Amy opened the front door and seriously considered berating the man standing there. And then she noticed the little girl leaning against his side.
“Amy,” began Kevin, his eyes shifting from her to the child and back up to her again. “I’m sorry I stormed out of here last night. And I’ll leave now if you insist, but first I’d like you to meet my daughter. She’s seven years old and her name is Sarah.”
“Hello, Ms. MacArthur. I’m pleased to meet you,” recited the petite blond-haired girl with the prettiest brown eyes Amy had ever seen. She wore dark pink jeans and a matching hoodie. Hidden within the polite, obviously rehearsed greeting, Amy detected a measure of sadness.
“I…I…I’m happy to meet you, too,” stammered Amy, meeting Kevin’s eyes. “This is the Sarah you were…”
Kevin nodded his head. “Could we come in, please? Sarah would like to meet Rover, and I need to explain a few things.”
Amy stepped aside, feeling like a complete fool. Please God, forgive me for all the wrongful accusations I uttered and all of my horrible thoughts against this man.
“Kevin, I’m so sorry I…”
“Later, okay? Where’s Rover?”
“He’s in the backyard.” Amy smiled at Sarah. “Would you like to meet the nicest dog in the world?”
Sarah dropped her head and studied her shoes. “Yes. Please,” she added in a whisper.
Amy led the way into the kitchen, slid the glass doors open, and stepped onto the deck. “Here, Rover. Come meet Sarah.”
The big red dog bounded across the lawn, raced up the steps, and then stopped in his tracks when he noticed Sarah. His tail started wagging and he pussy-footed toward the little girl as if he detected her hesitation.
“Let him smell your hand, Sarah, like I told you,” instructed Kevin.
His daughter met her father’s eyes and then did as he suggested. The big dog quickly sniffed her small hand and then licked her fingers to say hello.
“He likes me, Daddy,” whispered Sarah.
“Of course, he likes you,” Amy interjected. “Do you want to throw the ball for him?”
“Okay.”
“There’s a yellow tennis ball lying down there.” Amy pointed to the bottom of the stairs. “If you throw it, he’ll bring it back so you can throw it again.”
Sarah grasped the handrail, and Amy watched the pretty child in her pale pink sneakers dash down the wide wooden steps. “Come on, Rover,” she called and the dog bounded down the stairs after her.
Amy turned and met Kevin’s eyes. “Before you say a word, I’d like to apologize for my deplorable behavior last night. I should have listened when you offered to explain. I feel like a horse’s ass right now.”
“Well, you’re a beautiful horse’s ass, especially first thing in the morning all sexy looking with your hair mussed up.”
Amy gasped and her hands flew to her head. She’d totally forgotten she’d just crawled out of bed seconds before answering the door. “Oh my God! I must look frightful!”
“Sarah didn’t even notice. If you didn’t frighten a small child, how bad can it be?” Kevin grinned, wickedly.
Amy turned her attention to the girl playing with her dog. “Sarah and Rover seem to be getting along fine.”
Kevin nodded. “She loves animals. Maybe I should have bought her a kitten or a guinea pig since we don’t have room for a dog at my townhouse.”
“Children should have a pet. Even a goldfish. Teaches responsibility and there’s always someone to tell your secrets to. And you can be assured they won’t be repeated.” Amy laughed. “If our German shepherd, Willie, could have talked, my mother would have throttled me on a few occasions. Thankfully, he kept my secrets.”
“We had a dog, too. Never told him any secrets though. But he excelled at catching a ball. We could have signed him up as a fielder in the big leagues.” Kevin grinned.
“Do you want coffee? I need coffee,” groaned Amy, heading back inside.
“Coffee would be good.” Kevin called across the yard, “We’re going inside to make coffee, Sarah. Don’t go out of the yard, okay?”
“Okay, Daddy,” called Sarah, throwing the ball again and giggling.
“Man, I love that.” Kevin’s voice sounded a little choked up. “It’s been too long since I heard her laughing.”
Amy headed into the kitchen with Kevin on her heels.
“Once I’m sufficiently fortified, you can explain why you have a daughter. And why I haven’t heard about her before now.” Amy measured coffee into the basket and then she almost dropped the scoop. She whipped around, met Kevin’s eyes and gasped. “Please don’t tell me you’re a married man!”
