The Dogs of Christmas (22 page)

Kerri took off her coat, tossing it on the couch, and bent down to the gift. At the sound of ripping paper, the puppies stopped wrestling and bounded over to see what was going on, Rufus tight against Cody’s left side.

“Hey!” Kerri shouted in delight. It was a new dog crate. “This is exactly what I need!”

“Oh, I know,” Josh assured her.

The dogs were ripping up the paper, shaking it like they were killing snakes.

“Now this,” Kerri said. She crossed to him on the couch, reached into her coat pocket, and pulled out a wrapped package, about the size of a hardback book.

Josh unwrapped it and opened the box. Inside were two leashes and two dog collars, each with a name tag on it. One said “Rufus,” the other, “Cody.”

“We make them right at the shelter,” Kerri explained, “so this is more of a thought-that-counts gift than anything.”

“So you knew I was keeping Rufus? I thought you didn’t get my text.”

“I knew because I didn’t get your
call.
I figured there was only one reason you wouldn’t want to talk to me, one thing you didn’t want to tell me.”

“It’s like you can read my mind.”

“Exactly.”

“Well, stop that.”

Kerri laughed.

“Seriously, have you always been psychic?”

“I’m seriously
not
psychic. I had no idea what was going on when this blond woman showed up, driving like ten yards in front of me all the way from downtown Evergreen to
your house
. And then when it turned out to be Amanda … I thought it was going to happen again.”

“What? What was going to happen again?”

“That just when everything was looking like it was perfect, something would come along to wreck it.”

“Yeah. For a second, I thought the same thing.”

They smiled, holding each other’s eyes.

“So let’s not let anything wreck anything ever again,” Josh suggested.

They stood in front of the Christmas tree and kissed while the dogs continued their deadly assault on the wrapping paper. There was something about the way she fit into his arms that felt more right than anything in the world.

“You know what I want to do?” Kerri said.

Josh involuntarily glanced down the hallway toward his bedroom and Kerri laughed, pushing at his shoulders. “Not
that,
” she mock scolded.

“I asked you to stop reading my mind,” Josh protested.

“I was thinking we could take the puppies and go downtown and just soak in the holiday, you know? The people will all be out, and carolers, and the lights—it’s the best part about living in a small town, don’t you think?”

It
was
the best part. There
were
carolers, and the stores were all beautifully lit, looking to Josh like a giant reproduction of the village on his mantel. The dogs were not at all sure they approved of the leashes at first, twisting and yanking at the unfamiliar sensation of being led, but after a time seemed to accept them. The two of them were close together, sniffing furiously at all the new scents.

At Evergreen Lake they stopped to watch the flow of skaters circling on the ice. Josh blinked when he saw Chuck, the brother of little Juliet, stream past on his skates. He turned his head and examined the benches lining the lake and saw the little girl first, and then the little puppy in her lap. He led Rufus and Cody over to see Lola.

“Lola!” Josh called. Juliet set the puppy down and the three siblings went crazy, jumping all over one another. Juliet giggled, her mittened hand to her mouth.

“I guess I never considered this could happen,” Josh told Kerri while the puppies played.

“It will keep happening,” Kerri replied. Josh searched her face. “You never even asked, but all of the people who adopted your puppies live right here in Evergreen. You can have playdates. That was part of the interview process.”

“Wow,” Josh said, contemplating.

Lola eventually decided she’d rather be held by Juliet, who scooped the little dog back up and held her like an infant. Josh waved good-bye to Matt, who was standing where he could keep an eye on both of his children, and Matt waved back.

Kerri and Josh walked on, and, when the snowflakes began drifting down, the people on the lake cheered and applauded.

“White Christmas,” Josh murmured. He pulled Kerri in for a kiss and then just held her so that he could look into those blue eyes.

“You know what, Kerri? You’re my Rufus,” he told her.

She peered at him. “I’m your dog with a brown spot over my eye,” she translated.

“I’m like Cody. I don’t always see things, even things right in front of me. But you nudge me in the right direction. Like returning Lucy to Serena. Like letting go of the puppies. Like putting Amanda’s pictures in a plastic box. You help me find my way in the world.”

