Free 1022 Evergreen Place by Debbie Macomber Page A

community.”
    â€œHow many dogs?”
    â€œWe’re starting with six dogs and six children between the ages of seven and eleven. They’re all at risk schoolwise.”
    â€œThe superintendent’s on board?”
    â€œOh, yes. The superintendent herself told me she’s impressed with the idea.”
    Olivia reached for her tea. “I’m absolutely enthralled with the whole thing.”
    â€œMe, too, and I’m so glad they all came from the animal shelter.”
    Olivia glanced up. “Aren’t they trained? I thought you told me they were.”
    â€œWell, yes, they are. Beth Morehouse chose the dogs from the shelter and then trained them as therapy dogs. She does wonders with these animals. She’s been taking them into nursing homes and hospitals for the past couple of years.”
    â€œBeth Morehouse? You’ve mentioned her, but we’ve never met. She wasn’t at the fundraiser, was she?”
    â€œNo, she was out of town, working with a dog owner in Seattle.”
    â€œTell me about her.” Olivia grimaced. “You’ve probably told me before but, you know—chemo brain.”
    Grace was well aware that chemotherapy often resulted in a mental fog that could take months or even years to lift.
    Grace nodded sympathetically. “She moved into the area a few years back. She’s a divorced mother of two and a dog trainer by profession. She already had three dogs of her own and then adopted the others…and it sort of grew from there.”
    Grace had met Beth while working as a volunteer at the animal shelter. When she discovered Beth had therapy dogs, it seemed natural to use them in the Reading with Rover program. Grace had first spoken to Beth in early winter, and the other woman had immediately caught her vision and agreed to help.
    â€œI’m excited about it,” Grace said. Not only did she love bringing new programs into the library, but this one had felt right from the moment she’d heard of it. Now, after months of planning, she was about to see it come to fruition.
    â€œI know it’s going to go well,” Olivia said with unwavering confidence.
    â€œI hope you’re right.”
    â€œDo I detect a note of hesitation?” Olivia asked.
    Having been friends all these years, Olivia knew herbetter than anyone, even Cliff. “Not hesitation, exactly. I’m a bit concerned about the two high school volunteers.”
    The waitress brought their meals and they both started to eat.
    â€œOne is Tanni Bliss and the other is Kristen Jamey,” Grace said after a spoonful of soup. “Those two are about as different as any two teenagers can be. Kristen is a cheerleader and I understand she’s well liked. Tanni, on the other hand, goes out of her way to avoid hanging out with the popular crowd. I know from her mother that she’s had a rough time of it since her father died and pretty much isolates herself. I just hope Tanni and Kristen can work together.”
    â€œWhat makes you suspect they can’t?”
    Grace wasn’t sure how to explain it. “At the first volunteer meeting, I saw how Tanni looked at Kristen, like she thought the time I spent training Kristen was a complete waste. She as much as said so—she hinted that after a couple of weeks, Kristen would be gone. Kristen pretended not to hear, but she did and I could tell she was offended.”
    Olivia paused with her fork next to her plate. “Why would Tanni take such a strong dislike to Kristen?”
    â€œShe seems to view Kristen as an airhead who’s gotten involved because she needs a volunteer project on her college application. Tanni implied Kristen wasn’t going to get into college on her grades alone. She’s a cheerleader, very cute and bubbly, and Tanni isn’t that type. Like I said, the two are total opposites.”
    â€œShe’s recently lost her father, so my guess is that Tanni’s