Chapter 1
A blurry mass of fur raced past Brent toward the main building of the Finding Forever Animal Rescue. Brent pinned the black leash to the ground with his foot before it got out of reach. Steeling himself, he waited for the Great Dane to hit the end of his dash for freedom. The dog jerked to a stop and nearly took Brent’s foot right out from under him. Once he regained his balance, Brent reached down for the leash and held tight.
Stacie Rosenthal, a high school student who volunteered at Finding Forever whenever she could, came running toward them from the building that housed the larger kennels. Hair escaped her ponytail every which way. The girl couldn’t be more than five foot two. Why on earth was she walking this miniature horse? The dog stood calmly as if he had all the time in the world.
Stacie stared at the canine with wide eyes. “I’m sorry, Mr. Todd. I didn’t know he’d run from me. Does he usually do that?”
“Who? Costello, here?” He didn’t even have to lean down to give the dog a hearty pat on the rump. “Every time. Why don’t I take him back, and we’ll let Walt walk him?”
There was no missing the relief on the teen’s face as she nodded. Brent was always thankful for every volunteer at the shelter. He couldn’t keep the place running without them. But it was best to leave some of the larger guests to those who could better handle their–um–rambunctious nature.
They found Walt in the back. A senior in college, he’d worked for the shelter over the last year and a half. Walt worked several hours a day unless he had an exam coming up. He showed a true love for animals and was one of only two paid employees at Finding Forever. That included Brent himself, who owned and ran it. Walt quickly agreed to take Costello for a walk, and the pair disappeared.
Stacie attempted to smooth her hair back into place, but the strands refused to be tamed. “I sure hope Costello finds a family soon.”
“Yeah, me, too.” The dog had lived at the animal shelter for over six months now. He ate a ton of food and was generally a troublemaker. But that was only because he was a year-and-a-half old puppy wrapped in the body of a small horse. He’d make a great family dog. But when people came in search of a new furry member of the family, Costello’s size and exuberance put them off.
The annual town festival benefiting the shelter usually brought in the money needed to keep it running for the rest of the year. The festival was just over three weeks away. Brent hoped Costello would be one of the many animals placed in a new home.
Brent noted the time on his phone before slipping it into one of the cargo pockets of his pants. “You’d better finish up, Stacie. It’s almost four-thirty, and your mom will be expecting you home soon. Are all the animals fed for the evening?”
“Every last one.” Stacie gave a nod. “I even checked on Kip and her kittens. I sure wish my mom would let me take one home.”
“Maybe if you bring her by the adoption station at the festival, she’ll see them and won’t be able to resist.” He smiled at her.
Stacie grinned back. “I seriously doubt it, but it’s worth a try. Thanks, Mr. Todd. See you next week!”
“Bye, Stacie.”
He watched her leave. She disappeared, and so did the smile on his face. Truthfully, he wasn’t sure the proceeds from this year’s festival would be enough. Most years, he barely squeaked by as it was. He hadn’t told Walt yet, but he was worried about paying the kid’s wages after the end of the year.
Brent wandered to the front room of the farmhouse he’d turned into the rescue center. The place was a dream come true. He had close to seventy animals in his care, including abandoned livestock, that relied on him to find them homes. He didn’t want to surrender any of them to animal control. But if he couldn’t raise more money or find more help…
He swallowed his apprehension and pushed the thought aside. One way or another, he’d figure something out. He had to.
At a quarter to five, Walt said goodbye for the day. Brent did his usual walk-through, checking to make sure all the animals were taken care of and secure. Then he grabbed the stack of flyers off the counter, switched the sign to closed on the front door, and locked up.
If he hurried, he could deliver at least some of the flyers around town before most of the businesses closed for the day.
It was Monday in the little town of Romance, Oregon. With a population of around thirty thousand, Brent thought it was just the right size. It was big enough to have many of the amenities most people wanted in a town, yet still maintain a small-town atmosphere. It was true going to the store usually resulted in seeing at least two people he knew. Every time. The thought tugged one corner of his mouth upward. He couldn’t imagine living anywhere else in the world.
Residents raced to get home for the evening. To most of them, this was the first day of the work week. Not that it really mattered to Brent. For him, work at Finding Forever never truly ended, and the weekends only got busier with fewer volunteers helping.
