I’d been thinking more and more about the conversation I’d had with Lou Fiorello the other day.

“We’re finally ready to open a second Our Gang location, and we’re starting to scout possible sites. We know we want to go north, somewhere like Santa Cruz, Salinas, maybe even as far north as San Jose.”

“That’s so great!” I said. “I’m sure they’ll be thrilled to have a location up there. Same business model as the one you have now?”

“Yeah yeah, pretty much the same,” Lou said. “Part rescue, part shelter, part rehab, and of course, the adoption center. That’s the whole point: getting these guys a good home.”

“Sounds amazing. If there’s anything I can do to help, just let me know.”

“Well, why do you think I emailed you, princess?”

“To be honest, I wasn’t exactly sure,” I said.

“I thought maybe we could persuade you to come join us, get your hands dirty a bit.”

“You want me? To work with you?”

“Hell, yes. You love dogs, you’re great with the pits, and they need all the good PR they can get. Having a Miss America running a shelter for rescued and abandoned pit bulls? How great will that look on the six o’clock news?”

“Miss Golden State,” I corrected as I doodled on the legal pad. “So what are you asking me, exactly?”

“We’ve already got the startup money for the new location. We just need to find it, staff it, and train the team that’ll be working there. Interested?”

Goodness yes, but there was something that was a bit off here . . . “Lou, you knew I was supposed to be getting married this weekend, right?”

“I did.”

“Yet you’re offering me a job that would move me out of San Diego, right?”

“I am.”

“Well, now, how’s that gonna work out?”

“I got that pretty invitation you sent me stuck up on my bulletin board. The wedding date was yesterday, right?”

“Yeah.”

“How’d it go?” he asked.

“Well, I’m not calling you from my honeymoon, if that gives you any clue.” I grimaced.

“I had a feeling,” he said, and I rolled my eyes.

“Would have been nice if you’d told me,” I replied, and he chuckled.

“Well now, that was something you had to figure out for yourself. Sounds like you did.”

“Humpf,” was my reply.

“Listen, I gotta get going, making a run to Torrance to check out a fighting ring we heard about. You think about what I said. If you’re interested, let’s talk soon, okay?”

“Okay, Lou. Thanks for thinking of me.”

“You kidding? I’ve already got fliers designed in my mind: you in your tiara and sash, surrounded by forty pit bulls. It’ll be a hoot,” he cackled, and I grinned into the phone.

“I don’t like the idea of you daydreaming about me in my tiara, Lou,” I teased, and he gave a whoop of laughter as he hung up the phone.

I’d thought about that conversation a lot over the last few days. And while driving up to Monterey, I couldn’t help but think that it was situated right between two of the towns he was considering.

I fired off a quick email to him now, while I was thinking about it, then got ready to head out and grab some breakfast and hit up a grocery store. And then maybe take a dip in that gorgeous pool. By the time I got my hair brushed and tucked into a neat bun, dressed in a simple sundress with a jeans jacket, and added the barest hint of makeup, there was already a reply waiting for me from Lou.

Hiya princess,

So you’re spending some time in Monterey, huh? Beautiful town, probably a great place to get some space, am I right?

I’d love to have Our Gang in a town like that. Land can be pretty pricey there but it’s worth looking into. Sounds like you’re warming up to the idea? There’s a vet there that I’ve worked with for years, Dr. Campbell. He’s got his own clinic set up in town there, Campbell Veterinary Hospital. He volunteers his time down here when he can and does a lot of work with cities all over California, fighting those breed specific laws that get put on the books without merit. I’ll tell him you’re in town, so stop by and see him anytime. He’d be a great person to talk to, get another perspective on what we want to set up. Also a great person to partner up with, especially since he might have some ideas about space around town we can look into.

Our Gang in Monterey? I like where your head’s at . . .

Lou

Options, options everywhere. I grabbed my keys and headed out to my car. With a clean breeze blowing in off the sea that I could taste even up here in the hills, today was looking like a great day. Especially if I could find some killer donuts.

Turns out the killer donuts are located at Red’s Donuts, and as my mouth can tell you, they are delightful. Especially the kind with the maple frosting. I may have had three. Which may be closer to four. Okay, truth time. Four and a half—but that’s all.

Stopping after I could practically see the food baby I was creating, I headed for the grocery store I’d passed the night before. I thought I’d leave the GPS off and try to navigate on my own, which wound up getting me lost within three turns. Twenty minutes later, I pulled over into a parking lot to turn my GPS back on to lead me to the grocery store. As I tried to remember the name of the store, I looked around, hoping to get my bearings.

And there, right in front of me, was a building with a sign that said Campbell Veterinary Hospital.

Options.

Lou had said he’d email this Dr. Campbell, but who knows when that would actually happen? I’d probably have to make an appointment, though; it’d be rude to just pop in . . .

Options.

Fudge it, I was going in. I checked my face, reapplied my lip gloss, and headed inside. The parking lot I was in must have been on the side, because as I rounded the corner I realized the building was enormous. Giant windows, big friendly pictures of dogs and cats, and special parking slots for “Pet Emergencies.”

As I went through the automatic door, my nose was immediately met by the smell of disinfectant, butterscotch candies, and good old-fashioned doggie breath. The warm and inviting waiting room was packed with all manner of adults, kids, and dogs and cats. A German shepherd played with a dachshund in the corner, while three cats in a carrier explained to everyone why it was a crime against nature that they’d been brought here.