The Dog Designer Ruffles Some Feathers

by Heather Horrocks

  Another couple came and joined them, and Nalani introduced her to them, as well. “This is Walter Clemmons and his sweetheart, Sugar.”

  She shook his hand. “I met you once before, when I had to do a special report and you helped me with the history.”

  “I remember. And you won a prize with that paper.”

  “I did,” she said, happy that he’d remembered. “And my teachers were very impressed that the world’s premier paranormal historian was my source.”

  “He’s the director of the local Council office now,” Nalani added. “And Sugar is a kitchen witch with a talent for baking delicious goodies.”

  “I brought the pumpkin spice cookies.”

  “I’m experiencing a craving for said cookies as you speak,” Poppy said with a smile.

  As she and Nalani worked their way to the table to grab a cookie or two, Poppy felt enveloped in friendships, old and new. People were so kind to her, so welcoming.

  And then, when she turned to see the crowd, everything went wrong.

  The background faded away around Kealoha, who stood under one of the large trees in the huge yard, his arm around a woman. She caught his gaze.

  Given her instant, irrational, and involuntary reaction to the sight — wanting to push the woman aside and tell her to leave Kea alone — she realized she only thought she’d gotten over Kea Pueo. Obviously there were still echoes of her girl’s crush in her woman’s heart. Much more than she’d ever thought. Otherwise, why would she have felt such a strong emotion at seeing him with someone else?

  As the saying went, a picture was worth a thousand words. This picture spoke volumes.

  Kealoha stared back at her, an odd, confused look on his handsome face.

  It took everything in her to turn away. Nalani eyed her with interest. Had she noticed Kea staring at her? Poppy tried for a casual tone. “Who’s the woman with Kea?”

  Nalani’s tone was far too casual in return as she said, “His fiancée.”

  “His fiancée? Really?” Jealousy shot through Poppy and she glared accusingly at her friend. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”

  Nalani shrugged. “I didn’t think it mattered.”

  It matters. Oh, boy, did it ever matter. “How long have they been engaged?”

  “Just a few days, actually.”

  “How long has he known her? I don’t remember her from school.”

  “That’s because she’s not from Moonchuckle Bay. As far as I know, he met her a year ago when he saved the house of her employer, but they didn’t meet again until the old man’s funeral service.”

  “How did the old guy die?”

  “Apparently a heart attack.”

  “So he only met her once a year ago, and then met her again and proposed immediately?”

  Nalani nodded.

  Poppy wrinkled her forehead. “That seems awfully quick.”

  “That’s what the family thinks, too.” Nalani smiled. “He’s still looking at you. Maybe it’s not too late to remind him why he shouldn’t marry her. After all, you’re old enough to date him now.”

  “I’m here to visit you, not break up an engagement.” As much as she might still want Kealoha’s attention, she certainly didn’t want everyone to hate her for being a homewrecker.

  Okalani Pueo pulled her daughter, Aloha, into the kitchen, and lowered her voice. “It’s time.”

  Aloha nodded, totally agreeing. “I have the spell here.”

  “Tell me again how Chicory said to activate it.”

  “I have to be within five feet of her, uncork the vial, and say the words Chicory told me.”

  Her mother sighed. “I hope this works.”

  “Me, too. I can’t bear the thought of that woman in our family forever.” Aloha glanced through the window at her twin brother, who seemed to be entranced by this woman. “I suspect we’re fighting witchcraft with witchcraft. There’s no way this is a natural thing.”

  “Okay, go do it. Then I’ll make sure I get hold of their phones for the second spell.”

  Aloha nodded and straightened her shoulders. She wasn’t going to let this seductress marry her twin without proving she was really in love with him — and Aloha didn’t believe she was. How could she be? Nobody fell in love and wanted to get married after just a “chance” meeting.

  A Hellfire-and-Dalmatian in Residence

  AS KEA AND LIZZIE SPOKE with some friends and his sister Aloha, Lizzie swayed a little, leaning into him.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked her, concerned, taking her arm to support her.

  She straightened and blinked her eyes. “I’m so tired all of a sudden. Really, really tired.”

