by Tanya Stowe
“How’d we do, doctor?”
“Doctor?”
“Yep. From now on, I’m going to call you the dog doctor because you can fix any problem.”
Justin laughed. “Don’t give me too much credit. It wasn’t hard to figure out that your dog is lonely and needed exercise. The real question is what will happen when you go back to your regular routine.”
She nodded, sending those blonde locks rippling and sparkling in the sunlight. He loved watching how her unusual shade of silver-and-honey locks caught the light.
“I’m not sure what my regular routine is any more. We’ve spent every night at my mom’s house.”
“That’s right. You said your dad had a problem. Has his condition worsened?”
“I forgot to tell you. It’s the most amazing thing.” Her blue eyes lit up when she looked at him. “Baby came to the rescue.”
“Baby?” Justin didn’t have to feign his surprise. “What happened?”
“We walked to my mother’s house one night. Usually I don’t take Baby because she makes my dad nervous, but that night, I was just going to pop in. My Mom was so exhausted, I decided to sleep on the couch. My dad has sundowner symptoms. He woke up in the middle of the night and tried to go outside but Baby stopped him. Isn’t that amazing?”
“It’s more than amazing. It’s perfect.”
A shadow of confusion crossed Jaci’s pretty face. “Perfect for what?”
Was now the time to tell Jaci his big plan? Justin hesitated. “I work with a local group. We train service dogs for veterans. The animals have proven to be invaluable in helping soldiers deal with injuries, amputations, and PTSD symptoms, especially at night.”
“Really? How do they do that?”
“Dogs possess acute hearing. Plus, they seem to sense when their owners are in distress, even while they’re still sleeping. We train the dogs to go to their owner’s aid, to wake them before the episode turns into a full-blown attack. It’s incredibly effective.”
“That’s amazing.” A frown creased her perfect forehead and he could almost see the wheels spinning behind a slightly vacant blue-eyed gaze. “Wow. If that works for veterans, do you think it would work for Alzheimer’s patients too?”
Her question surprised him. Nothing vacant about the lively brain behind those beautiful eyes. In fact, Jaci Meadows was proving to be one sharp woman. He’d never thought of using the support dogs in that type of arrangement. The thought intrigued him.
“Well…they need to bond with their owners. A patient in full-onset Alzheimer’s might not have the capability to do that.”
“But the dog could bond with the patient’s caretaker.”
“True. The idea has possibilities. I’d like to give it a try sometime.”
“How about now? I have the perfect place for an experiment.”
Justin studied her features. They looked as if they’d been lit with a light, an inner light. A half smile flitted around her lips. Her skin glowed, making her seem even more lovely—and kissable.
Where had that thought come from?
Dangerous territory, Blakely. Back away.
“I know what you’re thinking. I’m not sure Baby is ready for that.”
“Baby? No, that would never work. My dad’s afraid of her. But another dog, maybe a smaller one. My mom loves dogs. Absolutely loves them. Having a trained companion around just might help lighten the load.”
As much as Justin wanted to, he couldn’t argue with her logic. First of all, she was far too appealing…and the idea of testing out a service animal in this situation was too compelling.
“I have a dog I’ve been working with who is just about ready. I can call his personal trainer…”
She gave a little jump and grabbed his hand. “Great! I’ll call my mom and see what she thinks of our idea.”
Our idea. Mostly hers. But he had to admit, he liked it. He especially liked the way Jaci seemed to shine when she was happy.
He pulled out his phone and dialed Bailey’s trainer.
Jaci’s movements were animated as she spoke with her mother. She used her hands to accentuate everything she said. Her petite frame commanded attention…no matter how small it was. She filled the space around her.
When Bailey’s owner finally answered, Justin turned away so he could concentrate. By the time his phone conversation was completed, Jaci had hung up.
“Well?”
Justin shrugged. “Bailey and his trainer Denise are available this afternoon.”
Jaci gave another little jump. “My mother’s always available. She doesn’t get out much with my dad. She’s so excited! Can we set up a meeting?”
