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Pearl’s dog?”
    “Yep. We bought him to protect her.”
    “Y’all bought him? To protect her?” Jill shook her head in disbelief. “You’re full of it.”
    “Clyde pulled her garden cart, too. He’s a Bernese Mountain Dog.”
    “This is not my grandmother’s dog. I’d have known if she’d decided to buy a dog the size of a horse.” She cocked her head. “He was never here when I came to visit.”
    “You sure about that?”
    She eyed him curiously. Her visits had been quick. It was possible.
    Garrett nodded. “Maybe she didn’t want to worry you.”
    “That’s ridiculous. No one needs protecting in Adams Grove.”
    He placed the end of the leash in her hand. “I’m afraid it’s true, darlin’.”
    She closed her hands around the leash. “Don’t call me darlin’.”
    “I’m sure the paperwork is in Pearl’s desk. You know how meticulous she was about paperwork. Since you insist on handling everything, I knew you’d want to take care of Clyde, too.” He patted her hand.
    She stood wide-eyed and motionless. “I can’t take care of this dog.”
    “Sure you can.”
    “He’s drooling.” She distanced herself from the slimy string that hung from Clyde’s mouth.
    “Yeah. He does that.” Garrett took a hand towel out of the truck and tossed it her way. “Pearl kept one slung over her shoulder.”
    Jill caught the towel mid-air. “Oh...my...God. This is just gross.” She reached toward the big dog’s chin to wipe the string of drool. “Ewww, nasty.” Clyde nuzzled his face against the hip of Jill’s jeans, taking care of the drool on his own.
    “Lovely.” She rubbed the towel against the shiny spot on her hip.
    Garrett leaned against the door of his truck, snickering.
    “It’s not funny,” she said.
    “You’ll get used to it.”
    “What did Pearl need with a dog this size?”
    “I told you. She needed protection. Someone broke into the house a few months after you left. She didn’t want a gun. We settled on a dog instead.”
    Another break-in? What’s going on around here? “Why didn’t someone tell me?”
    “You weren’t around,” he reminded her.
    “Quit saying that.” Jill had to admit it did make sense though. “That’s when she got the new television, isn’t it? She told me someone needed it more than she did.”
    “She always had a way with words,” Garrett said.
    “You should have called me.” She winced as soon as the words escaped her lips.
    “Me? I don’t think so.”
    She knew he was right. Her gut surged with guilt, but she sure wouldn’t admit that to him.
    Jill turned her attention back to Clyde. “What am I supposed to feed this beast?”
    “I’ve got you covered.” Garrett opened the tailgate of the truck and hoisted a bag of dog food up onto his shoulder. He took the fifty-pound bag to the front porch and dropped it with a thud. “This should hold him for a week or so.”
    “A week? My God, how much does he eat?”
    “That size dog? As much as he damn well pleases.”
    “I guess so,” Jill said. The heavy dose of sarcasm in Garrett’s voice hadn’t gone unnoticed. He was enjoying this way too much. She patted the top of the dog’s head. “We never had a dog the whole time I was growing up. I can’t believe Pearl got one after I moved out.”
    “Believe it.” He opened the door to his truck. “Got to go.” He waved from the rolled down window as he drove off.
    “Fine.” Jill slapped her thigh as she’d seen Garrett do. Clyde’s ears perked and he fell into step by her side. “That was easy,” she said, surprised. “C’mon, Clyde. You must be the reason for the picket fence around the backyard. I thought Pearl was trying to keep the rabbits out of her garden.” She opened the gate and the dog ran past her into seemingly familiar territory. “Off you go, buddy.”
    Jill wrestled the monster bag of food from the porch through the front door. Once inside, the bag slid easily on the hardwood floors to the kitchen. She