Puppy Love by the Sea

by Traci Hall

  “First of all, I am not looking for love. Second of all, why would it go wrong?”

  “I am speaking from experience. My own sad, sorry, experience. Never mind me.” Martin patted the black and gray terrier mix at his feet. “Love is a beautiful thing.”

  “This isn’t love, it’s snorkeling. Listen, on my way back I thought I’d stop at Ambrosia to get some salad for a late lunch. Interested?”

  “Delicious. Anything with pecans. And goat cheese. I adore goat cheese.”

  “I adore you, Martin. Thanks for covering. I’ll be back by four.”

  Once her mind was made up, Sarah quickly changed into one of the many swimsuits she kept in the truck. Hot pink and orange, this one fit for paddle boarding and covered her rear end the best. She braided her hair, tossed on a cream-colored swimsuit cover up and grabbed a towel.

  Sarah loved the water, loved the smell of the salt in the air, loved the feel of the breeze against her skin and sand under her toes.

  “Ready or not,” she muttered beneath her breath. Was she making a mistake? “Here I come.”

  *****

  Franco wasn’t sure whether or not Sarah would actually show up, so he was happily surprised when she walked toward the rubber boat he and Bella had banked on the sand.

  Along with a giant beach blanket, towels and a bag filled with water, apple slices, sunscreen and a first aid kit. He’d filled the rubber boat and they’d used the water route from his condo to this spot on the beach. He and Bella had just had a snack and were drying off, getting ready to make a sand castle.

  He had no expectations of Sarah, though his mood lightened as soon as he saw her.

  “Sarah!” Bella ran for Sarah, her long dark braid smacking against her back and sand spewing behind her.

  Sarah dropped her beach bag and caught Bella around the shoulders. “Hey there, pretty girl. Are you ready to hunt for treasure?”

  “Daddy said we were going to look at shells and fishes.”

  “That sounds great too.” Sarah looked up, her hands still on his daughter’s shoulders, and Franco stepped back as if shoved. Beautiful.

  “Hi, Sarah,” he said, his voice low.

  She was a goddess from the sea, her blonde hair in braids on either side of her face. A smattering of freckles across her nose, and a hint of a blush on her high cheekbones. Her eyes sparkled deep, mossy green and he knew he’d never seen a woman so naturally lovely.

  “Mr. de Silva,” she said, teasing.

  He smiled. “Am I ever going to live that down?”

  “Probably not.”

  “I had my reasons,” he said.

  “I know. Which is why we get to be friends.” She dropped her bag on the corner of their blanket and kicked off her flip flops.

  Friends? Was she really back at that old song again? They would be more than that if he had his way. The past few days had been difficult. He’d wanted to call her. Knew he shouldn’t call her. He was healing, true. But what if he wasn’t done yet? There was a lot at risk for him to pursue a relationship.

  Just feeling desire was something to get used to.

  “I want to swim!” Bella wore a fitted life jacket over her one piece bathing suit, and she tugged at the rope on the small rubber boat. She had a child-sized snorkel and mask and purple water shoes.

  “You are too cute, Bella, you know that?” Sarah helped her bring the boat into the water, brushing by Franco as she lifted her cover up over her head and tossed it to the blanket. “You, too.”

  “Cute? Me?” He did his best not to look at Sarah in her bikini. But he couldn’t be more aware of the way she smelled like sunscreen, coconut and pineapple, or the heat of her body—

  Sarah—as she passed him by.

  “Definitely. All right, if we take the boat out to the swim buoy, there?” Sarah, the ocean surf at her ankles, pointed out about fifteen feet. “We can see cannons and ballast. The city created an artificial reef for people to have fun with.”

  “What’s ballast?” Bella asked, climbing into the boat with Sarah’s help. Salt water dripped down the sides, drying in the sun. Three people could fit in it, though it would be tight, Franco surmised. He wouldn’t mind squeezing in.

  “That’s what gets shot out of a cannon,” Sarah said, briefly meeting his eyes. “Like on a pirate ship.” She chose to stay in the water rather than get in the boat, but kept her hand on the rubber handle as if to guide it.