  His sister touched Lizzie’s arm and asked, sounding as concerned as he felt, “You can lie down on the bed in our spare bedroom, if you’d like.”

  Lizzie sagged more heavily against Kea. He exchanged looks with Aloha, who motioned him toward the house.

  “What if she’s sick?”

  His sister shook her head. “She doesn’t look sick to me, just tired. Let her nap for a little while and she’ll be fine, I’m sure.”

  Aloha led the way into the house, holding the back door open for Kea as he half-walked/half-carried Lizzie inside. Aloha opened the spare bedroom door and turned on the light. There was a box of crafts on the bedspread, and Aloha moved it to the closet, then fluffed the pillow.

  Lizzie sank down and practically fell over, yawning hugely. Aloha handed an afghan to Kea, who covered Lizzie with it, and turned off the light as they left the room.

  “That was weird,” he muttered.

  She shrugged. “When you need a nap, you need a nap.” She took his arm. “Hey, come on out. You’ll never believe who’s here for a visit.”

  Poppy laughed at Elvis’s story. “You didn’t really do that, did you?”

  “Oh, I certainly did,” he assured her, eyes twinkling with mischief. “And the man never came into the studio again, either. So it solved both problems at once.”

  Charlie smiled at her husband. “He definitely thinks outside the box.”

  Elvis looked up, over her shoulder. “Oh, there you are, Kea.”

  Poppy’s heart started to pound and she froze. After all these years, she was about to see Kea, talk to him, and she felt like she was an awkward Moonchuckle Bay High Monster all over again. Forcing her limbs to move, Poppy turned.

  He was as handsome as ever, and her heart pounded in her chest. Her face went hot. Why did she have to react like a stupid teenager at seeing him again? She’d hoped to be more sophisticated now, but she’d time traveled right back to her awkward years.

  She realized that his fiancée wasn’t with him. Where was the woman who’d stolen Kea’s heart?

  Her arm linked through Kea’s, Aloha beamed. “I bet you haven’t seen Poppy in five years, since she left town.”

  The big guy looked thunderstruck. “You’re … all grown up,” he said, admiration in his voice.

  The words and the tone warmed her heart but she shrugged a little, trying to be casual. “It happens.”

  “Yes, it does,” Aloha said happily.

  Iokua announced, “Dinner’s ready, folks.”

  Aloha reached out for Poppy’s hand and put it on Kea’s arm. “You two are seated together, now that Lizzie is napping. Go get your food and join us over there.” She pointed to one of the tables.

  “Yes, ma’am,” Kea said with a laugh. “I was actually born first, you know, so you can stop bossing me around now.”

  “Ten minutes is nothing,” Aloha said. “Now I’ve got to go get people rounded up. You can be first in line if you act fast.”

  Kea looked at Poppy and shrugged a shoulder, smiling at her. “Shall we?”

  His smile had always caused butterflies in her stomach, and nothing had changed. She smiled back at him. “I’ve seen your extended family eat before. Yes, we definitely should move fast.”

  They grabbed plates and walked down the table, choosing pulled pork and ter
iyaki chicken, and scooping out potato salad along with many other yummy dishes.

  When they sat at the table that Aloha had indicated, everyone else was still in line or going to other tables.

  Kea kept looking at her. “You left here a young girl.”

  Poppy quirked a corner of her mouth up. “I was fifteen, so at least give me young woman.”

  “A young woman who was the friend to my spoiled little sister,” he amended. “Now you look fabulous.”

  “Thanks.” He looked pretty good himself, but she wasn’t about to say that. He might be willing to flirt a little with her while his fiancée was away — napping, had Aloha said? — but she didn’t dare. Her feelings for him were still too close to the surface.

  As they ate, she enjoyed the admiring looks he kept shooting her way.

  “Nalani said you’re the fire chief now.”

  “I am.” He nodded after swallowing a mouthful of potato salad. “Fire is particularly dangerous in Moonchuckle Bay, considering the tourists. It’s also a little more common because of the number of supernaturals who are still learning to control their powers.”

