most of it discussing my problems?”
“Hey, that’s what friends are for, aren’t they?” She opened the car door and climbed inside. “Everything’s going to turn out all right. I know it.”
He ducked his head to look at her. “Thanks for the vote of confidence. It means a lot to me. And thanks for taking on the brute. I hope he doesn’t cause you too much trouble.”
“You worry too much.” She started the engine. “We’ll be fine.”
He stood back and lifted his hand in farewell as she closed the door.
As she drove out of the parking lot, she glanced in her side mirror. He was still standing there, watching her leave as she turned the corner and drove away.
When Clara arrived home, Jessie pounced on her the moment she walked through the door. “How was your dinner? Where did you go? What did you have?”
Clara answered all her questions, waiting for the one she knew Jessie was dying to ask.
“So, who did you have dinner with tonight?” Jessie looked put out. “You never used to be so secretive. You used to tell me everything without me having to drag it out of you. I don’t know what happened to you in New York to change you so much.”
It was a complaint her mother had repeated too many times to count. As usual, Clara ignored it. “I had dinner with Rick Sanders, if you must know.”
Jessie followed her into the living room. “Rick Sanders? I thought you weren’t interested in him.”
“I’m not. Not in that way.” Clara flung herself down on the couch, resigned to the imminent confrontation. “It was more of a business meeting.”
Jessie sat down on the armchair opposite her, eyes wide with astonishment. “He offered you a
job
?”
Clara sighed. “No, Mother. I offered to adopt his dog.”
She paused, expecting an outburst of protest. She wasn’t disappointed.
“You
what
? You’re joking. You have to be. When do you have time to look after a dog? Where in the world would we put it? What kind of dog? Are you out of your
mind
?”
Clara waited for her mother to pause for breath before saying mildly, “Rick was going to send him to the pound. I couldn’t bear the thought of him being put down, so I sort of rescued him. His name is Tatters.” She leaned forward. “He’s adorable, Mom. You’ll love him.”
Jessie’s cheeks still burned with annoyance. “I can’t believe you promised to adopt a
dog
without consulting me. What in the world has gotten into you? You never used to be so impulsive and inconsiderate.”
Gritting her teeth, Clara sat up and took a deep breath. “I didn’t promise Rick anything. I said I would take Tatters if you agreed.”
“Oh.” Jessie looked somewhat mollified. “Well, I suppose we could discuss it. I need some time to think about it first.”
“I said I’d pick him up tomorrow.” Seeing her mother’s eyebrows draw together again, she quickly added, “If you agree, that is.” She leaned forward again. “You don’t reallywant to be responsible for having a beautiful, loving, gentle dog put down, do you?” She shut down the vision of Tatters lunging across the road in happy pursuit of Roberta Prince.
“Of course not, but—”
“Great! Then I’ll pick him up tomorrow.” She got up from the couch, hoping to put an end to the conversation.
She was halfway across the room when her mother said, “I suppose you heard the latest news about Rick Sanders?”
Clara paused at the door. “What news is that? I’ve heard so many things that aren’t true, I’m not sure I want to hear any more.”
“Well, you might want to hear this. Betsy was here a little while ago and she told me.”
Clara rolled her eyes. Betsy lived next door and was always sharing the latest gossip with Jessie. “So, what did she have to say?”
“The man who was found dead in Rick’s truck? Well, it turns out he was in Rick’s hardware store on the day he was killed. John Halloran recognized his picture on TV and called Dan.”
Clara’s stomach
“Hey, that’s what friends are for, aren’t they?” She opened the car door and climbed inside. “Everything’s going to turn out all right. I know it.”
He ducked his head to look at her. “Thanks for the vote of confidence. It means a lot to me. And thanks for taking on the brute. I hope he doesn’t cause you too much trouble.”
“You worry too much.” She started the engine. “We’ll be fine.”
He stood back and lifted his hand in farewell as she closed the door.
As she drove out of the parking lot, she glanced in her side mirror. He was still standing there, watching her leave as she turned the corner and drove away.
When Clara arrived home, Jessie pounced on her the moment she walked through the door. “How was your dinner? Where did you go? What did you have?”
Clara answered all her questions, waiting for the one she knew Jessie was dying to ask.
“So, who did you have dinner with tonight?” Jessie looked put out. “You never used to be so secretive. You used to tell me everything without me having to drag it out of you. I don’t know what happened to you in New York to change you so much.”
It was a complaint her mother had repeated too many times to count. As usual, Clara ignored it. “I had dinner with Rick Sanders, if you must know.”
Jessie followed her into the living room. “Rick Sanders? I thought you weren’t interested in him.”
“I’m not. Not in that way.” Clara flung herself down on the couch, resigned to the imminent confrontation. “It was more of a business meeting.”
Jessie sat down on the armchair opposite her, eyes wide with astonishment. “He offered you a
job
?”
Clara sighed. “No, Mother. I offered to adopt his dog.”
She paused, expecting an outburst of protest. She wasn’t disappointed.
“You
what
? You’re joking. You have to be. When do you have time to look after a dog? Where in the world would we put it? What kind of dog? Are you out of your
mind
?”
Clara waited for her mother to pause for breath before saying mildly, “Rick was going to send him to the pound. I couldn’t bear the thought of him being put down, so I sort of rescued him. His name is Tatters.” She leaned forward. “He’s adorable, Mom. You’ll love him.”
Jessie’s cheeks still burned with annoyance. “I can’t believe you promised to adopt a
dog
without consulting me. What in the world has gotten into you? You never used to be so impulsive and inconsiderate.”
Gritting her teeth, Clara sat up and took a deep breath. “I didn’t promise Rick anything. I said I would take Tatters if you agreed.”
“Oh.” Jessie looked somewhat mollified. “Well, I suppose we could discuss it. I need some time to think about it first.”
“I said I’d pick him up tomorrow.” Seeing her mother’s eyebrows draw together again, she quickly added, “If you agree, that is.” She leaned forward again. “You don’t reallywant to be responsible for having a beautiful, loving, gentle dog put down, do you?” She shut down the vision of Tatters lunging across the road in happy pursuit of Roberta Prince.
“Of course not, but—”
“Great! Then I’ll pick him up tomorrow.” She got up from the couch, hoping to put an end to the conversation.
She was halfway across the room when her mother said, “I suppose you heard the latest news about Rick Sanders?”
Clara paused at the door. “What news is that? I’ve heard so many things that aren’t true, I’m not sure I want to hear any more.”
“Well, you might want to hear this. Betsy was here a little while ago and she told me.”
Clara rolled her eyes. Betsy lived next door and was always sharing the latest gossip with Jessie. “So, what did she have to say?”
“The man who was found dead in Rick’s truck? Well, it turns out he was in Rick’s hardware store on the day he was killed. John Halloran recognized his picture on TV and called Dan.”
Clara’s stomach
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