A New Leash on Love

by Debbie Burns

  He picked it up and sank to one knee, winking. “It’s just now occurring to me what a hard act to follow Sledge is going to be. Even worse, I had something all thought out, but in the pressure of the moment, words have fled.”

  Fresh tears were building on her lower lids, glistening in the light. “Then maybe you should wing it.”

  He slid the ring as far as it would go on his pinkie, then placed his hands firmly on her hips. “All right. My dear Megan, as you know, my track record of happy, successful marriages isn’t anything to write home about, but I was wondering if you might be interested?”

  She burst into laughter and pulled him to his feet. “No you don’t. On your feet. That can’t be the proposal that follows all this.”

  He let her slide the ring off his finger and hold it up in the sunlight. “It’s god-awful, isn’t it?”

  “No, I love it. It just looks handmade. Very.”

  “Well, knowing you, I thought you’d want some sort of fair-trade-certified diamond. Since I didn’t want to give you any reason to protest, I went to an art studio downtown and made one until you can choose a suitable replacement.”

  “You made this.” She bit her lip. “You made me a ring. Now that’s romantic. You know I’ll never want another one.”

  “Is that a yes?” Taking it, he slipped it onto her finger and pressed his lips to her palm.

  “Craig, you must be knee-deep in a midlife crisis. You’ve only been divorced half a year. Besides Sophie and Reese—”

  “Are dealing with all this very well. Sophie worked for two hours last night teaching Sledge that trick. We had to ask Kelsey to sneak him out after the shelter closed.”

  “You mean you told them all of this without telling me first?”

  “I needed to make sure they liked the house. I knew how partial you were to it, since you gawked at it every time we passed by on a walk.”

  Her face went pale, and she grabbed his forearm as if to steady herself. “You…you bought this house?”

  He cupped his hands around her elbows. “I should have thought about a chair.”

  “I’m okay.” She waved him off. When he could see the color coming back to her cheeks, he consented and let go. “I didn’t even know this house was on the market.”

  “It wasn’t. I had an agent approach half a dozen homeowners of homes you’d pointed out around here. As it turned out, this family was more than ready to get out. They were sinking in debt and about to face foreclosure. My offer came at the right time and the right price.”

  “This is crazy.” She stepped back and dragged her fingers through her hair. “You bought this house. You bought it.”

  “I was hoping you’d find it romantic. If you don’t like it, we never have to move in.”

  She crossed the room and sank to the wide window seat. Sledge joined her, whining as he peered out the window. The backyard was private and flat. A few old trees towered over the back of the house, shading the yard. Craig loved the quaintness of it, envisioned passing hours in it with Reese and Sophie and eventually the new baby.

  “You okay?” She’d lost some of the color she’d regained.

  She nodded and reached for his hand, pulling him to the seat beside her. She planted soft kisses on his cheeks, chin, and lips. “Promise you’ll never change who you are for me.”

  “I promise, but it doesn’t mean I won’t do it for me. I love you, Megan. And loving you has brought me back from a dark place. If you’d consider spending the rest of your life with me, I promise you won’t regret it.”

  “I know I won’t.”

  He kissed her a bit too long and had to force his attention back on the moment. “It won’t be perfect. You know the baggage I’m coming with. You’ve seen my temper and know I’m a recovering workaholic. Sophie and Reese won’t be a cakewalk, especially in their teens. And their mother, Jillian, will always be in my life. You were on board with my asking her to come back to work for the company. She agreed, by the way. She could use the distraction, and by the time the baby arrives, I’ll have someone there I trust. It’ll free me up to be here. With you. I know it all adds up to a complicated mess, but I promise I’ll make it worth your while. I want you, Megan. For the rest of my life, I want you.”

  Her eyes lit with happiness, but she clicked her tongue. “So about this house. Have you checked the closets?”

  He shook his head. “I’m not following.”

  “For all that baggage you’re coming with. Does it have enough storage?”

