The Love That Saved Him

by Sophie Barnes

  “He says it will.”

  Considering that, Pierce hesitated a moment while pondering his options. The last thing he wanted was to be responsible for an old man losing his retirement fund. Still, Thomas seemed as though he’d made a calculated decision that he’d be prepared to live with. “Then what would you like to propose?” he asked Sarah. If she didn’t like his offer, he’d give her the chance to make a better one.

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “Tell me what you think is reasonable, and I’ll let you know if we can make it work.”

  “Really?” She sounded dubious.

  “Really,” he insisted.

  For a second she just stood there looking slightly uncertain. But then her eyes sharpened, and she said quite clearly, “Make it twenty five.”

  “No.”

  Her mouth dropped. “But you said—”

  “I know what I said, but twenty five is too low. You’ll have to do better than that.”

  She raised her chin a notch, straightened her posture and crossed her arms. “Fine. How about thirty—and two percent of the gold.”

  “Make that five percent and you have yourself a deal.”

  She didn’t answer, but her eyes filled with enough emotion to inspire a thousand poems. They were green, he suddenly noticed, and as if that realization alone had taken him a step too far, he immediately remembered that Caroline’s had been blue.

  “Why don’t you go and tell your grandfather there’s been a change of plans? See if he approves?” His tone was measured, concealing the heartache and the guilt that gnawed at him whenever he felt himself moving on without his wife, the distance between Caroline and him expanding.

  Nodding, Sarah backed through the doorway, leaving Pierce to gather cups on a tray along with milk, sugar, and a plate filled with chocolate chip cookies. Adding the coffee pot, he picked up the tray and walked into the living room, halting as soon as he saw the smile that lit up Thomas’s face while Sarah spoke to him. She was sitting right beside him on the leather couch, turned slightly sideways while her hands clasped his between her own.

  There was something so animated about her, so positive and full of life Pierce couldn’t quite seem to escape. It was a side of her he hadn’t seen yet, and for a moment he knew what it was to be happy again because she reminded him of what happiness looked like.

  But then she turned, saw him standing there, and the spell was broken. So he crossed to the coffee table and set down the tray, distributed cups and poured the coffee – mindless tasks to distract him from the acute loneliness that came from wanting to experience happiness again, but fearing the price he’d have to pay if he tried to embrace it.

  “I have a hundred acres in total,” he found himself saying as he offered Thomas the milk and sugar. “Forty of that will be yours, but I can’t guarantee you’ll be the only crew up here since I do plan on parceling off the rest.”

  “Wouldn’t be the first time we’ve worked close to others. It’ll be fine,” Thomas assured him.

  “I imagine you’ll want to get started end of May, beginning of June? As soon as the ground thaws?”

  “That’s probably about right.” Sarah took a sip of her coffee. “We’ll be five people in total in case you’re wondering.”

  “About that…” Pierce hesitated, uncertain about the request he was planning to make. Looking from one expectant face to the other, he drew a deep breath and said, “I’d like to work with you.”

  “What?” Sarah asked. Setting her cup back down, she glanced at her grandfather, then back at Pierce. “I’m sorry, but we already have a commitment, so we really can’t afford to hire you.”

  “You’re giving me a percentage,” Pierce said. He held her gaze, unwilling to let her escape the importance of what he was asking. “Helping out is the least I can do.”

  “In that case,” Thomas said, “welcome aboard.

  Sarah’s head spun toward her grandfather, but rather than speak, she said nothing. Pierce couldn’t help but be impressed. He knew she didn’t agree with Thomas’s decision – could see she was very annoyed by the fact that he’d taken control – so he did the only thing he could think of and picked up the plate still sitting on the tray. “Cookie?”

  “Why did you have to do that?” Sarah asked when she and her grandfather were finally heading back home again. They’d signed the papers. The claim was theirs. But she didn’t agree with what it entailed. “You undermined my authority in front of Mr. Jackson, agreeing to let a man with no Klondike or mining experience become a member of our crew, something I’m absolutely one hundred percent against.”

