Family Blessings

Chase Rollins has much to be grateful for. A new home, a new career running the Fluff & Stuff pet store and new friends. But he could have so much more. Lovely bookstore clerk Vivian Duncan just might be the perfect wife. But when Viv becomes a foster mother to four-month-old Theo, Chase knows he has a problem. A life with Vivian will mean a life with children—and that’s one challenge he’s not sure he’d ready to tackle. Can Viv and Theo convince him that a family is the biggest blessing of all?

The Heart of Main Street: They’re rebuilding the town one step—and heart—at a time

Viv glanced at her baby and then at Chase.

“He’s getting fussy. Would you mind picking him up and holding him for a minute?”

“Me?” Chase’s eyes widened. He went very still.

“Hold him close to you, up against your chest,” Viv prompted. “He’ll feel more secure that way.”

But would Chase feel secure?

He pulled Theo to him. Immediately, the baby dropped his head to Chase’s shoulder and heaved a sigh.

Chase felt something stir inside him.

How in the world would he ever make Viv understand that he couldn’t be the man she wanted him to be?

The Heart of Main Street: They’re rebuilding

the town one step—and heart—at a time.

CHARLOTTE CARTER

A multipublished author of more than fifty romances, cozy mysteries and inspirational titles, Charlotte Carter lives in Southern California with her husband of forty-nine years and their cat, Mittens. They have two married daughters and five grandchildren. When she’s not writing, Charlotte does a little stand-up comedy, “G-Rated Humor for Grown-ups,” and teaches workshops on the craft of writing.

Tail of Two Hearts

Charlotte Carter

www.millsandboon.co.uk

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

—1 Corinthians 13:13

I’d like to thank my fellow authors

of the Heart of Main Street continuity series. With such a complicated story with recurring characters and overarching story lines, it takes exceptional communication and cooperation among the authors. Arlene James, Carolyne Aarsen, Brenda Minton, Lissa Manley and Valerie Hansen, you made my work easy. And thanks to Emily Rodmell, our editor, who kept us all going in the right direction.

Thanks to Gina H. and Laura W.

from the Harlequin Forums for the

lovely Thanksgiving table decorations.

Special thanks to Charlie; you know why.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Epilogue

Dear Reader

Questions for Discussion

Chapter One

Vivian Duncan stepped out of Happy Endings Bookstore onto the sidewalk in the small Kansas town of Bygones. Watching leaves and bits of paper racing down the street blown by a brisk breeze, she inhaled the crisp November air. Only a few weeks until Thanksgiving, one of her favorite times of the year.

Her mother made the best turkey and stuffing, and her older siblings who had moved away from home always made it a point to come back for the holiday.

A gaggle of laughing and shouting schoolchildren barreled past her en route to Fluff & Stuff, the pet store that had opened on Main Street in July. Vivian was on her way there as well, just two doors down the street. The colorful awnings above each of the new stores fluttered in the breeze.

She hoped the owner of Fluff & Stuff, Chase Rollins, would help her put together a special event at the bookstore to promote books about dogs.

Who better to ask for help on the topic than Chase?

As she opened the door, she faced the big green-cheeked parrot near the cash register who squawked his greeting, “What’s up? What’s up?” He proudly bobbed his head and did a little dance on his perch.

“Hello, Pepper.” Vivian smiled at Chase’s recently acquired bird that was looking for a new home.

“Good birdie! Good birdie!” he vocalized.

“I’m sure you are.” She looked around for Chase. Hearing the high-pitched voices of the youngsters she’d seen running into the shop, she headed toward the back where puppies were kept in a pen.

She eased past two boys who were running Chase’s dog, Boyo, through his trick repertoire: rollover, shake, play dead. The ridiculous-looking bassetoodle—a combination of a basset hound and poodle—performed brilliantly for the boys, and they all vied for a chance to show off their skills with the dog.

“It’s my turn! It’s my turn!” one boy insisted.

“You don’t even know what to do,” an older youngster complained.

“I do so!”

From a shelf high above the action, Fluff, a long-haired cat with enough hair for two, looked down on the action with disdain. Vivian gave Fluff a scratch between her ears.

“You’re too smart to do their bidding, aren’t you?” she whispered to the cat.

Fluff responded with a faint purr.

Chase really did love his animals. For that matter, so did Vivian.

She walked past displays of dog and cat beds, stacks of canned and dried animal food, and toys for all manner of pets and finally found him supervising the youngsters around the puppy pen. He made sure they didn’t manhandle the puppies too badly but did socialize them to make for better pets.

His warm brown eyes lit up when he spotted Vivian, and he produced a delighted smile. “Hey, Viv. How’s Roger doing?”

“He’s doing fine—healthy and active.” She chuckled at the reference to the hamster she’d purchased from Chase and had named in honor of Roger Bannister, the first man to break the four-minute mile. “He’s so busy running on his wheel and playing with his toys. If I want to get any peace and quiet, I have to put him in the extra bedroom.”

“They can be pretty active.”

Still smiling, he stepped toward Vivian. When she’d first met him, she’d thought he was an attractive man. She still did. At six foot two with a muscular body, he towered over her five foot four, even when she was wearing heels. His short dark hair had a natural wave that sculpted his head. His nose was straight, his lips nicely full. If it weren’t for a slight scar on his chin, he might be too handsome. But the scar gave him an air of mystery.

“What can I do for you?” he asked.

“I, uh...” Snapping back from her train of thought, she started over. “Allison and I at Happy Endings have realized books about dogs are particularly popular. We’d like to put on a special event and thought you could give us some guidance about where to get a dog or two for show-and-tell. I know the puppies you have are from the local shelter.”

“That’s right. The puppies and kittens from Happy Havens Animal Shelter attract customers and sometimes get adopted, so it’s a win-win situation.”

“Either way, it’s a nice thing you’re doing.” In the short time she’d known Chase, she’d discovered he had a generous heart, particularly when it came to animals.

Chase kept one eye on the boys and the puppies as he spoke. “I like the idea of my customers rescuing a dog and giving it a good home.”

“I do, too.” Admiration for his principles filled her chest. “I wonder if it would be best to show off the puppies for our event or find some older dogs.”

“I’d say older dogs. For one thing, they’re much harder to place in a new home, and the shelter is overflowing with them right now. Plus, most of them have at least some training. Trying to explain something when you’ve got a handful of puppies would be like a juggler trying to give a speech.”

She chuckled at the image. “Using older dogs sounds like it would be for the best. If you have the time, we’d like you to be part of the event, talk about breeds, training, care and feeding. That sort of thing. We thought that would bring attention to both businesses.”

“Sure. I’d be happy to come talk about dogs.” He noticed someone at the cash register, and they both walked in that direction.

“I’m a big supporter of the local shelter,” he said. “Since Randall Manufacturing closed down the factory and laid off their employees, the turnover forced a lot of people to surrender their pets. Some of those folks are moving away, and their new places don’t allow animals. Or they’re broke and can’t afford to feed their animals.”

“That’s a shame.” Her family had always had dogs and cats around the wheat farm. She’d hate the thought of handing any of them over to a shelter. Even a no-kill shelter. They were always a part of the family.

He stepped behind the counter to help his customer. “Hello, Mrs. Murdock. How’s your arthritis doing these days?”

“Not bad for now, but if it gets cold and rainy, it’ll act up. I can be sure of that.”

He scanned the sack of cat food Mrs. Murdock had placed on the counter. “Anything else today? We’re starting to get in some nice toys and soft beds for Christmas gifts. Your Sadie might like one of those.”

She tilted her head. “I do believe you’re trying to tempt me, Mr. Rollins.”

“Only because I know how much you love to spoil Sadie.”

Mrs. Murdock gave Chase a twenty-dollar bill. Chase made change, and Mrs. Murdock went out the door smiling.

“Come again! Come again!” the parrot squawked.

Chase ignored the bird. “The shelter is getting overcrowded, so I’ve started a monthly Adopt a Pet Day here at the shop. In fact I’m having one this Saturday.” He handed her a flyer from the stack on the counter.

“What a nice thing for you to do.” She glanced over the flyer, which featured a cute poodle with a pink bow on top of her head. “She sure is a cutie.”

“Yeah, she is. The big dogs are the ones they have the most trouble placing in new homes. They need a lot of space and eat a lot of food.”

She chuckled. “I’m sure they do. But if you’re doing your adoption day, will you be able to leave the pet store to talk to our people?”

“I’ve got a friend who can fill in for me. It’ll be okay.”

“I’m glad.” She was relieved, too, that Chase could help out.

“When you visit the shelter, you’ll have to be careful not to fall in love.” His eyes twinkled, and his lively grin was pure temptation.

Vivian blinked. Her cheeks flushed. Had he said fall in love? With who? And why had she zeroed in on that thought?

“Some of those dogs are pretty lovable,” he continued, unaware of her reaction. “You might want to adopt one or two yourself.”

