Season of Mercy: The Sled Dog Series, Book 4

by Melissa Storm

  Blinky stared at her, but she refused to budge. Sofia was done being pushed around. She was done hurting others and done letting them hurt her. “If that’s what you think, Matt, then you’ve never been my friend. Now get out of my store.”

  A couple days later, D-Man showed up outside Sofia’s door. While he’d never been to her apartment, he had briefly visited the building when he returned her car that fateful Saturday night. Sofia hadn’t heard from Blinky or any of his friends since Preeti’s arrest on Monday, but she’d always known that if anyone was going to reach out to her, it would be D-Man. Now that he was here, however, she had no idea what to expect.

  “Going to yell at me?” she asked, placing a hand on each hip as she strode the rest of the way up the sidewalk.

  “Are you going to yell at me?” he countered after rising to his feet.

  She offered him a hesitant smile. “No,” she said, drawing out the word.

  D-Man blushed and hung his head. “Then I won’t either.”

  “What are you doing here, Matt?” she asked, cutting to the chase since it seemed her visitor was having a hard time bringing them there. “I already turned Preeti in, so it’s too late to change my mind.”

  He shook his head adamantly. “Change your mind? No, I wanted to thank you.”

  This was definitely not what Sofia had expected. “Thank me?”

  “Yes, thank you. I never said it before for you helping with the rescue, so thank you. I also want to say it now, because…” His entire head turned red with embarrassment again. “Well, you inspire me.”

  “Umm, you’re going to have to explain that one.” She sunk to the doorstep, not ready to invite Matt into her apartment but also not strong enough to stand at the moment.

  D-Man sat down beside her even though he’d only just stood up moments before. “You were so brave,” he gushed with the largest smile she’d ever seen him wear. “Turning yourself and Preeti in like that. In making sure the dogs were taken care of when I wanted to dump them in a field just to make my own problems go away. I wish I could have had the courage to follow through and help those dogs, but when I ran away scared, you’re the one who stepped up.”

  Sofia rubbed him on the shoulder. It was nice to hear she’d done something good after all. She studied the full sleeve of tattoos on Matt’s left arm as they spoke. One of them looked raw and new, covering his wrist and part of the back of his hand. It looked like a cocktail of some kind, perhaps a Shirley Temple.

  “Do you know what it’s like to constantly have to look back over your shoulder, waiting to be caught, waiting to be found out?” Matt continued, smiling when he caught her examining his newest ink.

  “Yeah, I think I might know something about that,” she admitted with a laugh. “I like your tattoo.”

  “Which one?” He laughed and held up his hand. “I’m guessing the newest, yeah? Did it myself last night, actually. Like I said, you inspire me, and now I always have a little reminder of that inspiration with me.”

  “I don’t drink,” Sofia reminded him.

  “And now, neither do I.” D-Man’s eyes danced with unshed tears. This wasn’t the look of sadness, but rather strength.

  “What? You’re going sober? Really?” Sofia hadn’t known D-Man for long, but they had been through so much together already. The fact that he credited her for any part of this monumental decision made her want to cry big, happy tears.

  “Yup. No time like the present. And yes, I’m not just getting sober. I’m getting clean. I’m following your lead. You cut ties with Blinky and the others, and I’m going to as well. And I’m going to stop selling and get myself an honest job.”

  Sofia gave Matt a long hug. “I’m so glad to hear that. I guess you won’t be going by D-Man any more, huh?”

  He laughed and shook his head. “Nope, it’s just Matt now.”

  “I like that much better anyway,” she said with a wink.

  “Me too.”

  They watched a flock of birds fight over an unseen food source in the courtyard. Sofia had once been like those birds, fighting so hard for so little. But now she didn’t need to anymore, because she’d remembered that she could fly--and now Matt could, too.

  “The other reason I’m here is because, this is going to sound so lame,” Matt continued when the last of the birds had fled. “But I wanted to ask if we could still be friends. Now that I’m going down the straight and narrow, I could really use a friend at my side. And if you say yes, you’ll be the only one I’ve got now.”

