Coming Home by Georgia Bockoven

Author:Georgia Bockoven
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2017-04-02T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nineteen

Jeremy met Melinda on the front porch. “I see you’re still here.” He lowered himself to his haunches and tried to tamp down Coconut’s out-of-control excitement.

“And you’re not surprised.”

“No, I guess I’m not.”

Hope soared. “You could have called.”

“My mother taught me that apologies should be made in person,” he said through a symphony of whines, head butts, and slobbering kisses. Melinda foolishly released the leash, assuming Jeremy was in control. Realizing she was free, Coconut took off for the truck, dragging the leash behind her, snagging flowers and leaving a trail of broken blossoms.

Coconut circled the truck, stopping to bark when she reached a door, then moving on again when it didn’t open.

Jeremy shook his head. “She’ll go on like this until she sees for herself that Shiloh isn’t hiding inside. It’s a game they play.”

Melinda waited on the porch when Jeremy went to indulge Coconut. He opened both front doors and let her climb around the truck until she was satisfied Shiloh wasn’t there.

Melinda didn’t understand the change in Jeremy’s attitude, which made her afraid to accept it at face value. She almost laughed out loud at her thought process. What possible difference did it make whether she liked or trusted his attitude? She had to work with what he gave her.

She took the key out of her pocket and unlocked the door. “I found the coffee, if you’re interested.”

“I am, thanks.” He motioned with his hand, indicating she should go first.

Heidi heard the door open, and as always, came bounding down the hallway. She spotted Coconut immediately after she saw Melinda and came sliding to a stop on the hardwood floor. As if genetically programed for that precise moment, she turned sideways, arched her back and came up on her toes. She glared, growled, and then hissed in an admirable attempt to intimidate an adversary thirty times her size. The more Heidi hissed, the faster Coconut wagged her tail.

With her heart in her throat, Melinda didn’t know whether to grab Heidi or Coconut. Jeremy settled it when he crouched down, gathered Coconut to him and tucked her head under his arm. She freed herself, looked at him, and then at Heidi. The expression was unmistakable, look what I found—a new toy.

Jeremy sat down, his legs stretched out to form a V, with Coconut sitting between them. He put his hands on the sides of her head and gently massaged her ears while making her look at him. “This is a good thing,” he said softly. “Her name is Heidi and she’s going to teach you how to behave when you meet a four-legged bundle of pure attitude for the first time.”

Coconut looked up at him and whined, no more interested in a lesson in manners than a visit to the vet. Don’t you see this great new toy? Why aren’t we playing with it?

Heidi took a couple of hesitant sideway steps toward them, her eyes never leaving Coconut. Melinda held her breath trying to decide whether Heidi

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