  “I don’t like pirates. My daddy will protect me.”

  Sarah’s sweet smile made his belly knot. “I believe that’s true. Until you learn to protect yourself.” She pretended her snorkel was a sword as she lunged into the surf. “I’ll teach you to fight off the pirates.”

  Bella looked uncertain. Franco put his hand on the other side of the rubber boat and directed it further into the water. The calm ocean had a few waves breaking close to shore, but his daughter was fearless, usually, unless there were pirates. He hadn’t realized. “I will always protect you, Isabella. That’s what daddy’s do. They slay dragons too.”

  Sarah looked back over her shoulder, up to her waist in the aqua ocean. Lovely, she took his breath away. “Most dads have given up dragon slaying now that we’re in the 21st century.”

  Franco stumbled, knocked back by a small wave. He’d been too busy looking at Sarah to see what was coming next. Not good.

  They swam on each side of the boat, keeping Bella in the middle, until they reached the buoy. “Here we are,” Sarah said, water drops shining like crystals from her light lashes. Her movements were graceful and languid as she swam around the front of the small boat. “Want to get out, Bella?”

  Bella looked at Franco, who nodded. Bianca hadn’t liked the water—because she didn’t want to redo her make-up and hair. It was nice sharing something he enjoyed with a woman who liked it too. Sarah didn’t care about superficial things. She was all about what mattered. Heart.

  Bella stood up and Sarah and Franco held the boat as she squealed and jumped into the water. She giggled and splashed her way around, floating on her back and then swimming around the buoy. “Where’s the cannon?”

  “Down here,” Sarah said, pointing below the surface.

  Bella adjusted her goggles, then stuck her head in for a few seconds, coming up again for an exaggerated breath of air. “I see it!”

  “Did you really?” Franco asked, putting his head under too. Sarah’s nearly naked body kicked next to him. What would her skin feel like against his? Beneath the water, she pointed to an array of concrete cannon. Blue and yellow fish darted around the ballast. Sea sponges and conch thrived, and all so close to shore.

  He lifted his head and wiped his face with his palm. “It really is something.”

  “Nothing like the Keys,” Sarah said, using the back of her hand to clear her eyes. “But it’s in our own backyard, which is good.”

  “Agreed.”

  They took turns diving down, showing Bella how to manage the snorkel. His daughter held her hand out to one of the blue fish, and it kissed her finger. Her smile of pure joy filled him and he knew he’d made the right decision to move them here for a new life.

  Nothing shallow, just being in the moment with the people that counted. Sarah fit in with him and Bella as if she were a missing piece.

  They played and swam until Sarah tapped her watch and they bobbed to the surface.

  “I have to get back. I’m sorry, because this has been a fun afternoon. I love the ocean! And seeing it through Bella’s eyes brings me back to when I would come with my cousins as a kid. Thank you.”

  Franco nodded, not wanting Sarah to go. But he couldn’t keep her with them when she had things to do. When was the next time he would see her? Get a hold of yourself, man.

  “We’re just glad you could come, right Bella?”

  His daughter grinned. “I like being a pirate and searching for treasure. I want to do it again.”

  “Sounds great to me,” Sarah said.

  “Ready to go, B
ella?”

  “I’m hungry, Daddy. I want to eat an elephant.”

  Franco laughed. “I think the saying is ‘I am so hungry I could eat an elephant’, but if you want to eat wrinkly, smelly elephant then I can call the butcher and see what he has.”

  Bella thought about that, then looked at Sarah. “Would you eat an elephant?”

  Sarah held on to the edge of the boat and shook her head. “No, Bella, I would not eat an elephant. I’ll try a lot of things, but not that.”

  “What have you tried?” Bella asked as Franco helped her up and over into the boat. His daughter was so tired she felt boneless.

  “Alligator, frog legs. Snails.” Sarah sent him an apologetic glance. “Deer. I didn’t like that at all.”

  “Venison, cooked well, is delicious,” Franco countered. He imagined cooking for her. Candlelight. Wine. By the time she tasted his venison with potatoes and leeks she would change her mind.

