The Dalmatian Dilemma

by Cheryl Harper

  How romantic. Their first kiss could have been at a nursing home. What a story that would make for family and friends at their golden anniversary.

  He was doing them favors left and right today. The least she could do was let him.

  “I don’t have a date.” Reyna raised her eyebrows. “I don’t need one. Are you afraid I’d force you to attend something like that if we...” She motioned between them. “Not that we ever could because I’m still your boss.” She squeezed her eyes shut and he understood that they were on the same mixed-up ride, even if her focus was different. She worried about being his boss and his job.

  His concern was bigger, like she could demand the stars but he was earthbound.

  If her problems were eliminated, would Reyna finally understand she should aim higher than him?

  “You won’t be the boss forever. What do you want after that? What kind of guy fits your life when the question of who runs Concord Court is settled?” Sean didn’t know how to fill in the blank. For some reason, he didn’t think she’d consider anything short-term or just for fun. Everything about her made him think of forever.

  “Okay. Sure.” Reyna nodded. “Someday. What does that have to do with my father’s command performance? That’s one night. And that will never stop. I’ve been his daughter for decades. The only way we put an end to that is by moving halfway around the world.”

  For once in his life, he was facing off on the long-term side of this dating issue. How frustrating was it that his opponent was only concerned with next week?

  “Brisa thinks you need a date or your father will set you up with someone suitable. In fact, she went on and on about what kind of guy he’ll pick for you and who she thought would be better. Neither one of those types was me. I didn’t even make the list of options. Wouldn’t it be nice to feel this—” Sean motioned between them “—for someone your father actually approved of?”

  Reyna tilted her head to the side. “In what world would that happen, Sean?” Her snort of disbelief almost made him smile.

  “Fearing that I’ll find what I’ve been looking for in my father’s crowd? It’s like you don’t know me at all. I joined the Air Force to get away from that life of privilege and sometimes what can go with it, like being superficial or obsessed with material stuff.” She touched his arm. “People like that aren’t like us. That’s why, although I will be forced to attend and I will make pleasant conversation in order to keep the peace with my father, I will never be one of them.”

  Sean studied her face. She meant every word that she said.

  “When I first met you, I was pretty sure you would have said I wasn’t one of your kind, either.” He crossed his arms over his chest but she didn’t let go. Her hand was still wrapped around his forearm and she’d moved closer. “Military washout. Collecting my paycheck by following your father’s orders when you’d thumbed your nose at him. Playing at making a difference one dog at a time. That’s where we are. You aren’t one of them, but you aren’t on my level, either.”

  This time, the wind gushed out of her.

  “Okay, that’s the biggest load of trash I’ve heard in a while.” She yanked her hand away and propped it on her hip. “And if that’s what you think, if that’s what other people think about me, I...” She shook her head and took a few steps away. “I’m lost.”

  Sean closed his eyes. He was messing this up. “I don’t mean it as an insult.”

  “Telling me I think I’m above everyone, even people who served their country like I did...” She jabbed a finger in his direction. “That’s not an insult? It is. You know how I know? I’ve been hearing something like it since I was a kid. Yes, my father has money, but I worked hard, too. And when I got the highest grade on every test, my classmates acted like I got lucky or didn’t deserve it. All I ever wanted was to fit in, but they treated me the same way, like I thought I was better than they were. That doesn’t come from me, Sean. If you feel that way, you look at yourself, because it’s coming from you.”

  Dottie came to sit carefully between them, and Sean realized that they’d squared off and were honestly having a fight in public about whether they should date or not. As soon as he forced himself to relax, Reyna scanned the beach around them.

  “It’s almost like we’re in junior high, isn’t it?” She brushed the hair off her forehead. “I didn’t fight with boys like this when I was fourteen, though.”

  His laugh was a short exhale of more tension.

  “I’m sorry I got loud,” Reyna added with a sheepish step forward. “I was strongly committed to what I was saying.” She reached down to slide her hand over Dottie’s head. “When your shouting scares the dog, one who can’t even hear the noise, you know it’s time for a breather.”