She chided herself for misunderstanding what he meant. “Uh, no, I’ll have to stick with Roger and my cat, Essie, for now.”

“That’s all right.” His eyes glinted with humor. “Chances are good I’ll have another opportunity to tempt you with a puppy or two. I don’t give up easily.”

She nodded, thinking that was an admirable trait. “I’m sure that’s true. I’ll just have to do my very best to resist your persuasive ways.”

His brown-eyed gaze softened as he studied her face. “I can only hope you won’t try too hard to resist.”

She swallowed hard. Chase Rollins was a man who knew how to flirt, and she was reacting just the way he had intended: with a nervous flutter in her stomach.

She stepped toward the door. “I’ll tell Allison about the shelter, and that you’ll help us out.”

“Right. I’ll be happy to.”

Vivian pulled the door open and escaped outside just as the flame of embarrassment heated her cheeks.

Her recent forays into the dating world had been less than successful. Indeed, they’d been a flop. As soon as she had announced to the men in question that she’d never be able to give them a baby, the guys had dumped her.

She had always dreamed of having a big family. Apparently God had decided two years ago, when she had had her hysterectomy, that she wouldn’t be able to give birth to her own children. But that wouldn’t prevent her from having the family she wanted. She’d recently taken charge of her dream by putting in her application at several agencies to adopt a baby.

Since the guys she’d dated had been clear about wanting to have children who carried their own genes, she’d decided being a single mother was the way she would go. Even though she knew some people would not approve of her choice, she was determined to set her dream in motion.

She had faith that God understood how she had longed for children and would provide when the time came.

* * *

Chase watched Vivian until she moved out of view toward the bookstore.

“Pretty lady. Pretty lady,” Pepper chanted.

“Yes, Pepper, she is pretty. Nice, too.” In the few months since Chase had arrived in Bygones and had opened the pet store, he’d enjoyed her visits to the shop. He liked seeing her walk in the door with her auburn hair swinging at her shoulders. An eager smile on her face and a smattering of cute freckles across her nose. A bounce in her step.

She liked animals, too. Vivian gave Boyo a pat or Fluff a chuck under the chin as she strolled through the shop.

And she was smart. Until the town of Bygones had come on hard times, she’d been a librarian. Which meant she sure had a lot more education than he did. He hadn’t dropped out of high school, but working a night shift at a warehouse in Wichita during his senior year had made his grades tank. He’d been grateful to graduate.

He’d worked at the warehouse for nearly thirteen years until he had moved to Bygones for the chance to open a business of his own.

Strolling to the back of the store, he joined the boys around the puppy pen. “Puppies need a lot of sleep, kids. Why don’t you let these guys rest now? You can come back tomorrow.” And bring your moms and dads along so you can talk them into adopting one of these lovable guys, he added silently. “Tell your folks we’ve got some cute puppies down here.”

“I already have, Mr. Rollins,” one little boy with a missing front tooth piped up. “My mom said she didn’t want to clean up after a puppy.”

Chase bent down to the boy’s level and looked him in the eye. “You can tell your mom that the animal shelter has dogs who need a home and are already housebroken.”

“Really?” The boy’s eyes brightened.

“Absolutely.”

“Come on, Becker.” He tugged on a younger boy’s jacket. “We gotta get home ’n tell Mom.”

The twosome plus the rest of the puppy lovers raced for the door.

Chase smiled to himself. Maybe there’d be one fewer dog looking for a home at Happy Havens Animal Shelter by the weekend.

He’d like that. A lot.

And the chance to see Viv again.

* * *

When Vivian returned to the bookstore, Allison was helping Oliver Fibley, a regular customer, search on the computer for a new book about stamp collecting. Knowing he was such a devoted philatelist, Vivian imagined he already owned every book ever printed on the subject.

“Hello, Mr. Fibley.” Her cheerful greeting caused him to lift his gaze from the computer screen.

In his usual sweet way, he nodded and gave her a small smile.

Vivian was anxious to tell Allison about Chase’s idea to use shelter dogs for their event, but she could wait until Mr. Fibley left. For now she’d keep herself busy by reshelving the books in the Kids’ Korner section, where children’s books were located. Just as it had been when she had worked in the library, she found young readers often didn’t return books to their proper place.

She adjusted her casual calf-length skirt so she wouldn’t step on the hem and squatted down to reorder the books.

A few minutes later, after seeing Mr. Fibley out, Allison joined Vivian in the children’s section. She sat down on one of the child-size chairs. Her pink T-shirt was stenciled with the slogan “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. Aesop.”

“So what did Chase think of our idea for Doggie Daze?” she asked.

Crouched down in front of the lowest bookshelf, Vivian smiled at the name her boss had given their event. “He thought it was a great idea. He suggested we borrow a couple of dogs from the shelter.”

“I hadn’t thought about that.” Surprise raised Allison’s nicely arched brows. “I was just thinking that he always has puppies in his shop. The kids go crazy for them.”

“True. But Chase thinks the event will go better with older dogs who have some training.”

“Good point. Then that’s what we’ll do.”

“Sounds good to me.” Vivian shifted aside the books on the lowest shelf and slipped one into place.

“Viv? You’re smiling.”

“I smile most of the time, don’t I?”

Allison eyed her curiously. “Of course you do. But it’s a different kind of smile. Did something happen at the pet shop?”

“Not really.” She sat on her heels. “It’s just that...”

“That what?” Allison pressed.

“I think Chase was flirting with me. But it was probably my imagination.”

“It was not your imagination. You’re a very attractive woman, and he’s a very nice man. And he’s single. He’d have to be blind not to notice you and be interested.”

“Maybe.” Vivian pushed to her feet. “He doesn’t know I’m hoping to adopt a baby. When he finds out, he’ll probably lose interest in me in a hurry.”

Allison’s jaw dropped. “Why on earth would he do that?”

“Because in the past year, two guys I had been dating dropped me like an overdue book when I told them I couldn’t have children of my own.” The memory still had the power to sting and made her uneasy about mentioning to anyone her inability to reproduce.

“Oh, honey.” Standing, Allison rested her hand on Vivian’s shoulder and gave her a squeeze. “Chase may not be like that. You can’t think that all men are like the two who dumped you. If he’s interested, you need to give him a chance.”

”It doesn’t seem right to keep something like that a secret.”

“Well, yes, I suppose that’s true. But just because he flirted a little doesn’t mean you have to blurt it out right away or tell him you’ve applied to adopt a baby. You may find you don’t even like him.”

If her reaction this morning was any sign, Vivian was pretty sure she’d like him a lot. She certainly felt a spark.

“If Chase is the right man for you,” Allison continued, “he might be surprised about you adopting on your own. I know I was when you first told me. But I soon realized how much you want a family, and I’m all for it. The sooner, the better, right? I mean, I get to be Auntie Alli, don’t I?”

Laughing at Allison’s sweet request, Vivian felt some of the tension leave her. “Absolutely!”

“Good.” Allison glanced at her shiny new engagement ring and twisted it around her finger. “Meanwhile I get to work on being the best stepmother ever to Sam’s twins.”

“I’m sure Rosie and Nicky already love you.”

Vivian felt a twinge of envy. There had been a rash of engagements going on in Bygones lately. Just last Friday, Lily Farnsworth, who owned the flower shop next door to the bookstore, had married Tate Bronson, a local farmer and single dad. And now Allison was happily making plans for her wedding to the high school basketball coach.

“I certainly hope they love me. I already adore them.” Allison patted Vivian’s shoulder again. “I’ll leave it to you to talk with the folks at the animal shelter. We’re going to need to put together a flyer about Doggie Daze to post around town and get an announcement in the Gazette.”

“Maybe we can even get Whitney to write a story about it. That would be good publicity.” Whitney, the newspaper’s one reporter, was always looking for some local angle.

“It would indeed. I’ll give her a call. And since you are way better at graphics than I am, I’ll let you design the flyer.”

“I’d love to. My inner artist enjoys being let loose from time to time.”

Between assisting customers and designing the Doggie Daze flyer, Viv saw the rest of the day go by quickly.

After Allison decided to close for the day, Vivian grabbed her purse and jacket from the back room, and stepped outside to head home.

It was well into twilight; the old-fashioned wrought-iron streetlights were lit, casting circles of yellow on the brick street that ran through downtown. Wrought-iron benches spaced periodically along the sidewalk stood empty and only a few parked cars remained.

As she strolled to her car, she noticed the shop lights were off at Fluff & Stuff. In the upstairs apartment where Chase lived, a shadow crossed a lit but curtained window. Chase was such a nice, down-to-earth guy; he seemed almost too good to be true.

But she’d been burned twice and was leery about how he might react when she had to tell him about her inability to have babies. If they got that far.

Exhaling, she climbed into her compact car for the short ride home. No sense worrying about that now, she told herself.

