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far end of the Save’Em property, which was framed in light blue with white trim. The inside was cottage-like, too, with entry straight into the living room. Bella showed me around. A doorway at the far side led to the hall to the kitchen and two bedrooms.
    “Cute place,” I told Bella.
    I didn’t understand why her laugh was so wry until she said, “Definitely. But a far cry from the Beverly Hills mansion I moved out of.”
    I had to ask. “Which do you like better?”
    “Silly question. I’m free here. No fights every day, and I can pick my companions. Right, Sammy?”
    After she fed Sammy and exchanged her Save’Em shirt for an attractive peach blouse, we headed for the place we’d agreed on for dinner, a chain steakhouse not far from Save’Em. I drove. I didn’t have to ask Bella what was on her mind. The forced smile on her lovely face told me that she, like me, was rehashing that awful conversation with her ex. She responded to my questions, but otherwise didn’t say much.
    Inside the restaurant, though, she opened up after we ordered our food and hit the salad bar. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get wine in the family joint, but that didn’t matter—not when I started a topic of conversation that obviously appealed to her.
    “Tell me how you decided to open Save’Em,” I asked as soon as we sat down at our booth once more.
    The false, brave smile on her face segued to a real one. “As soon as I’d made the decision to leave Miles at last, I considered what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. He hates animals, so we didn’t have any pets for the horrible ten years we were married. I missed them. I also knew what it felt like to live in hell and need a change, a sanctuary.”
    “I’m so sorry.” I thought of my own horrible second marriage and how my decision to go into pet rescue had been similar, but she needed to talk, not listen to my tale of redemption.
    A server brought our meals—both burgers. As I cut mine in half, Bella continued, “The idea came to me whilewatching some TV shows when Miles wasn’t around. A couple of them were Carlie’s, about animal rescue and pet health. I finally dumped Miles more than a year ago. I was smart about it, carefully moving my half of our community property out of our bank and stock accounts first. We’re still arguing about that, of course. He claims I had no right to it. A judge granted our divorce but left property division open. We’re continually fighting about money and our interests in the rental properties we own, too. But that’s not what you wanted to hear. I looked for the right place, bought it in my own name with a down payment from the money—
my
money, which I had rightfully taken from our accounts—then remodeled it as soon as the divorce was final. That was why I only started taking in special-needs pets a few months ago.”
    “What a wonderful story,” I told her as she bit into her burger. “The creation of Save’Em, I mean—not the rest. When Carlie interviews you on her show, you’ll have to tell it to the world.”
    “Of course.” She grinned. “I want everyone to know and feel happy about what I did—and donate as much money as possible, since what I have won’t last forever.” She seemed to wilt for a moment as her mind again circled her ex. “It may not last long at all if I have to continue to use it to fight Miles off legally. And if he wins our property battle—”
    “Don’t even think about that,” I told her. “You’re entitled to what you got and undoubtedly more.”
    “You’re a dear, Lauren.” Her pretty blue eyes brightened as she regarded me.
    “Of course I am.” I smiled. “Now, let’s just enjoy our dinner and not even think about our ugly exes.”
    “You have one, too?”
    I still hadn’t intended to mention mine. The thought had just slipped out.
    “Yes.” I gave her the short version.
    “We’ve got a lot in common, then, Lauren,” Bella said when I finished, her voice soft