Read Full Disclosure (Homefront: The Sheridans Book 2) for Free Online

appearance
today was short-lived. Now the woods behind the townhomes where Allie, Logan,
and I live look like the eerie set of a horror film. Squirrels dart up and down
the trees in front of us, keeping the dogs in constant alert mode.
    “Stay close to us, Connor,” I call out,
even though I know I’m being a total helicopter parent. I can’t help it. He
slows his pace with Lollipop as she guides him toward the next interesting
scent.
    I glance over at Allie as she leads Lucy,
the rescue dog she just picked up today, and Logan’s dog, Kosmo, along the
mossy path. Her hair is whisked up haphazardly in a ponytail and barely a
stitch of makeup is on her face, but she looks radiant. Must come from being in
love, I suppose. She and Logan are almost nauseating to watch these days, but I
adore them both anyway. Allie enjoys reminding me that I didn’t even like Logan
when I first met him. And it’s true. But I had no idea he’d turn into the Nicest
Guy in the World.
    Logan sold me one of the townhomes he
renovated for an absurdly low price. I can’t imagine he made a dime off of the
sale, and if I hadn’t been so damn broke, I would have been insulted by the
gesture. But I was pretty desperate. When I got pregnant in my sophomore year
of college, my parents let me move back home and live there after Connor was
born. But the welcome mat on their doorstep was wearing thin. So this little
townhouse is the first real “home” that I’ve been able to offer my son.
    Allie might be the one dating a rich guy.
But I’m the one who feels like she won the lottery the day Logan walked into
her life.
    “Do you mind if some prospective adopters
drop by your house to meet Lollipop tonight?”
    I dart a look at Allie. That’s completely
not our normal routine. Most of the time, we meet potential owners at adoption
events we hold at Sally Sweet’s Pet Boutique.
    I curl up my face. “Why don’t they just
meet her at our next event?”
    “They can’t. Please. It’s a favor to
Logan. They’d be great owners. I already cleared their references and did the
house check. If they like Lollipop, they can take her tonight and we’ll be able
to pick up that cocker spaniel at the pound. She’s on her last days there.”
    “Logan knows them?”
    “Mmhm.”
    Well, I guess that’s different. Still, my
eyes migrate to the furry mutt on the end of Connor’s leash and I feel a
sadness wash over me. Lollipop is my first foster dog, and I knew that giving
her up one day to the right owners would be part of the deal. But who will I
talk to at night after Connor’s gone to bed? “What are their names?”
    Allie stiffens abruptly. “Oh, come on. You
know how I am with names. I’ve run at least twenty reference checks this week. I
get them all mixed up.”
    “So I’m just supposed to welcome these
nameless people, who could be axe murders, into my house? A house I share with
my four-year-old son?” It’s a well-known fact that I have a limited reserve of
trust.
    “Come on. It’s just a guy and his kid. Totally
harmless. Besides, Logan doesn’t know any axe murderers, and I’d never send
someone to your house if I wasn’t sure they were good people.” She sighs. “We’ll
be right next door. If we wait till our next adoption event, that cocker
spaniel will probably be…” She makes a slashing movement against her throat.
    She sure knows how to lay it on thick.
    I narrow my eyes on her. “Okay. But if I
scream or something, I expect your hot SEAL boyfriend to come to my rescue.”
    “Count on it.”
    One of the dogs tugs me in the direction
of the creek, while the second one tugs me toward the townhouse. I give a firm
yank to one and yield to the other. Our evening dog walks aren’t quite as
relaxing as they should be. We take Logan’s dog out, plus Allie’s three
rescues. So with the rescue of my own that Connor is holding tight to, that’s
five dogs among us, and every one of them seems to want to go in a