Because her parents lived thirty minutes from Bygones, Vivian had rented a small house closer to her job at the library when she had first started to work there. But then the town had run out of money, had cut the funds for her position and had reduced the number of hours the library was open.

Vivian had been fortunate to be hired by Allison to help at the bookstore.

Her house formerly belonged to a foreman on the now-bankrupt wheat farm. The two-bedroom clapboard house served her well. And the rent was modest enough that she could still afford it, even though she was only working part-time at Happy Endings.

She stopped on the road in front of her mailbox and grabbed the day’s mail, then drove under the carport.

Taking her mail and purse, she went in the front door and flicked on the light.

Essie, her calico cat, hopped down from her favorite spot on the back of the couch, tiptoeing over to meet Vivian.

“Hi there, little lady.” She crouched down to pet the cat. “Have you had a busy day watching out the window?”

Essie responded with a loud, rumbling purr.

“Yes, it sounds like it was very exciting.” Vivian tossed her purse and mail on the blond-wood end table by the couch. Although she had purchased mostly used furnishings, she’d perked up the room with two bright red garden stools for coffee tables and a couple of matching red throw pillows, accented with a green-and-white afghan her mother had crocheted tossed over the back of the couch. On the longest wall, she had hung framed posters of colorful gardens from around the world.

Definitely homier than plain walls and a beige couch.

She stepped into the second bedroom, where Roger was noisily running through his tunnel, showing off his speed.

“Hi, guy. Did you get in lots of training today?” She peered into his cage, which sat on top of an old wooden desk. “Chase asked about you this morning.”

Roger peeked out of his tunnel and gazed up at her with his beady little eyes.

“I know. He really loves animals—even little guys like you.”

As she glanced around the small bedroom, she pictured a crib and changing table, maybe a mural of Noah’s ark on the wall.

Just because she couldn’t bear her own children didn’t mean she couldn’t have a family. She didn’t need a man to tell her it was okay to fulfill her dream. She was taking charge of her own life.

Essie wound her way between Vivian’s legs, still purring loudly.

“I know, sweetie. You want some dinner, don’t you?”

In the kitchen, Vivian poured some dry food into the cat dish, placed it on the floor for Essie and returned to the living room. Plopping down on the couch, she kicked off her shoes and picked up the mail.

An ad for a pizza place on Highway 135. A solicitation from some charity she’d never heard of. And a—

The envelope—bearing the return address of one of several adoption agencies she had contacted about adopting a baby—trembled in her hand.

She swallowed hard and licked her lips.

Please, please let it be good news.

Carefully she opened the envelope and removed the single sheet of stationery.

Dear Miss Duncan, Vivian read. We appreciate your interest in adopting a child from our agency. However—

Her eyes began to blur the words: single woman...limited income...not financially equipped to support a child.

She covered her mouth with her hand. It’s only one agency turning me down, she told herself. She’d applied to several others. Somewhere there was a baby waiting for a mommy. Waiting for her to hold and love him.

She straightened her shoulders.

Tomorrow was another day. She was confident her dream would come true. She swallowed her tears and lifted her chin.

All in God’s time.

Chapter Two

As was his custom, Chase woke early the next morning. He let Boyo out the back door to a fenced area where he could do his business. The dog sniffed the perimeter of his domain. Boyo relaxed only after he was convinced that there had been no intruders since his last visit.

Before long Boyo was back in the shop and racing up the stairs for his breakfast. His brownish coat was a typical shade for a basset hound but his curly hair was very much that of a poodle.

Chase trotted up the stairs behind him.

The fact that he owned a pet shop still amazed him. His life had definitely turned around the day some anonymous benefactor had decided to revitalize downtown Bygones and had offered matching funds for six new businesses to start up in the refurbished stores on Main Street.

The minute he’d heard about the opportunity, he’d sent in his application. Until then, owning a pet store had only been a fanciful dream born of a few happy months as a youngster volunteering at an animal shelter outside of Wichita, plus a whole menagerie of strays he’d brought home over the years.

By the time he was a teenager, his reality had been working grueling, mostly boring, hours, first as a worker and then as foreman, in a warehouse near Wichita.

He had hated the drudgery of the job; he had ever since starting to work there as a teenager. But the wages had been enough that his mother had been able to cut back on the hours she had worked.

In the small upstairs kitchen he fixed Boyo and Fluff their breakfasts. While they ate, he stood at the counter eating a bowl of cereal and drinking his morning coffee.

As soon as he fed the puppies and kittens downstairs, and cleaned their pens, he would keep his eye out for Vivian’s car. He’d been thinking about her a lot. Eager to see her again. Although he wasn’t sure that was a good idea, he couldn’t seem to help himself.

An hour later, just as he was finishing with Pepper’s cage, Chase spotted Vivian’s little red car go by.

“What’s up? What’s up?” Pepper squawked.

“I’m going to call on a very pretty lady. That’s what’s up.”

“Pretty birdie. Pretty birdie,” Pepper announced in his shrill vocalization.

“Yes, Pepper, I know.” Chase held out his hand so Pepper could hop off his shoulder, onto his hand and return to his clean cage with fresh newspapers on the bottom. A fine use for the local Bygones Gazette, he was sure.

The parrot reached his perch and gave his feathers a shake. “Good birdie. Good birdie.”

“You’re an excellent birdie, Pepper. I’m hoping one day soon you’ll find a new home.” Although he had to admit he was growing fond of the silly bird, he’d be more than happy to sell Pepper to a parrot lover. Business was business, right?

The middle-aged man who had brought in the bird had told Chase that Pepper had belonged to his mother, now deceased. His wife hated the bird. So he had to get rid of Pepper.

It was hard on long-lived creatures like large parrots. When their owner passed on, the birds experienced grief much like humans did. But after a few weeks here in the pet store, Pepper seemed to be adjusting to his temporary home and clearly enjoyed greeting customers.

Sometimes not too politely, Chase thought with a frown.

“I’ll find you a permanent home soon, ol’ codger,” he promised. Unfortunately he hadn’t had a single response to his advertisement so far.

Chase washed his hands and tried to tame the lock of hair that kept falling down over his forehead, to no avail.

Outside, another sunny but cool morning greeted him. The school day had already started, and none of the shops had opened yet, so there was little traffic on the street.

Despite the Closed sign on Happy Endings’s door, Chase knocked on the glass window. He peered inside until he saw movement in the shop. Then he stepped back and cleared his throat. Absently, he rubbed his damp palms on his pants and shuffled his feet. She wasn’t expecting to see him today, and he wasn’t sure how she’d react to his idea for Saturday.

Vivian lifted the sign and saw him. Her pretty blue eyes widened, and he heard her unlock the door. Her expression was both surprised and wary as she greeted him.

“Sorry to come by so early, but I wanted to talk with you,” Chase said.

“Sure.” She opened the door wider. “Is it about our Doggie Daze event?”

“Yeah, sort of.” He stepped inside. As she closed the door behind him, Chase caught the fresh scent of citrus—Viv’s perfume or shampoo, he suspected. It mixed pleasantly with the unique smell of books and printer’s ink. He glanced around the shop—the walls painted in blue, green and tan—and its dozens of bookcases with their shelves filled with books. He noted that Allison apparently hadn’t arrived for work yet.

“I wondered if you’d like to go with me to the Happy Havens shelter tomorrow?” he asked. “You could check out the dogs, decide which ones you’d like to bring in for your Doggie Daze affair.”

“I’d love to! I’m sure Allison would let me come in a little late. She’s very excited about the event.”

Her eager response, and the way her eyes crinkled at the corners when she smiled, delighted Chase. He was already looking forward to spending a little time with Viv. Getting to know her better. Just as friends, he reminded himself. He wasn’t looking for a romantic relationship. He had broken up with a woman in Wichita only a few months ago. No need to get involved again too quickly.

They made plans to meet at his shop in the morning, and he’d drive them to the shelter.

“Say, I put on a pot of coffee about five minutes ago. Would you like a cup?” Viv asked.

He glanced at his watch. “How ’bout a half cup? It’s almost time to open the shop.”

“Perfect.”

He followed her into a back room, noting the way her auburn hair shifted gently across her shoulders, the tips just brushing the collar of her green blouse.

In addition to a couple of unopened cartons of books, the room contained a sink and a microwave on the counter with a coffeemaker next to it.

“How do you take your coffee?” she asked.

“Black’s fine.”

She poured coffee into a mug and handed it to him. Their eyes met for a moment in silent communication before she turned to pour coffee for herself. A ripple of awareness warned Chase that more than friendship might evolve between him and Vivian. A prospect he hadn’t anticipated. Although maybe he should have.

Her hands wrapped around the mug, she leaned back against the counter. “You’re a businessman. Can I ask you for some advice?” she said.

“Sure. Anything about dogs and cats and hamsters I can handle. World peace is above my pay grade.”

