I scooped the last bite of cheesecake with my fork and held it out for Harley. “I know this isn’t the breakfast of champions, but it’s one of my favorite things on earth. I think I could eat it morning, noon, and night.”

Harley asked, “Do you hear me complaining?”

He sat across from me at the little table in my apartment kitchen wiping his eyes to try and wake up. I’d brewed a full pot of coffee to help him out. I watched as the caffeine took hold.

Before Harley took the bite of cheesecake, he said, “And c’mon, Eric. Come with me tonight. They’re open late, and how often do we get an afternoon game so we can go to the shelter in the evening. It won’t be crowded, and you can get a great look at the dogs. They’ll love you, and you’ll love them.”

I watched Harley slide the sweet, creamy dessert into his mouth and said, “I can’t go to those places. If I do, I can’t come home empty-handed. I think it’s great that you’re helping them out and raising money. It’s a great cause, but they are dangerous places for me.”

Harley frowned. “What’s so wrong with you finding a pet to adopt?”

“What’s so wrong? I can tell you what’s wrong. I’m only in town half the time. What should the poor pup do the rest of the time? You need to walk a dog regularly. You can’t leave a dog at home alone, and it almost sounds like torture to send it to a kennel that often.”

Harley said, “Problem solved.”

“What do you mean problem solved?”

“There are tons of choices. Jack doesn’t go on the road with Mo much since the school year started, and multiple guys on the team have families that stay here in Charlotte, too. Plus, if you need backup, there’s a great organization of professional pet sitters in the city.”

I sipped my coffee and sighed. Harley was far too logical. I decided that I made a mistake giving him the caffeine. He was trapping me with clear thinking. “Why do I feel like you ambushed me, and it’s happening first thing in the morning?”

Harley grinned. “Then you’ll do it? You’ll go with me? I have a board meeting to attend, but you can play with the animals and start thinking about which one you want while I’m talking about my fundraising ideas. I think Carrie will be there tonight. She’s an expert at matching people up with the right pets.”

I scratched my head. “How long ago did you make all of these plans? I’d better check my apartment lease to see if a pet is even allowed in this building. And where’s your dog? Shouldn’t you have one, too?”

“Remember, I’m still living in a hotel for now. When I figure out a more permanent home, yeah, I’m going to adopt a pet, too. Honestly, the first time I mentioned my shelter idea, I thought you needed a dog. I thought Eric Hinsdale would be a great dog owner. Then you almost broke my heart with the story about your dog finding a baseball. Don’t you miss having a dog in your life?”

“That is a true story. People sometimes think I made it up, but I didn’t. It’s too quirky for me to come up with it on my own. My family will vouch for me.”

Harley set his coffee cup down. “Hey! Can I share that story with the board? It’s the kind of heartwarming story they all love. It shows how important a pet can be in helping figure out your best path in life.”

“Sure, I guess so. Why not?”

I felt my stomach tied in knots all the way to the shelter. It wasn’t all about the fact that I would have to bring some lucky dog home. Picking one out would mean I had to leave the rest of them there. Fortunately, the shelter Harley adopted was no-kill. I didn’t have to worry that the unlucky dog I didn’t pick was next in line to be euthanized.

One of the board members walked into the shelter lobby behind us. Harley introduced me, and he said, “Another Yellowjackets player! That’s fantastic. It’s impossible to adequately describe how happy we are for Harley’s support. He’ll make so many things here possible that were only far-fetched dreams before.”

A lump grew in my throat connecting the board member’s comments to Harley’s good deeds and a better life for the dogs, cats, and other domesticated pets. Harley said, “I love the animals. That’s all there is to it. Eric, I’ll introduce you to Carrie. I was right. She’s the supervisor on duty tonight, and she’ll show you around.”

Carrie spoke softly and haltingly at first. She said, “Please…excuse me. I was like this…when I first met Harley. I’m…nervous.”