  And that was without adding fire-breathing dogs into the mix.

  He studied her. “I remember you used to like literature and crafts and playing with our Border Collie.”

  “Oh yeah, your Border Collie! Where is Lucy?”

  He pulled a sad face. “We had to put her to sleep two years ago.”

  “Oh no! I loved that dog!”

  “I know.” He chuckled. “So what are you up to nowadays?”

  She didn’t want to tell him too much about Blaze, specifically, or even about the magical qualities of her dogs, so she simply said, “I breed designer dogs.”

  “Designer dogs.” He sipped his lemonade. “Didn’t people used to call them mutts?”

  She heard that more often that she cared to, but for some reason, it didn’t bother her as much when he asked it. “Actually, designer dogs are the result of a purebred father of one breed and a purebred mother of a different breed.”

  “Oh. So like the goldendoodles and stuff. They have to have a funky name, right? What are some of yours?”

  “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

  He laughed. “Come on. This is Kea you’re talking to. You can tell me.”

  Nalani plopped down beside them, setting an overflowing plate on the table. She must have caught his question, because she explained, “Poppy does magical dogs.”

  TMI, Nalani! Poppy wished she could communicate mentally with her friend, but gave a minute shake of her head.

  “Magical dogs? Seriously?” Kea set down his fork, looking intrigued. “What kind of magical dogs?”

  Nalani motioned to Poppy. “Tell him. You’re going to love these, Kea.”

  “Well,” Poppy said, pausing to choose her words carefully. “My favorite is Max. He’s a Labracadabrador.”

  Kea slapped his knee and laughed. “So he’s half Labrador. What’s the other half?”

  “Trade secret. Until I announce them officially, I can’t say.”

  “You can’t just dangle something like that out there and then not say.” He looked at her and shrugged. “Okay, so you can not say. Are all your dogs Labracadabradors?”

  “Tell him about Blaze,” Nalani said, a mischievous smile on her face.

  Poppy shot her friend a glare. She wasn’t about to go there. Or at least not so he’d know what Blaze could do. “A Prestidigimatian,” she said primly.

  “Half Dalmatian...?”

  “You got it.”

  Poppy pulled out a business card and handed it to him. “Here’s what they look like.”

  He read aloud: “Poppy Brooks, Sleight of Hound, Specialty Dogs.” He looked at her appraisingly. “Clever.” Then he studied the picture on the card.

  Nalani said, “The best one is the half Shih Tzu who thinks she’s in charge of everyone.”

  Kea caught Poppy’s gaze, and waited, a quirk to his lips.

  She said, “Princess Wencheng is a Shih Tzam.”

  He laughed again. “I’d like to meet these magical dogs.”

  “Perhaps we can arrange it while I’m here,” she lied. There was no way she was going to let him come to her rental place. Not when she wanted to grab him and kiss him. And especially not while she had a Hellfire-and-Dalmatian in residence.

  Someone muttered, “Oh no, Kea’s fiancée is awake.”

  “My fiancée?” He laughed. He didn’t have a fiancée. Sure, he knew his mom had always thought Poppy had a crush on him and hoped they’d end up together, but that was going a bit far, even for her.

  Though he had to admit that Poppy looked fantastic tonight. She’d grown up in the last five years. She’d left town as the spoiled friend of his spoiled youngest sister — but had come back as a self-assured woman. He found himself very attracted to her.

  What a difference five years could make.

  Someone slipped their hand into the crock of his elbow, and he felt tingles coming from the touch. Startled, he looked down into purple eyes.

  Lizzie?

  His fiancée!

  He’d forgotten his own fiancée. What was wrong with him? And when she smiled at him, he forgot the others in the room and remembered helping her down for a nap. “You woke up.”

  “Yes. I don’t know why I fell asleep. I wasn’t tired at all.”

  Over Lizzie’s shoulder, he saw his mother’s face. She looked disappointed and he wondered why.

  Aloha said, her voice cheerful, “Lizzie, if you’ll give me your phone number, I’ll contact you about our family party tomorrow. We’re driving to Indian Falls. It will be great fun. And we’ll do a scavenger hunt with the kids and grandkids. We’d love to have you come.”