Her laughter rang a happy note that resonated somewhere in Chase’s chest.

“I promise it’s nothing that earthshaking.” She took a sip of her coffee. “Since the town had to cut back on its support of the library, and I lost my job there, my income has dropped considerably. I’ve been trying to think of a way to supplement what Allison pays me. So far I’ve come up empty.”

“Hmm, let’s see.” He admired a woman who didn’t sit around waiting for someone else to bail her out of trouble or take care of her. Thinking about her question, he sipped his coffee, which was rich and hot. “Maybe I could hire you to come in early to clean up the puppy pen.”

She wrinkled her pert little nose. “That wasn’t exactly what I had in mind.”

“What were you thinking?”

“I’m not sure.” She seemed pensive, as if she’d been considering the problem for some time. “If I could do something at home, then I’d be able to work around my schedule here.”

“That sounds like a great idea—if you can figure it out.”

“Yeah, that’s a big if.”

“It’s not easy to find that kind of job.” Leaning against the doorjamb, he drank some more coffee. “Telemarketing?”

Her smooth forehead furrowed. “I don’t think so.”

“Doing opinion polls?”

“I’m not sure I want to spend that much time on the telephone.”

“Understandable.” He drank another sip of coffee. “Nothing else comes immediately to mind, so let me think about it awhile.”

“Sure. Maybe between us, we’ll come up with something that would work.”

“I’ll do my best.” He set his mug down on the counter. “I’d better get going.”

They said their goodbyes, and Chase headed back to the pet shop, his spirits high, his footsteps light. Odd how planning an ordinary trip to an animal shelter could make him look forward to a very special day.

Because of Vivian.

* * *

When Allison arrived at the bookshop, Vivian was busily making copies of the flyer for Doggie Daze to distribute around town.

Allison picked up one of them. “This is wonderful. You’re so talented. Cute dog.”

“I used free clip art from the internet.” Heat warmed her cheeks. “I thought this dog looked a lot like Boyo, Chase’s dog.”

“Oh, he does. A little bit shaggy but so cute.” Allison eyed Vivian with evident curiosity. “You sure there isn’t something I should know?”

“Huh? Oh, no, not really.” Trying to cover the fact that she’d been so pleased to see Chase earlier, she stacked the flyers on the counter. “Chase came by early this morning. He invited me to go with him to the animal shelter tomorrow morning. If that’s okay with you,” she hastily added.

“Of course it’s fine with me. I think it’s nice we might have another romance going on here in town.”

Vivian laughed self-consciously and shook her head. “I wouldn’t count on that.” In fact, she had to be careful not to read too much into his invitation. Chase worked closely with the shelter to help them place dogs and cats in good homes. Since Happy Endings was having the doggie event, and he no doubt had business to discuss at the shelter, it was natural that they should go together.

“I thought as long as we aren’t busy, I’d deliver these flyers around town this morning,” Vivian said. “And I’ll drop off a few at the school and the library.”

“Good idea.” Allison rolled up her sleeves, ready to go to work. “Meanwhile I’ll check to see what books I should order for Saturday. Maybe a couple more copies of picture books for the little ones.”

“Something on training would be good,” Vivian suggested. “Chase will be talking about that. And breeds of dogs.”

“I’m on it.” She walked into the back room, her skirt swaying at her ankles.

Since Allison’s engagement to Sam, she seemed to float on air. It must be a wonderful feeling, Vivian mused, to be so in love.

A few minutes later, Vivian went out the door with an armful of flyers. She stopped at Love in Bloom first, since the flower shop was right next door.

Sherie Taylor, who worked part-time at the flower shop, came out of the back room with a vase full of yellow and purple chrysanthemums to greet her.

“Hi, Sherie. Guess you’re in charge while Lily is on her honeymoon in Canada.” A slightly plump divorced mother of twins, Sherie had the kind of smile that made everyone her friend.

“I am. I’m still thrilled that she and Tate found each other.”

“I think we all are.” Vivian handed her a flyer, explaining what they were up to at Happy Endings and asking her to post it in the window.

Sherie agreed, putting it up as they spoke. Vivian thanked her and then went next door to Sweet Dreams Bakery.

The moment she opened the door, Vivian was met with the smell of bread baking, along with the scent of cinnamon, apples and chocolate. The aromas washed over her, and her mouth watered.

Melissa Sweeney, the owner, stood behind the counter.

“Do you know, every time I step inside here, I gain two pounds just from the sweet smell of the place?” Vivian said with a laugh. “I can feel my thighs growing by the inch.”

Melissa returned her laughter in a full-throated voice. “I’d probably be a lot thinner if I’d opened a toy store instead of a bakery. I do way too much taste testing.”

“Hmm, but think what we’d all miss out on right here in Bygones if you hadn’t.” Vivian handed Melissa a flyer, asking her if she would post it in the window. They chatted for a few minutes. Then, proud of herself for not buying one of Melissa’s delicious peanut butter with chocolate drops cookies, Vivian retraced her steps, heading first to The Fixer-Upper, the new hardware store in town. After a quick visit with the very charming and recently engaged Patrick Fogerty, she was on her way again.

She’d saved Fluff & Stuff for last.

Boyo, tail wagging, met her at the door of the pet shop.

“Hi, fella. Are you keeping guard over the cash register today?” She knelt to pet him. His light brownish coat felt so silky to her; she loved to run her fingers through it.

“What’s up? What’s up?” the parrot announced.

“I guess guarding the cash register is Pepper’s job, huh? You’re just looking for some loving.” As she stood, Chase arrived up front, giving her a sudden case of shyness. “Hi there.”

“Hi back at ya.” He grinned as his gaze swept over her simple blouse and skirt with approval. “Hope you haven’t come by to cancel our trip to the animal shelter.”

“Uh, no.” A sharp stab of disappointment at the thought of canceling caught her off guard before she realized he was teasing. “I came by with the flyers for Doggie Daze, hoping you’d post one in your window.”

“Sure will.” His smile broadened like he was keeping some wonderful secret. “And I’d like some for my counter, if you have enough. I can probably talk my puppy fan club into taking some home to their parents.”

“Good idea!” She gave him a handful. “If you run out, let me know. I can always print more.”

Their hands brushed as he took the flyers. They stood gazing at each other for a moment. Boyo rubbing up against Chase’s leg. Pepper squawking. Vivian’s heart doing its pitter-patter thing in a rapid beat.

“I’ve got to deliver some of these to the school,” she finally said, her mouth unusually dry.

“Okay, then, Viv. I’ll see you in the morning.”

She nodded and fled out the door, feeling like a teenager who had just been invited to the prom by the cutest boy in school.

Vivian’s next delivery took her a few short blocks to the combined grammar and high school. She found Coraline Connolly, the school principal, in her office. Vivian stuck her head in the door.

“Are you busy, Mrs. Connolly?”

The older woman looked up from the stack of papers on her desk. “Not too busy to see you, Vivian. What brings you to my part of the world? Not trouble at the bookshop, I hope.”

“No, not at all.” In addition to being a frequent patron of the library when Vivian had worked there, Mrs. Connolly was also the heart and soul of the Save Our Streets committee, which was overseeing the revitalization of Bygones’s Main Street and the new shops that had recently opened. “Allison and I have come up with an event for this Saturday. Chase of Fluff & Stuff is helping out with the idea so it can be a promotion for both of the businesses.”

Taking the flyer from Vivian, Mrs. Connolly read it over. “What a good idea,” she said, looking up. “I’m sure the town’s benefactor would be pleased to know there is so much cooperation between our new entrepreneurs.”

“Has anyone figured out yet who he, or she, is?

Mrs. Connolly lifted one shoulder in a halfhearted shrug. “Not that I’m aware of.”

“Everyone is certainly curious.”

“I’m sure that’s true. I know I am. In any event, it’s excellent that you and Allison and Chase are all working together. Chase seems to be such a nice man, and he does love his animals.”

“Yes, he does.” A silly flush warmed her cheeks, a problem she’d had since childhood, which she blamed on her redheaded complexion. “We’re both hoping Doggie Daze not only encourages people to buy books about dogs but also helps out the Happy Havens Animal Shelter. Evidently, the shelter is strapped for both room and money with so many animals being turned over to them by families who are leaving town.”

“Oh, dear, it seems like the factory closing has caused so many problems for our little town. Not the least of which is the possible closing of our school, which would force our children to be bussed to another town. Some of our teachers have already signed contracts with other districts for next semester. It’s so hard to see our town suffering so.” She held up the flyer and smiled, although the smile seemed a little forced. “I’ll post several of these on bulletin boards around the school and hope for a good showing at Doggie Daze.”

“Thanks so much.” Vivian started to back out the door.

“Do give Chase my regards. It’s nice to know two animal lovers will be working together for our shelter.” The principal’s eyes gleamed with a hint of matchmaking on her mind.