  Sean followed as she led Dottie back up the sand. The dog paused now and then to shake her feet. She might have loved the water but sand was never going to be her favorite. Before Reyna snapped the dog’s leash on, Sean held out a hand. “I might not have needed the volume, but I did need to hear what you said.” He closed his eyes. “Everything you said was true. I wanted to be the military hero, but I didn’t make it. That’s stuck to me, like gum on the bottom of my shoe, for too long. You didn’t have anything to do with making me feel inferior. All you’ve done since day one is come in and work as hard as you can to do the best job you could. That’s who you are.”

  She drew a line in the sand with her foot. He wanted to hear what she had to say, so he waited.

  “That’s why I got loud. Some people have told me they won’t like me unless I change.” She held out both arms. “I can’t. I’m almost forty years old, Sean. This is who I am. I get that it’s not always easy to be around Reyna Montero, but I also can’t change my father or my baby sister or the money or the jobs I’ve had or what I’m going to do next. But that doesn’t mean you have to put up with it, either. It’s simple. You have to make your own choices.”

  Trust her to cut right through all the trash to get to the heart of the matter.

  “Well, truth is...” Sean stepped closer. “I’ve been dying to kiss you ever since I met Dottie with part of your shoelace hanging out of her mouth.”

  Reyna’s lips twitched. “That long, huh?”

  Sean nodded. “That doesn’t change any of our problems, though.” He wasn’t going to take anything for granted, not with Reyna. They communicated seamlessly on some things, but whatever was between them had them both rattled. “It could be so bad we’ll know we’re meant to be friends.” But he knew there was no way their kiss would be bad.

  Her lips curved as she stared up at him. “We’re still on a public beach. It’s the same beach we were yelling at each other on. Remember that?”

  Sean teased, “I prefer ‘loudly sharing our opinions.’ It wasn’t yelling.” He checked the crowd around them. “They’ve forgotten us anyway.”

  “For now.” Reyna grinned. “This kiss should fix that.” Then she took a step closer. Sean slowly wrapped his arms around her. Reyna rested on him, and he might as well have been a superhero. He lowered his head and she met him halfway, their lips soft as they found the way and then warmer as the kiss changed from the first kiss to the first kiss that mattered.

  She stepped back before he was ready but tangled her fingers through his. “I... You know, I can’t remember any other kiss. That one wiped every other kiss away.”

  He liked that. He liked it a lot.

  “But...” Reyna pressed her fingers over her lips. “It doesn’t change anything, does it? Have I magically resolved all your fears about being worthy? Because I’ve still got your job to worry about.”

  He groaned. How many ways could he say “forget the job”? She wouldn’t let it go.

  Then he reminded himself he’d been the fool who’d dug it up this time.

  She snapped Dottie’s leash on and opened the gate to walk out into the parking lot
. “I’ve got to tell my father. That’s what needs to happen first. I’ll tell my father I’m going to step down from leading Concord Court. Then we’ll see what the fallout is. Your job will be...settled. I won’t be signing your paycheck anymore. Some of the obstacles will be gone. We’re having brunch the morning after the cocktail party. I’ll tell him then.” Reyna slid into her seat behind Dottie and closed the door.

  As Sean walked back around to the driver’s side, he tried to decide how he felt about the fact that, even after all the conversation and the kiss and the yelling and the kiss, Reyna hadn’t asked him to be her date and her shield against her father at the cocktail party.

  When they were in the truck, she turned to him. “What do you think about that?”

  Now that he knew how wonderful it was to be her hero, he didn’t want to miss an opportunity.

  But he wasn’t going to force her decision, not like her father tried to.

  “It makes perfect sense. I hate it.” He shook his head at her offended frown. “For now, space.”

  Sean had his doubts that Reyna would ever resolve where he fit into her life, but she’d asked for time. He had to give it to her.