“All I have to do is supply a time and an address.”
“How about half an hour.” She gave him the address after Justin dialed Denise’s number. When he finished, she turned. “Come on. I want to introduce you to my parents.”
She led the way to her car.
Baby sat on her haunches and stared at Justin, her head cocked, waiting.
He took a shallow breath. “Come on, girl. I’m in the thick of it now.” He opened the door to the small car and Baby climbed into the back. Eyeing the cramped legroom in the passenger seat he said, “We can take my truck.”
“Yes, but I’ll still have to come back to pick up my car. I might as well drive since I know the way. Come on, are you afraid?” Her teasing smile made Justin’s stomach do flip-flops.
“Only that my knees might break my nose with the first bump you hit.”
She laughed. “I promise I’ll slow down.”
Justin climbed in and buckled his seat belt. For the first few miles, his mind churned, trying to find some way to dampen the light of hope he saw in her gaze.
“You know, there’s a pretty high price to pay for service dogs. Their trainers have to be recompensed for their upkeep.”
Jaci nodded. “Understandable. I’ll pay whatever it takes. It can’t be more than in-home care.”
After her comment about budgeting for lessons and running shoes, Justin wondered if she realized how much money they were talking about. But then…hadn’t she also mentioned helping her single-mom sister pay for her nephews to play football? Now he realized why Jaci had to budget. She spent all of her income helping her family and even some folks not so close to her…like Baby’s negligent owner…who had now embarked on a European tour and had no intention of returning.
Feeding a dog of Baby’s size for all these months could not have been cheap. Still, Jaci had taken the dog in and even forked out the money for the lessons.
Every minute with Jaci Meadows was forcing Justin to reformulate his first, incorrect estimation of the diminutive blonde.
Ellie Meadows was as tiny and willowy as her daughter. When she opened the door, Justin recognized a familiar blue sparkle in her gaze. She invited them into a lovely, tastefully decorated home.
Jaci’s dad was sitting on the couch as Ellie led the way.
“I’m so glad we could arrange this. Today is a good day. He’s in a great mood and very alert.”
Jack Meadows stood when he heard the voices.
Justin was taken aback. Well over six feet, Mr. Meadows towered over his tiny wife. Wow. How does she handle him on a not-so-good day? Justin winced as soon as the thought popped out. How sad this was his first impression of this once vital, strong man.
Justin had had the same thoughts when he’d first met veterans returning with their injuries, seen and unseen. That made him determined to help, to see if they could use the service dogs to make the situations better. Helping Jaci’s parents solidified his resolve.
Jaci was right though. Her dad was afraid of Baby. As soon as the man’s gaze landed on the big malamute, he rose from his seat and moved across the room to another chair.
Her father’s reaction caused Justin a moment of concern. Bailey was a black Labrador retriever, a big dog. Not as big as Baby but still a big dog…and any dog would have to be big to have an impact on th
e Meadows’s situation. If Jack Meadows had the same reaction to Bailey, Justin doubted Jaci’s idea would work.
When the doorbell rang and Ellie rose to answer, Justin’s senses went on alert.
Denise introduced herself and Bailey. The dog never took his focus off his trainer. Even as Ellie knelt to pet him, Bailey’s head turned back to Denise every few moments for her silent instructions. Still, his tail wagged. He liked Ellie and she seemed enamored.
Good.
As they came into the room, Jack Meadows stepped out from behind the chair. “Missy! Where’ve you been, girl?” The big man crossed the room and stooped beside the dog, grasping his ears and ruffling them. Bailey’s tail wagged furiously.
Jaci had tears in her eyes. “We had a black lab named Missy when I was a little girl.”
Justin nodded his understanding.
Jack settled on the ground, somewhat awkwardly. The Alzheimer’s was clearly beginning to affect the man’s muscle coordination. But the disease could not impact his happy memories of a once-beloved dog.