“Widower, well no, divorced. Both. I didn’t mention Sarah because most single women I’ve dated head out the door the minute I mention the words ‘divorced’ and ‘seven-year-old daughter’.” Kevin sighed. “I’ve learned to keep quiet about my home life. Most women aren’t looking for a built-in family.”
Amy stared at him, wondering the age of the women he’d been dating. A lot of career women were obsessed with their work and furthering themselves in their companies. Most weren’t even looking for Mr. Right or considering marriage until well into their thirties. His story held water in that respect. But when she met Allan in her early twenties she couldn’t wait to get married. “To each her own,” she observed.
“Sarah’s mother divorced me and immediately headed to Europe with some musician in a jazz group. Her parents got word that she’d been killed in a car accident in Germany about six months ago. They flew her body back to Canada, and Sarah and I attended the funeral in Regina, Barbara’s hometown. We haven’t heard from her parents since. Barbara willed her grandmother’s inheritance to me, and that really riled her parents. They don’t believe I’ll spend it on their granddaughter. They used to visit a couple of times a year, but they blame me for everything: the unplanned pregnancy, the divorce, Barbara running away to Europe, her death. It’s totally ridiculous. Unfortunately, Sarah is paying the price. ”
That bit of information totally explained the sadness Amy heard in the little girl’s voice and the blank expression in her eyes. “Poor Sarah. She must feel so abandoned.”
“I’m using some of the money I received from Barbara to employ an older lady as full-time live-in nanny/housekeeper. Neither Sarah nor I have looked back.” Kevin stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Trust me. If I was a married man, I wouldn’t be dating the prettiest lady in the city.”
“I would hope not. But I’ve known a few guys who spend more time with their women-on-the-side than they do with their wives.” The guy who owned her favorite bookstore was a notorious womanizer. Knowing that the despicable man cheated on his lovely wife irritated Amy, and she’d seriously thought about telling the woman. But then she’d considered the ramifications of breaking up a family, and perhaps his wife knew anyway and just ignored his philandering.
“Amy, I never even looked at another woman while I was married.” Kevin brushed her cheek with a kiss. “In fact, you’re the first woman I’ve considered starting a relationship with since Barbara left. I’ve concentrated all of my attention on Sarah, attempting to fill the void created by her mother’s sudden departure.”
Suddenly, Sarah and Rover burst into the kitchen through the open deck doors. “Daddy, I’m thirsty. I need a drink, please.” Sarah brushed her long hair off her flushed, but beaming, face. Clearly, she was having fun.
“Here you go,” said Amy, passing her a glass of water.
Sarah gulped it down and handed the glass back to her. “I like your doggie.” She shyly peeked up at Amy.
“See Rover’s tail wagging? That’s a sure sign he likes you, too.” Amy smiled. “Go play outside again. Rover will fetch that ball all day if you throw it.”
“Okay. Come on, Rover,” called Sarah. On her way out the back door, she dropped the tennis ball which rolled across the kitchen floor. The big red dog scooped it up in hi
s mouth and bounded outside with Sarah racing after him.
Amy flipped the switch on the coffee maker. “How’s Sarah doing? She must have felt totally devastated after her mother’s death.”
“Sarah doesn’t talk about her mother, with me or with Mrs. Harris, the housekeeper. I put my daughter in therapy for the first couple of months, but the therapist told me she wouldn’t open up to him. Thought I was just wasting my money. I have no idea what’s going through that little girl’s mind.”
“How was she doing in school last year?” asked Amy.
“She hated school, but she passed to Grade Two. I don’t know what to do to help her prepare for next year.” Kevin dragged his hands through his hair.
“Maybe you should consider hiring a tutor.”
“The school provided one last year, but I didn’t see that the woman did much good. Mrs. Harris is old enough to be her grandmother. Sarah needs a young woman in her life. I’ve considered signing her up for the Big Sisters program, but I’ve never taken the time to do that either. Maybe I’m just a rotten dad.”