  It might not happen immediately, but her father or her sister would set her up with men who fit the picture better than Sean did. Eventually the guy who deserved her would come along.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  AS THE VAN the city was providing to transport all the workers for the Back to School Blowout in Bayfront Park slowed to a stop on Biscayne Boulevard, Reyna clutched Dottie’s leash and tried to remember the first time she’d attended one of Miami’s big celebrations here. Fourth of July fireworks, concerts—even Santa Claus partied in this park. It made sense.

  If the rest of the world thought of Miami as South Beach, art deco and sandy beaches, Reyna could point them here to add to the picture. This park was the real heart of Miami. Greenery, palm trees and lots of space surrounded by tall glass buildings on one side and the bay on the other.

  “Looks like you guys are right in the middle. Hop out here and head for the fountain.” Nico, the driver, offered her a map. “Need this?” He’d been as good as a tour guide as they’d made the short trip from the parking lot where she’d left her car.

  Reyna waved it off. She wanted her hands free for Dottie. “Easy enough.”

  He dropped it in the front seat. “You’ve got plenty of time to get to the booth if you get lost. Go north, toward the amphitheater, and hit a food truck before your shift. There’s usually about a million choices, lotsa tacos, but my favorite is MaxCheese. Every sandwich has some sorta delicious cheese and you should try the tuna melt or...” The driver trailed off as if words failed him when he remembered the glories of MaxCheese. “Tell ’em Nico sent you.”

  The tiny rumble in her stomach made Reyna wonder if that was the best advice of the day or her life. A cheesy sandwich would hit the spot.

  “Thanks for the ride, Nico.” Reyna waved and then shoved open the van door, Dottie’s leash wrapped firmly around her hand. She’d grown so attached to this dog that if anything happened to her...

  Now words are failing me, Reyna thought, shaking her head. “You ready to work?” Dottie was watching her, even as Reyna realized she was doing the same thing Sean did: talking to a dog who couldn’t hear her.

  And the reminder that she’d kept her distance from Sean over the week hit almost as hard as the threat of losing Dottie.

  She’d missed him. Dodging him in the office was easy enough because Brisa had nearly completed her takeover of the management of Concord Court. Reyna had gone to Sawgrass Station for three days and, for the remainder of the week, done her best to be in the Concord Court office when Sean wasn’t. Brisa hadn’t noticed.

  Her little sister had gotten so wrapped up in identifying new veterans’ groups who could benefit from Concord Court’s programs that she’d barely come up for air.

  “Food? Drink? Or work?” Reyna moved slowly down the path toward the large fountain that had always delighted her as a kid. Craft vendors had set up small tents to sell their items along the paved path, and there was a short line of families in front of one artist drawing caricatures.

  Winding through the crowd took some time, so Reyna was happy she’d arrived early.

  Before she made it to the fountain, off to the right, she could see a long line of people and several Miami Fire T-shirts. “Let’s go this way first.” She pulled out her phone to check the time. Nico had been right. She still had almost an hour before Dottie would start her two-hour shift in the working dog tent for her meet and greet.

  When they made it up to the milling group of firefighters, she saw Alvarez and Jenkins, the two proctors for the city’s physical aptitude test, talking with the Fields brothers. Before she could back carefully away in order to avoid being spotted, Mort Fields raised his hand. “Montero. Bring Dottie here.”

  Reyna pasted on her calm, definitely-not-nervous face and maneuvered through the crowd. If she’d been worried about Dottie’s reaction, she was reassured, because the dog stayed close enough to brush against every step she took. They had become a team. What a great dog.

  “Dropped anyone on their head lately, Montero?” Alvarez asked before Reyna had even come to a stop in front of them.

  “No, ma’am,” Reyna answered as she met the other woman’s stare. “And I only remove my gloves now for special occasions, so please pass that along to Marv.”

  Alvarez smiled and bent down on one knee to hold out her hand. “I like your new partner here.”

  Reyna gave Dottie the “okay” sign and watched the dog charm crusty Alvarez and Jenkins by batting her eyelashes and wagging her tail.

  “Dottie ready for her first appearance?” the chief asked.