  “I’m guessing Blinky wasn’t happy to hear about any of this,” Sofia said, remembering her final confrontation with the other Matt as well.

  Her friend laughed. “Let’s just say he had a lot of choice words about how the two of us deserve each other.”

  “You know what? I think he’s right.” She patted him on the shoulder and pulled herself back to her feet. “I’d love to be your friend, D-Ma—I mean, Matt. C’mon up and I’ll make you some dinner. Although I’ve gotta warn you, I’m not a very good cook.”

  Matt stood, too, but did not look pleased about the invitation. “That might be a little difficult,” he said. “Umm, I’m a vegan.”

  Sofia burst out laughing so hard, she had to struggle for breath.

  “I’m serious,” Matt said, joining her in a laugh anyway. “I really am vegan.”

  “A vegan drug dealer? Now I’ve heard of everything.”

  “A vegan ex drug dealer, thank you very much,” he reminded her.

  “Matt,” Sofia said, slinging an arm over his shoulder as they headed inside. “You’re definitely one in a million, and I’m so glad we’re friends.”

  Growing up, Sofia had always liked her father best when he was actively attending his Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. No, he’d never hurt her or her mother—at least not physically—but he’d been enough of a wreck to make Sofia swear off alcohol for life before she’d ever even tasted a drop.

  When he was in the program, though, he came home happy. He apologized to Sofia and her mother for all the various ways he’d hurt them, and he’d shown them all the true self that had been drowning from the never-ending downpour of scotch and whiskey.

  Sofia wasn’t an addict, but she’d learned the twelve-step recovery program long ago and knew now that she needed to make direct amends to those she had hurt. Besides Liz, there were two very notable people who still needed to know how she’d wronged them and how very sorry she was for it.

  Liz wasn’t ready yet to see Sofia face-to-face, but the two had started texting again. Elizabeth Jane had even invited Sofia to the welcome home party she was planning once she’d finalized the adoption for her new dog, the same young Pitbull Sofia had personally delivered from the fighting ring. She and Dorian planned to name him Rigby after some book they’d read together earlier that year. The coming home party was still another week away, but Sofia looked forward to finally being able to apologize in person.

  Meanwhile, she knew her new friend, Scarlett, would be happy to help. And sure enough, she arranged everything for Sofia’s final apology, including lending her own apartment as the meeting place.

  “I think you’re very brave,” Scarlett said when Sofia revealed her plan. “I hope they’ll forgive you. I know I would!”

  Celeste arrived first, and then Allie about ten minutes later. Both wore matching expressions of confusion as they waited for Sofia to reveal why she’d asked them there.

  “Thank you for coming,” Sofia said after Scarlett had provided everyone with sweet tea and snacks. “I asked you here today so I could apologize face-to-face.”

  “Apologize?” Celeste snorted. “We were the ones who were awful to you. I’m honestly surprised you’re even talking to us. I’m sorry, and I’m sure Allie is, too.”

  Allie shrugged, but remained silent.

  Sofia smiled and reminded herself that she was here to focus on what she’d done, not to rehash all the reasons why. “Yeah, you did kind of make my school years
hell,” she told them casually. “But it doesn’t excuse what I did.”

  Both former classmates watched her with wide eyes.

  Scarlett nodded for Sofia to go ahead.

  “I was so angry back then,” she continued. “I wanted to make you suffer the way you did to me. So I planned a prank.”

  “The graffiti! You did it?” Allie shifted her gaze toward Celeste, seeming far angrier at her than at Sofia. “I told you it wasn’t me, but you wouldn’t even believe your best friend when she told you she was innocent.”

  Celeste frowned. “I don’t understand. Why did you frame Allie? Why not me?”

  “I framed you both in a way. I knew you would fight and both get into trouble. I was counting on the two of you getting expelled, and knew I had to go big to make that happen. So I trashed the gym and spray-painted Celeste is a… well, you know… over every inch of those walls. I stole your notebook from English class, Allie, and studied the handwriting so it would match. I am so sorry for what I did.” Sofia hung her head and waited for her two former bullies to tear into her.

