as she looked in front of her. They were crossing over the bridge into Ruthorford. The sign had been transformed to look like a candy cane with the welcome sign sitting atop, wrapped in greenery.
    They were coming into the town a way she hadn’t been before. Ahead, Abbott Bed and Breakfast shined like a star—garland hanging in showy drapes along the porch rails. Large black rockers replaced the wicker chairs, with fat red pillows on the seats and green bows on the back. Sculpted trees twisted and twilled on either side of the entrance. Potted poinsettias lined the steps.
    She looked across the street. The tiny Victorian post office had been turned into a gorgeous gingerbread house with door-height candy canes on either side of the entrance.
    Kat’s mouth dropped open. “It’s a winter wonderland.”
    “I’ll bring you back when it’s dark.”
    “I feel guilty. All I got done were pack a few boxes and direct movers. Ruthorford must have been a bustle of activity.”
    “Trust me, this is well planned out. Each year, they start in April, at a town meeting. The entire community gets together the Saturday after Thanksgiving. No one does anything but shop on Black Friday. And