Reaching for the rescue’s lead, Karly turned and smashed into a passerby. She scrambled to keep the bakery box from toppling, and both bodies from hitting the pavement.

Hearing the muffled gasp, Karly loosened her grip.

“Mara, it's me, Karly.”

She empathized with the fear on her friend’s face. Being on the teetering edge. Being off balance. Not seeing what’s coming. The inability to scream for help. The helplessness.

“I’m sorry.” Mara’s muscles relaxed beneath Karly’s hands. “I should have been paying more attention. I’ve had a lot on my mind, and I didn’t hear you coming.”

“We’re all a little jumpy these days. It’s going to take a while for me not to flinch at every little sound.”

Mara reached for Buddy, and Gus, Joey’s search and rescue dog, to make sure they were okay. “It will take longer than you think. When Mark attacked me, every time someone entered the flower shop, I wanted to scream. For weeks, I couldn’t stop shaking. That’s one of the reasons I turned Blooms over to my brother and sister-in-law. I couldn’t stand to hear the worry in Tony’s and Gina’s voices. My brother can be overprotective.”

“Well, Mark Walters and Jason Newhall are both dead. I hope Brad Clairemont figures out his life, or he’ll wind up like his best friends.”

Karly reached for the malamute's leash to assure the rescue dog that everything was okay. “Where are you headed?”

“To the shelter. I want to help you set up for tomorrow’s celebration. I can blow up balloons or something.”

“Great. Let’s walk over together.” Karly shoved the baked goods in her backpack, then looped her arm through Mara’s. “How are the Gacciones holding up?”

“Joe has his hands full. The family’s relieved Sam’s killer has finally been caught, but his Dad’s not thrilled about waiting for a trial. It could take years before this is settled. His dad prefers the old west style of justice.”

“Oh, boy. There are lots of trees and ropes around here. I don’t envy Joe. He has a mess to clean up, that’s for sure.”

Mara stopped at the corner to wait for the light to change. When Buddy stood and leaned forward, she took a step onto the asphalt. Gus and Karly and the rescue trailed a half-step behind.

“How’s Thad?” Mara kept her steady pace.

Thoughts of Thad made the sun disappear under a cloud, and the cold sadness caused a small shiver. A magpie flew from one of the building tops on Main Street to get a better view of the humans passing by.

“I guess he’s recovering. I haven’t seen him.”

“Why haven’t you seen him? He’s been looking for you.”

A shudder of nerves made her steps falter. The malamute looked to her for a new command, but she didn’t have one. She reached for the dog's furry ears. “I…he asked me to marry him.”

“That’s great!”

The silence wafted in the breeze as Karly struggled to catch her breath, her palms sweaty.

“Or not.” Mara’s brows crunched in confusion. “You’re not happy about Thad asking?”

“It’s not that.”

“Is it because—”

“I can’t have children. There, I said it.” Karly took a gulp of courage. “I had a tubular miscarriage in high school. Now you know.”

Mara pulled on her arm as soon as she made it to the sidewalk. “Stop a minute and listen to me.”

A surge of tears threatened, but Karly gritted her teeth and swallowed them back.

Mara’s hand slid down to squeeze Karly’s before releasing her fingers. “I’m blind. That sucks. It does. For the longest time, I believed no one would ever love me. I was damaged goods. Then Joey came home and proved me wrong.”

Karly took Mara’s arm and a step toward her home—the shelter. “He’s such a good man.”

“So is Thad. Give him a chance, Karly. Have you told him about the miscarriage?”

“No. I’ve tried to tell him a dozen times, but something always happens, and it’s not something I can text about.”

“He deserves to know what’s going on.”

“At first I didn’t think he had a right to know, but after awhile, I knew I had to tell him. Every time I tried, something happened, or he started talking about having kids and I chickened out.” Karly kicked at a rock near her shoe. “He’s always held my heart. He’ll never forgive me for not telling him. Besides, my parents never liked him, particularly my mom, and his mom and sister don’t like me. Can you imagine what would happen at the wedding?” Karly snorted a laugh, but happiness didn’t come along for the ride.

“Who cares?”

A jump of surprise made Karly’s breath hitch. “What do you mean who cares? I care.”

“Why? You’ve always been the one to try to please your family. You haven’t gotten much in return. In fact, when you were taken, not one of your brothers showed up to help, your dad didn’t fly in, and your mom locked herself in the house. I ask you again, why do you care?”

“Because they’re my family.”

“No. Family are the people who volunteer to help at the shelter. Real friends. The people who care about you. The people who help you.” Mara reached for her hand. “Between you and Kym, I couldn’t ask for better sister friends.”

“Oh, poop-on-a-stick.” Karly rubbed her nose with the back of her hand. “You’re trying to make me cry.”

“I’m trying to help you see and believe that people love you. Including Thad.”

“He’s the one who dumped me, remember?”