  “I’m sorry, Sarah, but when I see a man who’s drowning, my first instinct is to toss him a lifeline, not walk away.”

  Allowing her anger to abate, she softened her tone and steered them onto the road that would take them over the bridge and onto their driveway. “What are you talking about?”

  “Give it time,” he said as he patted her knee. “I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”

  Shaking her head, she considered the man she’d just met that afternoon. He was certainly handsomer than most, and his voice had been as enticing in person as it had been over the phone. But in the end, it was something else entirely that had caught her attention enough to leave a lasting impression, namely the consideration he’d shown toward an old man. Because as Pierce had said, this was business. And then he’d gone and made a better deal than the one her grandfather initially agreed to and proved he wasn’t nearly as unfeeling as she’d thought.

  Chapter Three

  Pierce didn’t see much of the Palmers in the weeks that followed. He didn’t see much of anyone else either, except during his occasional trips to the supermarket in Dawson. Because of the distance, he made an effort to buy enough supplies to last for at least one week at a time, which meant he was spending more time alone than he’d anticipated. Now he missed having company, and he looked forward to spring when the property would finally fill up with people and give him a purpose.

  One afternoon, Pierce refueled his car at the gas station and parked it next to the adjoining convenience store, deciding to walk over to the diner rather than drive. The cold air was easing up a bit, not nearly as frigid as it had been a few weeks earlier, but it was spring now with May approaching, so warmer days were bound to follow.

  He slipped on a pair of thermal gloves and tugged his scarf up higher around the back of his neck, then locked the car and stepped out onto the deserted sidewalk. A gust of wind made him quicken his pace as he headed for the bright fluorescent sign in the distance. Overhead, he could see the thick, clover-shaped clouds drawing together. They were trapping the sunlight between them in an unforgiving attempt to keep more pleasant weather at bay.

  A yelp drew Pierce’s attention. It came again and he paused to listen, unable to ignore the sound that seemed all the more pitiful in this harsh climate. A weak whine tore through his heart, and he found himself following the sound down a narrow side street until he happened upon the source – a puppy with its paw caught in a fence.

  “Poor little guy,” Pierce muttered as he crouched down and reached for the dog. It looked like a Husky with its thick white coat and a band of cognac-colored fur at the nape of its neck.

  Carefully, so as not to startle it, Pierce reached out his gloved hand and stroked the puppy’s head. “It’s all right. I’ll get you out of this mess.” He then took hold of the puppy’s paw and gently eased it back out through a tangled bit of fence wire, his chest tightening in response to every whine as it became clear the puppy was hurt and in pain. “Shh…easy now,” he whispered. Looking around in search of someone who might be able to advise him on what to do with a lost dog, Pierce scooped the puppy into his arms, cradling it there while he checked for signs of ownership. But there was no collar, and as far as he could tell, there wasn’t a chip either. Not that he was an expert. He’d never owned a dog, so all he had to go on was what he’d heard and read while he and Caroline
had considered adopting their own.

  Seeing a couple of houses further along the street, he decided to ask if the people who lived there had lost a dog. Nobody answered his knocks, so he eventually gave up and turned back toward Main Street. “Come on then,” he said as he tucked the puppy against his arms, protecting it from the wind as he carried it along. He’d have to abandon his plans to have coffee and cake at the diner now. Instead, he’d stop by the police station and ask if they knew of an animal shelter or some other place where the puppy’s owners might look for it.

  Back at his car, he grabbed a box that he otherwise used for storing a few necessities like wet wipes and paper towels, dumped the contents in the trunk and then placed the box on the floor by the front passenger seat. Studying the firm cardboard for a moment, he scratched the puppy behind the ear and sighed, then took off his scarf and arranged it in the bottom of the box before lowering the puppy into it. He eyed the tiny creature for a moment as it sniffed at the scarf, circling round and round before finally snuggling down into a comfy corner. “Don’t you dare pee on that,” he warned. But the puppy paid no attention, its nose already tucked against itself and its eyes half closed.

