Free Nothing but Love by Holly Jacobs Page A

she didn’t have to go cover the Everything But a Dog Day next weekend, but as the new kid at the station, she didn’t have a choice. 
                  She’d be seeing Nana Vancy again soon.

             
                 
                  Justin Stein switched off his radio.  The old lady from the dog foundation sounded like…like his grandmother.  His Grandma Millie was that kind of feisty.  If she were here, she’d look at his house, devoid of any and all Christmas decorations, horribly messy with drapes that were drawn and she’d tell him to buck up .  She’d tell him to stop focusing on what he’d lost and think about others.  She’d squeeze his cheeks and tell him to pick himself up and just get on with it.
                  The problem was, picking himself up involved putting on his new prosthetic leg.  Then hobbling about using crutches.
                  He knew he looked pathetic hobbling around.  He didn’t want, nor did he need, anyone’s pity.
                  His doctor kept telling him that despite the infection, he was lucky.  He could have died.  Lost his life.  But they’d saved him by amputating his leg below the knee.  That was lucky, too, because below the knee was easier to adapt to.
                  Lucky?
                  Easier?
                  Justin snorted.
                  Easier for who?
                  He looked at the prosthetic leg, leaned against the couch’s end table.
                  There was nothing at all easy about this situation.

              Angela kept waiting for the snow.  Everyone said it was a given in Erie, Pennsylvania.  And the holiday season was normally nothing but snow.  Because the city was on the shore of the great lake, it got snow in huge quantities due to something called lake effect .
                  Well, there was no lake effect snow, or any other kind of snow the following Saturday as Angela pulled up to the Erie shelter where Nana Vancy was having her Everything But a Dog event.  Before she was even out of the car, two dogs ran up to her…and then jumped up on her, greeting her as if she were an old friend.
                  She looked down at her jeans, that now sported big paw marks.
                  “Curie, Clara, down,” Nana Vancy hollered.   She hurried over.  “Oh, Angel, I’m so sorry.”
                  Angela brushed at the marks.  “Well, let’s look at the bright side…paw marks don’t show on the radio.”  She paused and added, “And it’s Angela.”
                  “Angel,” Nana Vancy said, as if she hadn’t heard her, “I love that sense of optimism.  If I were still matchmaking people, I’d definitely include that characteristic while I looked for your soulmate.”
                  The last thing Angela wanted was to have Nana Vancy fixing her up.  “Well, I’m sure all the animals are thrilled you’ve shifted your focus to finding the pets their forever homes.”  And frankly, so was she.
                  “Speaking of that, I might have the perfect pet for an optimistic angel.”
              “Angela,” she reminded the older woman.  “And I’m not looking for a pet.  I’m new to town and I work weird hours.  I’m just covering the event for WLVH.”
                  “WLVH, w here is more than just a song,” Nana Vancy murmured, staring at Angela in a way that made her feel distinctly uncomfortable. “Words have power, Angel.  I told you that you were going to find nothing but love, I didn’t know it was going to be a dog, but it is.  And you will meet the love of your life by Christmas all because you’re going to play angel for a very special dog.”

 
                  “…and that is why I