  A hearty laugh escaped him. “Can I take that as a yes?”

  She arched her back and let out an exaggerated breath. “Well, your proposal was a bit weak, but the ring and the house are better than I could’ve dreamed of. And Sledge… I hope his being here means he’s part of the package. And I might be saying this last bit as a hint in case that wasn’t your idea.”

  He scratched Sledge on the shoulder. “I wouldn’t dream of separating you two. And you’re right about that proposal. You deserve something better than my asking you to jump aboard the crazy bus.” He stood up and pulled her to her feet. When he dropped to one knee again, she didn’t protest. “It’s coming back to me now.”

  He tugged the ring off her finger and held it up.

  “Megan Anderson, protector of those who cannot speak for themselves and shamer of those who fail to act rightly, I’m madly in love with you. From your passion for life and your dedication to making the world a better place, to your eclectic taste in wine and the way you make a mess of your hair when you’re deep in thought, I love everything about you. The idea of bringing a child into this world with you is exhilarating. I want you in my life every day for the rest of it. And I want to be a part of yours the very same way. So what I’d like to know is, will you marry me?”

  She said nothing in reply. She closed her eyes, her face a mask of concentration.

  “What is it?”

  She held up a finger. “I’m trying to remember it. Every word. Something tells me you may never be this romantic again.”

  He stood up and drew her close, kissing her fully on the lips. When he pulled away, he cupped her face in his hands. “Never underestimate a man who’s been given a second chance at happiness.”

  “It actually doesn’t matter if you aren’t. I’ll take you just the way you are. Exactly the way you are. That impossible humor of yours. Your somewhat irritating ability to get so much done in one day. That metabolism that’s like four times mine. And Sophie and Reese, I love them. I’ll take as much of them as they’ll let me. As for Jillian, well, I’m getting over my fear of her a bit more every time I see her. And Sledge. Of course I’ll take him too.”

  “That’s good,” Craig said, leaning in to kiss her again. “That’s very good.”

  Whether it was because he heard his name or because he was picking up on the excitement in the air, Sledge plopped to the floor and rolled onto his back, wiggling back and forth. He let out a long, exaggerated whine-growl and his tongue flopped sideways, his lips curling back in a smile.

  Like he was in perfect agreement that nothing could make his world any better than the people he’d be sharing it with.

  Shelter Facts

  While the animals and people featured in A New Leash on Love are fictional, the amazing devotion of shelter workers across the United States is not. More than ever before, shelter adoption is becoming a popular, feel-good way to find your next pet.

  Here are some shelter facts you may not know:

  • Thanks to animal advocacy groups and education, more people are turning to shelters to find their pets than ever before. It’s estimated that four million animals each year get a chance at a forever home thanks to the more than three thousand U.S. shelters.

  • Pets adopted from shelters are most often health screened, vaccinated, microchipped, and spayed or neutered. Plus, adoption fee
s are a fraction of the cost of purchasing these services independently.

  • The average age of animals entering shelters is a still-very-playful eighteen months.

  • Today, the rate of euthanasia of dogs and cats in shelters is just 10 percent of what it was in 1970.

  • In the United States, 20 to 30 percent of adoptable pets in shelters are believed to be purebred. Have a breed you love? Chances are there are rescue groups dedicated to this breed that you can connect with online.

  Have a happy story to share about your adopted pet? Email me at authordebbieburns@yahoo.com. Your successful, positive stories of pet adoption can inspire others to consider adopting homeless pets. And, to read on in the Rescue Me series, sign up for my newsletter. You’ll receive updates on the release of the second book in the Rescue Me series.

  If you love heart-warming contemporary romance like Debbie Burns’s A New Leash on Love, you’ll love the world of Samantha Chase.

  Read on for a peek at Book 5 in the Shaughnessy Brothers series:

  There was a girl in Owen Shaughnessy’s class.