  “This was jerky, and I wasn’t a fan,” she said.

  He pulled the boat string as Sarah pushed and they swam toward shore.

  “I would love to cook it for you.” He would like to make her laugh. Or to see the look in her eyes after he’d kissed her. Did she remember that at all?

  “You have serious kitchen skills,” she said, meeting his gaze around the boat and blinking away the water. “I would try it.”

  “I don’t want to eat a deer,” Bella declared. “They are cute.”

  “Cows are cute, and we eat those,” Sarah teased.

  “Cows smell.”

  “Where have you been taking her?” Sarah stopped swimming once they could touch bottom again. The pink and orange bikini top filled out nicely, the tips of her braids falling over her breasts. Franco put his feet down, and the water came to his waist. A good thing to have his lower body covered. Now that he was aware of her, he couldn’t stop thinking of anything but the two of them. Together. He forced the image away.

  “We went to pick up some puppies in Ocala, at a dairy farm” Franco said, surprised at how normal his voice sounded. “Bella wasn’t impressed with the smell of manure.”

  Bella blew a sound like a trumpet. “Gas, Sarah. Daddy said the cows make gas. Pewee.” Seeing that they were so close to shore, she jumped out of the boat again.

  “Fair enough,” Sarah said, watching Bella splash. “Where did she see a deer?” she asked Franco under her breath.

  “The petting zoo?” Franco thought back. “She liked the little deer and the goats.”

  “Better not introduce her to baby chicks, or you’ll have a vegetarian on your hands.” Sarah rested her fingers on his forearm and the feel of her sent a jolt rushing through him. “And that might be challenging to your cheffing.”

  “Cheffing?”

  “Well, you do more than cook. What would be the right verb for what you do? Culinary magic?”

  Her touch lingered and Franco’s arm tingled. “You flatter me.”

  “I want another invitation to dinner. My mother didn’t raise a fool.” She met his eyes. “Not when it comes to eating well, anyway. I seem to be very foolish in other areas of my life lately.” She tapped her finger to her pink lower lip.

  He knew what she was referring to, and it took all of his willpower to keep his hands to himself. But damn, he ached to hold her, grab her by the shoulders and sink them both beneath the waves. The woman could kiss.

  “Daddy! Watch this!”

  He turned and felt the loss of Sarah as she pulled away toward shore. “I’m sure I’ll see you guys around,” she called.

  He waved at Bella then watched Sarah walk from the ocean. Strong legs, straight back, gorgeous hips. Amazing ass. Franco felt a physical ache as she left the water. He waited a while, letting Bella play until he’d calmed his hormones and Sarah was long gone.

  “Come on, princess. Time to go. How about some dolphin fingers at Anglins?”

  She rubbed her belly. “With fries?”

  “You got it.”

  “I wish Sarah could stay and play with me all day long.”

  He wished the same thing.

  “Let’s go. You will have to make do with spending your time with me. We can go see the puppies after we eat. And get a present for the birthday party.” He’d forgotten to ask Sarah what she’d recommend for a gift. Oh well, Myra would know.

  He pulled the small rubber boat to the shore. He knew the manager at the pier and he could store his boat and belongings there.

  “Do you have to work, Daddy?”

  “No.” Owning a pet store was new to him. Having employees and store hours. Management responsibilities. He’d always worked for himself.

  “I could play with Elvira.”

  “Remember, princess, we don’t name the puppies. They are for other people to adopt.”

  “I know.” His daughter dug her toes in the sand and crossed her arms, her tone serious. “Sometimes Myra lets me sweep or wash the glass. People put fingerprints everywhere.”

  “Do you like the pet store, Bella?” He’d given up everything to start over, but it didn’t feel like a sacrifice. His daughter wanted a puppy, he bought her a store. A new beginning, if his daughter was happy. No memories of Bianca here, or drugs or neglect. He knew that Sarah would never treat her children like that. Why hadn’t she married, already?

