Twilight Time: Osprey Cove Pets, #2

By Gina Ardito

Burnt out after years of playing in the orchestra on Broadway, Spencer Knowles welcomes the chance for a long vacation. His plans take shape when he learns about a senior dog with a terminal condition looking for a forever home. Spence is going to give Lily the time of her life, fulfilling a canine bucket list as they travel across the country together in a small RV.

 

Maia Gardner is out of a job and out of money, but she's stunned when she sees her beloved dog on an animal shelter's web page for recent adoptions. Even worse, poor Lily has a debilitating illness that will eventually take her life. Now, Maia will do anything to make up for lost time with her fur baby.

 

Can these two strangers come together to give Lily the adventure of a lifetime? And what gift will Lily provide them in return?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gina Ardito
• Release date: Aug 15, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223172451

Gina Ardito

Gina Ardito is the award-winning author of more than twenty-five romances in contemporary, historical, and paranormal sub-genres. In 2012, she launched her freelance editing business, Excellence in Editing, and now has a stable of award-winning clients, as well. She’s hosted workshops around the world for writing conferences, author organization chapter meetings, and library events. After raising a husband and two kids (the kids are grown; the husband’s still a child), she now focuses her attention on her books and her rescue pups. To her everlasting shame, despite all her accomplishments, she’ll never be more famous than her dog, who starred in commercials for 2015’s Puppy Bowl. 

Book preview

Chapter 1

The eyes caught Spencer Knowles’s attention first. Large dark blue irises conveyed empathy. A glint of sadness told of a huge heart that had been crushed in the past. His fingers paused in his scrolling as he took in the sweet face in the photo before reading the blurb beneath.

Can You Spare Some Love for Lily?

Spence studied the photo, meant to tug at his heartstrings, and felt compelled to continue reading. That was the point of the ad, wasn’t it?

Lily loves long walks on the beach, a spirited ball game, and cuddling on the couch at night to watch TV. She is a sassy Australian shepherd mix, approximately twelve years old. Sadly, her owner passed away last month, and due to some of her health issues, no family members could take her in. If you have room in your heart and home for Lily, please contact Fur-Ever Friends Animal Shelter...

Ha! Leave it to Leah to go all out for her rescue pets. This ad was her best yet.

Placing his phone on the bedside table, he padded into his bathroom and turned on the tap for a shower. Before he could step beneath the steamy spray, his cell played a familiar ringtone, Ride of the Valkyries, a tune that indicated the call came from his former boss. He turned off the water and raced back to his bedroom to grab the phone in mid-song. Speak of the devil...

Hello?

Leah Stewart Blackthorne got right to the point. You really didn’t go?

She might not have been able to see his humorless smirk, but she definitely heard the acid in his tone when he replied, I told you there was no point.

She was your mother.

We said our goodbyes years ago.

Leah’s heavy disapproval whooshed through his ear on a wave of expelled breath. Spence—

Don’t. My mother wasn’t like your mom. She couldn’t accept I wanted to go my own way in life. I refused to become what the family ordained for me, and in her eyes, that made me expendable. Do you know how many tickets I sent to her over the years? Every time I saw that empty seat in the audience, I knew where I stood with her. My empty seat at her funeral could never hurt her as deeply.

"What about your father? Don’t you think it hurt him to see that empty seat at her funeral?"

He’s been gone over five years now. But even if he were alive, he wouldn’t have attended either. Their divorce was legendary. Attorneys all over Massachusetts still cite my mother’s antics as fodder on how not to treat a soon-to-be-ex-spouse.

I don’t know, Leah hemmed. Death is so... final. I just don’t want you to have regrets later.

Spence gave a bitter laugh. Oh, I have lots of regrets—none about my mother, though.

His words must have given her pause because silence reigned for a full minute. Are you reconsidering doing the road tour? Because if you’ve changed your mind on that, I can call Alex—

No. He cut her off again. I’m good, thanks. Spence had just finished a two-year stint as first violin for Leah’s Broadway hit, Oscar Wilde, Lord of the Vampires. While the show had closed in New York, a road tour was scheduled to start next month with performances planned for Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, Denver, and Seattle. Much as he loved playing for the show, he was ready for something new, after a little downtime to regroup and replenish his well of creativity.

He sank onto the bed to consider his next steps. In many ways, he was more fortunate than a lot of other musicians and performers. His father’s death a few years back had left him financially set for life, but socially, without his fellow orchestra mates, he was a lone polar bear on an ice floe in the middle of the Arctic Sea.

And then he remembered Lily, the sweet old shepherd with the bright blue eyes looking for someone to give her love. The idea struck like lightning in his head.

Hey, Leah? I’m thinking about adopting a dog. What do you say?