  A. Girl.

  Okay, a woman. And she wasn’t a scientist and she wasn’t awkward. She was…pretty. Beautiful, actually. Though he had no idea if she was awkward or not. She had walked into the lecture hall minutes ago, and there were only five minutes left in his talk, so…why was she here? Maybe she was the girlfriend of one of his students?

  Looking around the room, he ruled that out. He seemed to be the only one taking note of her presence. He chanced another glance her way, and she smiled. He felt a nervous flutter in the region of his belly, and as he continued to look at her, her smile grew.

  And now Owen felt like he was going to throw up.

  He immediately forced his gaze away and looked at the notes in front of him. “Next time we’ll be discussing dust trails and dust tails, which represent large and small dust particles, respectively. Please refer to your syllabus for the required reading material.” Lifting his head, Owen scanned the large lecture hall and noted the almost universally bored expressions staring back at him.

  Except for her. She was still smiling.

  He cleared his throat before adding, “Class dismissed.”

  There was a collective sigh of relief in the room as everyone stood and began collecting their belongings. As the students began to file past him, Owen did his best to keep his eyes down and not react to the words he was hearing.

  Geek. Nerd. Weird. Awkward.

  Yeah, Owen not only heard the words being murmured but knew they were being used to describe him. It was even worse considering the students in the room were all interested in the same subject he was—astronomy. So even in a group of his peers, he was still the odd man out. He shrugged. He’d learned not to let the hurtful words land—to fester—but sometimes they stung a little.

  Okay, a lot.

  Packing up his satchel, he kept his head down as the class of two hundred students made their way out. Or escaped. Maybe that was the better word for it. He didn’t make eye contact with any of them—he simply went about his task of collecting his papers and belongings so the next instructor could come in and set up on time. He was nothing if not polite and conscientious.

  His phone beeped to indicate a new text, and he couldn’t help but smile when he pulled out his phone and saw it was from his twin brother, Riley.

  Skype. Tonight. 8 your time.

  Refusing to acknowledge how once again he and his brother were in sync with one another—Riley loved to say it was because they were twins—Owen was at the very least grateful for the timing. There were just times when he needed to talk to someone—or, more specifically, Riley—and there he was.

  And the more he commented on it, the more Riley would go on about twin telepathy.

  It was ridiculous.

  As a man of science, there was no way Owen could accept the phenomenon as fact. Coincidence? Yes. Fact? No. His phone beeped again with a second text from Riley.

  Whatever you’re stressing about, we’ll discuss.

  He read the text and chuckled. “Nope,” he murmured. “It was just a coincidence.”

  The last of the students exited the lecture hall as he slipped the phone back into his satchel, and Owen relished the silence. This was how he preferred things—quiet. Peaceful. He enjoyed his solitude, and if it were at all possible, he’d stick to speaking at strictly a few select conferences and then spend the rest of the day doing research and mapping the night sky.

  “Excuse me,” a soft, feminine voice said.

  His entire body froze, and he felt his mouth go dry. Looking up, Owen saw her. Up close, she was even more beautiful. Long blond hair, cornflower-blue eyes, and a smile that lit up her entire face. And that light was shining directly at him.

  She wore a long, gauzy skirt with a white tank top. There was a large portfolio case hanging over her shoulder, along with the sweater she’d obviously chosen to do without in the too-warm classroom, and multiple bangle bracelets on her arm.

  Gypsy.

  No. That wasn’t the right word. Gypsies were more of the dark-haired variety and wore a lot of makeup. This woman was too soft and delicate and feminine to meet that description.

  Nymph.

  Yes. That was definitely more fitting, and if he were the kind of man who believed there were such things, that’s what he would have categorized her as.

  He couldn’t form a single word.

  Her expression turned slightly curious. “Hi. Um…Dr. Shaughnessy?”

  She was looking for him? Seriously? Swallowing hard, Owen tried to speak—he really did—but all he could do was nod.

