The next thing Dillon knew, his mom made him wash up—again—so he could help Hugh with an errand.

“Um, Leo and Dave are coming over in a couple hours.”

“You’ll be back by then, and if not, we’ll keep them entertained.”

She made him put on his school jacket instead of his work jacket—like anybody cared. Still, he didn’t think he’d mind a ride in the fancy car.

“I appreciate this, Dillon.”

“It’s okay.” After hooking his seat belt, Dillon brushed his fingertips over the leather seat. Smoo—ooth. “This is a really nice car.”

“I like it. Here, you can navigate.” He handed Dillon the directions Julia had written out.

“That’s Mom’s writing.”

“Yes, she’s helping me, too. So tell me, Dillon,” he continued before the boy could ask with what, “what do you want to do, to be, when you’re grown-up?”

“A rancher, just like now. It’s the best. You get to work with animals, especially the horses. And you plant things.”

“It must be a lot of work.”

“Yeah, but it’s still awesome. We get some help in the spring and summer when we need it, but mostly it’s just me and Mom and Gram. You’re going to turn left at the end of our road, head toward Monterey.”

“Got it. You said especially the horses. Do you ride?”

“Sure. That’s the best. But I know how to train them. I saw that movie you were in where you were a rancher, but you used to be a gunfighter.”

“Ah. Into Redemption.”

“Yeah, that’s it. You need to turn left again on that road coming up. You really rode good. Mom let me rent the DVD of this movie you made with Cate and your son, and I guess your dad. We watched it last night because it’s not a school night. You all used accents, even she did. It was weird.”

Hugh laughed, made the turn.

“I meant it was weird for me, I guess, because after a while I kind of forgot who she was, and you and her dad, because it seemed like you were the people in the movie. It’s the next left.”

Slowing, Hugh gave Dillon a long look. “You’ve just given me and my son, my granddaughter, my own father the highest of compliments.”

It felt good to know he had, even if he didn’t quite understand how. “Is it fun, being a movie star?”

“Not always, but it’s awesome being an actor.”

Dillon wasn’t sure what the difference was, but it seemed rude to ask. His mom hated rude.

“Mom says it’s the blue house on the left with the big garage.”

“Looks like we’re here then.”

Hugh pulled into the drive behind a van, a truck. “I appreciate you coming with me.”

“It’s okay. Mom or Gram would have remembered to make me clean my room otherwise.”

“Clever boy,” Hugh murmured as they got out.

Outside the blue ranch house on the short front lawn sat a Big Wheel. A birdhouse hung from the corner eave, and in the front window sat an enormous tabby cat who looked bored at the idea of company.

When Hugh knocked, a din of barking erupted from inside. In the window, the cat yawned. The door opened almost immediately.

Dillon saw a woman older than his mother, younger than his grandmother, with short brown hair and really red lips and really pink cheeks. She pressed a hand to her heart over a shirt with lots of color that looked too fancy for Saturday morning to him.

She said—pretty much squeaked—“Oh, Hugh Sullivan! I just can’t believe—I’m so . . . Come in, come in. I’m Lori Greenspan. I’m just honored.”

Hugh said polite stuff, taking her hand, but Dillon didn’t pay any real attention. Because he got the movie star thing now. People, or some people anyway, got crazy eyes for movie stars. He guessed acting was just a really cool job.

“And you’re Julia’s boy.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“You come right on in. I hope you’ll excuse the mess,” she said, giving Hugh the crazy eyes again. “I was just doing my Saturday cleaning when you called.”

Not in that shirt, Dillon thought.

“Your home’s just charming, and we appreciate you letting us drop in on your busy day.”

Her already pink cheeks pinked up more at Hugh’s compliment. “I’m never too busy for—” She seemed to catch herself, gave Dillon a quick look. “For good company. Please have a seat. I’ll just be a moment.”

When she scurried out, Dillon looked up at Hugh. “Do lots of people do that when they meet you?”

“Do what?”

Dillon did his best imitation of crazy eyes, adding rapid head shakes for impact. With a rolling laugh, Hugh gave Dillon a friendly punch on the shoulder.

“It happens.”

“Do you ever—” He broke off when a couple of puppies, yipping deliriously, raced into the room.

Hugh watched the boy’s face light up as he dropped into a crouch. The pups licked everywhere, paws scrambling as they tried to climb on the boy. Just as delighted, the boy stroked and petted everywhere at once.

Love at first sight, Hugh thought, personified.

“Aren’t they sweet?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Dillon’s laugh wound in, around, through the words as the pups leaped, licked, tumbled. “What’re their names?”

“They don’t have any yet. I’ve been calling them Girl and Boy so I don’t get too attached. You see, we foster animals—mostly dogs and cats, but you never know. Sometimes they’re abandoned or mistreated, and we help take care of them until they find their forever home. These two were part of a litter of six. The poor mama was trying to take care of them as best she could. They were all living in a drainage ditch, poor things.”

“You do kind and caring work, Lori.”

“I just can’t stand to see animals mistreated. Anyone mistreated, of course, but we’re supposed to be stewards, caretakers for puppies like these, and their mama.”

“Is she okay?” Dillon asked. “Their mother?”

The look Lori gave Dillon showed her heart, and made him forgive the crazy eyes. “She is. My husband took her to the vet today to have her neutered. We needed to wean her puppies first, and give her time to get good and healthy again. We’ve decided to call her Angel, because she has such loving eyes. We’re going to be her forever home.”

“But you can’t keep the puppies?”

Lori smiled down at Dillon. “If I had my way, and had the room, the wherewithal, I’d keep every single rescue. But I think it’s a good thing to share them. We already placed her other puppies with good homes.”

She glanced at Hugh, got the nod.

“These sweethearts have a whole lot of energy. As best we can tell, Angel’s got some border collie, some beagle in her. So taking after her, they’re good with people, love herding and running and playing. They need somebody who can keep up with them, so I was hoping you’d take one of these home with you, be one of those good homes.”

“Oh!” Dillon’s face lit again, then he lowered his head, nuzzled puppies. “My mom—”

“Said yes,” Hugh finished.