Project Valentine (A Homespun Romance) Read Online Free
Author: Geeta Kakade
smile on her face. Out of the corner of her mouth she said, "This could be our big break, Arthur."
The man looked from her to the badge that bore her name, nodded briefly. Their earlier encounter might never have been.
Not that there was much to hold his gaze, Jessica acknowledged humorously. Her straight chin length dark hair and eyes to match weren't exactly spectacular. Her mouth was too full, the rest of her features just there. She pushed her glasses up.
"Hi!" greeted Molly with an infectious grin.
"Hello again." Dropping ice cream on someone's foot forged an instant bond. They smiled at each other like conspirators. Jessica kept her eyes on the girl while every nerve ending informed her exactly where Karl Wagner was.
"Is he yours?"
Jessica looked from Molly to the dog in momentary surprise. For a couple of heartbeats she'd forgotten Arthur. "No, he belongs to the humane society of Clearview."
"Did you bring him here so people could learn about Great Danes?"
"No," Jessica swallowed hard, forcing herself to concentrate. Odd little quivers kept interrupting her thinking. "We brought the dogs to the mall today hoping to find good homes for them."
"What's his name?" Molly asked.
"We don't know. The humane society found him wandering the streets."
The blonde head bobbed wisely. "My teacher told us all about the humane society. They round up strays and take in dogs no one wants. Did his owners just leave him, do you think?"
"That's most probably what happened."
He'd apparently just come along so his daughter could satisfy her interest in the dogs. His eyes already held a trace of impatience as he looked over the other dogs. There was no real interest there. Jessica's heart sank.
The girl put a hand out to the dog.
"Don't touch him, Molly," Karl Wagner snapped.
"Arthur wouldn't hurt a soul." Jessica interposed quickly. "He's wonderful with children. I had a little girl here earlier who stepped on his paw by mistake and he didn't turn a hair. Good nature is a primary characteristic of Great Danes."
"Arthur?" the deep voice pounced. "I thought you said he didn't have a name?"
Jessica felt the color ride up under her skin. She blinked rapidly. "It's my own private name for him."
Defiantly she met his gaze. That look of his was really something. She had a feeling the contents of her brain were on view.
Molly put her hand out and let Arthur sniff at her. Then at Jessica's nod, she touched Arthur's head.
"Great Dane?"
"Purebred." The squeaky pitch of her voice was humiliating. Disgusted by the fact that her sales pitch was so hard to find, Jessica took a deep breath and tried again, "They make excellent companions and great watch dogs. I don't know why anyone would install an alarm system when they could have a dog instead. Research has proved pets provide excellent therapy. They improve heart function, lower blood pressure, ease anxiety." A quick breath and Jessica rushed on, "They are definitely man's best friend. Faithful, loyal, loving. Giving all. Asking nothing. In a few weeks you'll wonder how you ever lived without him."
Out of breath, she had to stop finally. If he was impressed, he hid it well. In fact there was a tinge of sardonic amusement in his eyes she didn't care for at all. Not that it mattered what he thought. She wasn't the issue here. Arthur was.
Karl Wagner looked from her to the dog as if he might say something, then merely nodded. An arm shot out, flexed. A wafer thin gold watch worth a lifetime supply of dog food, apparently gave him his clue, "Molly we have to hurry or you won't be able to get something for Nana."
Molly gave Arthur one last pat before she turned away, slipped her hand into her father's.
Failure was a dry well, disappointment the gravity pulling Jessica inexorably to the bottom. If she'd failed on her own account she wouldn't have minded so much. But Arthur's life was in question here. Tears threw themselves against the muscles of her throat, wanting out. Agony drummed
The man looked from her to the badge that bore her name, nodded briefly. Their earlier encounter might never have been.
Not that there was much to hold his gaze, Jessica acknowledged humorously. Her straight chin length dark hair and eyes to match weren't exactly spectacular. Her mouth was too full, the rest of her features just there. She pushed her glasses up.
"Hi!" greeted Molly with an infectious grin.
"Hello again." Dropping ice cream on someone's foot forged an instant bond. They smiled at each other like conspirators. Jessica kept her eyes on the girl while every nerve ending informed her exactly where Karl Wagner was.
"Is he yours?"
Jessica looked from Molly to the dog in momentary surprise. For a couple of heartbeats she'd forgotten Arthur. "No, he belongs to the humane society of Clearview."
"Did you bring him here so people could learn about Great Danes?"
"No," Jessica swallowed hard, forcing herself to concentrate. Odd little quivers kept interrupting her thinking. "We brought the dogs to the mall today hoping to find good homes for them."
"What's his name?" Molly asked.
"We don't know. The humane society found him wandering the streets."
The blonde head bobbed wisely. "My teacher told us all about the humane society. They round up strays and take in dogs no one wants. Did his owners just leave him, do you think?"
"That's most probably what happened."
He'd apparently just come along so his daughter could satisfy her interest in the dogs. His eyes already held a trace of impatience as he looked over the other dogs. There was no real interest there. Jessica's heart sank.
The girl put a hand out to the dog.
"Don't touch him, Molly," Karl Wagner snapped.
"Arthur wouldn't hurt a soul." Jessica interposed quickly. "He's wonderful with children. I had a little girl here earlier who stepped on his paw by mistake and he didn't turn a hair. Good nature is a primary characteristic of Great Danes."
"Arthur?" the deep voice pounced. "I thought you said he didn't have a name?"
Jessica felt the color ride up under her skin. She blinked rapidly. "It's my own private name for him."
Defiantly she met his gaze. That look of his was really something. She had a feeling the contents of her brain were on view.
Molly put her hand out and let Arthur sniff at her. Then at Jessica's nod, she touched Arthur's head.
"Great Dane?"
"Purebred." The squeaky pitch of her voice was humiliating. Disgusted by the fact that her sales pitch was so hard to find, Jessica took a deep breath and tried again, "They make excellent companions and great watch dogs. I don't know why anyone would install an alarm system when they could have a dog instead. Research has proved pets provide excellent therapy. They improve heart function, lower blood pressure, ease anxiety." A quick breath and Jessica rushed on, "They are definitely man's best friend. Faithful, loyal, loving. Giving all. Asking nothing. In a few weeks you'll wonder how you ever lived without him."
Out of breath, she had to stop finally. If he was impressed, he hid it well. In fact there was a tinge of sardonic amusement in his eyes she didn't care for at all. Not that it mattered what he thought. She wasn't the issue here. Arthur was.
Karl Wagner looked from her to the dog as if he might say something, then merely nodded. An arm shot out, flexed. A wafer thin gold watch worth a lifetime supply of dog food, apparently gave him his clue, "Molly we have to hurry or you won't be able to get something for Nana."
Molly gave Arthur one last pat before she turned away, slipped her hand into her father's.
Failure was a dry well, disappointment the gravity pulling Jessica inexorably to the bottom. If she'd failed on her own account she wouldn't have minded so much. But Arthur's life was in question here. Tears threw themselves against the muscles of her throat, wanting out. Agony drummed
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