pee her pants. The celebration had been so different from the past few years for Carrie, when it had been just her and her father. As Niall’s fame and fortune dwindled, he became more of a recluse and had insisted on Thanksgiving dinner eaten with just the two of them at the carriage house Carrie had rented from Gray.
She hadn’t ever thought to question her dad’s choice or suggest that they expand their holiday social circle. Only in retrospect could she see how her father had systematically cut her off from potential friends or even boyfriends with his demands and fits of temper.
If she was honest, Dylan had been the last person to make an effort to be close to her, despite her father’s objections. She still questioned whether he’d initially gotten closer to her hoping for a payout from her dad or if that had come later. But she put thoughts of the old pain aside to focus on the present.
“What about a goat?” Meredith asked.
“It’s a rental,” Dylan countered. “They aren’t going to allow goats.”
“Barry Knox owns the house, right?” Carrie offered him an innocent smile. “I could give him a call if you want.”
“Please,” Sam begged. He sat on a low bench in the barn’s center aisle. Meredith had opened the doors to several of the stalls, which had been converted into pens for her menagerie of rescued mutts.
Shae, Avery, Gray and Violet had left about thirty minutes earlier. She could tell Dylan was ready to head home, too, but Sam had insisted he visit the barn first.
An entire gang of dogs milled about, with two adorable blue heeler puppies doing their best to climb onto Sam’s lap. “They’re so cute,” the boy said with an infectious laugh.
She watched Dylan pinch the bridge of his nose between two fingers and knew he was a lost cause. It was difficult to resist Meredith when she set her mind to coaxing a person into opening their home to one of her animals.
Carrie didn’t even like animals and in the past two months she’d fostered a litter of kittens and three guinea pigs.
Meredith took a step closer to Dylan. “Dogs are good for teenagers. They teach responsibility and can help with stress.”
“I’m under a ton of stress,” Sam confirmed.
Dylan shook his head. “Not as much as you’ll be when a puppy poops on the carpet.”
Just then there was a noise from one of the closed stalls. “What’s going on in there?” Dylan asked as Sam continued to pet the puppies and the other dogs played in the open space of the barn.
Meredith sighed. “I take in special cases as well and try to work with the animals to rehabilitate them enough to be adopted. You met Avery’s dog, Spot. She was one of those because of her extra weight when she came in. Sometimes it’s more behavioral than physical or a mix.”
Carrie and Dylan moved across the barn at the same time and looked over the half door. The stall had gone quiet, and Carrie’s breath caught at the sight of the scruffy dog cowering in a corner. The animal had medium-length brown fur. When the dog lowered its head, the fur hung over its eyes like the animal was trying to hide behind a curtain.
“What happened to this one?” Dylan’s voice was tight with an emotion Carrie couldn’t name.
Meredith joined them. “Someone found her on a property outside of Wilmington. She was severely underweight, so we have the opposite issue from Spot. I think they were tormenting her with food. It’s obvious she’s hungry but is often scared to eat.” Meredith indicated the untouched bowl of kibble in the corner. “Eventually, she’ll take a few bites, and it’s getting better. But she’s too nervous to be with the other dogs. The social part is going to take a lot of work and training. I’m hoping to find an experienced pet owner willing to take a chance on her.”
“Do you ever think a dog is a lost cause?” Dylan’s gaze never left the trembling animal as he asked the question. Her pointy ears flicked forward as if she were interested in Meredith’s answer, as well.
“No,” Meredith said emphatically. “It’s a matter of finding the right fit for each animal.”
“Sam, come over here.” Dylan gestured the boy forward. “This is the dog,” he said when Sam had joined them.
Meredith shook her head. “You heard me say that Daisy needs an experienced owner, right?”
“Daisy,” Dylan murmured. “I like it.”
“I want a puppy,”