After a while, Justin signaled Denise and she began to put Bailey through some of his silent signals for obedience. Bailey performed to perfection, convincing Justin that the animal was ready to part from his trainer into a new environment.
“Maybe we could move outside, into the backyard.”
“Of course. I’ll make us all some iced tea.” Ellie walked to the kitchen.
Jaci led the way to the back patio. A large back yard provided plenty of room for a dog Bailey’s size. Denise produced a tennis ball.
Jack laughed as Bailey dashed after it and even began to throw it himself.
The table sat beneath a large umbrella. They sipped sweet tea in the still warm September sun and watched the man and dog frolic around the yard.
Justin questioned Ellie about her needs and concerns. Then they outlined a training program for Bailey, which included an overnight stay for Denise and the dog. By the time they had a solid test program in place, Jack was worn out.
He dropped into a chair at the table. Ellie pushed a large glass of tea towards him.
Bailey marched over and plopped on the ground beside Jack’s chair.
Justin was always amazed at canine sensitivity. Bailey’s instincts told him Jack needed watching over. The sight almost brought tears to Justin’s eyes.
All three women’s eyes also glistened with unshed moisture.
Justin cleared his throat. “Well, I think my work here is done for now.”
“I guess since I’m your ride, that’s my signal to leave too.”
Jaci rose and kissed her mother’s cheek.
“Bailey and I would like to stay a while longer if you don’t mind.” Denise’s question was spoken very low.
Ellie grasped her hand. “We would love for you two to stay.”
Justin considered himself a good judge of animals, but he had to admit, his choice of human trainers was pretty good, too.
They said goodbye to Ellie and were halfway to the car before a realization hit Justin. The whole time Bailey and Jack had been horsing around in the back yard, Baby had sat right beside Jaci and never once barked or even whimpered to jump in.
Justin halted his forward movement and stared at the dog.
Baby stopped, sat on her haunches and looked up, as if to say “What?”
“What is it?” Jaci asked.
“You realize that your dog is brilliant, don’t you?”
She laughed. “I don’t know about that but she definitely has inside information.”
“What do you mean?”
Jaci shook her head and moved toward the car. “I think someone whispers in her ear and tells her exactly what to do at the right moment. She’s smarter than most people.”
“Well, that’s not much of a stretch.”
He motioned Baby forward and held the door open. The dog climbed in and settled in the back.
“You don’t like people very much, do you?” Jaci stared at him with a puzzled expression.
He shook his head. “Let’s just say I understand animals better. People confuse me.”
“Me too!” Her heartfelt statement made Justin laugh.
What events in her life had created such a strong emotion? She’d been burned, but how? Who had instigated that sense of confusion in her? Most of all, how did she still manage to light up a room with her smile, even though she’d clearly been hurt?
Jaci flipped the ignition on the car. The engine rumbled to life.
He would be home in minutes but he didn’t want the day to end. “Thank you, Jaci.”
She faced him, a half-smile playing on her lips. “For what?”
“For opening up a new avenue for our group. For showing me another way for animals to bridge the gap. I really appreciate it…and the least I can do is take you to dinner.”
Smiling, she shifted the car into gear. “I have a better idea. Today where I live is the monthly Heart’s Haven barbecue. We’re not too late. We can still grab a plate, but we need to hurry. The ribs are to die for and they go fast. Besides, I have another idea I can’t wait to discuss with you.”
4
Jaci breathed a sigh of relief as they pulled into the Heart’s Haven complex. Fortunately, the barbecue crowd was still gathered in the large common area. She didn’t want to admit it, but she’d feared they would arrive too late, and somehow it seemed very important for Justin to meet the Heart’s Haven group. She pulled into her parking spot and flew out of the car.
“Come on in. I need to drop off my purse and grab my contribution.” She glanced back over her shoulder in time to see Justin pausing beneath the white arch over her gate. The little wooden sign carved in wood read, May Love Find All Who Enter.
Jaci cringed slightly. For some reason, that was one quote she wished the handsome dog whisperer hadn’t seen. All too obviously love had not found her and she didn’t want to draw his attention to the fact.
