A Puppy's Tale Read online

  Fall in love with this fan-favorite novella of family, romance and dogs from author Valerie Hansen.

  Single mom Krista Brody has no problem walking up to a neighbour’s door while searching for her son’s runaway puppy, Puddles. But the stranger who opens the door is very familiar…

  Mark Vanbruger hasn’t seen Krista in years, but now they’re living in the same small town. They missed a chance at romance years ago—could a matchmaking puppy help them find happiness as a family now?

  Originally published in 2003.

  A Puppy’s Tale

  Valerie Hansen

  CONTENTS

  Intro

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  INTRO

  Arf! I’m Puddles. Sometimes I think you humans don’t have the sense God gave a gopher. You wash too much, and you don’t know a thing about the best place to bury a bone!

  But you do have some good qualities: like fingers just right for scratching tummies and opening doors. And you taste almost as good as old shoes! I love my boy Bobby, but his mama’s eyes keep leaking salty water. I think they both need a daddy human to make them happy. As a born sheepdog, I should be able to round one up. In fact, I think the nice one down the street would suit me just fine….

  CHAPTER 1

  “There it is! That’s his house. He stole my dog!”

  Krista Brody held tight to her young son’s hand. He was understandably upset, since his new puppy was involved. “Why don’t we go knock on the man’s door and ask him?” she suggested.

  “No, Mom!” Bobby tugged on her. “He’s real mean. My friend Josh said.”

  “Nonsense. Just because we haven’t met all our neighbors yet doesn’t make this one some kind of a monster.

  “He is so.”

  Krista bent down to meet her son on his level. “We have to introduce ourselves and ask the man if he’s seen Puddles. You want to find your puppy, don’t you?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Then we have to look everywhere. Including this house.”

  Tears were pooling in the child’s blue eyes. Krista’s heart ached for him. Getting Bobby the black-and-white pup had been her latest attempt at helping her son feel loved and accepted. Most of the children in Serenity had known each other all their lives. Bobby was clearly an outsider, even though his paternal grandparents still lived on the farm where his father had grown up.

  She straightened. “Trust me, honey. I’m just going to knock on the door and ask whoever lives there if they’ve seen Puddles. Okay?”

  The child nodded solemnly. “I’ll go, too. I won’t let him be mean to you.”

  “Good,” Krista said, smiling. “I like having a strong man around for protection.”

  “Like Dad was?”

  “Yes, honey, like your daddy.”

  “Why did he have to go to heaven?”

  Answering the child’s questions about his father’s death was getting easier now that several years had passed since Len’s accident. “Your daddy was driving too fast. He wasn’t being careful.” And he left me with a child to raise all by myself, she added silently, stifling a surge of exasperation.

  “Dad would go get Puddles for me if he was here, huh?”

  “Yes,” Krista assured him. “But since he can’t, I’ll help you.”

  “You gonna beat that guy up? He’s pretty big, Mom.”

  Krista stifled a laugh. “I don’t think it’ll be necessary to fight anybody for your puppy, Bobby. Puddles probably wandered off, that’s all.”

  “Hey! What if he went to Gramma Brody’s farm?”

  “Puddles has only been missing since you let him out to play after school. He couldn’t possibly have run that far in such a short time.”

  Krista led Bobby up the front steps of the modest brick house, then paused. There was no homey lawn furniture on this porch. Though the yard was well-kept, it too lacked a personal touch.

  Beside her, Bobby tugged on her hand. “You scared, Mama?”

  “No, honey.” The front door stood ajar. She knocked on the frame of the screen and called, “Hello? Anybody home?”

  Heavy footsteps echoed inside the house. Determined to make a good first impression, she smiled broadly.

  The steps halted. The door swung open. A tall man with dark, tousled hair and a disconcerted expression confronted her. “Yes?”

  “We’re sorry to bother you, Mr....”

  The rest of her words stuck in her throat the moment she looked into his eyes. Dark, inviting eyes. Familiar eyes. Eyes that had once sparkled with the joy of life and made her pulse dance when he spoke her name.