“Yes, ma’am.” Flustered by the way the school principal had so easily linked her and Chase together, Vivian hurried down the hallway.

She quickly chided herself. Mrs. Connolly was only referring to their mutual concern about the shelter. She wasn’t suggesting there was anything romantic going on between Vivian and Chase.

Because there wasn’t.

As she walked back to Happy Endings, she passed Fluff & Stuff. Unable to help herself, she glanced inside.

Chase, who was standing by the cash register, spotted her and waved, then mouthed the words, See you tomorrow.

Feeling a tremble of excitement in her tummy, she waved back and gave him a thumbs-up.

What if it was possible? She and Chase? A couple?

Based on her recent experiences with men, she believed that seemed unlikely.

But what if it could be? she thought, futilely trying to still the excitement of her romantic heart.

Chapter Three

The following morning, Vivian tried on a few different outfits before settling on a shirt, with three-quarter-length sleeves, patterned in colorful fall leaves and her rust-colored skirt. She paired that with comfortable shoes for walking around the shelter, then tossed a light jacket over her arm and headed out the door.

“You be good, Essie,” she called to her cat. “And leave Roger alone.”

Trying to temper her eagerness as she drove into town, she still couldn’t help but look forward to spending time with Chase. And, of course, visiting the shelter.

She parked on the street. By the time she reached Fluff & Stuff, Chase had already opened the door. Ready to go, he wore chinos and a tan windbreaker snug at his waist, which made his legs look extra long.

Boyo peered up at her from behind Chase’s legs, his tail wagging.

“Don’t you look like a bright autumn day,” Chase said, ushering her inside with one of his patented grins. “Makes me think of raking leaves as a boy and jumping into the pile and then having to rake them up all over again.”

“We used to do that, too. It would take us all day to finish the job. Drove our mother crazy. And then the next morning there’d be more leaves on the ground, and we’d have to do it all over again.”

“My car’s in back.” Placing his hand at the small of her back, he guided her to the rear of the store. The heat of his palm seeped through her light jacket. “Sounds like you come from a big family,” he said.

Telling Boyo to stay, Chase let Vivian out the back door and then locked it behind them.

“Mom had six kids. Three girls and three boys. We were kind of a rowdy bunch at times.”

“I can imagine. Six children sounds like quite a crowd.” His voice held a note of dismay. “I was an only child, which was about all my mother could handle.”

“Don’t tell me you misbehaved as a boy?” she asked in a teasing voice.

“Not all that much. But all kids find a way to get into trouble once in a while.”

“And that was times six for my mom.” Her mother had been awesome, the most patient person Vivian knew. At least most days that was true.

When she climbed into his SUV, she caught the faint scent of puppy chow and spotted a few doggie hairs on the seat.

He went around to the driver’s side and climbed behind the wheel. He seemed far more subdued than when he’d greeted her, and she couldn’t imagine why. Everybody’s family was different. Six children had always seemed ideal to Vivian. In fact, she’d like to have that many herself, if she could find a way.

“Is your mother still living in Wichita?” she asked quietly.

“No. She died a couple of years ago.”

“I’m sorry.”

He shrugged as though it didn’t matter to him, but Vivian suspected he cared more about the loss of his mother than he wanted to admit. With just the two of them, they had to have been close. From Vivian’s perspective, she couldn’t imagine being an only child—she would have been too lonely way out on the farm. Though she admitted her younger siblings were often pests as they grew up, and she’d been expected to watch out for them when her mother was otherwise occupied.

Since their conversation had dampened Chase’s mood, she decided to change the subject.

“So what kind of dogs do you think I ought to pick out for Doggie Daze?”

“We’ll have to see who’s available, but they should be well behaved.”

“And housebroken,” Vivian added. “I think Allison would appreciate that the most.”

The corners of his eyes crinkled when he laughed. “I imagine so.” He turned onto Bronson Street for the short drive to the shelter, which was less than a mile north of town.

Once past the center of town, houses on one-or two-acre lots replaced commercial buildings. Some families had a horse or two. Others had chicken coops and a kitchen garden, or a couple of cows grazing behind sturdy fences.

“Look at those sunflowers growing alongside the road,” she said. “Aren’t they beautiful?” Apparently seeds had been blown or tossed onto the right-of-way between the road and the wheat field beyond. Several hundred feet of the shoulder was ablaze with bright orange sunflowers, the Kansas state flower. Their heads on four-foot-tall stalks were all aligned, aimed directly at the sun as though they were sending cheery wishes into outer space.

“Looks like somebody decided to beautify the roadside around here.”

In the distance, the silver tower of a grain elevator rose above the flat landscape, a crucial part of life for wheat farmers like Vivian’s father.

“You might want to think about a bigger dog, like a golden retriever,” Chase said, returning to the topic of dogs for Doggie Daze. “They’re usually good with kids. And match him with something smaller, maybe a border collie mix.”

“We could use a border collie to round up people off the streets to come to Doggie Daze.”

He shot her an amused look. “That’s one way to gain an audience. Or you could ask Police Chief Sheridan to arrest jaywalkers and hold them at the bookshop during the event.”

“Or Mayor Langston could issue an edict that every resident of Bygones had to attend Doggie Daze plus adopt a dog at Fluff & Stuff.”

They bantered back and forth, each of them coming up with more ridiculous ideas to get people to attend the event. When they pulled up in front of Happy Havens, they were both laughing so hard they could barely get out of the car.

Vivian wiped the tears from her eyes and drew a deep breath. “It’s just as well we’re here. I was running out of ideas.”

Chase patted her hand. “I’m sure you’d be able to come up with more ideas if you had to. You’re one smart lady.”

She grinned at him even as the touch of his hand shot a current of warmth up her arm. “Likewise, Mr. Rollins. You’re pretty smart yourself.”

The shelter offices were in an old two-story farmhouse that had been revamped and repainted a bright yellow with white trim. The adjacent red barn held most of the animals, with cats kept well separated inside the main house. Except for a small parking lot, open land and a wire fence surrounded the property. Originally funded by the Bronson family, the shelter had since been repaired and restored mostly by volunteers. Now it was entirely operated by many of those same devoted people.

In front of the house, a large sign carved in a plank of redwood read Happy Havens Animal Shelter.

Chase held open the gate, and they walked up the three steps to the porch. A note on the door invited guests to come in.

Annabelle Goodrich, wearing a navy blue windbreaker over her official shelter volunteer T-shirt, was sitting at a desk behind the counter.

“Hey, Chase, good to see you.” She looked quizzically at Vivian over the top of her half-glasses. “You, too, Viv. What brings you here?”

“Viv and Allison at the bookstore are planning an event called Doggie Daze this Saturday,” Chase said. “The idea is to sell books about dogs and how to train them, and hopefully get people interested in adopting dogs.”

“Chase is helping us,” Vivian added. “He suggested we might be able to borrow a couple of dogs from you for show-and-tell.”

“And I’ll need a couple for Saturday’s adoption day, too,” Chase added.

Lean and athletic for a woman in her fifties, Annabelle popped to her feet. “Sounds terrific. We need all the publicity we can get so our animal buddies can find new homes. Follow me.” She strode toward the back of the house and on to the barn at a fast clip.

Vivian hurried to catch up with her. As she passed what must have once been the dining room, she caught a quick glimpse of a dozen or more cages containing cats. For an instant, she wanted to step inside to pick out a homeless cat and give her a new home. But she was pretty sure Essie wouldn’t appreciate Vivian’s generosity of spirit. Essie’s nose was already out of sorts with the addition of Roger in their household.

In the barn they were greeted with a cacophony of barks and yips, and dogs jumping against their enclosure gates. Vivian could almost hear them shouting Pick me! Pick me! Poor fellows sure didn’t like being locked up.

“Settle down, guys,” Annabelle yelled over the racket. “Be nice. You need to impress these people with how well you behave.” She walked down the aisle of kennels, reaching in to pet this dog and that, calling them by name and cooing over them.

Vivian caught Chase’s eye. “They’re her babies, aren’t they?” she said quietly.

“I’d say so. Before she’ll let any of them go to a new home, she checks out the family and makes it clear that if she hears about any abuse, she’ll have the chief of police at their door in minutes.”

“Sort of like the way they check out families when someone applies to adopt a baby,” Vivian mused aloud. She had certainly filled out a lot of forms and been interviewed at length.

He shot her a troubled look. “I suppose it’s the same.”

Wondering why Chase would react negatively to the mention of adoption, Vivian frowned then shrugged off her concern.

Annabelle finished her tour of the kenneled dogs and returned to them. “So what kind of dogs do you want for your event?”

“Chase suggested something like a golden retriever because they’re good with children,” Vivian said.

