Leona Karr - Hero In Disguise

“And what do you get?” he asked with a teasing smile.

She grinned. “A chance to wear the new dress I just bought.”

As his gaze swept over her animated, smiling face, he knew that, dog or no dog, he wasn’t about to turn down the trade she’d offered. “It’s a deal. Shall we shake on it?”

“Is that how you lawyers seal important deals like this one?” she asked.

“Absolutely.” As she slipped her hand in his, he was tempted to let his fingers lightly stroke her soft smooth skin but he knew better. She wasn’t the kind to engage in any casual dalliance, and he wasn’t going to jeopardize the chance to spend an evening with Melissa instead of some boring debutante.

He couldn’t quite figure out why she intrigued him so much, but he suspected that once the boys were placed, there was little chance their paths would cross again.

The next morning when Melissa and the boys went down for breakfast, the dog was gone.

“Gone?” Melissa said in disbelief when Scruffy was nowhere to be seen. The boys began to wail loudly.

“You lied!” Eric clenched his little fists. “You said we could keep him.”

Richie’s dark eyes suddenly filled with tears. “I liked Scruffy. He was a neat dog. Why did you let someone take him away?”

“I’m sure there must be some mistake,” Melissa soothed, trying to keep her own anger under control. She’d heard David’s car leave early, so he must have decided to dispose of the dog before the boys got up. He’d skipped out of the house before the ax could fall. She couldn’t believe that he’d gone back on the deal they’d made. Apparently he’d decided her company at the fund-raiser wasn’t worth the hassle of putting up with a scrawny mutt for a few days.

Inga came into the breakfast room with a puzzled look on her face. “What’s all the fuss about?”

Melissa tried to keep her voice even. Nothing would be gained by lighting into the housekeeper. “What did David do with the dog, Inga?”

“Oh, he told Hans to take him to some dog place.”

“The dog pound?” Melissa asked, almost choking on the words.

“No, not the pound. You know, one of those place where they give dogs baths and trim them up nice. Hans was supposed to take the dog to the vet for some shots, too.”

As a surge of relief swept over Melissa, she was surprised at her own quick reaction to think the worst. In fact, she was a little ashamed. David had been more than gracious to put up with this invasion of his home and privacy, and he had every right to protest keeping the dog. Melissa felt guilty about the way she had judged him, when, instead, he was spending money on the dog for grooming and shots. She was as bad as the boys.

“What happened to Scruffy?” Eric demanded, not understanding Inga’s explanation and looking as worried as ever.

“It’s all right, boys,” Melissa assured them. She explained where Hans had taken the dog and why. She joked that they might have to change Scruffy’s name to fit his new looks. “David just wanted to make sure the dog was all nice and clean and healthy.”

“He must like Scruffy,” Eric said, suddenly happy, his lips curving in a soft smile.

“David’s a good guy,” Richie agreed, in an instant change of heart.

Inga just shook her head. “Wonders never cease. A dog in the house. Heaven help us. I don’t know what’s gotten into David to allow it.” Her clear eyes held a knowing glint as she looked at Melissa and added, “And then again, maybe I do.”

The way the housekeeper was looking at her made Melissa stiffen. Surely the housekeeper didn’t think that there was anything personal in allowing the boys to keep the dog. While she was trying to decide how to respond, Inga gave a teasing laugh.

“David spoke to me about keeping the boys on Friday night while you two go out,” she said. “He wants his tux put in order and his silver cuff links polished. My, my, such a to-do.” Inga’s eyes held a merry sparkle as she asked solemnly, “Will you be needing my help getting ready for the special occasion? Your dating the governor’s counselor will raise a few eyebrows.”

All of a sudden Melissa wondered what she’d let herself in for by agreeing to accompany David to this political affair. She’d be on display as his companion. What in the world had she been thinking of? Maybe she should back out now before she embarrassed them both.

“It’s really not a date,” she corrected the housekeeper.

“Of course not,” Inga agreed much too readily to be sincere. “David explained that you were just helping him out. He’s always getting pressured to take someone—many times a woman he doesn’t know—to these affairs. It’s nice that you’re willing to go along with him.”

Melissa sighed. “I don’t know if he’ll think so when I get all tongue-tied with some of his fancy friends, or say the wrong thing. Reading the society page is as close as I’ve ever gotten to this kind of shindig.”

“David wouldn’t be taking you if he had any doubts about you. Just keep your head high and show them that pretty smile of yours, ya?”

“Ya,” Melissa agreed with a chuckle.

Hans came back with the dog, who was all bathed and clipped. Scruffy still looked like a skinny, long-haired mutt, but the boys thought he was absolutely handsome. Now that Scruffy had had a bath, his coat was more caramel-colored than dirty brown. He couldn’t have been more than two years old, and looked as if he might grow another head taller. His mixed heritage gave him long legs, a stubby body and long ears, but his friendliness made up for his ungainly appearance.

As the boys tumbled in the grass with him, Melissa prayed that a family could be found for the boys that would also include an affectionate young dog. Every time she started to worry about what was going to happen to Richie and Eric if a relative couldn’t be found to take them, she reminded herself, Let go and let God.

Melissa made a quick trip back to her apartment while the boys were down for their naps. She needed other things that she hadn’t brought with her the first time. Certainly, attending a fancy function hadn’t been in her thoughts when she packed her clothes for a few days’ stay at the Ardell home.

With some misgivings, she drew her new summer dress from the closet. Somehow, it didn’t look as chic as Melissa had remembered. At least she had two pieces of her grandmother’s jewelry to wear with the lilac, floor-length dress. The amethyst necklace and earrings were as lovely as any offered in the modern stores. She touched them lovingly and murmured, “Granny, I’m going out on the town.”

Go get ’em, girl.

Melissa could almost hear her beloved grandmother’s voice as clearly as her own breath. Even after her death, the loving woman who had raised her never seemed far away, and her strength of faith and her courage were still guiding forces in Melissa’s life. She knew that her grandmother would approve of the steps she’d taken to find a home for Eric and Richie. And even though her grandmother might not totally approve of David Ardell and his worldly lifestyle, Melissa knew that she would have applauded his willingness to suffer the presence of two playful children and an energetic dog in his home.

“What’s this I hear about you making reservations for two at the fund-raiser?” Stella asked, breezing into David’s office with a smile on her face. “Don’t tell me you broke down and invited some lucky lady to go with you?”

“I don’t know whether lucky is the right word,” David countered, amused at Stella’s open curiosity. “But yes, I’ve invited someone to attend the affair with me,” he admitted, and then purposefully let his eyes drop back to the paper he held in his hand, as if the subject was closed.