  Lizzie turned her smile onto Aloha and took out her phone, leaning in against Kea. He slipped an arm around her.

  She was so beautiful.

  Lizzie read off her number and Aloha said, “Thanks. I’ll call you tomorrow. You too, Kea, to let you know the plan.”

  Lizzie looked up at Kea, and whispered. “I need to leave.”

  “Of course.” Kea nodded. He felt an overwhelming urge to help her leave. Turning to his family, he said, “We need to leave. It’s been a really nice party, everyone. Thanks for inviting us.”

  He caught sight of Poppy and felt a pang of ... something ... but it disappeared as he turned back to Lizzie. He couldn’t wait to be married to her.

  As he walked out with Lizzie, he said, “I’ll need to drop you off at your place and head to the station. I had one of the guys call in sick and I need to cover for him.”

  “Oh.” She pouted.

  He never missed work — but suddenly he wished he didn’t have to go in. “I could call in.”

  “No, sweetheart.” She gave a satisfied smile. “I wouldn’t want to keep you from your work.”

  It’s as if She Understands You

  AS HE WALKED OUT OF the fire station with his dragon friend Ty at nine the next morning, Kea’s phone chirped. “Hey, it’s my sister. I gotta take this.”

  Ty waved. “See you later, then.”

  “Yeah, Sis? What are you doing up so freaking early?”

  Aloha’s voice was perky this morning. “Hey, Bro. I’m just calling you with the info about the party today.”

  “Oh, yeah. Okay, I’ll call Lizzie and let her know.”

  “All handled. We already called her and chatted, and decided she’ll ride with us. We want some bonding time together. We didn’t really get to know her very well last night since she fell asleep. So we’ll meet you there.”

  “But it’s a fifty-minute drive.”

  “I know. Listen to one of those audiobooks you’re always trying to get me to buy. Oh, and I loaded some stuff for the scavenger hunt into the bed of your truck.”

  He walked up to his truck and peered over the side. Sure enough, there were a couple of boxes in the truck bed. “What time do I need to be there?”

&nb
sp; “In a few hours, but I’ll double-check with Mom and text you in a few minutes.”

  “Okay.” He wasn’t sure about the drive by himself, but what the heck. He did like to listen to audiobooks.

  He climbed into his truck, wondering if Lizzie liked audiobooks.

  What did Lizzie like, anyway? He didn’t really know. But he had a lifetime to get to know all about her.

  So why was it Poppy’s face that came into his mind?

  After feeding her dogs and taking them for a morning run, carrying Wencheng the last part of the way, Poppy placed them in their crates and told them, “Okay, guys, we’ll be gone for about an hour and then you’re going with us to Indian Falls later.”

  Max and Blaze settled down, curling into balls on the cushions.

  I hate prison, Wencheng sent.

  It’s not prison.

  Do you see these bars? If there are bars, it’s a prison. The tiny dog sniffed and turned her back on Poppy.

  Poppy sighed. I’ll hurry back, maybe bring a cake with a file in it.

  Wencheng ignored her.

  Poppy pushed a treat between the bars of each cage, and she and Nalani went outside and drove into town to meet Chicory at her family’s new restaurant.

  She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed all of her friends. After all, she’d moved on with her life, graduated, and was doing what she loved as a career. It wasn’t until she’d come to town that she really remembered how important these people, these places, had been to her.

  This early in the day, Town Square was just waking up and the parking lot was barely filled with vehicles. They walked up the street to The Bubbling Cauldron. Walking in, she saw they weren’t the first customers of the day. The restaurant was already filling up.

  When Chicory saw them, she grinned. “Come on back. I’ve saved us the corner table.”

  Chicory always reminded Poppy of a gypsy with her colorful swirling skirts, bangles and chains, and peasant-style blouses. Her personality was just as free-flowing and easy-going.

  The three of them slid in as Marigold Connolly came out and greeted them. The woman never seemed to age, looking more like Chicory’s older sister than her mother. “What have you been doing since you left, Poppy?”