Closing her eyes, Annabelle nodded. “I think I’ve got just the dog for you. Lady is the sweetest thing.” She began walking down the aisle again. “Good family pet. Loves children. She’s actually a mix of retriever and shepherd so she has a little longer nose than a pure retriever, but she’s got that lovely golden fur and disposition.”

She stopped at a kennel and opened the gate. “Hey, Lady. I’ve got someone you need to meet.” She gestured for Vivian to step inside.

Vivian walked into the kennel. Immediately, Lady sat and looked up at her with intelligent brown eyes and cocked her head to the side as if waiting for Vivian to explain her presence. Vivian’s heart melted.

“Aren’t you the prettiest girl?” Unable to resist, she let Lady sniff her hand. Kneeling Vivian held the dog’s head and gave her a good scratch behind her ears. “You are a sweetheart. You really are.”

Behind her, Chase said, “I told you to be careful or you’d fall in love.”

She looked up at him over her shoulder. A shimmer of awareness slid through her as she looked into his soft brown eyes filled with such a gentle spirit.

“You were...right.” Her voice quavered. “I need to be very careful.” And go slowly. He was talking about falling for a dog. Not him.

He helped her to her feet. “What do you think?”

Think? She didn’t dare think. Not about Chase in that way. Not with his hand warming her arm.

“About the dog,” he clarified.

“Oh, yes. Lady will be perfect for Doggie Daze.” She forced a smile that felt a little crooked and turned to Annabelle. “Can we match Lady with a smaller dog she’ll get along with?”

“We’ve got oodles of those. Let’s go see Tikey. She’s a sweetie.” She led them to another kennel that held two small dogs. “Tikey is a Welsh corgi. Her buddy there, Arnie, is a poodle mix.”

Vivian chuckled at the stumpy little dog. “It looks like Tikey didn’t get her fair share of legs. They look too short for her.”

“I haven’t heard her complain. As Abe Lincoln once said, his legs were just the right length to reach the ground.” Annabelle opened the door to let Vivian inside.

“Ol’ Abe was a pretty sharp cookie,” Chase commented.

It didn’t take Vivian long to decide that Lady and Tikey would be perfect for show-and-tell at Doggie Daze.

Chase decided he would take Nathan for his adoption day promotion and then selected a German shepherd named Buster.

“German shepherds are well behaved and make great guard dogs,” he commented. “A lot of farmers want a dog like Buster to keep an eye on their stock.”

“We had a German shepherd when I was growing up.” Vivian smiled at the memory. “Somewhere in the family scrapbook, there is a picture my mom took of me when I was about eighteen months old trying to ride on his back.”

“Now that would be worth seeing.” His dark eyes danced with mischief, and Vivian felt her cheeks heat with embarrassment.

If Chase ever met her family, she’d have to warn her mother of the dire consequences if she showed that scrapbook to him.

Unaware of Vivian’s chagrin, Chase arranged with Annabelle to pick up all four dogs early Saturday morning. She promised to have them bathed and ready to go by eight o’clock.

Annabelle walked with them to the barn’s entrance. “Mayor Langston dropped by a day or two ago. We got to talking about the shelter and how there simply aren’t enough funds to keep this place going for long.”

“Oh, I’m sorry hear that,” Vivian said. “Is there anything anyone can do to help?”

Wrinkles furrowed Annabelle’s forehead as she fussed with the zipper on her jacket. “The mayor and I were trying to come up with some sort of a fund-raiser that would keep us going. Nothing came to mind right offhand. But if you think of something...” She let the words drift off on the weight of her concern.

“We’ll give it some thought,” Chase promised, ushering Vivian out the door.

Walking slowly, Vivian considered the shelter’s financial problem. It would be such a shame to have to close it down. There had to be something....

Back in the SUV, Chase turned to her. “It’s almost noon. How about I drive us to Highway 135? We can have lunch at the Red Rooster diner.”

“That sounds good, but don’t you have to open up your shop? Or did you have your friend open for you?”

“Midweek isn’t a problem. I left a sign on my door that I’d be back by two o’clock. I don’t get much business in the mornings, especially during the middle of the week, so I’m not losing any sales to speak of.”

“Then it’s fine with me. Allison told me to take as much time as I needed at the shelter.” Although she hadn’t said anything about having lunch with Chase.

Buckling her seat belt, Vivian felt a tickle of pleasure that she’d be spending more time with him.

He started the car and shifted into Reverse to back out of the parking place. “Someday soon, if and when my business picks up a bit, I’m going to have to hire someone part-time so I can be away from the store when I need to leave. The Save Our Streets committee is putting together a list of local folks who are looking for work. They want us to hire from that list if we can. I’m thinking that as Christmas gets closer, I’ll take a look. I’m told there are some hard workers on the list.”

“Yes, you should have someone to help, and it would be wonderful if you could hire someone local. With me helping at the bookshop, Allison has some flexibility she wouldn’t have otherwise.”

There weren’t many cars on the two-lane country road that led to the highway. Once Chase had to go around a slow-moving tractor, the farmer probably planning to disk his fields for the winter so they’d be ready for planting come spring. Vivian’s father, who grew wheat on his acreage near Duncan Springs, had already prepared the ground for winter.

“So why did you decide to be a librarian?” Chase asked as they were driving along.

“I love books,” she replied easily. “I grew up with my nose in a book since as early as I can remember. My older sister Lisa was very outgoing, but I’d hide in my room or in the loft of the barn and read. Guess I was just shy.”

He glanced in her direction. “You don’t seem very shy now. In fact, you’ve got a great personality.”

“Thanks.” Pleased that Chase saw her in such a positive light, she gave him an appreciative smile. “When I went off to college, I decided I had to become more extroverted. So I intentionally joined a bunch of clubs, volunteered for various activities. I didn’t want to be the stereotypical meek, bookish librarian.”

“I’d say you achieved your goal. You’re definitely not a stereotype at all. You’re one of a kind.”

“Careful, Chase. You’re going to have me blushing with all your compliments.” And falling for him harder and faster than she should.

“Not to worry. I like it when your cheeks turn pink. The color is good with your hair.”

She rolled her eyes. Blushing was the bane of every redhead she knew. She so hoped he wasn’t giving her a line just to make points with her. “I may have learned to be more outgoing, but I’m still a bookworm at heart.”

They arrived at the diner, which had a gigantic red rooster perched on top of the sloping roof. Several cars and trucks were parked in the lot, and Chase had to drive around to the back to find an open slot.

“Busy place,” she commented.

“As nearly as I can tell, it’s the only decent diner between Newton and Highway 40.”

“True. I’m afraid this part of Kansas isn’t exactly the gourmet capital of the state.”

They got out of the car and strolled around to the entrance. Inside the smell of sizzling meat on the grill was accompanied by a pleasant hum of conversation from the patrons who filled the red vinyl booths. Waitresses hurried back and forth carrying trays of burgers and fries, cold sandwiches and salads, plus glasses of soda and iced tea.

The hostess showed them to a booth toward the back of the restaurant.

Vivian opened the menu the hostess had placed in front of her. “So are you into gourmet food?” she asked Chase. “Or are you more a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy?”

“I’m a pretty basic guy. No frills. You get what you see.”

What Vivian saw in Chase was looking better and better. “I don’t mind going out to a fancy dinner now and then, but my mom taught me to cook. Chicken and biscuits is about as wild as we get in my family. But Mom’s biscuits are pretty good.”

He studied her from across the table. “I’m a serious connoisseur of biscuits. I like ’em real fluffy.”

“Well, good. In that case I’ll have to invite you to dinner at my folks’ house sometime so you can see if Mom’s biscuits live up to your high standards.”

He chuckled. “It’s a deal!”

When the waitress returned, Chase ordered a cheeseburger with coleslaw instead of fries. Vivian chose a chicken salad with a raspberry vinaigrette dressing on the side. She had iced tea; he ordered a soda.

As they chatted over lunch, Vivian learned Chase had grown up in Wichita, living in a half dozen different houses or apartments. And that he’d started work at a warehouse when he was seventeen years old.

“You didn’t want to go to college?” she asked.

“My grades weren’t good enough, and I had to earn some money to help out my mother.”

Vivian sensed he was plenty smart enough to get good grades and go to college, but maybe he hadn’t been tuned in to academics. Some of her classmates had been like that: smart but not interested in studying. Then again, given his family’s situation, maybe he hadn’t had any other choice.

She sipped her sweet tea. “What about your interests outside of animals? Any hobbies?”

Thinking, he carried a forkful of coleslaw to his mouth and chewed for a minute. “When I was younger, I used to enjoy target practice with some buddies. They sometimes went hunting, but I couldn’t see killing a deer or even a raccoon.”

“Neither can I.” Her father had a gun, which he used to run off coyotes who were trying to get into the chicken coup. But Vivian had never been interested in shooting anything, not even a target.

“Like most guys, I’ve tinkered a little with cars,” Chase said. “How about you? What do you do in your spare time?”

