The teens laughed and then peppered him with questions, including, Was he still going to play basketball on Tuesday at the high school? They had pickup games every Tuesday during the summer and Tate was always favored to be on a team.
“Don’t know about that,” he said. “It’ll depend on how my head is. I’ll be there, but whether I play or not is up in the air.”
“Okay, Sheriff. We’ll pray for you. Catch you later!” The teens seemed to move in a swarm wherever they went, he thought, watching them sidle across the lawn, talking and laughing. Good kids, he thought thankfully. And he enjoyed spending time with them. Teenagers, especially, needed to know the adults around them could be counted on to care about them.
Joe beckoned and Tate continued in their direction.
“We’re going to Marcie’s place for lunch. Want to join us?”
Tate smiled. “Sure.” Just then Tate caught sight of Faith talking with a couple near the sidewalk. So she had come to church. Later than he, obviously, since he hadn’t seen her before.
“Want to include Faith?” Tate asked on the spur of the moment.
“Sure, the more the merrier,” Marcie said. She turned to her fiancé, Zack Kincaid. “Have you met Faith? She’s nice…you’ll like her.”
“Catch you in a minute,” Tate said, taking off to join Faith and the Kendalls.
“Hey, Tate, heard you and a boat collided,” Josh Kendall said, reaching out to shake hands.
“The boat won,” Tate said easily. He smiled at Faith.
“Hi,” he said. “I didn’t see you in church.”
“I sat near the back. I saw you right up front,” she said.
“We’ve got to take off,” Josh said, looking back and forth from Tate to Faith.
“Good luck finding the dog’s owner,” Diana Kendall said.
“Thanks,” Faith said.
When the Kendalls headed for the parking lot, Tate said, “I’m going to lunch with the Kincaids, want to join us? We’re eating at the café.”
She thought about it for a moment. Long enough that Tate thought she’d refuse, but then she nodded. “Thanks, that’ll be fun. Do you think Mama Dog will be okay until I get home?”
“Probably. You were gone longer yesterday. No one called about her?”
“Not yet. I asked a couple of people today if they knew anyone who had a golden retriever. So far not. Tomorrow on my lunch break I plan to take her to the vet to see if he recognizes her or if she’s microchipped. I could understand the owners being gone for a day or two, but not several days, not with her so close to having those puppies. Surely someone should be watching her.”
“Maybe we’ll come up with other ideas at lunch. My car’s right over here. Did you walk?”
“I did. I know, come winter walking won’t be as appealing, but as long as the weather’s nice, I enjoy the stroll.”
As soon as they were all seated at the large round table near the front of the café, Tate announced, “Faith has a houseguest. A golden retriever with four puppies. Any ideas who owns such a dog?”
Jenny’s eyes grew large. “Puppies. Can I come see?” She looked at Faith and then at her dad. “Please, I’d love to see the puppies. Maybe I can have one?”
“They’re not mine,” Faith said, smiling at the girl’s sudden enthusiasm. “You can ask the owners when they claim her. I’ve put up flyers and hope to get a call today. Otherwise I’m taking her to the vet tomorrow. I hope he’ll know who she belongs to.”
Faith explained how she found the dog and what she’d done so far to try to find the owner.
“You’d think she’d have on a tag or something,” Marcie said. “If I had a pet, I’d want it readily identified if it got out of the yard.”
“Maybe she did and it came off,” Joe said. “I don’t remember seeing a golden roaming around.” He looked at Jenny. “Any of your friends have a golden retriever?”
She shook her head. “I’ll be the first.” She almost bounced on her chair.
The adults laughed at her statement.
“Don’t count your chickens, honey,” her father said. “We have to find the owner first and then we’ll see.”
She sighed. “That usually means no.”
Faith looked at Joe and he winked at her. She knew if he could get Jenny a puppy, he’d do it.
The conversation veered to Tate and his injury, then to the end-of-summer picnic the church would hold at Carlisle Beach, and, of course, the highly anticipated fall football season. Faith was content to sit and listen, though she contributed her thoughts when asked. She enjoyed the lively exchange between the two brothers. And found herself watching Tate more than she should. He was merely a new acquaintance who had kindly included her in a lunchtime gathering of his friends. She was not looking for more. Still, she liked the way he kept the conversation going. The easy manner he had with Jenny. The funny things he’d sometimes say.
By the time everyone had finished eating, the topic of conversation shifted to the upcoming wedding of Joe and Gillian. Faith smiled politely and glanced at her watch. She really didn’t want to listen to the excited discussion. Her own plans for a wedding had been shattered. And she was getting worried about how much time Mama Dog had spent without a walk.
Tate caught her eye and tilted his head slightly toward the door. She gave one nod and hoped she was reading him right.
“I’ve got to head out,” he said. “I’ll take you home, Faith.”
“That would be nice. Thank you for letting me join you for lunch,” she said as she got ready to leave.