  Eyes that had peered so deeply into her soul she’d almost called off her engagement to the man who was to become Bobby’s father.

  CHAPTER 2

  Puddles began to wiggle his awkward puppy body, quivering all over, the second he heard the boy’s voice through the screen.

  It’s them, it’s them! Yeah! I knew they’d find me. Humans are so smart about some things. Of course, none of them can find a squeaky toy in the dark like I can. And they don’t seem to care one bit about important stuff, like the best place to bury a bone—or finding something really old and dead to roll in to make their fur smell good. They throw the best stuff in the garbage.

  The man was heading for the door. Puddles followed, leaping and circling.

  Faster, faster. Come on, slowpoke. There’s a boy on the porch and we’ve got some serious playing to do. I’ll bet he misses me. We’re good buddies. ’Course he’s not as much fun to chew on and fight with as my brothers and sisters were, but he gives me good-tasting stuff off his plate when his mother isn’t looking.

  He could hear two voices now, just on the other side of the door.

  That’s the mother human. Krista’s her name. She’s nice but kind of hard to figure out. One minute she’s petting me and the next she’s hollering at me and my boy, Bobby. He loves me already. I know he does. I took to him right off, too. He’s gonna let me sleep with him as soon as his mama says it’s okay. They were arguing about me. I know, because the mama kept mentioning my name and pointing to the floor. “Puddles,” she said. “Look at those puddles.”

  His sharp, puppy nails slipped on the bare floor but he still managed to keep up with the man’s strides. They arrived at the closed screen door together.

  That’s it. Open the door. Come on, mister. I’d do it if I was as tall as you are. Must be nice to have fingers. They’re not nearly as good for digging, though. Just for scratching. Ooooh, I need my tummy scratched. Yessirree. A good tummy scratch is exactly what I need.

  Outside, Krista stood beside her son and stared at the man’s face, apparently not even noticing the little dog dancing and whirling at his feet.

  It is them! I knew it. They wash themselves way too much, but I’d still know their family smell anywhere, even if they didn’t say a word. O—pen—this—door! Now!

  The man reached for the latch on the screen and released it.

  Grown-ups. Phooey. They don’t have the sense God gave a gopher. In the time he’s wasting I could be rolled over at my Bobby’s feet getting my itch scratched. Maybe he’d even wiggle his fingers under my collar and tickle me there as I like. Just thinking about it gives me the shivers.

  The woman
on the porch gaped, motionless. The man’s mood brightened enough that the change impressed Puddles.

  Ooooh, he likes her. That’s good. She needs a human friend so she won’t take up so much of my Bobby’s time. When she makes him stay in the house and I’m stuck outside, we can’t play. I get bored all by myself in my pen. I need something interesting to do, like sniff around and see what’s hiding in the tall grass and under the leaves. I need fun. Adventure. I need to see the world.

  The man threw open the screen door, caught the woman in his arms and swung her around with a joyful shout.

  Hey, that’s more like it. He left the door open. Look out, Bobby, here I come!

  Puddles launched himself at the boy and licked his face. They tumbled into a joyful heap on the wooden porch.

  Oh, he tastes good. Almost better than old shoes. Well, not quite that good, but not bad. There’s salty water on his cheeks. Tears, I think the humans call them. The mother leaks that way a lot. I know, ’cause she hugs me sometimes when our Bobby’s at school and I can taste salt on her face, too. Only, she’s sad when she does it. My Bobby is really happy right now. Me, too. I was beginning to wonder if he was ever going to come rescue me.

  Suddenly the boy struggled to his feet and glared at the adults. Puddles immediately sensed his distress.

  It’s okay. See? She’s smiling at him. And he likes her. Almost enough to nibble her nose, just like my mother taught me to do when I want to make friends.

  The puppy saw Bobby’s hands tighten into fists.

