Page 66 of Here Comes Santa Paws

I frowned. “True.” She was right. The appointments I got to have in patients’ homes were always the best. I’d miss that part of the job, but sacrifices were necessary for advancement.

“You hate admin work too. You glare at your computer whenever you have to do it. This new job would be mostly admin work and meetings. Is that worth the title and pay bump?”

I sat back in my chair and rapped my knuckles on the table. She raised some good points, but I didn’t want to stay at the same level forever. If I wasn’t working toward the next level in my career, then what was the point?

She reached over and placed her hand on mine. “You don’t have to leave, you know.”

“But I never stay.”

Her sad smile hit me like a jab to the gut. “You haven’t stayedyet, but you could.” The “you should” went unspoken but as loud as if she’d shouted it. “That’s the beauty of being an adult. You get to make your own choices.”

Chapter 27

Elias

I hadto work to keep my focus on the road as I drove through town to Gramps’s place. The festive decorations held even more cheer with the snow that fell overnight. There was something special about glistening snow weighing down the branches of pine trees. There wasn’t enough snow to interrupt the festival, but the perfect amount to make the snowperson building contest more fun.

I pulled up to Gramps’s house and found him already bundled for the cold Saturday afternoon and taking slow steps toward my car. Thank god he was using his cane and not being stubborn. I was grateful to the Good Samaritan who’d cleared his walkway.

He pulled the passenger door open and carefully hefted himself onto the seat.

“Hey, Gramps. How’s the hip?”

“Bionic. How’s the attitude?”

“Biting.”

He clapped my shoulder. “Thanks for picking me up.”

“No problem. Glad to spend some time together and get you out and about. Excited for the snowperson contest?” Hopefully,we’d work in a visit to the new Ginger’s Breads food truck after it ended.

“I am, but since we’re running early, head toward Tidings & Joy.”

“You got it.” Maybe he wanted to pick something up at the store first.

When we reached Blitzen Street, Gramps directed me to pass Tidings & Joy to park at the shelter.

“We’re supposed to beminimizingyour walking stretches, not getting in extra exercise.”

Gramps waved me off. “Are you going to deny an old man who wants to squeeze in a visit to the shelter? What if I want to adopt?”

I whipped my head in his direction. “Are you?”

“I said ‘what if.’ Let’s go, kiddo.”

I narrowed my eyes at Gramps. He was up to something. Then it hit me. Nancy was running the show today alongside a couple other volunteers. Gramps wanted to visit Nancy. I was keen to facilitate some flirting if it made him happy.

As we slowly approached the shelter’s front entrance, I noticed a familiar silver truck. Roman? He was probably running errands in town.

When I looked back at Gramps, I caught him smiling. What in the world was going on?

I held open the shelter door, and two women holding hands came out saying something about Santa.

“Thanks! Merry Christmas!” one of them called as they walked through the open door.

“Merry Christmas,” I said, waving them off. I kept the door open for Gramps to pass. He winked at me as he did.

When I followed him inside, I froze. Tinsel and Nutcracker tested the limits of their leads in Nancy’s hand. Krampus meowed from her carrier on the counter, and Roman held theend of Carol’s lead. She lay at his feet, head resting on his shoes, ignoring my energetic dogs bouncing around her.

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