  Pressing his lips together in surrender, Pierce shut the door. When he pulled into the police station ten minutes later, the puppy appeared to be fast asleep, content with its new bed.

  “Excuse me,” Pierce said, addressing an officer who stood behind a counter. The man raised his head as Pierce placed the box with the puppy before him and gestured toward it. “I found this little guy caught in some fence wire earlier, but there’s no collar or any other indication of where he might belong. I don’t suppose you’d know what to do with it?”

  Peering into the box, the officer grimaced. “That’s a nice looking Husky. I’m sure someone will be looking for…” he nudged the puppy a little “…him, very soon.” Grabbing a piece of paper, he scribbled something down and handed it to Pierce. “Here’s the address for the shelter. I’d suggest taking him there. They’ll probably put a picture of him in the local paper so the owner can be alerted.”

  Thanking the man, Pierce took the puppy back to his car only to see that Sarah was just getting out of hers. “Hi there,” Pierce said, appreciating the sight of a familiar face. “Good to see you again.”

  She gave him a friendly smile as she came toward him. “You too.”

  “Running errands?” he asked, hoping to keep her talking a while.

  “Yeah. Can’t seem to avoid them.” With a nod toward the box, she asked, “How about you?”

  Pierce tilted it slightly so she could look inside. “I found this Husky on my way to the diner. Thought I’d try and help reunite it with its owner. I’m heading over to the shelter now to see if they might be able to help.”

  “Aw…” Sarah’s eyes lit up, her smile transforming into something else entirely – something that nearly stole Pierce’s breath as she reached inside the box and carefully stroked the back of the puppy’s head. “He’s adorable!” Her eyes met his. “I, um…I was just on my way to city hall to pay the property tax, but—”

  “You don’t do that online?”

  She shrugged a shoulder. “I’m old fashioned that way, plus it gives me a chance to stay connected – chat a bit with the townsfolk. But if you’re willing to wait, I’d be happy to go with you to the shelter.”

  Hearing the eager note in her voice and grateful for a bit more of her company, Pierce nodded. “Sure thing.” He watched her walk away at a brisk pace, quietly appreciating the purpose with which she applied herself.

  Caroline… He drew a sharp breath and muttered a curse before turning away and heading back to his car. He had to stop torturing himself like this. His wife was gone, and no matter how much he’d loved her or how much he would always love her, nothing was ever going to bring her back. The memories though…Christ, the memories… Disliking the sudden sting in his eyes, he yanked the car door open more roughly than he’d intended and put the box inside. He didn’t want to forget, but by God, he wouldn’t mind a reprieve from the anguish either.

  A sudden knock on the car window yanked him out of his misery. He couldn’t recall getting back into the car. He’d done so automatically, without thought, his mind struggling against the vivid reminder of what it had been like to be a husband, to belong with someone and to laugh and cry and share every aspect of his life with that person. Hell, he didn’t even know how long he’d been sitting there like that, but if Sarah was done paying her taxes then…

  Looking up, he noted her quizzical expression and rolled down the window. “I’m ready to go if you are,” she said.

  He gave her a jerky nod. “Sure. I don’t really know the way, so how about I follow you? All right?”

  Her expression tightened for a moment in an odd, almost panicked sort of way, but then she forced a tight smile and strode back quickly to her own car. He saw her pause there, her hand on the handle, and he couldn’t help but wonder about the contemplations she might be having. Was it something he’d said? No. He’d barely said anything at all. Could it be his change of mood during the few minutes she’d been gone? That might be it, but a hunch told him it was something else altogether. Something that made her shoulders tense and her posture look rigid as she climbed back into her car, placed her hands on the steering wheel, paused for a long moment as if willing herself to do something that she disliked, and finally, finally back out of the parking spot.

