Chapter 54 Little One
Mia’s POV
+25 BONUS
The morning sun cast long shadows across the construction site as I surveyed what would soon become the children’s center. Yellow tape marked the boundaries of our project, and stakes with bright ribbons outlined where the main building would stand. The autumn breeze carried the scent of freshly turned earth and the lingering sweetness of late–blooming wildflowers.
“The drainage system needs to be adjusted here,” I noted, marking the spot on my tablet. The ground sloped slightly more than our initial surveys had indicated, which could affect the garden terracing. “We’ll need to factor in additional retaining walls,”
Sarah, one of the junior architects, made a note. “Should we modify the existing plans for the sensory garden?”
“No, let’s work with the natural grade.” I traced the path with my finger. “The slope could actually enhance the waterfall feature. We’ll just need to-”
A rustle in the tall grass near the property line caught my attention. At first, I thought it might be a rabbit or squirrel, but then a small head poked through the weeds. Two dark eyes peered at us cautiously.
“Oh,” I breathed, immediately dropping into a crouch. “Hello there.”
The puppy – it couldn’t have been more than a few months old – ducked back into the grass. Its yellow–brown fur was matted with dirt and what looked like burrs, but something about its wary expression tugged at my heart.
“Sarah, do you have any food?” I whispered, not wanting to startle our visitor.
She rummaged through her bag. “Just a sandwich?”
S
“That’ll work.” I took the sandwich, breaking off a small piece. The puppy’s nose twitched as I slowly held out the offering. “It’s okay,” I cooed. “No one’s going to hurt you.”
The puppy inched forward, belly lo
to the ground. Close up, I could see its ribs showing through the dirty fur. Despite its obvious wariness, there was something endearing about its slightly crooked ears and the way its tail gave a tentative wag.
“That’s it,” I encouraged as it sniffed the air. “Just a little closer.”
After what felt like ages, the puppy finally darted forward to snatch the food from my palm. It retreated immediately but stayed closer this time, watching me with hopeful eyes.
“There’s more,” I promised, breaking off another piece.
This time, the puppy approached more quickly. As it ate, I noticed a small white patch on its chest, shaped almost like a star.
“Mrs. Branson?” Tom, our site manager, called from near the equipment. “We need your input on the foundation markers.”
“Coming!” I called back, then turned to the puppy. “Stay here, okay? I’ll be right back.”
To my surprise, the puppy followed at a distance as I walked the site, discussing technical details with the construction team. Every time I looked back, there it was, watching with those soulful eyes.
By late afternoon, when most of the team had packed up, the puppy had gradually worked its way closer. It still wouldn’t let me touch it, but it sat barely an arm’s length away as I reviewed the final measurements.
“You can’t stay here,” I told it softly. “It won’t be safe once construction really starts.”
The puppy tilted its head, one ear flopping endearingly.
“I suppose…” I bit my lip, considering. “Would you like to come home with me?”
As if understanding, the puppy’s tail wagged hopefully.
It took another twenty minutes of coaxing with the rest of the sandwich to finally get close enough to scoop the puppy into my arms. It trembled slightly but didn’t struggle.
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Chapter 54 Little One
“It’s okay.” I murmured, stroking its dirty fur. “I’ve got you.”
+25 BONUS
The drive home was interesting, to say the least. The puppy alternated between pressing against the passenger door and inching closer to sniff my arm. By the time we pulled into the driveway, it had relaxed enough to let out a tiny yawn.
Mrs. Chen’s eyes widened when I entered carrying my muddy bundle. “Mrs. Branson?”
“I want to give this little one a bath.” I asked, already heading for the laundry room’s deep sink. “And maybe some chicken from the fridge?”
Mrs. Chen adapted quickly. Soon we had a makeshift bathing station set up, complete with warm water and gentle soap.
The puppy turned out to be surprisingly cooperative during its bath Under all the dirt, its fur was a beautiful golden brown color. As I carefully worked out the tangles and burrs, it gradually relaxed eventually leaning into my touch.
“You’re quite handsome under all that dirt,” I told it, carefully drying its now–clean fur. “But you need a name.”
The puppy looked up at me, water droplets clinging to its whiskers.
“Something unique,” I mused, watching as it investigated its reflection in a puddle of water. The way it moved reminded me of something… fluid, graceful despite its gangly puppy limbs.
“Gasoline,” I said suddenly. The puppy’s ears perked up. “Do you like that? Gasoline?”
Its tail wagged enthusiastically.
“Gasoline it is then.” I laughed as it attempted to lick my face. “Easy there! Let’s get you some proper food.”
Mrs. Chen had outdone herself, preparing a bowl of shredded chicken mixed with some rice. Gasoline ate like he hadn’t seen food in days – which, given his condition, might have been true.
“We’ll go shopping tomorrow,” I promised, watching him lick the bowl clean. “Get you some real dog food, toys, maybe a nice
bed-”
The sound of the front door opening made Gasoline’s ears prick up. A moment later, Kyle appeared in the doorway, stopping short at the sight of us on the kitchen floor.
“Mia?” His voice held a note of confusion I’d rarely heard. “Is that a dog?” 1
“This is Gasoline,” I said, scratching behind the puppy’s ears. “I found him at the construction site.”
Kyle blinked. “You named a dog Gasoline?”
“He likes it.” As if to prove my point, Gasoline’s tail wagged at the sound of his name.
“I didn’t know you liked dogs,” Kyle said, still looking bewildered.
“There’s a lot you don’t know.”
Kyle eyed Gasoline’s newly clean but still slightly scruffy appearance. “Have you considered the hygiene implications? This house-”
“Don’t worry,” I cut him off. “I won’t let Gasoline compromise the great Kyle Branson’s standards.” The words came out sharper than intended.
Before Kyle could respond, Gasoline trotted over to investigate the newcomer. He sniffed Kyle’s expensive leather shoes with great interest, then looked up at him and let out several sharp barks.
“He’s house–trained,” I started to say, just as Gasoline lifted his leg and promptly urinated on Kyle’s shoe.
The look of absolute shock on Kyle’s face was priceless. A laugh bubbled up before I could stop it – the first real laugh I’d had in
what felt like forever.
Chapter 54 Little One
“This isn’t funny,” Kyle started, “It need proper training. And veterinary records.” Kyle’s lips twitched slightly. “I suppose I should change before any other accidents occur.” As he left, Gasoline trotted back to me, looking entirely too pleased with himself.
“Good boy,” I whispered, rubbing his belly as he flopped over happily. “Very good boy.”
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