“A thousand years ago. Every day since he’s been home, he’s tried to make up for it. That guy’s been bit by the love tick, and it’s sucking the blood right out of him. You need to give him a break.”

Karly laughed. “That’s gross.”

“Made you smile, though, didn’t it?”

Mara took a step toward the shelter. Buddy stopped at the next corner and looked for traffic before crossing the street. “What do you say? Why don’t you take the day off and let the volunteers set up for tomorrow?”

“I don’t know.”

“You and Thad both deserve to find happiness. You could go up to his cabin and spend hours having raunchy sex.”

“Mara!”

“What? Just because I’m blind doesn’t mean I don’t have a good imagination, and my hearing is great as well. All that kissy-groaning stuff going on in your office the other day left me hot and horny to the point I had to call Joe and tell him I had an emergency at home.”

Karly quickly covered her mouth before Mara heard her giggle. “You didn’t.”

“I did.” Mara took a right into the shelter’s parking lot. “There are advantages to being married to a first responder. They tend to get places rather quickly.”

Mara, you didn’t just go there.

Thad had certainly been a mind-blowing surprise. Even now her nipples tingled at the memory.

Karly looked at her friend. “Do you think the sheriff’s department has a procedure code for a booty call?”

The blush on Mara’s face was priceless. Karly pulled her backpack off her shoulder and opened Helper Shelter’s front door. The sound of happy dogs and voices echoed off the walls.

She dropped her backpack on the reception counter while memories of Thad’s long, lean body pressing her against the wall of her office ignited the pilot light in her belly. She could almost feel the burn of his hand circling, driving her into oblivion.

Just as she was about to go and splash cold water on her face, a familiar voice doused her entire system with a winter’s blast of cold air.

Mara tilted her head, turning toward the kennel area. “Is that your mom?”

“Yep.” Karly fought to keep the anger at bay. She’d never before held on to the negative, but this time, getting rid of the resentment had been challenging—and the reason she’d been avoiding her mom whenever possible. Hiding didn’t seem like an option anymore.

“I guess I should go see what she wants.” Karly took a step toward the employee entrance. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

She walked through the kennel area and followed the nasally voice into the back washroom.

“Mother? What are you doing here?” And, what are you doing dressed in jeans?

“I came to help, hun. You need volunteers. I’m volunteering.” She tried to look casual, but it didn’t work.

Karly studied the woman as her eyes flicked here, there, and everywhere to avoid meeting her direct scrutiny. With minimum makeup, a T-shirt, and a pair of worn jeans, her mother looked fresh, not made up. Not her usual plastic. Over the years, she’d come to understand her mother. What wound her up. What made her tick. What could crush her to pieces. The resentful anger she’d held on to for the past week began to slip.

“That’s kind of you,” Karly finally managed.

Her mother cupped Karly’s face and gently rubbed a thumb under each eye. “You don’t look as tired today. That’s good. That’s very good.” She slid a box across the counter. “I made up flyers to advertise your business, and I talked to my women’s bridge club. Several of them are going on vacation soon, and need someone to watch their animals. A lady over in the cat room said they need people to socialize the animals.” Her mother’s face puckered. “I think that means just petting the things, right? I can pet animals. I can do that. And…”

“Mother?” Karly said, gently pulling her mother into her arms. “It’s okay. I’m okay.”

Her mother’s shoulders began to shake. “I just wanted a better life for you. I love you. I want you to know that before it’s too late. I want you to be happy. I’m proud of what you’re doing here. Honest, I am.”

“Mom?”

“From now on, I’m going to stop trying to change things. I’m going to be more supportive. Will you ever forgive me?”

The tremors going through her mother released a load of unbearable sadness. Karly tightened her arms around her mom’s shoulders, and she held on until the resentment and bitter anger faded.

“You don’t need to ask for my forgiveness,” she whispered past the lump in her throat, while her mother stiffened. She leaned back to look into her mother’s eyes. “I love you, Mom.” Her mother seemed to have shrunk overnight.

“Oh, honey. You make this momma proud, but I made my mascara run. I had better check it before someone sees me.”

Her mother took two steps and turned back. “Oh, I forgot to tell you. There was only one-ply bathroom tissue in your restroom. I replaced it with a better brand.”

Her mom’s steps picked up the pace as Karly shook her head.

“Well, that didn’t go too badly,” Mara said from the doorway, her mouth dancing with humor.

“No…no, it didn’t. For the first time in my life, my mother told me she was proud of me. That’s something.”

“Yes. That’s something. I’m going to go check on her, make sure she doesn’t drop a cat when she gets fur on her shirt.”

“Good idea.”

Karly let the moment sink in. The chatter of people. The yip of happy dogs. The smell of lavender and vanilla.

Maybe, if she could learn to forgive her mother...maybe, just maybe, she could learn to forgive herself.