  The easy smile was back. Her hand fluttered up to her chest as she let out a sigh of relief. “I’m so sorry for showing up so close to the end of your class. It was inconsiderate of me. I meant to be here earlier. Well, I was supposed to be here for the entire lecture, but I lost track of time talking to Mr. Kennedy.” She looked at him as if expecting him to know who she was talking about. “He’s the head of the art department,” she clarified.

  Again, all he could do was nod. He cleared his throat too, but it didn’t help.

  “Anyway, I’m supposed to meet my uncle here—Howard Shields. He suggested I come and listen to you speak. He thinks very highly of you and thought I’d enjoy your lecture.”

  Seriously? Howard Shields thought someone would enjoy hearing him talk about meteor showers? That wasn’t the normal reaction Owen received from his talks. Informative? Educational? Yes. Enjoyable? Never.

  Not sure how he should respond, he offered her a small smile and felt a flush cover him from the tips of his toes to the roots of his hair. She was probably regretting listening to her uncle. As it was, she was looking at him expectantly.

  “Anyway,” she said, her voice still pleasant and friendly, “Uncle Howard talks about you all the time, and when he told me you were in Chicago guest lecturing, I knew I had to come and meet you. My uncle really respects your work.”

  Owen finally met her gaze head-on because her words struck him. It was no secret that Owen looked up to Howard—he’d been a mentor to Owen for as long as he could remember—but to hear it wasn’t all one-sided? Well, it meant the world to him.

  Most people in his field looked at Owen a little oddly. It wasn’t because he didn’t know what he was talking about or that he wasn’t respected; it was because of his social skills. Or lack thereof. It seemed to overshadow all of his fieldwork, research, and teachings. He was more well-known for being painfully shy than anything else. He was filled with a sense of relief—and pride—to know that Howard had said something nice about him.

  And now he also knew he was going to have to speak.

  “Um…thank you,” he said softly, feeling like his mouth was full of marbles. When he saw her smile broaden, it made him want to smile too.

 
So he did.

  But he had a feeling it wasn’t nearly as bright or as at ease as hers.

  “Ah, there you are!” They both turned and saw Howard walk into the room, his white lab coat flowing slightly behind him. “I was on my way here and was sidetracked talking with Dr. Lauria about the waiting list for the telescope.” He shook his head. “Students are up in arms over the lack of availability.”

  Owen nodded but remained silent.

  “I see you’ve met my niece, Brooke,” Howard said before leaning over and kissing her on the cheek.

  “We haven’t been formally introduced,” she said shyly, turning back to Owen.

  “Well, let’s rectify that,” Howard said, grinning. “Owen Shaughnessy, I’d like you to meet my niece, Brooke Matthews. Brooke, this is Dr. Owen Shaughnessy.”

  Her smile looked so genuine as she held out her hand to Owen. “Feel free to make fun,” she said.

  Owen looked at her oddly. “Fun?”

  Her head tilted slightly. “Yeah…you know. Because of my name.”

  Now he was confused. “I’m sorry,” he said nervously, “is there something funny about the name Brooke?”

  Howard laughed out loud and clapped Owen on the shoulder again as he shook his head. “Don’t mind him, Brookie. He doesn’t get pop culture references.”

  Pop culture references? Owen looked back and forth between the two of them for some sort of explanation. Then he realized Brooke’s hand was still outstretched, waiting for him to take it. Quickly wiping his palm on his slacks, he took her hand in his and gave it a brief shake. He murmured an apology and averted his gaze before stepping back.

  Tucking her hair behind her ear, she nodded. “My parents named me after Brooke Matthews, the model.” When he still didn’t react, she added, “She’s also an actress.” Still nothing. Looking at her uncle, she shrugged and let out a nervous chuckle. “Well, anyway…um, Uncle Howard, I’m afraid I was late to Dr. Shaughnessy’s class.”