Low clouds hovered, threatening the forecasted rain. Not unusual for Romance in September. Or any other time of the year. The lush grass, green trees, and moss mottling the concrete steps and fences spoke of the frequent precipitation.
Brent made several stops, handing out flyers for store owners to put up in their establishments. Everyone expressed their excitement at the upcoming fifth annual festival and jumped at the chance to help.
At almost five-thirty, he pulled into the little parking lot next to the Romance Family Skating Rink. The lot was nearly empty, which meant the open roller skate was over, and most of the kids had gone home.
The roller rink had been a fixture of the town for decades and was refurbished several years ago. It was a great place for families to spend time together. The local roller hockey club met and played there as well. Brent’s friend Jim had helped organize the club for years. Jim also coached one of the teams during the tournaments, and Brent used to help him. Only now did he realize it’d been at least a year since the last time he’d made the effort.
He stepped out of his car, and the first raindrop landed on the tip of his ear. Tucking the flyers under his windbreaker, he increased his pace to the front door and pulled it open.
The smell of rubber, dirty socks, and wax clashed as warm air engulfed him when he entered. He remembered roller skating when he was a kid and it’d smelled exactly like this. The memories brought a smile to his face.
No one was at the admittance window. Sounds of laughter filtered through the door leading inside. He pulled that open and spotted two people out on the rink.
A flash of red hair went by. Nicole Crawford. A single mom, she’d managed the roller rink and was nearly always there when he used to help coach. Her son Tony had practically grown up playing the sport.
The last time Brent saw her, Nicole’s hair reached her waist. It was one of many features he’d always admired. He’d often watched her and Jim joke back and forth and assumed they would end up together one day. Or at least that was the excuse he made when rejecting all thoughts of asking Nicole out.
Then Jim married Cassandra, his high school sweetheart. That’s about the time when things picked up at the shelter. Since then, Brent barely got away from the place. He certainly didn’t have the time necessary to devote to dating someone like Nicole. So he’d avoided going to the rink this past year.
Nicole must have cut her hair. It swished just below her shoulder blades as the lights above reflected off the dark crimson tresses. Strands clung to her flushed cheeks, and her bright blue eyes glittered as she kept her gaze on Tony.
They both gripped hockey sticks as they came around one goal and skated toward the other end of the rink. Tony moved the puck back and forth with ease before letting it sail to Nicole. With a fluid motion, she brought her stick back and accepted the pass.
Brent headed to the benches along one side and took a seat to watch the exchange. Tony had to be what? Twelve now? He was nearly as tall as his mom and full of energy. But if Brent remembered right, Nicole was a spitfire and could hold her own.
The pair crossed the center line and picked up speed. As they neared the other goal, Nicole passed the puck to Tony. He accepted it and quickly hit it right into the goal with a clang that echoed through the rink. His face spread into a grin. He circled the goal, came back around, and gave his mom a high five.
Mother and son glided on inline skates to the small door that allowed them to exit. That’s when they spotted Brent.
Tony lifted a hand in greeting. “Hey, Mr. Todd! We haven’t seen you in a while.” The boy’s red t-shirt with the name of his hockey team, the Wildcats, had rings of sweat around the collar and under the arms. Tony always had been a hard worker, and he’d told Brent more than once that roller hockey was his favorite thing.
“Hi, Tony.” Brent stuck a hand out and shook the pre-teen’s hand. “I know, it’s been too long. I’ve missed watching you all play.”
Tony collapsed onto the bleacher and bent to untie his skates. “Even though you aren’t coaching anymore, you should come by and watch. We have a game this Saturday.”
“I’ll do that one of these weekends.” Brent’s attention turned to Nicole. They were nearly the same height while she wore her skates. He took in her blue eyes and the hair that framed her delicate face. A small smattering of freckles covered her nose and upper cheeks. Altogether, it gave her a youthful appearance. He’d always thought her pretty. But now, when her cheeks were red from playing hockey with her son…
“Hi, Brent. What brings you here?”
What? Oh, right.
