Page 11 of Since the Day We Kissed

“This dog.” Emma chuckled, shaking her head. “Acts like I never feed him. He had two treats on the car ride over here.”

“Another one won’t hurt, right?” Kara winked at Emma.

Emma arched a brow. “All right. But if he gets fat, I’m blaming you.” She slipped a treat from her pocket, holding it just out of reach, before his jaws snapped around it. With two quick chomps, the treat vanished. Riley licked his chops with a satisfied smack and eyes that were already searching for more.

Kara smiled warmly at the scene and set the boxes on the table. She opened one and pulled out one of the clear bags, tied with ribbon, then inspected it. “You baked them into hearts this time. Very cutesy.”

“Aren’t they?”

“The regulars are gonna love these.”

Emma clapped her hands. “Well then, let’s get these set up. Shall we?”

They began to unpack the boxes, arranging the treat bags on the display. Soon, the once-empty table was transformed into a colorful array of heart-shaped treats.

“There,” Kara said, placing the final bag. “I think that’s everything.”

“Oh! I almost forgot!” Emma dashed to her car and returned with another large box, setting it on the table. “These are for the pups in the back. I made extra batches of the broken pieces and scraps. They may not be heart-shaped, but I’m sure the dogs won’t mind.”

“Em, it must have taken you hours to make all these. How much do I owe you?”

“Not a thing.” Emma shook her head. “It’s a donation to the rescue.” Her voice softened. “Without you, I wouldn’t have Riley. And without him—” She patted the display. “Well, none of this would exist. It’s the least I can do.”

Kara smiled. “I don’t deserve you.”

“You kidding me? I’m the lucky one here. You deserve all the wonderful things. I just happen to be one of them.” Emma batted her eyes and tossed her auburn hair over her shoulder.

Kara pressed her lips together, trying to keep a straight face, but when their eyes met, they both giggled.

As their laughter subsided, Kara gave a quick nod toward the back. “Wanna see the pups?”

“Do you even have to ask? Lead the way.”

As they walked through the double doors to the kennels, the familiar sounds of the rescue surrounded them: dogs barking from their cages, the occasional clatter of a metal water bowl being nudged across the floor, and the low hum of the ventilation system working overtime to keep the place cool.

Emma looked up and down the aisles, her eyes scanning the rows of occupied kennels. “How many dogs are there?”

“With the new litter,” Kara’s gaze fell on the nearest kennel, “twenty-four.”

Emma’s eyes widened. “Whoa. I can’t even imagine. Your volunteers must be working overtime to keep this place running, huh?”

Kara leaned back against the rough-textured wall. “Yeah, that’d be nice, wouldn’t it?”

“What do you mean?”

Kara’s eyes glistened, her lower lip trembling as she fought for control. For three ragged heartbeats, silence stretched between them. Then her composure crumbled, words spilling out in a rush. “Em, I-I don’t even know where to start. Our volunteers have been dropping like flies—moving away, ghosting us, you name it. It’s been like this for months now.” Her voice cracked. “I’m trying to do everything myself, but I can’t keep up. Adoptions are down, we’re out of foster homes, and we hit capacity weeks ago. The bills keep piling up, our savings are nearly gone, and I—” She took a shaky breath. “I’m drowning here, Em. I love this place more than anything, but I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up alone.”

“Oh, Kara, why didn’t you say something sooner? I had no idea things were this bad.” Emma crossed the space between them in two quick strides, her arm settling around Kara’s slumped shoulders.

Kara wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “You’ve got your own stuff going on. Your business, your family.” She sighed. “I didn’t want to dump my problems on top of all that.”

“Stop. Right now. You’re family. Your problems are my problems.” She glanced around the kennels. “What can I do to help tonight?”

Kara patted Emma’s hand. “Thanks, I’m good for now. Bedding’s changed, everyone’s fed, and they’ve all had their outside time.” She attempted a reassuring smile. “Just a rough patch. I’ll figure it out.”

Emma’s eyes lit up. “Wait, the adoption event coming up—that’s perfect! We can set up a recruitment booth. I’ll take care of it—signage, talking to people, and whatever else we need to do to get you volunteers.”

“Em, seriously, you don’t have to—”

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