“You’re not a rotten dad. Aside from appearing a little sad, she’s obviously well taken care of. Rover certainly put a smile on her face today.” Amy glanced through the kitchen window, and Kevin peeked over her shoulder.
Sarah raced across the yard with the big dog loping along behind her. The child held the ball aloft and then sent it sailing across the yard. Rover tore after it.
“Put her in softball. She’s got a good arm on her.” Amy suggested, glancing over her shoulder at Kevin and smiling.
“Actually, Sarah plays soccer on Saturday mornings. Runs like a scared deer. Her mother was very athletic, and her father is trained to chase down bad guys.” Kevin playfully smacked her backside.
“There you go. We’re making headway. We just have to find something else she enjoys doing to put a smile on that little face.” Amy poured them each a mug of coffee.
“We do, do we?” Kevin beamed. “I like the sound of that. Maybe the woman she needs in her life isn’t as elusive as I suspected.”
“I’d love to spend time with her. I could suggest we write a book together about a little girl and she might inadvertently reveal what she’s thinking.” Amy tilted her head, contemplating the idea.
“Sounds borderline devious, but it’s the best idea I’ve heard in ages. Go for it.” Kevin sipped his coffee. “I promised Sarah I’d take her to the zoo today and then to a movie. Do you want to tag along?”
“I’d love to! I can’t remember the last time I visited the zoo.” Amy smiled. “I hear the penguins are a riot. Do you think Sarah will resent me coming along?”
“No, she won’t mind. Go get ready and we’ll make a day of it. Zoo. Lunch. Afternoon matinee. And then we’ll come back here, feed Rover, and order a pizza for dinner.”
“You’re on, mister. Give me fifteen minutes.” Amy pointed toward the back yard. “Go check on the kids. Make sure mine isn’t sitting on yours and squishing her or something.”
Kevin laughed. “Okay. I’ll go supervise. Hurry up, the penguins are waiting.”
****
Amy couldn’t recall the last time she’d had so much fun on a Saturday. She almost felt like a kid again, spending the day at the zoo.
The penguins entertained them and splashed Kevin who’d been standing quite close to their enclosure. Sarah and Amy had wisely stood farther back. The monkeys were another favorite. Even wearing sneakers, Amy’s feet hurt from all the miles they’d walked. She spent way too many hours sitting at a computer, she decided, compared to Kevin who spent most of his workday on the run.
Sarah started the day skipping between displays and gradually ran out of steam. She fell asleep in Kevin’s car on the way back to Amy’s house after the movie. The cat nap revived her and she spent over half an hour chasing Rover around the backyard while they waited for the pizza delivery man.
After dinner, Kevin and Amy sat on one sofa in the family room watching an old western movie on TV. Sarah slept on the other sofa with Rover curled up on the Oriental rug watching over her.
“My dog has fallen in love with Sarah.” Amy smiled at the angelic child, sleeping under a lacy afghan.
“I think you’re right.” Kevin reached over and stroked his daughter’s head. “Rover was a big hit with her, too. I haven’t seen her smile so much in months. And it brought tears to my eyes hearing her laughter again while she chased that dog around the backyard.”
Amy leaned her head on the cop’s muscular shoulder, surprised to hear the strapping fellow admit his daughter’s laughter made him cry. “Brought you to tears? I won’t ruin your tough cop reputation by making that bit of information public knowledge.”
“I’d deny it anyway.” Kevin squeezed her tighter. “But seriously, if that dog could bring her out of her depression, if that’s what she’s experiencing, I’d buy that critter the biggest steak he’s ever seen.”
“You’ll do no such thing. Raw meat would upset his system something terrible.” Amy took dog ownership seriously, and meticulously adhered to the diet outlined by Rover’s vet.
“Okay, I’ll barbeque it for him.”
“Nope. His vet recommended kibble or nothing for the big guy. Perhaps I forgot to mention that bit of steak you fed him the first time you met didn’t sit too well with him.” Amy wagged her finger at Rover’s benefactor. “If you want to buy a bag of dog food I won’t argue with you. That high end stuff the vet sells is a ridiculous price, but Rover either starved or ate so much junk while on the streets and in his old life, his poor system won’t tolerate anything else.”