  Celeste remained quiet, thoughtful, but Allie grew noticeably angry.

  “Well, it worked like a charm, didn’t it?” she cried. “And to think I felt guilty all these years!”

  “I felt terrible when I found out what happened,” Sofia said, fighting back tears. “I just wanted you to leave me alone. I didn’t mean to ruin your life.”

  “Ruin my life?” Allie asked, her brows pinching together in confusion. “Are you talking about Millie?”

  Sofia nodded. “If you hadn’t been forced to go to that new school, you never would have met that boy, you never would have gotten pregnant. You could have had the life you wanted, but I took that away from you.”

  “Sofia, no,” Allie said with a grave look on her face. “Yes, what you did sucks, but you didn’t end my life. You gave it to me. Millie is my everything. I can’t picture a world without her in it. So, I guess, thank you, actually. Everything turned out okay in the end.”

  “You’re not mad?” Sofia looked from Allie to Celeste, both of whom wore sad smiles.

  “Believe me, I would have been furious back then, but we’re all pushing thirty here now. We’re not little kids. Celeste and I honestly deserved it—far worse, probably. If anyone ever tries to pick on Millie, I’d be doing a lot worse to them.” Allie laughed, and it sucked all the tension from the air.

  “I told you it would be okay!” Scarlett said, refilling everyone’s glasses.

  “But what I don’t get,” Celeste said, chewing on a hangnail. “Is why would you want to confess now? What difference does it make?”

  Sofia thought about that for a moment. In a way, she was just ticking off the boxes for her own twelve-step recovery program—but that wasn’t the answer she would give. “It’s hard to move forward when you’re anchored to your past mistakes. I guess I was just finally ready to move forward. To be free,” she admitted.

  Celeste smiled and clinked her tea against Sofia’s and then Allie’s. “I like that. I think I’ll move forward with you. Can you forgive me for the brat I was back then? I’ve always felt so guilty for picking on you.”

  “I never would have guessed that Celeste was a bully,” Scarlett said. “She’s always super nice whenever I run into her in the halls.”

  “Thanks,” Celeste said.

  “Yes, forgiveness all around,” Sofia said.

  “And me too,” Allie said. “No more anchors for any of us.”

  They spent the rest of the evening sharing stories of their adult lives. Both Allie and Celeste had grown up into strong, kind women with passions of their own. Sofia even enjoyed spending time with them, which would have shocked her younger self to no end. By the end of their time together, she had no problem asking for the special favor she needed.

  Five months later

  Sofia’s boots crunched as she navigated the icy trail. She hurried as fast as she could without risking a slip and spill into the giant mounds of snow. Oh, she had so much news to share today!

  Reaching the peak enclosure, she fell to her haunches and called, “Wolfie! Wolfie!”

  A giant gray streak of fur that was half wolf, half dog came bounding over to the fence, licking Sofia’s fingers eagerly. When Wolfie had first been rehomed at the Eagle River Wolf Sanctuary, Sofia had struggled to bring herself to visit. Every time she saw him, she was reminded of how he had enriched her life and how much she missed him now that he was gone.

  But soon, something wonderful happened. A new rescue dog named Ravenna was brought to the sanctuary, and Sofia’s dear, sweet Wolfie found love. Sure enough, the hulking German Shepherd wolf hybrid came bounding over to say hello to Sofia now.

  “Hey, you two!” Sofia said with a giggle. “You’ll never believe what happened this week!”

  Wolfie sat and waited, his amber eyes boring into hers.

  “Well, first off, Crash, the Newfoundland dog I told you about, he got adopted! His new owners are in love with him, slime and all. I told Oscar that he could bring a new foster by this weekend. I love seeing my doggies find their own happily ever afters!”

  Ravenna barked. She, too, loved Sofia’s stories.