He lifted the flyers he’d nearly forgotten about. “I was wondering if you could display a couple of these for the festival. It’s only a few weeks away, and I’d like to get solid participants soon. I’m hoping we can beat last year’s record on the number of booths present.”
Nicole rocked back and forth on her skates and reached for one of the flyers. She scanned it and nodded. “Of course. I’ll put one out front and another in the break room.” She took the small stack he handed her and tucked them under one arm. “You’re looking for volunteers, too?”
He wasn’t surprised she’d noticed that smaller print near the bottom of the flyer. Nicole always was one for catching the details. He usually kept festival business to just that — anything to do with the festival. But he was getting desperate for help at the shelter and had mentioned something about it on the flyers. If someone didn’t want to have a booth at the festival, perhaps they’d be willing to volunteer a couple hours a week. At least Brent could only hope. He shrugged. “I’ve been running low on help lately.”
Tony stood up, skates under one arm. “Mom, is it okay if I go grab a snack before I help clean up?”
“Sure. Thanks, Tony.” Nicole watched her son head to the break room on the other end of the building. She turned her attention back to Brent, her brows drawn together in concern. “I don’t recall you ever asking for help for the shelter. Is everything okay?”
Brent knew he should’ve stuck to festival business. He ought to tell her all was well. But he hesitated too long, and it seemed to be the reaction Nicole needed.
She tipped her head toward the front. “Let me go lock up, and then you can tell me what’s going on.”
~*~
Nicole made sure the front door was secure before skating her way to the break room. Brent followed close behind. Tony passed them on the way out, a bag of chips in one hand. Nicole shook her head, marveling at his unending energy. Tony rarely stayed in one place for long. He also never complained about helping her clean the rink at the end of the day. She couldn’t ask for a more thoughtful son.
When she and Brent got inside, she sat down and removed the inline skates from her feet. “Would you like a pop?”
“Sure.”
“You still drink Dr Pepper?”
Brent’s brown eyes widened as if he were surprised she remembered. But there were many times when he’d drop by, and he and Jim would chat for a while or watch the teams play. Brent often had a Dr Pepper in his hands.
She retrieved a glass bottle from the fridge in the corner and got herself an IBC root beer. He flashed her one of his killer grins. Oh, and that dimple! Her pulse picked up speed just like it used to, as if only hours or days had passed instead of nearly a year. Apparently, not swinging by the rink hadn’t been a big deal for him. But she’d missed it a lot.
They sat down at one of the picnic-style tables. Brent withdrew a multi-tool from his pocket and removed the bottlecap from his pop. He reached for hers and did the same before handing it back.
“Thanks.” Nicole smiled at him and took a sip. She willed her thumping heart to calm down. They’d been friends back when he used to frequent the rink. Nothing had changed. She had a son to raise on her own, and the last thing she needed was an emotional distraction. She’d told herself that very same thing back then, too. “So, what’s going on with the shelter?”
Brent took a long drink before setting the pop bottle down. He shrugged. “Nothing I won’t find a solution for.” But when Nicole raised an eyebrow at him, he kept talking. “Long story short, I’ve got more animals in the rescue center than ever before, and a record low on the number of volunteers.” He put a hand on the back of his neck.
“What happened to them? I thought you usually had a surplus of volunteers.” Nicole rotated the base of her pop bottle on the table, the condensation creating wet rings.
“I did for several years. A lot of the kids graduated and went off to college. Or their families moved. I can’t seem to get a renewed interest. There are several repairs I should do plus a serious need to expand. And I’m struggling with funds to cover even one of those.”
The worried expression on Brent’s face elicited a similar reaction in her. “Are there more animals coming in now? Or fewer people adopting?”
“Honestly? A little of both. I often drove some of the dogs and exotic critters to a shelter in Portland, but now that's over capacity too. I don’t have a lot of options right now.”
Having a place for homeless animals was a dream Brent had had since he was a child. He did a lot of good for the community. Nicole sure hated the thought of the shelter closing. There’d be no place for the animals to go outside of animal control, and they weren’t nearly as dedicated to helping them find new homes as Brent was.
“I’m glad you put the need for volunteers at the bottom of the flyers. Hopefully it’ll drum up interest.”
“I hope so.” But Brent didn’t appear convinced. He took another drink. “If things don’t improve soon, I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep the shelter open for another year.” He clenched his teeth.
