“Hey there, guys.” Maya greeted them warmly as they entered the vet practice. With her warm brown skin and auburn hair, she was a striking young woman who was celebrated all over town for her skill with animals. She was standing at the front desk holding a miniature poodle in her arms. “I have a feeling I know why you’re here, Braden. Let me just put Copper in the exam room with my dad and I’ll be right back.”
“At least one of us knows,” Piper said, shooting Braden a pointed look. As Maya walked away, she turned toward him. “What are we doing here?”
He stuffed his hands in his front pockets and rocked back on his heels. “I want you to meet someone.”
“Meet someone? You dragged me out of the diner to introduce me to someone?” She knew her exasperation was on full display, but she was past caring. Braden was the most exasperating, confusing man on the planet. He was acting as if he didn’t have a care in the world while she was losing sleep fretting about the diner’s—and their friendship’s—future.
“Here he is.” Maya’s cheery voice rang out as she walked toward the waiting room with a sweet Siberian husky at her side. The pup couldn’t have been more than six months old. His gray-and-white coloring and blue eyes lent him a distinctive look.
“Hey there, boy,” Braden crooned as he got down on his knees and greeted the dog with a warm hug. The husky responded by vigorously licking Braden’s cheek.
“Oh, he’s amazing!” Piper said, leaning over and rubbing his fur.
“You always said you wanted a Siberian husky,” Braden added in a low voice. “He’s a rescue dog. This could be your chance.”
Braden was right. She was gazing upon her dream dog. How many times had she talked about owning one with Braden? After their family dog, Blue, passed away, Piper had begged her parents to get another dog, but they’d been resistant. “I can never replace Blue,” her father had always said. After Jack’s death, Piper had let that fervent wish slip through her fingers. She’d been too grief-stricken to think about owning a dog. Maybe now she was ready to take that step.
“Piper, this is Rudolph,” Maya said. “He’s a rescue up for adoption. We’ve been calling him Rudy for short.”
“Like Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer?” Piper asked, tickled by the idea of a Siberian husky being named after a beloved Christmas character from her favorite television movie.
Piper got down on her knees so she could be face-to-face with the pup. Somehow, even when she was furious with Braden, he managed to make her smile. He knew her better than she knew herself sometimes. “Hey there, cutie. I’ve been dreaming about you since I was a kid,” she said, nuzzling her face against the Siberian husky. He responded by enthusiastically licking her face, toppling her over in the process.
“He seems to like you,” Maya said. “Which doesn’t surprise me one little bit. Dogs are great judges of character.”
“I knew it! It’s a perfect fit,” Braden said, reaching out and patting Rudy on the head.
No matter how much she wanted to adopt Rudy, Piper didn’t see it as feasible. It wouldn’t be fair to the puppy to have an owner who was unavailable for such long periods of time. “But I’m at the diner all day,” she said, letting out a groan. “It wouldn’t be right to have him cooped up all day.”
“He won’t be a puppy for long. Then you can bring him to work with you. He could take naps in your office. Every business needs a mascot.”
Piper knew it was true. Her father had always brought their dog, Blue, to the diner with him throughout the dog’s life. But would she be assuming a responsibility greater than she could manage? Things in her life were already complicated enough. The timing was off with this very adorable dog. Although she knew Braden’s heart had been in the right place by bringing her here to see Rudy, it broke her heart a little not to be able to say yes.
“Maybe you could take him, Braden. It might make more sense.”
Braden shook his head. A sad expression passed over his face. “I can’t.”
Just as she was about to ask him why, it dawned on her, leaving her struggling with angry feelings all over again. “I get it. You can’t take Rudy yourself because you don’t plan to stick around town. Isn’t that right?”
Braden didn’t need to say a word. The truth was stamped all over his handsome face.
Maya’s gaze darted back and forth between them. “I’ll give the two of you a few minutes,” she said before quietly removing herself from the tension-filled situation.
Piper jumped to her feet and brushed her hands off on her pants. It was just like Braden to dangle something in front of her eyes that was out of her reach. He wasn’t always a practical person. He did things on the spur of the moment, which had always been endearing until recently. Tears of frustration filled her eyes. She really needed to be at the diner working right now. And instead, Braden had led her on a wild-goose chase that hadn’t amounted to anything more than exasperation. She leaned down and patted the husky’s fur. “It was nice meeting you, Rudy. I hope you find an awesome home. I wish it could be with me.”
With a shake of her head in Braden’s direction, Piper turned on her heel and walked out of the veterinary clinic. She ducked her chin against the cold wind blowing in her direction. She knew on some level that Braden had been trying to do something nice for her, but this excursion had only served as a reminder that her best friend’s presence in town was temporary. When he had left before, Piper had learned the hard way how much she’d always depended on him. It had felt like she’d been missing her right arm without him.
And now, just as she’d gotten used to Braden being back home, there was a strong possibility he might leave her all over again. Piper knew it would be just as excruciating as the first time. Before he could break her heart all over again, she vowed to distance herself from him. It would be the only surefire way to ensure that she wouldn’t fall apart at the seams if and when he decided to leave.
Chapter Ten
“I don’t have time for Christmas caroling tonight, Mama,” Piper said. “I’m too busy with the Snowy Owl.”
Braden could hear the longing in Piper’s voice. She was making practical decisions even though her heart was leading her elsewhere. He knew how much she loved singing and being a part of the Owl Creek community.
“Piper, it’s the holidays. You have to make time for things that replenish your soul,” Trudy chided. “Isn’t that right, Braden?” Although he’d been within earshot of the conversation between Piper and her mother, Braden hadn’t wanted it to appear as if he was eavesdropping. He was still walking on eggshells with Piper. He’d come over early to the diner so he could help her open up the restaurant and set up the tables. Although refilling salt and pepper shakers wasn’t his heart’s desire, there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do to help Piper succeed with the diner.
Taking her to meet Rudy the other day hadn’t been the smartest move. His heart had been in the right place, but he’d made a mess of things. Piper loved dogs, and he’d mistakenly thought she would jump at the opportunity to bring Rudy home. All it had done was shine a light on the fact that he might not be sticking around Owl Creek. Although Piper was talking to him, she wasn’t being warm and fuzzy. She wasn’t acting like herself. He missed his best friend.