Her lips twitched into a small smile. “Is that the speech you give to all the girls?”

“Yeah, it’s my standard.” He nodded.

She grinned more broadly. “Pretty good.”

He suggested they stop by the grocery store, where the deli just happened to have an order waiting for him—a fully cooked turkey dinner. “Traditional Christmas Eve food,” he explained.

“Right,” she approved. “But I thought you were an expert at turkey.”

It was still snowing: huge flakes that flared in the parking lot lights. “Let’s go home,” Kerri suggested, the most welcome words Josh had ever heard.

The dogs seemed to really appreciate the smells in the car but were soon asleep in their new crate as they drove up the hill.

Josh put the turkey in the oven to keep it warm. He opened a bottle of wine and settled on the couch and Kerri came over and sat with him, leaning up against him. He put his arm around her. He’d never felt more comfortable. The dogs woke up and soon were back to wrestling on the floor in front of the fireplace.

He had to do something different, he’d told Rufus, to get her to stay.

“You know, Kerri,” he said. She looked at him. “I keep trying to capture one last Christmas in this house that was like it used to be, and I’ve never managed it. But now, with you, it’s like I want new Christmases. New memories. Nothing would make me happier than to wake up tomorrow morning and have you here with me. Could you maybe not go home tonight?”

“Hmm…,” she mused, which could be yes or could be no. “Sort of, what did you say? Presumptuous. Assuming I am ready to just stay here tonight, on the basis of what, you calling me your girlfriend? Like, that’s all it takes?”

The fire crackled, drawing their attention for a bit. Josh shifted uncomfortably. What was he doing wrong?

“Right,” she responded finally, “I guess you’ll have to get my suitcase out of my car, then. I packed so much stuff this morning I could barely lift it.”

He nodded carefully, afraid his grin was betraying the
yes!
echoing in his brain.

“So where would I sleep?” she asked after a moment.

“Oh. Sure. I mean, you could have the master.”

“And what about you? Would you be in your old bedroom?”

“Of course.”

She smiled at him and his heart started pounding. “Well, maybe not,” she speculated.

“Okay.”

They sat in a comfortable silence, her head on his shoulder, him holding her tight.

“You’re the one, Kerri,” he murmured, the words coming out unplanned. “The one I’ve been waiting for. The one I need.”

She sighed in his embrace, moving even closer.

He couldn’t explain it to himself, but somehow this woman in his arms had managed not to just save Christmas for Josh, but to save everything else, as well. She was his rescue. The life that had never made any sense to him at all now seemed to make all the sense in the world.

After a few minutes of just holding each other on the couch, Josh began to sing. Instantly the two little dogs at their feet stopped playing, whipping their heads around toward her.

Away in a dog box,

a quilt for their bed,

The little dog puppies

lay down their sweet heads.

The puppies both sat, paying rapt attention.

“Why aren’t they falling asleep?” Kerri asked him.

“I don’t know. Never failed before.” Josh looked at her. “I love you, you know.”

“I love you, too, Josh.”

They smiled into each other’s eyes. After a bit, Josh turned back to the puppies, who had resumed playing.

Lucy your mommy

Is gone for today

But she will come visit

So you guys can play

So sleep, little puppies

Together as one

And when you all wake up

We’ll have puppy fun.

“You just make up those new lines?” Kerri asked.

“Yeah,” Josh replied proudly.

“Sounds like it,” she observed.

They laughed. The dogs still weren’t sleeping, so Josh and Kerri moved on to “Silent Night,” their voices joined together. And that’s how they spent the evening: singing to the Dogs of Christmas.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS, EXPLANATIONS, AND APOLOGIES

This novel wouldn’t even exist if not for Linda Quinton at Tor/Forge, who heard me describe a series of short stories I was thinking of writing about a man who winds up having to adopt out a bunch of puppies and exclaimed, “I want that as a book!” Thank you, Linda, for your vision and your trust.

My editor, Kristin Sevick, helped me find the right direction for
The Dogs of Christmas
—thanks for your ideas and suggestions. They were right on, Kristin.