I say get a goldfish. A pet is a lifetime commitment, not just entertainment for a few months because you’re bored. Once you get a new gig, you’ll be gone for hours, days, maybe weeks at a time. What would you do with a dog or cat then? You can’t bring ‘em on the road. And I don’t allow my babies to be rented for a few months, then returned to the shelter.

What if I adopted a really old dog? Or a sick one who wasn’t expected to last longer than a year?

What kind of veterinary experience do you have to take on a sick dog?

I was pre-med in my former life.

You were?

We’ve talked about this. Spence had been groomed from an early age to follow in his father’s footsteps and pursue a career in cardiothoracic surgery. Like Mother, the old man had given him hell for veering off-course to chase his dream of first chair in a prestigious symphony—until he’d achieved that goal. Eventually, Dad became a fixture at his performances, sitting front and center. All was forgiven after that.

Leah’s sigh of surrender sounded like the sweetest interlude to Spence’s ears. Did you have a particular pet in mind?

Lily. The shepherd.

Wow. Aim high, why doncha? She paused, and Spence let the silence yawn between them. After a few beats, she asked, Are you really interested in Lily?

Maybe. What’s wrong with her?

"She’s got degenerative myelopathy—it’s a canine form of ALS, but I guess I don’t have to tell you that. She’s getting along okay right now, just a little slow, but eventually her back legs are going to give out on her."

Eventually, as in how long?

I can’t honestly say. We’ve been doing some therapy with her, but I believe if she stays in the shelter, she won’t last the year. If I can place her with someone who loves her and cares for her, she might have longer. But she’s not an apartment pet.

Neither am I.

Leah gave a light snort. I’m serious. Even with her condition, she needs room to roam.

"Can she roam?"

Her breed are herding dogs. They have high energy to begin with, so when I say she’s a little slow now, that doesn’t mean she’s a couch potato. She’ll need space to run or places to go on long hikes, lots of playtime, lots of toys to chew on. Aussies love to bark, so I doubt your neighbors will appreciate you taking her on.

Yeah, well, I was serious when I said I’m not an apartment pet, either. I have an idea, but I want to meet Lily first, maybe run a few things by you. When can I see her?

I’m headed into the shelter at noon today. Can you meet me there then? We can see if the two of you are compatible.

Spence glanced at his watch. A scant hour to shower, get dressed, and catch a train to Osprey Cove. I’ll be there.

An hour later, he banged on the door of the Fur-Ever Friends Animal Shelter. Leah Blackthorne ushered him inside her domain. Closed today, the shelter was eerily quiet. He’d been here many times over the last year when the office buzzed with ringing phones, people coming and going, fur flying—literally and figuratively.

Okay. She leaned against the door to close it and grabbed a red leash from the assortment hanging on a wall hook. I gotta know. Why? Why now? And why Lily?

I don’t know, he admitted. All I can say is that I saw her picture, and I just knew.

Leah’s eyes crinkled in the corners. Good answer. Come on. Let’s go see if she feels the same way about you.

He followed her into the back room where a symphony of barking greeted their entrance. How many dogs do you have here right now?

Fifteen, she said. Plus, I’ve got a mom about to birth a litter back at the house.

"Wyatt must love that."

She shrugged. He knew the hierarchy when he married me.

That he did. Spence had heard all about the war between Wyatt and Leah and how the band members and shelter employees conspired to force their peace talks.

She stopped midway down the narrow corridor and called in a singsong, Lil-leee? You have company, sweet girl. Wanna come out and meet your date?

Around them, several other dogs danced with anticipation and scratched at the rails of their kennel doors. But Spence didn’t see an Australian shepherd among the mix. Where is she?

Come on, sweetheart, Leah coaxed and sent a head jerk in his direction toward the lone empty door. Move closer, she whispered, but slowly. Let her come to you on her terms.

Sounds like my last few girlfriends, he quipped.

Then you have experience. Handing him the leash, she nudged him forward. Go on. Let’s see that special charm you musicians all seem to claim you have with the ladies.

Spence crept closer toward the bars until he spotted the speckled pooch curled up in a ball in the far corner, those stunning blue eyes regarding him with open suspicion. He crouched to her level and held out a hand, palm up, at the edge of the bars, keeping his fingers on the safe side as Leah had suggested.

Hello, beautiful. I’m Spence.

The dog lifted her head from her front paws for a breath, then lowered it again. Spence didn’t budge—even when his thighs started to cramp. Pins and needles prickled his soles before Lily’s curiosity won out over her fear. She got to her feet, inched forward, and stopped about a yard from where he waited. With a tilt of her head, she sniffed the air, first up, then in the area around him.

That’s a good girl, he murmured. Come on. I won’t hurt you.

