Page 29 of Architect's Christmas Nanny

“Not a problem,” Brad said. “Do you want me to wait out here?”

“It’s too cold for all that,” Helena said.

He followed her inside and down a hall to a waiting room. The door to the office was open, and inside he could see an older lady wiping her eyes with a tissue, a German Shepherd sitting beside her chair, his chin on her knee, as if he were commiserating.

“I’m sorry about that Lois,” Helena said, heading back in.

“Do you need to help the other person?” the lady asked softly.

“He’s here to talk about adopting a dog,” Helena said gently. “And he’s in no hurry, so we’re going to take all the time we need.”

“Does he want to meet Moose?” the lady asked.

“Oh,” Helena said. “I haven’t really talked with him about what he’s looking for.”

“It would be so nice if Moose could go right home without being here too long,” the lady said.

Helena’s eyes went to Brad, and he nodded and got up right away.

“Chances aren’t good that this is a match,” Helena explained. “Brad will probably want to think about it. Come on in, Brad.”

He stepped into the office and gave the lady a gentle smile.

“Brad,” she said, eyeing him in surprise. “Are you Annabelle Williams’s boy?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said. “Are you Mrs. Lois Detton?”

“Now how did you remember me?” she asked, smiling through her tears. “I haven’t seen you since you were a teenager.”

“My mother said you were the best book sale volunteer she ever had,” Brad told her truthfully. “She said you’d read just about everything, and you always knew how to categorize them.”

“Oh, isn’t that just too much?” Mrs. Detton said, smiling at Helena in a pleased way.

“Well, it’s really nice to see you again,” Brad told her. “And you have a beautiful dog.”

“Isn’t he?” Mrs. Detton said, her eyes moving rapturously to Moose. “Are you looking for a nice big dog?”

Moose himself was eyeing Brad with interest, his ears pricked up, but still sitting politely next to his mistress. He was actually on the smaller side for a male Shepherd, but he was still substantial, and he looked nice and sturdy.

“I’m looking for a dog for my daughter,” Brad said, still eyeing the dog, whose gaze was so intelligent that it almost seemed like he was listening to them. “She’s always wanted one, and she’s having a hard time adjusting to the idea of this move. I want her to have a companion, and she tells me she’s ready for the responsibility.”

“That’s very nice,” Mrs. Detton said, patting Moose. “But won’t she want a little puppy?”

“No, ma’am,” Brad said. “She told me herself on her way to Pennsylvania that after doing more research, she would rather have an adult dog from a shelter.”

Helena nodded with a pleased expression behind her desk, but didn’t say a word.

“May I?” Brad asked Mrs. Detton, indicating the dog.

Something about the inky black creature was calling to him, and he felt like hehadto pat him.

“Oh, he’s a love,” Mrs. Detton said. “Go on.”

“Hey, buddy,” Brad said, crouching to call the dog.

Moose trotted over and sat in front of Brad, his head tilted slightly to one side in a puppyish way.

“How old is he?” he asked, as he reached out to stroke the silky fur on top of Moose’s head. The dog thrust his head up, as if to get the best possible patting.

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