Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 113272 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 566(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113272 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 566(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Her heart nearly burst out of her chest and she put her head down on the steering wheel as she attempted to catch her breath.
Then she realized that she’d stopped on the road and was going to cause an accident if she didn’t move.
But what was that? An animal? It had to be, right?
She didn’t think she’d hit it.
What if it was hurt, though?
Consumed by worry and knowing that she wouldn’t sleep tonight unless she checked, she pulled off the road and got out.
“Hello? Anyone there?”
Now she sounded like an idiot. Was she really expecting it to reply to her? Arabella ran her hand over her face, letting out a huff of breath. But as she turned to get back into her car, she heard a whimper.
Was that a dog?
“Here, pup-pup,” she crooned. “Are you still there? Where are you? Come here.”
Her hand shook as she held it out. Arabella didn’t have much experience with dogs, but there was no way she could leave it here.
“Here, pup-pup.”
To her shock, a fully grown but skinny dog shuffled out of the grass. It wasn’t the most attractive looking dog she’d ever seen. It looked a bit scruffy and worn.
But when she stared into its eyes, she saw something that she’d seen in the mirror too many times.
Hopelessness.
Sadness.
The dog didn’t expect her to help. In fact, it likely thought she’d lash out. So despite her fear, she sat down on her bottom and called out to him or her again.
“Come on, baby. Come here. It’s all right. I won’t hurt you.”
It took a few minutes, but then the dog grew closer. It lunged and she nearly screamed and ran. But all it did was lick her hand and move back.
They stared at each other for a long time.
“Okay, buddy. I’m guessing you could use some dinner and so could I. So how about we get in my car, get to Haven, and then I’ll figure out what to do with you?” She got slowly to her feet.
The dog whimpered again and she froze. But it didn’t move. Didn’t lunge.
Just gave her those sad eyes. She opened her back door and patted the seat. “In.”
The dog didn’t move.
“Come on, buddy. We need to go or the agent will leave and I will have to sleep in a hotel room tonight.”
She swore the dog understood her. Or maybe he or she didn’t want to be left behind. Because it got to its feet and jumped into the car.
Arabella let out a deep breath, relief filling her.
She didn’t know what she would have done if he . . . yep, definitely a he, had refused to move. At least he hadn’t looked like he was in pain.
Although she did wince as she saw how dirty he was. Oh well, she could clean her car. However, that stench . . . holy. She opened a window. That was bad.
He sat in the backseat and looked out the window. “Hope the house is pet friendly. Maybe there’s a pound here.”
Another whimper and he placed his face behind his paw.
Jeez. There was no way he understood the word, pound. Right?
She still felt terrible for saying it.
For thinking it.
But she couldn’t keep him. Maybe he belonged to someone.
“Perhaps you’re lost. Are you lost? Shall we find your owners?”
Was it crazy to talk to a dog?
No crazier than picking up a stray, she guessed. Or having two men stop to tell her off for taking a selfie in front of a sign.
Sheesh.
As she drove through the main street of Haven, she saw that everything was pretty much the same as she remembered. Other than the fact that there were now fall decorations out.
“This place is so pretty,” she said. “I can’t believe we get to live here. Well, I am going to live here. I’m going to be safe here. I get to be in charge. I can do whatever I like and no one can tell me differently. Perhaps I should feel bad that my father is dead. But he was also my jailor. My abuser. Abuse isn’t always physical, you know.”
Arabella followed the directions to the house and drew up out front. It was further out of town than she’d thought. She’d been so grateful to find somewhere to stay that she hadn’t noticed bothered to research where it was located in Haven. There was only one house close by and woods on two sides of the house.
A late-model convertible sat in the driveway.
An older woman leaned up against it, glaring out at Arabella. This must be the rental agent. Ravina Parks.
She wore a short, tight black dress, high heels and her hair was sleeked back in a bun.
She climbed out with a forced smile. “Hi! I’m Arabella.”
“You’re late. I’ve been waiting for twenty minutes.”
“I’m so sorry. I had a bit of an emergency. See, there was this dog—”