Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 126823 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 634(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126823 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 634(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
Zahra was a man magnet. No matter the age, men flocked to her. She was flirty and fun, but she didn’t date. For a long while everyone thought she would eventually end up with Bruce Akins, owner of the Brewery, but he never actually got up the courage to ask her out, so the relationship never got off the ground. Shabina thought it was probably a good thing. Privately, she thought Bruce would never have been able to handle Zahra. He wouldn’t understand her.
Zahra was all smiles as she entered, greeting the dogs and showing them her puppy, letting them take their time sniffing her thoroughly. Misha came rushing up to be introduced as well. Shabina found herself laughing with Vienna and Harlow because Zahra didn’t seem to notice there were humans in the room. She was too busy explaining to the dogs who her new baby was and how they were all going to be such great friends.
Already, Shabina was feeling so much better. Just having her friends around her with their different personalities and their caring made her world seem brighter. She handed Vienna and Harlow the other two trays of food warmers and took baskets of freshly baked bread wrapped in warm linen to the sideboard.
“It’s a good thing you have a swimming pool,” Vienna said. “This much food is crazy, but you know we’re going to eat it all. Especially that one”—she nodded toward Zahra—“and Raine. The two of them can put away food and never gain an ounce.”
“That one?” Zahra, sitting tailor-fashion in the middle of the floor, surrounded by dogs, looked over her shoulder with one eyebrow raised, proving she was listening. She managed to look adorable as only Zahra could look. “I do have a name.”
“You do?” Vienna shot back. “I can think of several, but you’ve objected to every single one. Are you going to help?”
“I’m introducing Misty to her friends right now,” Zahra said. “And the names you come up with for me are ghastly. I don’t flirt, and I don’t complain, and I don’t eat too much chocolate. Every name you choose for me has something to do with one of those subjects.” She gave a haughty sniff and turned her attention back to her puppy.
Shabina, Vienna and Harlow burst into laughter. It was the first genuine laughter Shabina had experienced in days.
“Zahra Metcalf, lightning is going to come right through the roof and strike you dead for that whopper you just told,” Harlow predicted. “I would venture to say that at this very minute you have chocolate candy in your backpack. You’ll tell us everything in there is needed for Misty, but we all know dogs can’t have chocolate. And you’ve got it.”
Zahra gave them the haughty eyebrow. She’d perfected that particular look. “The chocolate is for emergencies.”
Another round of laughter went up, and Shabina could see that even Zahra smiled, although she pretended to be annoyed.
“Of course it is,” Shabina soothed. “I haven’t met Misty yet. She doesn’t look in the least bit timid.”
Zahra flashed her grin, the one that could melt men at fifty feet. “She’s so brave. She’s had all her vaccinations, so she should be safe on the ground. I do take her running, but I’ll admit I’m still a little afraid of putting her down where other dogs I don’t know have been.”
Shabina couldn’t imagine losing one of her Dobermans, especially to parvo. Her dogs were her constant companions. Her heart went out to Zahra. “I don’t blame you. I’d be the same way. I did make treats for all the dogs. And I have a brand-new bed for Misty. You don’t have to use it today, but when you’re ready, you can start teaching her that it’s her special spot if she gets tired of the other dogs. When she’s there, the other dogs know to leave her alone.”
The alarm sounded again, announcing the arrival of Stella Harrison-Rossi. Raine O’Mallory was with her, leaning heavily on a cane. She was still recovering from several surgeries on her leg. She’d been shot, the bone shattered, and she’d been fortunate that a top orthopedic team had been able to save the leg. Raine never failed to surprise Shabina with the way she was so quiet, usually the least talkative person in the room though she was scary intelligent.
She appeared to be an independent contractor, working mainly for the US government, she claimed as an analyst, but helicopters came for her at all hours and took her and her dog, Daisy, away. She’d be gone for days. When she was injured, she was guarded day and night by the military as if she were a national treasure. To say the least, Raine was a mystery woman.
Bailey, Stella’s Airedale, and Daisy, Raine’s mischievous Jack Russell terrier, ran eagerly to Shabina to greet her.