Having Scott Miller on my side is like having an uncle who is Batman. You are the best agent ever, Scott.

My friend for so many years, Dr. Deb Mangelsdorf, went to veterinary college so that she could give me expert advice when I started writing dog books. She guided me through all the particulars concerning dog pregnancy, labor, and other things I’ve never done. Thanks for everything, Deb.

The world of animal rescue was entirely unknown to me until my daughter, Georgia Lee, introduced me to the notion that we can save animals who, through no fault of their own, are lost, abused, abandoned, or unloved. Thanks to Life Is Better Rescue, for the amazing work you’re doing intervening in the lives of these poor unfortunate pets.

Chelsea, you never said a bad word about anyone. Not you either, Eloise.

I wouldn’t have any sort of career at all if people didn’t buy my books, and a lot of people who have done so have gone on to join the conversation on the
A Dog’s Purpose
fan page on Facebook or to nominate their dogs for Dog of the Week on the
adogspurpose.com
website. I can’t say it enough: Thank you for your support, and for loving the animals I write about.

And the team that helps keep it all going: Charlie, Chase, Trisha, Elliott. Thanks, guys.

Thanks to Leslie Rockiter, for cutting the book trailer, and to Dina Zaphiris, for training the actors in the book trailer.

Thanks to the geniuses at
FlyHC.com
for designing my websites and keeping them current. Come check them out at
brucecameron.com
and
adogspurpose.com
!

Thanks to all my friends at the Cypress Inn, for not letting people check in if they haven’t read at least one of my books.

I speak for a lot of people and a lot of grateful animals when I say that there are so many wonderful people who use their position in the public eye to advance the cause of animal rescue and adoption. The originals were women like Tippi Hedren, Doris Day, Betty White, and Mary Tyler Moore—they showed the way. The new generation are people beautiful inside and out: Teri Austin, Elaine Hendrix, Ellen Laventhal, Katherine Heigl, and Elayne Boosler.

I want to acknowledge that the town of Evergreen does exist, and that when I lived there you could go to the Evergreen Inn for great Mexican food. I want to apologize for any inaccuracies that have crept into my book regarding the town. I swear I heard Christmas carols playing from speakers mounted somewhere one December, but I couldn’t find anyone who could verify this. And I’m sorry if I insulted your lake, but I’m from Michigan, guys, and there just seriously isn’t enough water there to impress me. If you want, come up to Michigan sometime and make fun of our mountains.

Thanks to Moritz Borman, who has stubbornly refused to allow an injustice to stand. Thanks to my goddaughters, Carolina and Annie, for pretending I’m not too old to be talking to them, and to Steve for not getting any younger. Thanks to Hayes Michel, for being in my corner and assuring me that I’m not actually cornered.

Thank you to the cast and crew of the new film
Muffin Top,
for asking me to produce their movie and thus giving me a year’s worth of distraction. Thanks especially to Mitzi Druss and Lydia Fantini, for doing such a good job on my hair and makeup that Cathryn cut my scene from the movie. June, you did an amazing job on my wardrobe—everyone
totally
bought the idea that I was an old white guy. I’d write your last name but I can’t. Thanks to Tina Young, for traveling across the country to be in my scene. Thanks to Tom Rooker, for keeping an eye on my old house.

It may not take a village, but it takes a family. Thanks to my parents, Bill and Monsie, for never giving up and always supporting me, even when my back was repeatedly flat on the mat. Thanks to my sisters, Julie and Amy, for making sure everyone they know owns at least one copy of each one of my books.

And I really should thank my dog, Tucker, who gave me inspiration for this tale by living it. He was literally dropped off at birth in a cardboard box, and was left there overnight with his newborn siblings until someone found the box at the rescue shelter the next morning. Luckily my daughter was fostering a German Shepherd who had just weaned her pups, so Tucker was placed with a new mom, who accepted him and his siblings without question—probably just thought she’d had a wild weekend.

Finally, to the person who reads my early drafts and always helps me improve my work: Cathryn, you’re the partner every writer dreams of. And now that I’ve married you, I get all the help for free!