Lily closed the distance between them and took a hesitant sniff of his outstretched hand. A shy lick later, she sat close enough for him to loop the leash over her neck.

What a good girl, he continued in a soothing tone as he got to his numb feet.

Meanwhile, Leah opened the kennel door.

Wanna go for a walk outside with me? he asked and patted his still cramped thigh. C’mon.

About an hour later, Spence was the proud guardian of an Australian shepherd mix named Lily.

One more thing, he said to Leah as they prepared to leave the shelter. Think Wyatt would mind if I borrowed the smaller tour bus for a while? I’ll pay fair market rental value for its use.

She quirked a brow. You’re going somewhere?

The harshness in her voice had him hurrying to explain, It’s not what you think. I want to show Lily the time of her life.

Really? How?

He stared at the ground, at the tiny shoots of spring grass daring to defy the odds by poking out of the dirt despite the chilly March temperatures. I’m not a hundred percent sure yet. I’m just... He shrugged. I don’t know. Thinking, I guess. After my dad died, I found his bucket list in with his personal papers. There were still so many things he hadn’t done: places he wanted to see, people he hoped to catch up with. I don’t want to wait until I’m in my sixties to start checking off stuff that I’ll regret not doing sooner. And I figure, maybe Lily has a bucket list of her own. Why not let her have a chance to live her last years to the fullest?

Leah’s smile warmed the frigid breeze and heated his cheeks. I’ll talk to Wyatt. I’m sure it won’t be a problem.

I’m sorry, Maia.

And that quickly, she was out of a job. A job she’d held for all of six months. Not even long enough to get a decent letter of recommendation from the station manager. If she asked, she could probably get a glowing reference from her former boss in the ad department, but she’d busted her butt for years writing copy for local commercials, to crawl out of that black hole and get an on-air position. In her short stint as a reporter, she’d covered the wedding of two eighty-year-olds at an assisted living facility, a woman who’d given birth in a restaurant’s ladies room, and a couple of other off-kilter feel-good stories. Total on-screen time: less than ninety minutes. No way to put together any kind of decent highlight reel.

Now what? She couldn’t—wouldn’t—give up. Teddy would love nothing better than to see her return defeated. Her imagination conjured up his smug face and condescending tone.

"What’d I tell you, baby? You need me. No one else appreciates you the way I do."

She clapped her hands to her ears to drown out his I-told-you-so commentary. No use. The voice broke through.

Sure, you’re pretty enough, but nobody’s ever gonna see you as a serious journalist. You want to spend your life reporting about some dog who saved a bunny from a burning building or the latest kiddie park reopening?

Shut up, she growled.

Excuse me?

Shoot. She’d shouted that aloud, while still on the phone. Sorry—not you. I was talking to my... cat. She had no feline, no pets of any kind anymore, but he didn’t need to know that.

Ah, well, anyway, I wish things could’ve worked out better for you. Good luck.

Thanks, she said flatly and disconnected.

Her body numb, she stumbled to the ratty divan in the corner of the room and collapsed in a heap. Well, didn’t this development suck eggs? She had about two weeks to find another job before the rent was due on this hole in the wall. If she couldn’t...

Maia shivered. She would not go back to Teddy or Pine Hollow. She’d find something. Somewhere. Anywhere. Staring at the stained and threadbare carpet, she pondered her options and the looming dismal future.

A bubble of laughter erupted from the hallway, followed by her roommate’s hasty appearance. "Ohmigod, Maia, you have got to see this vid— Stephanie stopped mid-stride in the center of the room, her cell forgotten in her hand. Uh-oh. What happened?"

Maia didn’t try to hide the bad news. The station called. I’m officially unemployed.

Aw, shoot. Stephanie sank down beside her. What are you gonna do now?

She shrugged. Find another job ASAP, I guess. What’d you want to show me?

Forget it. It’s not important.

No, show me. I could use the distraction.

Stephanie brightened. Okay. She shifted on the couch and held out her phone. It’s this new app everybody’s on. You have to check out this guy’s video. He’s been using stuff around his apartment to act out scenes from famous movies. Like, in this one, he’s doing the whole ‘Luke, I am your father’ scene, but with a black bucket on his head and a mini flashlight for a light saber. He’s hysterical!

Maybe losing her job had bruised her funny bone, but after watching the three-minute video, she found nothing mildly humorous. It seemed... she wasn’t sure... desperate for attention, maybe?

Still, she forced a smile and gave a fake laugh. Uh-huh. That’s great.

Her flat tone didn’t fool her roommate. Oh, c’mon, Maia! It’s fab! He’s got over two million views on his videos. Advertisers are offering him thousands of dollars for fifteen-second ads on his site now.