  “Yes, sir.” Reyna couldn’t see over all the heads in the crowd. “Is this our tent?”

  Mort Fields grunted. “No, but you’re close. This is the dunking booth. That’s why the line is so long. Firefighters line up to dunk the cops. Cops line up to dunk us. And your friend Pulaski has managed to draw an impressive crowd of both determined to send him into the water over and over and over.” His crocodile grin was an expression Reyna had never seen. “We’re gonna be able to issue so many scholarships to the academy this year, thanks to his exceptional personality.”

  A big Pulaski splash? That she had to see.

  “Watch Dottie?” Reyna asked as she held out the leash. When the chief took it, she maneuvered carefully through the visitors so she could see, and there he was, Ryan Pulaski, dripping wet in the dunking booth. His eyes met hers and he raised his hand in a wave as another hit smashed the target and he landed with a splash.

  If she were the kind of person to enjoy someone else’s misfortune, she would have. It was so tempting, but Pulaski stood up, wiped his face and yelled, “Good one, Baptiste,” before climbing back up on the seat. He met her stare again and mouthed, “Friendly fire, huh?”

  Could she hit the target? Reyna slipped her hand into her pocket to see how much money she could donate to a good cause to take a shot. Then she remembered her pledge to herself to get along with her new team and Pulaski in particular. This was a good opportunity to take the high road.

  Virtue and disappointment warred for victory as she turned away from the dunking crowd.

  “Kid’s taking it well,” Mort said as she returned. “When it was his turn, Baptiste cussed like a sailor until I moved up to stand next to the tank.” He frowned, his dark eyebrows a solid line. “There are kids here. Was it funny to hear Baptiste splutter and curse? Yes, but not appropriate for the day.”

  Reyna took Dottie’s leash. “Pulaski’s a tough competitor, but a good guy.” She thought that was true. It seemed like a nice thing to say here. “I’m sorry I missed Baptiste’s turn.”

  “How’s training going?” Jenkins asked, his muscled arms crossed over his broad c
hest. Reyna was mesmerized by the muscles for a long second, so the chief answered.

  “Montero here wants to be behind the wheel. Might have been born to drive a fire truck.” Mort propped his hands on his hips. “That’s what I heard, anyway?”

  Sid Fields said, “Thinking about sending her back to the academy for defensive driving?”

  Afraid she would betray her excitement, Reyna bent down to adjust the Sawgrass Station Firefighter vest that Dottie was wearing.

  “Don’t know. Finding someone who is good at community outreach is tough. If she’s good. I guess we’ll find out today or when school starts.” Mort cleared his throat. “But finding someone ready to tackle driving the engines or trucks ain’t always easy, either. She’s a natural, so more training makes sense. Glad I found a spot for her on the team. You agree, Montero?”

  Reyna cleared her throat as she stood. “Yes, sir. I wanted to join your station.”

  “That have much to do with being so close to Concord Court? Your daddy’s grand gesture to the military men and women of America?” Alvarez drawled.

  Reyna had to bite back her first response. This was close enough to the “your daddy bought your spot, didn’t he?” stuff she’d dealt with that it hit an immediate button. The memory of how she’d yelled at Sean on a dog beach about the same thing flashed until she shook it off.

  Eventually she was going to have to learn to let that roll off her shoulders. Changing people’s minds was never guaranteed, and she knew herself, knew how hard she worked and what she believed. If Alvarez or Jenkins or Pulaski assumed something different, she’d prove them wrong. Reyna wouldn’t even have to change her plans or her personality. There was no reason to cling to the chip on her shoulder.

  Instead of icy anger, Reyna went for truth. It had never let her down. “Partially. I want to serve there, too. The place has lots of room for vets who’d like to volunteer to help the men and women returning home who might need a boost.” She met Alvarez’s eyes head-on. “And Sawgrass is obviously the best station in the city. Ask the mayor.” She pointed at the woman standing to one side of the dunking booth, her politician-red suit and the large group of cameras and staff following her making her easy to spot.