“You mean besides reading?” She laughed. “I can do some crocheting and knitting, but I’m not all that good. My mother’s terrific, though. I’m pretty good at graphic arts on the computer. And I like decorating my little house.”

“On the computer, it’s all I can do to keep track of income, expenses and inventory. I bought a special program for that. Figured I’d need it come tax season.”

“Smart man.” She smiled at him across the table and felt herself falling further for this man.

When they’d finished eating, Vivian sat back. “That was a good salad. I’ll have to come here more often.”

“Good burger, too.” Using his napkin, Chase wiped his mouth. “We’ll have to do this again.”

Their waitress arrived. She was a woman in her forties with unnatural platinum hair pulled back into a ponytail. “Anything else for you folks? We’ve got some homemade apple pie. It’s really good à la mode.”

Vivian shook her head. “Not for me, thanks.”

“None for me, either.” The waitress put the check on the table, and Chase reached for his wallet.

“Why don’t we do this Dutch treat?” Vivian suggested.

“A gentleman never lets a lady pick up the check.” He put a twenty on the table. “I invited you, remember.”

“Well, I thank you very much.”

He winked. “You’re welcome.”

“Guess we’d better get back to work, huh?” Although Vivian would rather linger here with Chase, sipping another glass of iced tea, she really should go to the bookstore to give Allison a break.

Chase took a different road back to Bygones, although the landscape of small farms was much the same. They hadn’t gone far when he had to slow for a couple of brown-and-white milk cows that had wandered out onto the road.

“Looks like somebody left their gate open,” Vivian said.

“No, not their gate.” He pulled to the side of the road. “A whole big section of fencing is down.”

“How did that happen?” Two posts holding the wire fencing around a small pasture had been pulled to the ground. The cows had simply wandered out to eat the greener grass outside their pen.

Turning off the ignition, Chase said, “I’m going to try to herd the cows back where they belong. The farmer must not have missed them yet. Hang on.” He hopped out of the SUV and strolled slowly toward the cows.

Vivian climbed out, too. There was a small farmhouse and a barn on the property, both of which looked in need of a new roof and fresh paint. That wasn’t unusual in this part of Kansas. Small landholders had trouble making a profit.

“Come on, Bessie,” Chase said. “You and your sister need to go back where you came from.” Making clucking noises, he waved them toward the broken fence.

The cows started to move in the right direction.

Suddenly an old man half bent over at the waist came running out of the house. “Hey there, git away from my cows, or I’ll blow you away.” The man lifted a double-barrel shotgun to his shoulder.

Vivian gasped.

Chase threw his hands up. “Easy, mister. You’ve got a break in your fence. I was just trying to—”

The shotgun blasted into the air. “I tol’ you to git. Now git!” He cracked open the shotgun, reloaded and snapped it closed.

The cows lumbered out onto the road again.

Her heart in her throat, Vivian jumped back in the SUV, rolling down her window.

Chase, instead of getting into the truck and driving away, like any rational person would do, walked toward the farmer, his hands held out to his sides in a sign of peace.

“Be careful,” she whispered, appalled that he’d approach a man with a gun.

“I’d like to help you,” Chase told the farmer. “I live over in Bygones. I own the pet store. I know what it’s like to work hard and not have much to show for it.”

Slowly, the farmer lowered his shotgun an inch or two. “Kids are always messing with my cows. When hunting season started, one of ’em painted a red target on Marshmallow.”

“I’m sorry. I really am. Kids can do stupid things.”

Her heart in her throat, Vivian watched as Chase kept moving closer to the farmer. If the farmer lifted that shotgun again and pulled the trigger, Chase could be dead in minutes.

Please, God. Don’t let anything bad happen to him. She pulled out her cell phone, ready to call for help.

“How about I try to bring Marshmallow back where she belongs? Then you and I can brace that fence back up. What do you say, Mr....?”

“Mahnken. Amos Mahnken.”

“Good to meet you, Amos.” He extended his hand. “Chase Rollins.”

Switching the shotgun to his left hand, Amos took Chase’s hand. “You’ll need a switch. Marshmallow needs a little flick now and again to get her moving. Brownie usually follows along all right.”

Vivian exhaled the breath she’d been holding. Chase was either crazy or extremely brave. Maybe both, she thought, hysteria threatening.

“I’ll get her.” Reaching for a dry weed stalk, Chase broke it off. “You go find us some wood and a hammer and nails. This shouldn’t take long.”

Shaking, Vivian waited in the truck while Chase rounded up the cows, then helped Amos restore the fence to some order.

Finally, Chase told Amos goodbye. They shook hands like old friends, and Chase returned to the SUV.

“Sorry for the delay,” he said, climbing behind the wheel.

“Sorry?” She nearly choked. “You could’ve been killed!”

“Naw. Old Amos didn’t want to kill anybody. Just wanted to scare me off.”

“Well, he certainly scared me. Right out of ten years of my life.”

Looking at her, he cocked his head. A little smile played around his lips. “Thanks for worrying about me.”

He tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear, then he shifted the SUV into gear and pulled back onto the road.

Her cheek tingled with the residual warmth of his fingertip. Her heart beating hard, all Vivian could do was gape at the man. Maybe she was the one who was crazy.

Because she was thinking about crazy, exciting possibilities and dreams that could come true.

Chapter Four

With Amos Mahnken’s farm well behind him in the rearview mirror, Chase glanced at Vivian. Sitting next to him, she had her hands clasped tightly in her lap, and she was staring out the windshield. Slight grooves creased her forehead.

“You all right?” he asked. Viv looked as tense as someone staring down a bull on a rampage, his big horns leveled right at her.

“I’m fine,” she said too brightly. “I think my heart rate ought to slow down by tomorrow afternoon or thereabouts.”

He grinned, wondering if her reaction had been to his impulsive touch of her hair. Or the fact that old Amos had fired his shotgun. Poor guy had probably scared himself as much as he had scared Chase.

“I have no idea how you had the nerve to face him down with a gun in his hands,” Viv said.

“I don’t know. I guess I figured the guy needed help, and it didn’t look like there was anyone around to bail him out of trouble. He’s too old to be digging postholes on his own. It seemed natural to try to give him a hand.”

“You’re a true gentleman, Chase Rollins. And very kind.”

He snorted, embarrassed by her compliment. “While we were fixing the fence, I spotted something that bothered me. There were tire tracks by the fence. Looked to me like someone had intentionally pulled that fence down.”

Viv’s head swiveled toward him. “Why would anyone want to do that?”

“I don’t know. But there’s been some vandalism going on around Bygones. I’m sure Allison told you about the last meeting of the new shopkeepers. Everyone was talking about an increase in someone breaking things and spray painting stuff. I think Amos could be the most recent victim.”

“Allison and I did talk after the meeting about how Elwood was quite upset about what happened at The Everything, with picnic tables being tossed around in the wee hours of the morning and a window broken.”

“Right. And Brian Montclair had some tools stolen, even though they were eventually found. Maybe it’s getting more serious. If a vandal pulled down Amos’s fence, and Marshmallow or Brownie got hit by a truck, it would’ve cost the old guy plenty.”

Chase turned at the intersection of Bronson, heading into town.

“Maybe your friend Amos could use a big dog like Buster to run off vandals and trespassers.”

His lips crept into a smile at her suggestion. “You’re right. Like I said, you’re one smart, clever lady.” Pretty, too, but he didn’t want to embarrass her more than he already had. “Maybe I’ll run out there after Saturday’s adoption day to see if I can talk him into that.”

“Finding a home for Buster would be great.”

Chase thought so, too, as he pulled up in front of Happy Endings Bookstore. “Back to the ol’ grind, I’m afraid.”

“Working in a bookstore would never be a grind for me.” She popped open her car door. “Thanks for taking me to the shelter and to lunch. I enjoyed it.”

“We’ll do it again sometime. I take all my dates to an animal shelter. It’s my favorite thing to do.” He nearly bit his tongue when he realized he’d referred to their outing as a date. He really didn’t want her to get the wrong idea.

“Oh, you...” Laughing, she got out of his SUV, waved goodbye and hurried into bookstore.

Chase drove slowly away, around the block to park in his enclosed backyard. He’d enjoyed Viv’s company a lot. Probably more than he should. As long as he kept thinking of her as a friend, there’d be no problems. He didn’t want to risk a deeper relationship.

For about a year in Wichita he’d been dating a woman he had liked a lot. But then she had laid down the law: either they get married and start a family or it’s over.

He chose to break off their relationship.

Because he was never going to take a chance on being a father himself. With the genes he carried, those terrible traits handed down by his own abusive alcoholic father, he knew that was a deal breaker. For the woman.

And for any child he might father.

* * *

Not long after Chase opened the pet store, Elwood Dill, the owner of The Everything store and Chase’s contact with the Save Our Streets committee, showed up.