“High end kibble it is then. Rover can hang out his therapist-for-sad-little-girls shingle, and we’ll see how it goes.” Kevin smiled, unwrapped himself from her, and stood. “For now, I’ve got to get my little princess home and tucked into her own bed.”
“Keep her wrapped up in that cover to ensure she stays warm. You can bring it back next time you come over. And I’ll get the door for you.” Amy clambered off the sofa and headed toward the front door.
As soon as Kevin reached for Sarah, Rover leapt to his feet. “Sorry, Rover. I have to take your new friend home, but I’ll bring her back for you to play with another day.” Kevin patted the dog on the head and then scooped his daughter up in his arms.
Amy leaned in for a kiss when Kevin reached the entryway. “Call me, okay?”
“Count on it, beautiful.”
She closed the door behind him and met Rover’s eyes. “Don’t look at me like you’ve lost your only friend. Sarah’s coming back again. I promise. You’re good for that poor girl. Maybe you can help her deal with losing her mother, while Kevin and I help you trust men again.” A win-win for all of us, she thought.
Chapter 9
Three weeks later, the Calgary Stampede—the biggest rodeo and outdoor party and beer-drinking bash of the year—started.
Although he was on a day off, Kevin was called in to help with crowd control at a corporate party, but Mrs. Harris had been felled by a case of food-poisoning following lunch out with her church cronies and hadn’t dragged herself out of bed all day. Kevin called Amy, begging for a babysitter and she readily agreed, looking forward to spending some time alone with Sarah. And she told Kevin to pack his daughter’s toothbrush and pajamas instead of disturbing her sleep in the wee hours to take her home. Twenty minutes later, Kevin had dropped her off.
Amy and Sarah spent the afternoon baking chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, enjoying a tea party at her kitchen table, and playing a game of Go Fish. And tripping over Rover. The dog hadn’t left Sarah’s side all day. Even during their romp together at the neighborhood park, Sarah and Rover were inseparable.
After sharing the vegetarian pizza they made from scratch for supper, Amy gave the little girl a bubble bath. Just as she was finishing up, Amy’s cell phone rang, and she raced into her bedroom to fetch it. Of course, someone had dialed wrong and she returned to the bathroom a minute later.
As her hand reached for the doorknob, Amy overheard Sarah talking to Rover and she froze in place outside the door. She eased the door open an inch and peeked through the crack.
“You’re lucky to have a nice mommy, Rover. I don’t have a mommy.” Sarah’s hands played with the bubbles for a minute.
“I like Amy a lot. She’s nice, and she doesn’t yell, and she laughs a lot.” Sarah reached out a soapy hand and patted Rover’s head. The dog didn’t seem to notice he now sported a hat made of strawberry-scented bubbles. “I wish I could adopt a mommy, like Amy adopted you.”
Amy’s eyes filled with tears, hearing the sadness in Sarah’s voice. She vowed to spend more time with her, and hopefully fill the painful gaping void in her life that her mother’s death had created.
“I’m back,” Amy called as she stepped into the bathroom. “Let’s get you into those cute Minnie Mouse pajamas.”
A few minutes later, Sarah raced into the spare room and dug what appeared to be a very well-used, well-loved teddy bear out of her suitcase.
“What’s this guy’s name?” asked Amy, tucking her into bed with the toy.
“His name is Buster Bear.” Sarah beamed. “But I just call him Buster. Are you going to read me a story, Amy?”
“I don’t know.” Amy tilted her head. “Would Buster like to hear a story?”
“Mrs. Harris always reads me and Buster a story before we fall asleep.” Sarah smiled with an impish grin.
“I suppose we could read a story, but it would be a lot more fun if we wrote our own story.” Amy silently prayed for forgiveness for her ulterior motive.
She hoped Sarah would open up and share the secrets hidden deep inside, away from her father, Mrs. Harris, and the psychologist who’d failed to gain her trust. Amy was no professional, but she felt Sarah trusted her. If Rover sat beside the precious child, the chances increased tenfold that she might feel comfortable sharing those fears, troubles, and concerns. Anything was worth a try.
“I don’t know how to write a story,” confessed Sarah, sounding especially sad.
Love To The Rescue Page 10