Thousands...? To be viewed on the same page as this nonsense? Were people so starved for entertainment these days?

Guided by the dim light of an idea, her brain climbed out of the depression basement.

Two million views? How many videos do you think he posted before he reached that number?

"I dunno. The app’s only been popular for a few months. It takes a lot of work to get to his level. You start with a niche, something no one else is doing and everyone wants to watch you do. That’s not easy. And then you have to get people to seek out what you’re doing. To follow you, to tell their friends about it, to create a buzz. Eventually, that brings in advertisers, and you can then monetize your work with ads. I know one or two people who’ve managed to get book or television deals from other apps like this. Remember that guy who used to quote stuff his father said, turned it into a book and a sitcom? But that kind of monetizing success takes a long time. I mean, it’s not going to make you enough cash to pay the rent anytime soon."

I’m not looking to monetize. I’m looking to capitalize.

Stephanie’s brow puckered, and she quirked her lips. I don’t get you.

If I can get two million people to watch me report different news stories, I bet other television stations would come looking for me. Maybe in a bigger market.

Her roommate gave a half-shrug. They’d have to be some amazing news stories.

But it’s doable, right?

I guess... Stephanie’s confused expression deepened. Maybe...

Maybe wasn’t good enough for Maia. She needed a sure thing, and the best place to start the journey to success was with research. What’s the name of that app?

Hours later, having retreated to her bedroom for privacy, Maia had a game plan in place. Her bleary eyes and cramped fingers had amassed a sizeable chunk of information on what made a post or video go viral: heart, humor, truth, an Everyman scenario, a scene that resonated with viewers on a visceral level, whether by engendering outrage, empathy, or a warm and fuzzy feeling. Cross-referencing all those ideals with her most watched on-air interviews during her short tenure at the television station gave her a short list of possible jumping-off spots.

First step would be a follow-up with Leah Stewart Blackthorne of Fur-Ever Friends Animal Shelter. A gushy story, maybe about a recently adopted pet who’d found a better life after being rescued, would tug at the heartstrings of animal lovers around the globe. An added bonus was the identity of Leah’s husband. Music fans would tune in for news about the band, thanks to the upcoming tour to promote the new album, in the hope of catching a glimpse of the rock star’s iconic face and dreamy eyes beneath those famous sooty curls.

What were the odds she could convince Leah to include him in their talk? Slim, but if she could come up with a reasonable excuse to get him on video...

Win/win.

First, she said aloud to her empty bedroom, let’s see the most recent adoptees on Leah’s website. We’ve got to find the cutest pup or cat ever...

She typed the shelter’s name in her search engine, found the link, and clicked on the New Families tab.

The first picture jolted her upright. That face. That beautiful face. And the eyes. How many times had she stared into those eyes with delight? Even now, she could feel the soft fur she’d stroked hour after hour, hear the joyful bark of a dog who’d caught a ball or chased a squirrel up a tree.

Lily!

Chapter 2

The small tour bus Spence borrowed from Wyatt was more like an extended van with a kitchen area, a shower/toilet combo, and an L-shaped table with banquette seating for five on the main level. In the rear, a short set of steps led to a sleeping area with several extra-large-twin-sized beds. Not exactly glamping, but good enough for a man and his dog.

As Wyatt dangled the keys from his fingers, he listed other various accessories stowed aboard the RV. ...GPS, Wi-Fi, portable generator in case you wind up in a place with no hookup. She drives like a big bus, so take it easy on inclines and don’t overload her towing capacity, or you’ll be paying for a new transmission and spending weeks wheels up while it’s replaced.

Got it. Spence reached forward but Wyatt pulled back at the last second.

Do you have any idea where you’re going?

All over. He finally grabbed the keyring from Wyatt’s hand. I’ve mapped out a full cross-country excursion. All dog-friendly stops with activities from hiking to beaches to dog parks to historical and famous tourist sites.

Wyatt shook his head. Leah would love that.

You should take her sometime.

Maybe when we do the States leg of the new tour, we can take the big rig and hit a few places, but that won’t be for another five months.

That’s right. Congratulations on the new album. I’ve heard it’s terrific.

Wyatt and his bandmates were scheduled to start a worldwide tour to promote their latest release, Wisdom Unleashed, at the end of the month. Europe, Asia, Australia, and then back home for the United States and Canada. Funny how three years ago, he’d never even heard of Wyatt Blackthorne and the Ungrateful. His musical taste had always leaned more toward classical. Now, thanks to Leah, he not only knew all their songs, he could pretty much recite their concert schedule for the upcoming year.

Yeah, we’re really proud of it. Which reminds me. I’ve been toying with a new tune. Leah swears you play a mean violin. Any chance you brought your instrument with you today?

"It’s in the house, along