  “Okay, so the other awesome thing that happened is Lolly wore the dress I designed for her for this interview on the Late Show, and, well… orders are through the roof! I made more than five thousand dollars while I was sleeping last night. Can you believe it?”

  It was true. Once Sofia had made all her apologies and life had begun to return to normal, she took Scarlett’s advice and found a way to work animal inspiration into her line. She’d worn her first Wolfie-inspired gown to a fundraiser for the Sled Dog Rescue Organization later that month, and Oscar’s wife, the country music star, Lolly Winston, had asked if Sofia could make her one, too.

  The rest, as they say, was history.

  They were even planning a photo shoot at the wolf sanctuary with various local celebrities posing in dresses custom designed by Sofia. Her enemy-turned-friend Celeste Lyons was hired to take the photos. And of course, the sanctuary’s head tour guide, Allie Mayfair, had organized the entire thing.

  Sofia still couldn’t believe how full her life had become these last few months, and all because she’d loved a dog.

  “Hey, sorry I’m late!” Hunter waved from the bottom of the hill, then jogged the rest of the way up the trail. When he reached the top, he scooped Sofia into a hug and gave her a kiss hello. “How’s our favorite hybrid couple today?”

  “Happy and in love,” Sofia replied, rubbing her nose against Hunter’s.

  “Aww, just like us!” he teased, giving her a longer, fuller kiss.

  “Dork,” Sofia said, reaching for the zipper on Hunter’s coat and pulling it down. “No more stalling. I want to see it!”

  “But it’s cold,” Hunter continued to poke fun at her, but when Sofia stamped her foot, he took off his winter coat to reveal his new tattoo. “What do you think, bud?” Hunter asked, bending down to show Wolfie the stunning likeness inked onto his bicep.

  Sofia gasped. “It looks just like him. I love it! Now I want one, too.”

  “Well, call Matt and make an appointment then. You know he’s very busy these days.”

  Sofia did know, and she was so proud of her friend for following his passions and becoming one of the most requested tattoo artists in Anchorage despite being so new to the scene.

  “I was thinking,” Hunter said, shrugging back into his coat. “That you should get Ravenna. You know, then we’d have a matching set. A couple’s tattoo.”

  “I like how you think,” Sofia said with a smile.

  “And you know what else we could have matching?” Hunter asked with a huge grin stretched across his adorable, scruffy face.

  Sofia thought, but came up blank. “Tell me!”

  “So impatient,” Hunter tsked. “That’s why I knew I couldn’t wait another second longer. Otherwise you’d read me the riot act. Okay, check these ou
t.” Hunter reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a little velvet box.

  “Is that…?”

  “I’ll get straight to the point,” Hunter said, clearing his throat before he continued. “Sofia Stepanov, you have the right to a happily ever after. Anything you wish can and will be granted. You have the right to a husband who loves you. If you do not already have a husband, one shall be granted to you via the acceptance of this proposal. Do you understand what I’m asking you now? And with all this in mind, do you agree to marry me?”

  “Hunter Burke, you are the biggest dork in the whole wide world,” Sofia said with a grin she just couldn’t contain. “And I can’t wait for you to be my husband.”

  * * *

  Loved how Hunter and Sofia fought to find their happily ever after together? Then you won’t want to miss what happens next!

  Ellie Hawkins had the perfect life until a brush with death stole it all away--including her memories of everything that came before. Desperate to find herself again, she checked herself into Anchorage's Memory Ranch.

  At first, she finds the healing resort restful, but then the nightmares start. And they all end with him walking out of her life, never to return. She wishes she could remember his name and why he left, but the only thing she knows for sure is how her heart reacts to the whispers of his memory.

  Finding him is the key to recovery, but she doesn't know where to look or if he'd even be willing to talk to her again. Because when she begins to remember who she was, she finds she doesn't like that person very much.

  Is it too late for Ellie to make a change, or was the accident that nearly killed her a true blessing in disguise? Will she find her mystery man, and might he give her a second chance to reclaim what they lost?

  Find out in this moving tale filled with faith, horses, and the unyielding power of love.