  Uh-oh. Trouble, he thought, cowering. Bobby’s upset for no reason. Nobody stole anybody else’s food dish or slept on the wrong blanket or chewed up a good shoe, did they? No. So why not be friends? One good face-licking will settle all their problems. It always works for me.

  CHAPTER 3

  “Krista! I heard you were in Serenity but I thought you were staying out at the Brodys’.” Mark Vanbruger was so elated to find his old friend at his door he swung her around one more time before setting her on her feet.

  Stealing up behind them, the boy kicked the man’s shin as hard as he could, shouting, “Let go of my mama!”

  Mark’s “Ouch!” surprised Krista. How could she have forgotten about Bobby for even an instant? She moved to deflect his next kick. “No! Don’t, honey. This is an old friend of mine—and your daddy’s.”

  “He stole Puddles.” The pup had thrown himself down on the grass and rolled onto his back, tongue lolling, feet in the air, the picture of pure submission.

  “That dog came to me,” Mark explained. “I only kept him in the house so he wouldn’t get hurt while I tried to find out who he belonged to.”

  “Of course you did,” Krista said with relief. It was good to see Mark again. Maybe too good. Uneasy, she stepped away from him and smoothed her T-shirt. “I thought you were still in St. Louis. What happeed?”

  “Big-city life didn’t agree with me.”

  “Me, either.”

  Mark sobered and reached for her hand, grasping it briefly, tenderly, then letting go when he saw Bobby glaring at him. Lowering his voice in deference to the boy, he said, “I’m sorry, Krista. I didn’t hear about Len until I moved back home last year. I’d have been there for you if I’d known.” He paused. “Are you okay?”

  “We’re coping,” she said. “I thought it would be best for Bobby, and for Grandma Hannah and Grandpa Hank, if we moved closer. I didn’t want to impose on them so I rented a house. It’s just down the road from here.”

  “Good idea. Kids need the support of their extended family. Grandparents can be very important. I see a lot of evidence of that in my job.”

  She brightened. “That’s right! You’re a teacher, aren’t you?”

  “Not anymore. I’m in administration.” Mark purposely smiled at the little boy. “Actually, I’m the principal of Bobby’s school. I was hoping to run into you when you came to register him but I guess I missed you.”

  “I guess so.” Krista was surprised to see her son back farther away, dragging Puddles with him.

  “See, Mom? I—I told you,” the boy stammered.

  Mark’s brow furrowed. “Told you what?”

  “That you’re a really mean guy,” she said with a light laugh. “The bad reputation must come with your position as principal.”

  “I’m afraid it does. Kids who need discipline don’t like me much. Makes me feel like everybody’s grumpy father.”

  Sighing, Krista nodded and glanced at her son. The boy was clinging to his dog’s collar as if he still expected terrible repercussions and needed the animal’s protection. Amused, she smiled at Mark. “I know what you mean. It’s hard trying to be a dad, especially when you’re being a mom, too.”

  He chuckled. “I hope I don’t ever have that problem.”

  “You never married?”

  “No. I never found a girl as perfect as Len’s.”

  His voice was low, vibrating along her spine with an unexpected tingle. Krista was taken aback. She and Mark had never spoken of anything beyond their mutual friendship. Older than her late husband and much more mature, Mark had never stepped out of the role of wise mentor, even though she’d been attracted to him when she was still single.

  What was he saying? That he’d shared her hidden feelings? Before she could decide how to reply, Bobby edged closer and tugged at her hand.

  “C’mon, Mom. I wanna go home.”

  Blinking to clear her muddled head, Krista looked down at her son. He was glaring at Mark Vanbruger as if he were face-to-face with the devil himself.

  CHAPTER 4

  Puddles fought being dragged toward home.

  Hey, Bobby. Enough already. This collar’s too tight. Ease up, kid.

  “Honey, you’re choking the poor dog. Give him some slack.”

  Whew! About time. He coughed. Bleah! Grass in my throat. That stuff looks good but it sure makes me sick. ’Course, if these humans would feed me more often instead of wasting their energy running all over the neighborhood, I wouldn’t get hungry enough to eat whatever I find. That crunchy green bug I just found was pretty good, though. All but his prickly legs. Ooooh. Queasy me.