The moment Elwood stepped in the shop, his scraggly beard showing touches of gray and his tie-dyed T-shirt sporting what looked like ketchup stains, Pepper had a fit.

“Bad Birdie! Bad Birdie! Polly’s not here! Polly’s not here!”

Laughing, Chase told the bird to hush up.

“Hey, Elwood. What’s up?” he asked.

“What’s up? What’s up?” Using his beak, Pepper jingled like crazy the string of tiny silver bells in his cage.

Boyo trotted over to see what was going on.

“Stop showing off, Pepper.” Chase waved Elwood toward the back of the store. “Let’s get away from that crazy bird. Unless I can talk you into buying him?” Although, given Pepper’s vocabulary, he had to be pretty smart. A real prize for someone.

“He sure would liven up my store, but I think I’ll pass. Thanks anyway.”

“Pity. I think Pepper would fit right in with your customers.”

Elwood shot him scathing look. “Nothing’s wrong with my customers.”

“Of course not.” Chase gave him an affectionate slap on the back.

They strolled out of Pepper’s sight behind a display that featured leashes, collars and assorted doggie toys.

“I have to admit, Pepper isn’t the fastest moving item I’ve got in stock,” Chase said. “I may be stuck with him for a long time.” Which, when he thought about it, didn’t seem like a terrible idea.

“I’ve got some stuff at The Everything that Velma and I picked up before we were married, and I still haven’t been able to move it.”

Since Elwood and his wife were both in their fifties, Chase figured if Elwood didn’t get that merchandise sold soon, it would turn into antiques and be worth a small fortune.

Elwood examined a dog collar studded with fake gemstones. “You know what, Chase? Your displays are too neat. It’s a fine line, but you need just a touch of clutter.” He waved his hand back and forth across the items for sale. “Folks like to think people have been pawing through things ’cause the stuff is such a good buy. If you keep your merchandise too neat and tidy, people are afraid to mess things up. So they don’t even take a look.”

Chase suppressed a smile. “That’s an interesting marketing philosophy.”

“Yep. I’ve been in business here in Bygones a long time and know what works. You might want to give it a try.”

“I’ll think about it.” For less than a second. Clutter wasn’t Chase’s style.

“Anyway...” Elwood hung the collar back on the display peg. “I came by to see how you’re doing, and to remind you we are not going to have an SOS meeting until next week. A couple of folks have other commitments they couldn’t break.”

The Save Our Streets meeting was a way for the new shopkeepers to make any problems, or successes, known to the others. “That makes sense. She’d want to keep up with whatever went on while she was gone.”

“Yep. That’s what we all figured.” He headed for the front door, Chase and Boyo right behind him.

“By the way,” Chase said. “I stumbled across what might be the latest case of vandalism.” He explained about Amos’s fence being pulled down and the cows escaping.

Scratching his long beard, Elwood nodded. “I sure wish Chief Sheridan hadn’t had to let so many police officers go. We need somebody out there tracking this vandal down before something awful happens.”

“You’ve got that right.” Chase picked up one of the flyers from the counter. “I’ve got my monthly animal adoption day coming up this Saturday, and Happy Endings has a special Doggie Daze going on, too.”

Taking the flyer, Elwood scanned it quickly. “Vivian brought a bunch of flyers by yesterday for Doggie Daze. I’ve got ’em posted.”

“Good birdie,” Pepper crooned.

“You sure you don’t want a parrot? Pepper seems quite taken with you.”

Laughing in a deep baritone voice, Elwood shook his head. “And I don’t want you trying to talk Velma into buying that bird, either. She does enough talking all by herself. I don’t need any more chatter going on in the shop.”

Smiling, Chase held open the door as Elwood left. One of these days somebody would come along who wouldn’t be able to resist Pepper. Soon, he hoped.

* * *

That evening, still upbeat from lunch with Chase, Vivian baked a chicken breast for dinner and tossed a small salad. She ate her meal while watching the news, then sat on her couch to read.

She had borrowed Mystery at Mercer Point from the bookshop a couple of days ago and was eager to finish the story. The author, Marilee Davis, lived in Arkansas and had become one of Vivian’s favorite writers. So far Davis had authored three books, but she hadn’t moved up on the lists to bestsellerdom as yet. Vivian thought Marilee was due.

Essie hopped up into Vivian’s lap, stomped down a nest and settled in for the duration.

“Do make yourself comfortable.” Vivian stroked Essie, smoothing her soft fur, then opened the book.

“You know, sometimes I think heartland authors get short shrift from New York’s opinion makers. It’s like the whole center of the country is ignored by the literati.”

Holding the book in one hand and petting the cat with the other, she read several pages, loving Davis’s wordsmithing and the clever way she dropped in the clues, leading to the culprit who had stolen the antique brass andirons from Mrs. Murphy, the wealthiest woman in the town of Mercer Point.

Frowning, an idea teasing at her brain, Vivian marked her place and slowly closed the book.

“You know what this author needs? More publicity, that’s what. She’s writing for such a small publisher, she needs to find a way to get more recognition. More buzz about her books.”

She eased Essie out of her lap and went to her laptop, which sat on the kitchen table. As she booted it up, she wondered if it would be possible for her to earn some extra money writing a regular blog about the books she loved.

Would it be enough money to make her more acceptable as a single parent to an adoption agency?

* * *

By Saturday morning, Vivian had researched blogs, how they attracted advertising and had a title for her book blog: Heartland Musings, Heartland Authors and Their Books. She even had created a design for her home page. She’d concentrate on small regional publishers and their books. She couldn’t take money from publishers to review their books. That wouldn’t be ethical. But she could search out other businesses that had an interest in Midwestern markets.

It might take time to build a following, and the income that went with it, but she didn’t want to simply wait around until every agency had turned down her application to adopt a child because she didn’t earn enough money to support one.

Getting the ball rolling, she’d at least be able to show that she had a plan for herself and her baby’s financial future.

But for now, she needed to put aside thoughts of her blog and focus on Doggie Daze.

Before they had left work last night, she and Allison had rearranged the Kids’ Korner to make more room to display dog-related books and show off Lady and Tikey, the stars of the event.

First thing this morning, Vivian had set out a plate of cookies she’d picked up from Sweet Dreams Bakery next door.

“I sure wish we knew how many people were coming today,” she said to Allison.

Carrying a pitcher of punch, Allison came out of the back room. “I have plenty of extra punch if we need it.” She placed the pitcher on the counter next to the cookies.

“So if no one comes, we can drown our sorrows in cookies and punch,” Vivian joked.

“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.” Allison checked her watch. “What time do you think Chase will be here with the dogs?”

“Any minute now.” At the mention of Chase’s name, Vivian’s heart did a little flip. She hadn’t seen him since their trip to the shelter. But she hadn’t stopped thinking about him, either.

Under usual circumstances, a trip to an animal shelter plus a lunch together wouldn’t add up to much. But something about Chase drew her. Made her want a connection with him. Gave her hope.

As predicted, within a few minutes Chase knocked on the door. Slightly breathless, Vivian opened it for him.

Lady nearly bowled her over, she was so eager to get inside. With her tail wagging at the speed of light, so fast it was little more than a blur, the retriever pulled hard on the leash Chase was holding. Her tongue lolled out the side of her mouth.

“Lady, heel!” Chase ordered.

It did no good.

Vivian dropped onto her knees to hug the dog, and scratch her around her ears and shoulders. “Didn’t Annabelle tell you that you had to be well behaved today?”

Lady licked her face.

“I don’t think Lady got the memo,” Chase said, still clinging to Lady’s leash. Meanwhile, Tikey, also on a leash, had poked her head in the doorway, looking around cautiously.

Standing, Vivian said, “Just as well this isn’t a china and glass shop. Lady’s tail alone would cost the owner a fortune in broken merchandise.”

A frown tugged a V between Chase’s brows. “Do you think you can handle her?”

“Hopefully she’ll calm down before any kids and their parents show up.” She took the leash and tugged on Lady’s harness. “Lady, sit.” She gestured with her hand, showing the dog what she wanted.

Lady sat, although her tail and tongue kept up their perpetual motion. She looked ready to leap up and race around the room with the least little encouragement.

“Impressive.” Chase’s eyes sparked with admiration as he smiled at Vivian. “At least you got her to sit. She was all over my SUV on the way back to town.”

Allison joined them at the entry. “These are our two charmers?”

“Meet Lady and Tikey,” Vivian said. “Lady is pretty excited right now.”

“I would be, too, if I’d been kept at an animal shelter for days and had finally gotten out.” Kneeling, Allison greeted Tikey. “Now, she’s a shy one, isn’t she?” She took Tikey’s leash from Chase.

“She’s shy for now, anyway,” Chase said. “I hope they both behave themselves.”

“They’ll be fine,” Vivian reassured both Chase and Allison. “How ’bout your dogs for adoption day?”