Love To The Rescue by Brenda Sinclair Page A

date settled her into the spacious leather passenger seat and then jogged around to the driver’s side and slid behind the wheel. They reached around for their seatbelts and fastened them in unison.
    “So, you adopted a dog,” stated Kevin, as he backed down her driveway.
    His voice sounded husky. Was he still recovering from their session on her bedroom floor? Amy could relate; her world had remained tilted on its axis ever since the first kiss.
    “Initially, Tiffany suggested the new housemate, but after contemplating adopting a dog overnight, I genuinely fell in love with the idea. Allan, my late husband, talked me out of adopting an animal since we travelled extensively. And rightly so. It wouldn’t have been fair to the pet. But I couldn’t think of one reason why I shouldn’t have a dog now.” Amy clamped her jaws shut. Did she sound like she was defending her decision?
    “I think it’s a wonderful idea. You deserve the companionship and the peace of mind that having him around will provide. He barked up a storm when I rang the doorbell.” Kevin glanced over at her and grinned.
    “He barks when the mailman slips the mail into the mailbox, and he barked when he heard the gas company man reading the meter in the backyard the other afternoon. He’ll be a good dog. He’s already eager to please his new owner,” added Amy, beaming. “I’m introducing men to Rover, one at a time. He just requires a bit of patience while he experiences kindness from a number of men, and then he’ll realize nobody is out to hurt him.”
    “Hopefully, the contents of my doggie bag works tonight.”
    “An incident occurred at the dog park last night. A group of people argued about the rules during their Frisbee game, and Rover cowered under a picnic table during the exchange. I suspect the poor guy thought they were mad at him. I called one of the male players over to talk, hoping to assure Rover that everything was okay and he was a good dog. Before I could explain my plan, Rover leapt out from under the table, growling and baring his teeth. His leash prevented him from coming within three feet of the guy, but he almost fainted. We exchanged words, which proved totally counterproductive to my intentions. In hindsight, I realize Rover believed he needed to protect me.”
    “Some guys are just jerks.” Kevin reached across, squeezed her hand for a second, and then released it again. “Would Rover have bitten him?”
    “No way. The folks at the Humane Society assured me he’s never bitten anyone. Just likes to display his teeth, growl up a storm as a warning to keep your distance.” Amy stared out the side window, feeling emotionally torn. She wanted nothing more than to help the beautiful animal that she’d been entrusted with, but she doubted her effectiveness so far.
    “With some time and patience, he’ll realize nobody is going to raise a hand to him.” Kevin pulled into the restaurant’s parking lot.
    “I love the food here. Three of my writing buddies and I came here for dinner a couple of weeks ago. We get together once a month just for fun and to discuss our current projects.” Amy released her seatbelt and climbed out of the car when Kevin opened the door. “I had a steak, and it was excellent.”
    Kevin’s eyes roamed down her body. “Have I mentioned that you look great in that dress?”
    “No, but thank you for the compliment.” Amy beamed. He’d finally noticed! She added, “You look quite nice tonight, too.”
    “Thank you. I’m just happy you’re one of the rare species of women who eats red meat. It drives me crazy, watching anyone eat a tofu burger.”
    “Don’t knock it if you haven’t tried it. I enjoy meatless meals once in awhile, but sometimes your tummy insists on a juicy medium-rare steak buried in three varieties of mushrooms and...”
    “Stop! I’m starving. They don’t take reservations. I hope there aren’t many patrons waiting in line or it could get ugly.” Kevin