I was terribly distracted the rest of the week. Carol snapped at me more than once for letting the phone ring four times. Twice, production came in to point out order errors. Mostly I was thinking about food. I'd decided to take Gwen's advice and go to Thanksgiving dinner at Tim's. He wasn't doing it on actual Thanksgiving, but the week before, so his daughters could be with their mom on the real day. I would take the cranberry fluff as requested, but I found myself sort of wanting to make other sides too. I could do some Rosemary/Thyme biscuits, bacon-wrapped asparagus... it had been a long time since I'd had the urge to cook.

Little Cut swung by my cube on Friday morning. "My sister's been asking about you."

"Sorry?" I'd been daydreaming about garlic smashed potatoes.

"She said to tell you she'll be at the pop-up pet adoption again today and you should stop by. I think I might walk over at lunch if you want to come with?"

I twisted left and right in my chair. "I don't know. She's just going to try to talk me into getting a dog."

"She definitely is. You'll have to be strong." He smiled. It was an unseasonably warm day out. I could go for some sunshine.

"Okay. Fine. But don't you dare let me get a pet. I have no business owning a pet. I am still grieving an overwatered succulent."

"Okay. Deal."

At noon, I punched the DND button on my phone and left my jacket hanging on the back of my chair. Outside, Little Cut stopped and breathed in deeply. "That's so good. I hate being stuck in that office all day." I was shocked to hear him admit that. I'd never heard him use the word "hate" before.

"You hate it?"

"Well, I love the company. Hate being at a desk all day. I'd rather do sales."

"Why don't you then?"

He gave me a confused look. "No sales positions open right now." Uh, I bet your dad would make one for you. "So, Customer Service it is."

"What's your degree in?"

He snorted. "I don't want to tell you."

"Tell me!"

"I always wanted to work at Cutter Co. And I wanted to be in sales. Like my dad was." It must be nice to look up to your dad, I thought, with a little snark. "But there's no sales major, you know? So I went with the other thing I love."

"I'm ready."

"Entertainment Engineering and Design. I learned to do engineering for nightclubs, casinos... things like that."

I studied him. "Huh. Well, I guess office furniture can be entertaining. The rolling chairs? Super fun." That won me a sheepish little grin.

"I minored in Econ. at least. Better?"

"I approve. At least you're using your college degree." As soon as the words were out of my mouth I realized I may have made a mistake.

"What was your major?"

"You mean you haven't poured over my resume, to be sure you're best utilizing my skills?"

"I will be now. So what was it? Let me guess." He stopped walking and squinted his eyes at me as though measuring me. "Music education?"

"Nope."

"High Renaissance Art and Literature?"

"That's very specific, but no."

"Underwater basket weaving?"

I giggled. "Yup! Nailed it!"

Mercifully we were approaching the animals now, and Marnie practically cartwheeled over to us. "You guys are here!" She jumped up and down, then took my wrist and pulled me to the kennels. "Look! Look at this little guy! He's the sweetest little baby in all the land!" She opened the cage door and pulled out a puppy with a square face and pink nose. "No offense Bugster," she told the dog in the kennel beside him, "You're the sweetest little baby too." Before I knew what was happening, she thrust the dog into my arms. "Wouldn't he be the bestest friends with Mario, Ry?"

Bestest? Ry? My head was spinning. When Little Cut laughed it stilled a bit to focus on the puppy in my arms. It was trembling, and buried its little nose in the crook of my arm. "Sooooo... you want him?"

"Oh, Marnie. I just can't. He's precious. But I can't have a puppy. I'm at work all day and I... travel a lot."

"You do?" Little Cut sounded surprised.

"Well, not lately. But..." I trailed off while the Cutter siblings cocked their heads at me. Was that adorable inquisitive look in their genes? If Cutter Sr. used that look to sell his furniture, it would explain a lot about the success of the company. They were impossible to say "no" to. Almost impossible. "I'm sorry, Marnie. I think somebody else will give him a happier home." She looked confused, but held her arms out for him. He was asleep in my arms and seemed to have gained fifteen pounds. My arms ached. I did not return him.

When I was eleven I went through a puppy stage, when I wanted a dog desperately. My mom said it was up to my dad, but he shut me down repeatedly. "When you move out, you can have all the animals you want," he'd told me. For Christmas that year I got a fish. It was dead even faster than my succulent.

"Well, we tried," Ryan told his sister.

"Yeah, we tried." She sounded so sad. She was worse than a puppy when she looked at me with her big blue eyes.

"It was a good effort, guys. I just can't. I'm sorry." I still did not give him back. We stood and chatted about the other animals and a book reading Marnie was going to later. For all her bubbly energy, she was also bright and compassionate. Even if she exhausted me, I couldn't help but like the girl. "It's Sarah Montgomery. She wrote Beyond Borders? I love her."

"Sarah Montgomery's in town?"

"Yeah, do you know her?"

"I love her. I haven't read Beyond Borders yet, but Petals in the Winter is one of my favorite books." It was the last book Gwen and I read in our two-person book club before she moved away.

"Come with me! Come with me, come with me, come with me!" She jumped up and down with every command. I hid behind Little Cut and peeked out from behind him in an exaggerated move. "Okay, I'll calm down. But seriously, none of my lame friends want to go and I hate going places alone."

"Mmmm..." I swayed left and right. "I don't know..." What if a shadow decided to come tonight? With their wonky time warping I'd stand her up, and that made me sad. On the other hand, a shadow hadn't visited in almost two weeks. And I really did want to see Sarah Montgomery. "What time are you going?" I asked as thought that made a difference. Like I'd have to be sure I could squeeze in a book reading between all my other nighttime events.

"It's at 7. I could pick you up at 6:30?" She was still bouncing lightly. I looked at Little Cut. He put his palms up and shrugged as if to say, "I can't think of an excuse for you not to go." He looked more than a little amused.

"Okay, I'm in. See you at 6:30. I live in theOldham building. Give me a call when you get there?" We exchanged numbers andthat was that. I had plans with Little Cut's sister for the night. Terrifying.