I smiled and said, “A lot of people are nervous around us at first. I think it’s because the press follow us around. I’m a normal person. In all honesty, baseball is my job, and it’s something I’m good at like you are good at taking care of animals.”

A faint smile appeared on Carrie’s face. She was calmer when she replied, “I never thought about it that way. Thank you.”

The facility was large. The animals had a lot of space, and everything was sparkling clean. Carrie said, “Harley told me that you’re looking for a dog. Did you have anything in particular in mind?”

I sighed. Adopting a dog was a huge responsibility. It was like having a baby. I had to commit to taking care of the dog for the rest of his or her life. I couldn’t screw it up. I said, “I would want an adult dog. I think most people are looking for puppies, so I want to give the older dogs a chance.”

“Oh, very good. Can I show you one of the sweetest dogs we have here? He’s five years old, weighs about 50 lbs., and he’s struck out a couple of times with potential owners. I think it’s because Rudy’s not much of a looker, but he will make a fantastic pet for somebody. Something tells me appearance isn’t the first thing you value in a pet.”

Carrie led me to a fenced outdoor yard behind the building. Five dogs romped and played together in the yard. She pointed and said, “Rudy’s the one with the shaggy gray and black coat. He’s popular with the other dogs. They might be a little sad when Rudy finds a home, but it will be the best thing for him in the long run.”

I watched the group of dogs. They were all running after a giant, partially-deflated squeaky ball. Rudy led the play. He tossed the ball into the air with a flick of his head, and more often than not, he was the one who got to it first. The other dogs charged and barked in their efforts to steal the ball, but Rudy out-flanked and out-smarted them.

Carrie slapped her thighs and called, “Rudy!”

All of the dogs looked up, and Rudy abruptly dropped the ball to race over to us. He did have a disheveled appearance. Rudy’s gray and black hair was long and colored by large, undefined markings. He had short ears that flopped over on the ends, and his muzzle was shorter than one would expect. I was curious about how complicated his ancestry would be if we could sort it out.

Rudy nuzzled at my hand, and I reached out to stroke his head. Carrie said, “See, he likes you already. I promise that he’s well-behaved, and he knows how to sit and come when called. I suspect Rudy could learn a lot more if an owner had the patience to train him.”

I squatted down. Despite the fact that I started to go through the motions of decision-making, I knew that Rudy was already mine. I asked, “Is he good with a variety of people? He can’t be a one-person dog. With the life I lead as a baseball player, he’ll have a lot of human parents.”

Carrie grinned. She said, “Rudy’s perfect for that. He loves everybody unless they don’t like him. You saw how he came right over to you. To Rudy, the whole world is a good place, and everyone is his friend until proven otherwise.”

I squatted down, scratched behind his ears and looked into Rudy’s soulful brown eyes as I asked, “What’s his story? How did he end up here?”

“Oh, it’s a sad story, but it looks like it might have a very happy ending. Rudy was a stray brought to a shelter as a puppy. He was adopted by a single accountant here in the city. Unfortunately, Rudy’s owner died in a car accident, and the owner’s relatives brought him here. That was about six months ago. He’s been a treasure for the staff, but we want the best for him, and that’s a permanent home with a loving owner.”

I said, “You know, Rudy, they have an event each year at the baseball stadium where owners get to walk their dogs around the bases. How does that sound to you? Harley and I could walk you around…”

I stopped my comment. I made it sound like we were a couple, and I knew it was information we needed to keep private. Chase was the only person who knew, and he was sworn to silence.

Standing up again, I saw a smile on Carrie’s face. She said, “I’m sure he would love the stadium. He positively shines when he’s around a group of happy people.”

“Harley told me that I couldn’t take him home tonight. Is that true?”

Carrie nodded. “We have some paperwork to do, and we’ll have a vet look him over and make sure the shots are up to date. In a couple of days, you can take him home.”

“And I’ll make sure you get a sizable donation, too. Harley’s told me all about the great work you do here.”