Into the Fire by Donna Alward Read Free Book Online

his fur against her arm and she waited for him to relax, and then she put her hand on his back and stroked him gently. Long minutes passed. Chris sat on the edge of the bed and watched as Ally softly touched Moose’s ears, his shoulders and back. With a big doggie sigh, Moose finally submitted, first by laying down and then twisting, showing his belly.
    She rubbed her fingers along his ribs. “What a good boy,” she murmured, then looked up at Chris. “He just needs time. He’s a good dog. Gentle and fun.”
    “The only thing I really worry about is when I’m on shift.”
    She shrugged. “We had to crate him at the shelter. If you have a room where he can stay, somewhere that he can’t make a lot of trouble, that would probably do. You could try it anyway.”
    “The mudroom at the back would work. I can put his food and water in there and a bed. All that’s there is the closet. Nothing for him to get into.”
    “Just don’t leave any shoes around for temptation.” She smiled, her hands never leaving Moose’s fur.
    “I could put a fence in the backyard too,” he suggested. “Give him a place to run around without worrying about him running away.”
    “That’s a great idea. He’s going to be a great pet, Chris. In time. I try to tell all my new owners that there’s a period of adjustment.”
    “So I’m an owner now, and not a foster?”
    Truth be told, from the moment she’d turned in the yard and seen Moose come galloping, she’d gotten the sense that this was a forever home and not a temporary one. “If you’re ready for that kind of commitment. Just promise me that if he’s too much, you let me know.”
    He gave her a strange look, but only said, “You’re very good at this.”
    Their eyes locked and Ally shared a fundamental truth with him. “The thing about dogs is that all they need is love, and they return it without conditions. They accept you for who you are. A dog’s heart is always open, and it’s our responsibility to honor that.” She frowned. “This dog wasn’t honored.”
    “It’s not the same for cats?”
    She grinned. “Dogs have owners. Cats have minions. Cats are special in their own way because they choose to give their affection. You just have to keep them in the manner to which they’ve become accustomed.”
    “You have a big heart, Ally.”
    She shrugged, trying not to acknowledge the warmth that spread through her at his words.
    “They have given me far more than I give them.” She sighed. “After the fire, I was sure that I’d rebuild. But I have to be realistic. It was a lot of work getting this going the first time. My car’s a relic and working twenty-five hours a week retail isn’t enough to get my own place. As much as I’d love to start over, I’m just not sure I can.” She patted Moose’s head, which was now lying on her lap.
    “So it’s not just the money for the set up.”
    “No. Right now we’re all volunteer-based. It probably wasn’t a sustainable model to begin with.”
    He was watching her curiously. “But it would be a shame, when you love it so much.”
    She shrugged. “I’ve thought about going back to school. A better job and I could get my own place. Give a few rescues a good home, you know?” She looked away from his face. “Dreams change, I guess.”
    Except hers really hadn’t. She hadn’t been ready to settle down at twenty-two. She’d wanted to do other things first. But she’d always known that someday she wanted the white-picket-fence life. A husband, a few kids under her feet, a couple of pets, maybe a job she actually liked. It didn’t have to be fancy or elaborate.
    But Chris had wanted all those things right away, no matter how young they were. He’d pushed and she’d resisted. And she’d been terrified of saying yes. Terrified that one day he’d wake up and realize he’d rushed into a huge mistake. Even more terrified that one day she’d wake up and he’d be gone. She’d never wanted him to become a