  He pulled out behind her, following her onto Main Street and discovering as he drove that Sarah Palmer was a very slow and careful driver. She waited for everyone, offering right of way to cars that didn’t have it, and always pausing an extra second before driving through an intersection – as though she didn’t trust the signals or the other people on the road.

  So when they eventually arrived at the shelter and parked side by side, Pierce couldn’t help asking, “Are you all right?” as he went to retrieve the box with the puppy.

  “Of course,” she said with a puzzled expression. “Why do you ask?”

  “It’s just…Well, I mean, not to sound critical or anything, but you drive as though…” He stopped himself. Her face had gone hard, defensive, and he considered how he’d planned on finishing that sentence, regretting how dense he was not to have realized the truth sooner. “Forget it,” he said. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”

  The tension in her eased a bit, but her eyes looked haunted as she quietly told him, “I had a bad experience once. Let’s just leave it at that, shall we?”

  Agreeing, Pierce followed her inside only to find the sparse interior empty. A bulletin board filled with pictures and flyers hung next to the door with a sturdy looking bench located beneath it. A musty scent of medicine and animals filled the air, thickening it and prompting Pierce to twitch his nose. Crossing the clean linoleum floor, Sarah tapped her hand against the bell on the counter, producing a sharp ring.

  It took a moment before an older woman with silver streaks in her tied-back hair appeared. “Oh! Hi there, Sarah. Haven’t seen you in a while. How are things going?” Her large eyes strayed to Pierce for a second before returning to Sarah.

  “Better now that the mining season’s almost here,” Sarah said then quickly gestured to Pierce. “This is my neighbor and soon to be work colleague, Pierce Jackson. Pierce, this is Sue Gardner, our local veterinarian and shelter manager.”

  “Good to meet you, Pierce,” Sue said with a wide and welcoming smile.

  “Likewise,” Pierce told her. He reached across the counter to shake the woman’s hand.

  “And your grandfather, Sarah? How’s he getting on?” Sue asked with what sounded like genuine concern.

  “He’s older, you know,” Sarah said. In spite of the carefreeness with which she said it, Pierce didn’t miss the slight hitch of her tone. “We’re both going a bit stir crazy, I think. It’ll be good to get back to work.”

  “Of course,” Sue replied with a pleasantness that suggested she knew n
ot to ask any further questions. And she didn’t. Instead she turned her eyes on Pierce. “So tell me, what can I do for you today?”

  He pushed the box forward on the counter. “I found this puppy tangled in a bit of wire fencing, but I couldn’t locate an owner. The officer over at the station said to bring him here.”

  Sue nodded as she leaned forward and took a peek at the box’s contents. “Generally that would be the correct thing to do, but it just so happens that a fox, hit by a car, was brought in earlier this morning right after Bob from The Pit brought in three cats he found sniffing about the garbage over there. Said they were causing a ruckus – strays all of them, as far as I can tell.”

  “So that means…” Pierce prodded.

  “We’re full,” Sue declared, “Plain and simple. But I’ll tell you what: This little fellow’s a pure-bred Husky. I can guarantee the owner will want him back, if for no other reason than to turn him into a fine sled dog. By the time February rolls around again and the Yukon Quest begins, he’ll be ready to join his first team.”

  “The Yukon Quest?” Pierce asked, looking from one woman to the other. “Is that a dog sledding race of some sort?”

  “Sure is,” Sue said with a chuckle.

  “It’s a thousand miles of sledding from Whitehorse, Yukon, to Fairbanks, Alaska,” Sarah explained. “The trail follows historical Gold Rush and mail delivery dog sled routes.”

  “Sounds like quite the endurance test,” Pierce said while eyeing the puppy and wondering if it would really make such an arduous journey one day.

  “The dogs are bred from stock that survived from the Gold Rush era. Their endurance is truly remarkable, and the quest itself quite a sight to behold.” Sarah paused for a second before saying, “I’ve been to Whitehorse a few times to see the contestants off. It’s pretty exciting and certainly worth the experience. You should think about going yourself next year.”

  Her enthusiasm made him grin. “I’ll do that.”