Free Saving Grace by Katie Graykowski Page B

on the back. “Good dog.”
    She scratched him behind the ears, and his whole body smiled. When she pulled her hand away, he leaned against her leg and shot her large, soulful brown puppy dog eyes. She resumed scratching.
    “Come on Clementine.” The voice was light, but gravely from disuse. She looked down to find that it came from Cart.
    His mischievous grin made her want to bust out laughing. She ruffled his hair. “You’re a stinker.”
    “Yeah, my dad says so too.” Cart’s cheeks flamed red. He was too adorable for words.
    He walked forward, and Clementine followed him, his lifejacket swishing with every step.
    “Do you ever take the lifejacket off?” Grace glanced at Lizzy as they walked to a door that must lead outside.
    “Not anymore. The last time we took it off, he cried and carried on like we’d amputated one of his legs. It was pathetic.” Lizzy shook her head. “Clementine came to us by way of hurricane Katrina. Rescuers found him three days after the storm chained to a tree and treading water. He’s allowed to be scared of water, and if wearing a lifejacket makes him feel better, we’re happy to do it.”
    Grace’s heart melted and she picked up her pace to catch up to the dog. She scratched him behind the ears again. “That lifejacket looks good on you.”
    Lizzy patted him on the back. “Poor thing, he’ll never be adopted.”
    “Why?” Grace continued to scratch as they walked. Besides being overly large and the water phobia, he looked very healthy.
    “He’s afraid of many things. Most people want small dogs so the larger take longer to adopt. Add in his phobias and well, he’s a lifer here.” Lizzy sounded resigned.
    “What else is he scared of?” Grace absolutely was not going to adopt this dog. The last thing she needed was more responsibility. She could barely keep a roof over her head, much less this dog’s.
    Clementine looked up at her with huge please-love-me eyes, and her resolve wavered.
    “Well, let me think. Besides the water, he’s afraid of paperclips, turtles, clouds shaped like paperclips or turtles, milk, lip-gloss, the color purple, bicycles, wooden spoons, rhinestones, newspapers, drums, SpongeBob Square Pants, rain, fog, deer, cherry-scented candles, toilet paper, and Hershey’s Kisses. Oh, and he’s not crazy about sliced cheese. String cheese is okay, but he doesn’t understand those individually wrapped cheese slices.” Lizzy was all business.
    Grace waited for the punch line, but after a few seconds she gave up. Apparently, the Austin Humane Heroes did an in depth psychiatric evaluation. Clementine was a big boy with big fears.
    Lizzy opened a metal door that lead outside to a huge fenced in area.
    Clementine froze, and then cowered behind Cart.
    “I forgot.” Lizzy pointed to a three-inch by three-inch spot of dirt where the grass had died. “He’s afraid of dirt. Grass he loves, but dirt terrifies him.”
    “Come on boy, it’s okay, I won’t let that mean dirt hurt you.” Cart said as he gently pulled Clementine in the opposite direction of the dirt square.
    “Clementine’s a sweet dog, but he has issues.” Lizzy hung her head. “I wish we knew how to help him.”
    “What about the fostering program?” Grace was absolutely not going to take this dog home.
    “He needs to be an only dog, and the foster parents usually take multiples because we have so many who need the home socialization.” Lizzy shook her head. “He’s here to stay.”
    Cart and HW were running with Clementine. The dog had sparked something inside Cart, giving him the confidence to speak, which made this dog special…very special. Everyone deserved a good home, and Grace would do her best to find him one.

 
     
     
Chapter 11
     
     
    At seven-thirty that night, Chord pulled into his garage. All afternoon, Grace had been texting him cute pictures with his boys walking and playing with dogs. He stepped out of the car, closed the garage, and opened the door to the