Nicole knew how hard it was to keep going against all odds. She’d been naïve when she’d married her high school sweetheart at the tender age of nineteen. She became pregnant later that year and thought everything was perfect. Until Stephen told her out of the blue he wanted a divorce. When she tried to figure out what happened, he claimed she made the relationship too difficult and walked out on both her and Tony. It wasn’t because of her. Or Tony. But sometimes it was hard to keep that doubt from creeping in.
It’d been a harsh introduction to how cruel reality could be. And she’d been going against the odds, raising her son on her own, ever since.
When Tony was much younger, Nicole had thought she could have a second chance at finding love. She made the mistake of allowing herself to venture into relationships that only left her hurt and Tony confused. When the last guy walked away leaving six-year-old Tony devastated, she promised herself she wouldn’t do that to him again.
Funds may have been limited, but she and Tony were happy and their life was stable. Only now, sitting across from Brent, did Nicole give her isolation any consideration. Still, being lonely was a small price to pay to keep Tony from experiencing the hurt previous relationships had dealt.
It sounded like Brent was all on his own when it came to keeping the shelter open. Her heart went out to him. Nicole had experience trying to keep things together even when everything was falling apart around her.
“I think the last time you came by the skating rink was a year ago.”
Brent shrugged. “If so, that’s sad I only drop by when I want you to post something up on your message board, isn’t it?” He put his hand on the back of his neck again before finishing his pop. “With everything going on, I guess I haven’t been making much time for socializing.”
Nicole understood. But while Brent might be Jim’s friend, Nicole had always enjoyed visiting with him, too. She’d missed seeing him this last year. Was it terrible that she wished he’d come to games again so she could run into him more often?
Brent set the empty bottle down on the table. “What about you? Are you and Tony doing okay?”
Nicole nodded. “We’re fine.” Except that she wasn’t sure how true that was, either. She was lonely, exhausted, and wedged in a rut. She’d been working here at the skating rink for years, barely scraping by, and couldn’t see the end of it. But what would be the point of telling him that?
Brent didn’t look like he believed her, but he let it go. He stood from the table, put his bottle in a recycling bin, and jabbed a thumb toward the front of the rink. “I’d better get going. Thanks for the Dr Pepper. It was good to see you, Nicole.”
She followed suit. “You, too. I’ll be hoping you get a lot of calls in the next week from people wanting to help out at the shelter.”
“I appreciate it.”
Nicole followed him to the door. “Hey, don’t be a stranger.”
He rewarded her with a dimpled grin and waved a farewell. After pulling his hood over his head, he ducked and made a beeline for his vehicle. A steady rain was falling now with an accompanying chill in the air. She rubbed her upper arms to warm herself back up again.
The sound of Tony walking up behind her made her turn around.
“I think we’re ready to go.” He scrutinized the weather. “Should we wait for a few minutes for it to clear up?”
Nicole shook her head. “I checked the weather, and it might be like this for a while. May as well go home.” She reached over and ruffled his hair. The very idea that he was no longer her little boy but a young man threatened tears. When had that happened? She sniffed, forcing her emotions into check.
“What was Mr. Todd doing here?”
“He brought flyers to put up for the festival.”
Tony said nothing, but that all-too-familiar sparkle came into his eyes.
Nicole put her hands on her hips. “What?”
“I wish you’d let me get a dog this year. You know I’d take good care of it. Seriously, Mom.” Those brown eyes, much like Stephen’s, bore right into her heart.
There was no doubt he’d take care of a pet. Tony was way more reliable and self-sufficient than a kid his age ought to be. But the thought of dealing with a puppy right now pushed her never-ending exhaustion into overdrive.
Brent’s words about how there were fewer animals being adopted came to mind. Maybe, if they adopted a young, adult dog, the work would be easier. The idea had merit. She reached out and squeezed his shoulder. “You ready to make a run for it?”
“You bet.”
They slipped their jackets on, pulled the hoods up over their heads, and exited the building.
If Nicole still liked the idea brewing in her head tomorrow, she’d see what Tony thought. Although, if she knew her son, they’d be paying a visit to Brent at Finding Forever real soon.