  Bella took a towel from their beach bag and Franco helped wrap it around her like a dress. “Yes. But not as much as I like dolphin fingers.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Sarah chose navy shorts and a beige polo with her ankle boots to wear to the Farmer’s Market. They had a 10 by 10 tent, with two chairs and a long white plastic table. Her plan this Sunday was to find the kittens homes. They usually went pretty quick, because who didn’t want to take care of something soft, furry and helpless? And really stinking cute.

  This was the third time for two of the dogs, though. The first for the gray and black mutt. He looked more like a puppy, so chances were good that he’d get adopted. It was harder for the older animals. And if they had issues? Near impossible. Benny, Pippa and Nashville belonged to her, now. They were her family.

  As she came inside the office from her last load of animals in the truck she said to her mother, “I really hope I’m not destined to become some spinster old lady with three-legged dogs and one-eyed cats.”

  Jennifer, dressed in jeans and a beige polo, snorted with surprise. “The choice is yours. Stop adopting the ones that walk into walls. Same advice goes for finding a boyfriend.”

  “Since when did you turn into Ask Abby?” Sarah lugged the folded crates out the front door of Pet Rescue to the truck. Only the kittens left to grab, and then they could head out. “I’m not looking for a boyfriend.”

  On her way back inside her mom said in a too-casual voice, “I was asked on a date yesterday.”

  Sarah stopped so fast she sprained something in her calf. “And?” She leaned against the shelves in the foyer and rubbed the twinge in her leg. A date? Her mom? She’d assumed her mom had brought up the boyfriend comment to try and get more information about Franco.

  “I said no.”

  Disappointment washed over her. “Why?” Jennifer Murphy was beautiful, fun and she shouldn’t be alone if she wanted to have company.

  “I was married to your father for a very long time.”

  “And then he left you for a bimbo. We’re over it, right?” Sarah realized that her mom, single for years, wasn’t even fifty five.

  “I don’t know how to date.”

  “I didn’t have a clue that you were interested,” Sarah confessed, feeling like a jerk for not seeing it sooner. She smacked her calf muscle.

  “I wasn’t. But,” she shrugged. “He’s a guy from work.”

  “Cute?”

  “He’s a middle-aged man, not a puppy!” Her mom smiled. “But he’s got all of this beautiful silver hair.”

  “I think you should go,” Sarah said.

  Her mom actually blushed. “I don’t know what to do
. And you’re so focused on work that you never spent time dating either, so you’re no help.”

  Sarah spread her arms out, unable to get mad since her mother had a point. “We can ask Martin tomorrow. He’ll know what to do. Or you could ask your friends.”

  “It’s too embarrassing.” Her mom shook her head and walked toward the door and the waiting truck.

  “I feel like I have no clue who you are right now. Hang on a sec.” Sarah dipped into the connected warehouse. “We can talk about this over coffee while we find homes for these guys.” She thought of her mom with someone on her arm. Someone to go to the movies with, or walk on the beach. She eyed the mewling pile of gray and white fur-babies. “Hey, does your boy toy want a kitten?”

  “Sarah Jane!”

  “What?”

  They reached the Farmer’s Market a half hour before it opened to the public, giving them time to set up the crates and the table.

  “Did you get the brochures, Mom?”

  “Yes. It looks like it’s time to re-order, though.” Jennifer held up the thin stack of glossy tri-folded papers.

  “Good, I’ll be able to update them with the dog treats for sale.”

  “We can overnight a sample of your treats to a facility that stamps out what they’re made of, for a label. We’ll have to expedite it if we want them done by next week.”

  Sarah cringed. “How much?”

  “I can help you with it. An early birthday present?”

  “I just had my birthday a few months ago.” Sarah reached out for her mom’s hand. “Am I in over my head?”

  Her mom gave her a half-smile. “You know what you want. I think you can do it. We can fundraise even without the treats.”

  “I ordered the jars yesterday. They’ll be here for next week’s market, if we get the labels in time?” She looked at the dogs, all three with their tongues lolling out. They were happy. Healthy. The kittens, too. It cost though. Food. Supplies. If she didn’t have her shelter, these guys would be sent to one that euthanized. No. “I have to make it work.”

  “You will, honey.”