Page 53 of Always Almost You

The man nodded. “We didn’t want to pull over on the shoulder of the highway. The rest stop was close, so we limped in. I hope I haven’t ruined the rim.”

Mike crouched and examined it. “I think it will be fine. Do you have a jack?”

The man retrieved it from the trunk and handed it to him.

“Do you mind if I take care of this?” Mike asked.

“I’d be most grateful,” the man said. “I’m afraid my days of changing tires are behind me.”

Buddy sat nearby, observing like a furry foreman supervising the operation.

Within minutes, Mike had the new tire mounted. He placed the flat tire in the trunk. “I’m no expert,” he said, brushing off his hands, “but I don’t think it’s repairable.”

“I’m afraid you’re right,” the man said.

“We only have another forty miles to get home,” the woman said, handing Mike a roll of paper towels from the trunk.

Mike wiped the grime from his hands. “You should have no problem making it.”

The man pulled a worn leather wallet from his back pocket and opened it. Inside was a small stack of folded bills. He thumbed through the ones until he found a five-dollar bill. “I know this isn’t much,” he said, offering it to Mike, “but I’d like to buy you a cup of coffee. I don’t know what we would have done without you.”

Mike shook his head. “That’s not necessary. It only took a few minutes. Buddy and I are on a long drive. We needed the break.”

The man hesitated, then looked at his wife.

She bent toward Buddy, who stepped forward and placed his muzzle gently into her hand.

“Oh my,” she said, stroking his ears. “This fellow looks just like our Gladys.”

Her husband smiled.

“She’s been gone many years,” the woman continued, scratching Buddy under the chin. “But we still miss her. Best dog we ever had.”

Buddy leaned into her affection, tail wagging.

The woman looked up at Mike. “Would you take the money and buy this handsome boy some treats? That would make us both happy.”

Her husband nodded in agreement.

Mike accepted the bill. “Thank you. I’ll remind him they’re from you.”

They watched as the elderly couple got into their faithful old sedan. The engine turned over with a determined rumble before the car rolled toward the ramp to the highway.

“Well,” Mike said as they walked toward their SUV. “Look at you, being the Good Samaritan.” He glanced down at the dog. “How did you know that sweet couple needed help?”

Buddy looked up at him and raised his expressive golden retriever eyebrows in that unmistakable way that made it seem like he understood everything.

Mike laughed. “Yeah,” he said. “That’s what I thought.”

CHAPTER 35

Lauren and Pumpkin entered through the rear door of K + L Interiors at 8:30 a.m., Lauren balancing a cup of coffee in a cardboard sleeve branded with The Friendly Bean logo and a small takeout box containing Pumpkin’s pupcake.

Kathy rose from behind her desk the moment they walked in. “There you are!” she said, opening her arms. She hugged Lauren first, then dropped to her knees to give Pumpkin an enthusiastic rubdown. “I was beginning to worry you’d experienced travel delays again,” Kathy said. “It’s rare for me to beat you into the office. I got here at seven this morning and nearly fainted when your car wasn’t in the lot. You probably needed a sleep-in after your vacation.”

Lauren opened the takeout box and set it on the floor beside Pumpkin’s empty water bowl. Pumpkin immediately tucked into her breakfast while Lauren refilled the bowl with fresh water. “Well, you’d better get used to it,” Lauren said, shrugging out of her coat. “From now on I’m working normal business hours. You won’t find me here before eight, and you won’t catch me after five-thirty.”

Kathy’s brows shot upward. “You’re kidding.” She narrowed her eyes and studied Lauren from head to toe. “Who are you, and what have you done with my friend?”