  “Mom! Puddles threw up!”

  Of course I did. You would, too, if you had an itchy bug-leg caught crosswise in your throat. Maybe I need more grass.

  “I’m not surprised, Bobby. You shouldn’t drag the poor puppy behind you like that. He’s not a toy on a string. He’s an animal.”

  Hey, just because I lost a little lunch is no reason to call me names. I’m no animal. I’m a Border collie. That makes me a sheepdog. My mother and father told me so. We guard baby lambs so no wolves can sneak in and grab them. I’m gonna be real brave when I get big like my folks. Brave and smart and...

  Oooh, Krista’s picking me up. And she’s hugging me so the collar doesn’t pinch anymore. What a sweet mother she is. Bobby’s so lucky to have her. Me, too.

  “I wanna move again,” the eight-year-old declared. “I hate it here.”

  We could go back to the farm where you got me. I think I remember seeing some sheep there. We could sit out in the field all day and watch them eat. Then we could chase wolves together at night.

  “Why? We just got to Serenity,” Krista said.

  “I don’t care. I wanna go back to the city. So does Puddles.”

  Speak for yourself! I’ve heard about city life and I don’t want any part of it. Well, maybe I’d like to check out the Dumpsters, but nothing else. Dogs get run over and lost and…and... Ummmmm, that feels good.

  Krista was absently scratching the pup’s ears. “You asked Puddles for advice?”

  No, he hasn’t. Not a word. It isn’t the boy who needs most of the advice around here, anyway. It’s the mama. And that guy down the street. His porch isn’t very interesting but he’s got tasty, fun stuff in his closets. Wish I could’ve brought some of it home with me.

  “Sure. Puppies are real smart. They know who to like and…and...”

  Now,
you’re talkin’. ’Bout time you realized who’s got the brains around here.

  Krista crouched beside the child and took his hands. “I know it was a surprise to you that I already knew Mr. Vanbruger but I’m glad Puddles went to his house.”

  Yeah, me, too. And I’m going back. He’s got cookies in the cupboard and he knows how to make great scrambled eggs. He’s not real cuddly like the two in my family but he’s okay. I can teach him plenty.

  “Glad? Why?” Bobby asked.

  “Because it makes me feel good to know we have a friend nearby.”

  Hey, me, too. We need to visit his house a lot. I didn’t get a chance to check out his backyard. Maybe he’s got some sheep.

  “The other kids will make fun of me if they find out. I told you what Josh said.”

  Josh is okay, if you like big boys. Me, I’m partial to smaller ones, like my Bobby. He’s just right. Kind of moody, sometimes, but I’m getting used to him.

  “You and Josh only met a few days ago, Bobby. I’ve known Mark for years. He really is a nice person.”

  Isn’t that what I’ve been trying to tell you? Why doesn’t anybody listen to me? I can decide with one sniff and maybe a little nip if a human is worth bothering with. My mother says some of them are almost as bad as wolves, but she said I’d be able to tell which ones to trust. She was right. I sure wish Bobby and Krista were as smart as my wonderful mother. And me.

  CHAPTER 5

  Krista could tell her son was brooding over her refusal to consider moving to another neighborhood, so she kept trying to make him understand. “You know, Bobby, people don’t stop being special just because we haven’t seen them in a long time.”

  “Oh, yeah? What about my dad?”

  “What about him?”

  “We haven’t seen him in a long time. Is he still my daddy?”

  How could she answer that question truthfully, yet preserve the sense of family security she’d worked so hard to foster? “Oh, honey, we’ll always love your father. But we have to go on with our lives, too.”

  Before her melancholy thoughts could take over, she straightened and forced a smile. “I have a good idea. Let’s drive out to Grandma Hannah’s and surprise her. Maybe she and I can bake some cookies for you and Grandpa Hank.”