Leaving the door wide, she hurried in, dropped her purse on the breakfast bar and pulled her store-bought cake and ice-cream roll out of the freezer.
Baby came through the door.
Justin was right behind the dog. He glanced around her living room, at her cream-colored sofa and chair. “Pretty cozy in here.”
“Yep, simple but cozy. Even simpler without my lovely throw pillows.”
He chuckled. “Have you had any chewing incidents lately?”
“Nope. Not one. That’s why I call you Dr. Fixit.”
Hiking one eyebrow, Justin met her gaze. “Well, don’t get overconfident. Just about anything could cause a relapse. Remember, dogs are super sensitive to all our emotional ups and downs.”
She paused with the large box in her hands. “Are you saying you don’t think I’m doing all that needs to be done for Baby?”
“No, not at all. You’re doing above and beyond what most people would do and it’s working. I’m just wondering how long you can sustain it.”
Shrugging, she hurried around the breakfast counter. “I’ll do it for as long as necessary.”
He laughed again. “You’ll do your best.”
She paused. “You make it sound like my best isn’t good enough.”
“Jaci.” He sighed, clearly struggling to communicate without offending. “No one could do what you do. I’m convinced of that. I just wonder how long you can sustain this crazy pace.”
“The Lord will give me the strength I need.”
“Indeed He will…if it is His will.”
Her stomach did an unexplainable flip. The words struck a deep chord, one that made her slightly uncomfortable. “Are you trying to make me feel insecure? Because you’re doing a good job.”
“No…not insecure. Just trying to share a little wisdom I’ve learned the hard way. My favorite Scripture is Proverbs 3:5-6. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight.”
She stared at him, tryi
ng to make sense of his explanation. But it all seemed to jumble in her mind. Wasn’t she trying to do the Lord’s will…turning her cheek seven times seventy and never shunning someone in need? That’s what Jesus did. So why did Justin’s favorite scripture create such turbulence inside her?
He gestured to the box in her hand. “Is that your contribution to the pot luck? I thought pot luck meant everyone prepared it themselves.”
“I don’t cook.” She said the words almost belligerently. “Maybe that’s where I find the time to do what I do.”
Justin smiled, flashing perfect white teeth and dark blue eyes, and just like that, all seemed right in the world.
Jaci could have stood there longer, watching the way the corners of his lips tilted and how small laugh lines fanned out from his eyes. Something reassuring and kind shone like a beacon in that gaze. But he took the box from her hands.
“Perfect comeback. Now, we’d better get going or we’ll miss those ribs.” He motioned toward the door.
Jaci took the lead, pushing all the confusing thoughts to the back of her mind.
David Myers stood at the grill. The minister and his wife Pia were the new owners of Heart’s Haven but the complex had been in David’s family for generations. He had inherited it after the recent death of his uncle, Andrew Hart. More like family than neighbors, the Heart’s Haven folks were still learning how to function without the presence of the gruff but good-natured owner. He’d been an integral part of Heart’s Haven.
Hart’s widow, Viv, knew these monthly barbecues were an important step, helping them all to push through the grief. That’s why she insisted they continue as usual. Still, there were awkward moments in every function.
It helped that Heart’s Haven always had an influx of new members. Jaci knew that Dawni and another Heart’s Haven member had hit it off rather famously. Dawni didn’t realize it yet, but Jaci found it quite obvious that Gavin Sampson was crazy about the quiet newcomer. By a series of inexplicable events, the two were the guardians of a brand new baby they’d named Guy.
New life brought new beginnings to Heart’s Haven. David’s wife Pia was expecting. If the little one turned out to be a boy, they intended to name him Andrew. If a girl, the child would be called Andrea. David and Pia had chosen not to be told the gender of the new baby. The suspense had given the whole complex renewed camaraderie, creating lots of teasing and guessing. The light-hearted games had brought them all through some tough times. Perhaps that had been David and Pia’s plan all along.