“Woof!” The new puppy wriggled in Juan’s arms. Juan gently set him down on the pavement. The puppy ran around Paco, then rolled onto his back, kicking his legs in the air.

“He’s so cute!” Meg tickled the puppy’s warm, fuzzy tummy. “What should we call him?”

Charlie thought for a minute. “Buster,” he said, “because of the way he busted out of the box!”

“Perfect.” Meg giggled. “Do you think Buster likes Doggie Cookies as much as Paco does?”

At the sound of his name, Paco perked up his ears and thumped his tail.

“Paco had fun staying with you,” Juan commented with a smile. “I’m off to visit my family in California soon. Do you think you could watch him while I’m away?”

Meg and Charlie looked at each other.

“We’d love to!” Meg declared.

“There’s plenty of room at the hotel,” Charlie added.

Just then, Carmen from the Cupcake Collection stall stopped by.

“Did I hear you say that Diamond Hotel is taking animal guests now?” she asked. “It would be so convenient if my Matilda could stay with you while I’m on vacation. . . .”

“Sounds like you’re in business,” Juan remarked, giving the twins a wink.

“We are!” Meg beamed at Charlie. “And I know just how we can save the hotel!”

Dad looked at his watch. “Five minutes before we reopen,” he said. “That’s just enough time for a final check!”

Meg and Charlie ran from room to room. It had been an incredibly busy two weeks! The hotel had been cleaned and painted from top to bottom, inside and out. The old furniture had been given to charity, and the carpets had been recycled and replaced with wooden floors or new rugs. Everyone had been working hard right up to the last minute.

Charlie threw open the door to the Egyptian room. “The guest room for cats!” he announced.

“Wow!” Meg gasped. The dingy old room looked fresh and clean, and the gold pharaoh statues sparkled. There were new kitty pens on either side of the old fireplace.

“I helped Mom paint the pens gold to match the pharaohs’ crowns,” Charlie said proudly. “And it was my idea to make the litter trays look like pyramids and the scratching posts like palm trees.”

Meg peeked into a covered basket. There was a Ping-Pong ball and a catnip mouse on top of the fleecy blue cushion.

“Cats will love staying here,” she said. “Come and see what Dad and I did.” Meg pulled Charlie to the other end of the hallway and flung open the door to the forest room.

In each corner was a big triangular pen painted green, with its own water bowl and basket. The baskets all had comfy cushions and ball-on-a-rope doggie toys inside.

“Dogs will definitely feel right at home here,” Charlie said, laughing and looking at the plastic lamppost in the middle of the room.

“Did you check the small pets’ room?” Mom called up the stairs.

“On our way!” Charlie and Meg ran up to the top floor of the hotel and opened the door of the old playroom. It had been dirty and abandoned when they’d first arrived. But now the walls and the floor were painted a fresh, grassy green, spotted with white daisies. At one end were hutches for rabbits or guinea pigs. Each hutch had its own run, with real grass and a wooden trough planted with dandelions, lettuce, and carrots!

“Saffron did an amazing job in here!” Meg said.

“Is everything ready?” Dad called.

“Yes!” Meg and Charlie exclaimed, hurtling down the stairs to the reception area. Saffron, Mom, Dad, and Buster were waiting for them.

Saffron straightened the frame of the new certificate for boarding animals that was mounted on the wall. “My dears, you have given me a new lease on life,” she said happily.

With that, Dad opened the sky-blue front door and they all stepped outside.

The sound of clapping drowned out the noise of the men working on the old archway. Charlie and Meg beamed with pride. All of the market vendors were gathered around the entrance to the hotel! Juan gave them a cheery wave. He had a hand drum tucked under his arm, and Paco was sitting by his side.

The twins each took hold of a corner of the scarf they’d draped over the new hotel sign. It was one of Saffron’s scarves, covered in swirls of neon orange, purple, and green.

Juan began a drumroll.

Ta-da!

Charlie and Meg pulled the scarf away from the new sign. It read:

Saffron waved her feather boa in the air, and the crowd cheered.

“Woof, woof, woof!” Paco and Buster wagged their tails.

Over in the gazebo, a band struck up a joyful tune.

Meg and Charlie clapped their hands and joined in the dancing. They couldn’t wait to welcome more guests to Gazebo Square’s brand-new Pet Hotel!