“If you’re going home, can I go with you? I want to see the puppies,” Jenny said.
“We’d better wait until we find the owners. Then you’d be able to ask them about having one,” Faith said. “I’ll tell you what. If no one claims her by tomorrow afternoon, see if your dad will let you come see them. Just keep in mind that they’re very small and not moving around a whole bunch,” she warned.
“What if the owner never comes?” Jenny asked, her eyes sad at the thought.
“First, let’s see what the vet says. I’ll be off work at five. You can come and see them after that. But they are very little and I don’t know if Mama Dog will let you touch them. She’s very protective.”
“I’ll be very careful. If she doesn’t want me to pet them, then I’ll just look,” Jenny said solemnly.
“Deal.” Faith looked at Joe. “Okay?”
“Works for me.”
Once in the car, Faith sighed softly. “Thanks for the save. It’s not that I don’t want others to get married and be happy. It’s just hard to listen to the excitement and plans and not remember.”
“No thanks necessary. I’m happy for those two. And Zack and Marcie, who will be getting married at Christmas.” He sighed. “But talking about weddings reminds me of mine. Still a bit painful to think about. And I figured you would have the same problem.”
“You’re right. Maybe one day I’ll feel differently.”
“Like when you’re planning a wedding for yourself.”
“I’m not sure I’ll ever marry.” She wouldn’t tell anyone how sad she felt when she thought that. But it would take a special man to want to marry a woman who couldn’t have children. Maybe a nice widower who already had children of his own. But then she’d be the stepmother, and that wasn’t always a happy situation.
“Why not?” Tate asked.
“Most people think of getting married and having a family. I can’t do that.” She looked at him. “How will I ever know if I can trust someone? I truly thought my fiancé would stick by me through everything. How wrong I was.”
“Not every guy’s like that,” Tate said.
“True, but how to weed out the ones who are?�
� she countered.
It took only moments to drive down Main Street. The shops were open, displays in the windows designed to entice buyers. Tourists wandered along the sidewalk. The ice-cream store was crowded. All too soon, the waning summer season would be over. Faith wondered what winter in Rocky Point would be like.
“It’s nice here,” she said, laughing softly when she saw a rambunctious toddler fleeing his mom, ice cream in hand. “I enjoyed church this morning. Diana Kendall suggested I join the singles group at the church to meet more people. She said it’s for confirmed singles—not a euphemism for dating? Is she right?”
“Singles only. All ages—never marrieds, divorced, widowed. About an even mix of men and women. I went a couple of times. Then got too busy. Plus, I already know people in town,” Tate said. “It would be a good starting point for you to make friends. Like values and all.”
“Want to come in to see the dog?” Faith asked when they reached her apartment.
“Thanks, but I think I’ll head on home. Call if you need anything.”
“Why, thank you, Sheriff. That’s nice of you.”
“Tate. Not wearing my official sheriff’s hat today. Until the bandage is gone, I don’t guess I’ll wear the hat at all,” he said with a grin.
Faith’s gaze flickered to that adorable dimple. She wished he’d come up and stay just a little longer.
“Okay, then, Tate. We’ll see you back at the clinic in a week, right?”
“I won’t forget,” he promised.
Tate watched her run up her stairs and enter the apartment. Pulling away to drive the short distance to his home, he thought about how connected he felt to Faith. Probably because they’d both lost a loved one. He’d just met her two days ago, and yet at the restaurant he could tell she was uncomfortable when the conversation turned to the wedding. She’d gone through some hard times, just as he had. And she seemed to be as wary about marriage as he was. She worried that a mate wouldn’t stay true to her. He worried that another woman would become sick and die, and he’d have to deal with that pain again. A fine pair. Yet perhaps because of what they’d gone through, they clicked in some way.
Monday morning was hectic. The puppies were starting to scoot around, eyes still closed—not walking as much as slithering around on the linoleum floor, scrunching up the newspaper she had put down to catch accidents. The mama dog’s appetite picked up and Faith was surprised at how much she ate. After taking her outside, Faith was reluctant to leave her home all day. Though Faith fully expected to dash home at lunch, she still worried a bit about leaving the dog on her own.
“I’ll be back before you know it,” she said as she prepared to leave for work.
The dog wagged her tail.
Checking on the water bowl and fresh newspaper that she’d spread all over the kitchen, Faith finally left.
Hurrying to work, Faith reviewed all she wanted to do today. Take the dog to the vet for a microchip check at lunch. Make sure posters were still up. Ask patients as they came in if they knew the dog. And if no one claimed her before five, Jenny Kincaid was coming to see the puppies. From feeling lonely and at loose ends a few days ago, she sure had a busy schedule today.
The morning flew by. Asking patients casually if they knew about the dog prompted an interest in the puppies and praise for her for taking them on. But no firm idea of who the owners were. Marjorie showed her disapproval when she was asked.
“Take them to Animal Control—that’s what they’re there for. I wouldn’t have a dog messing up my house.”
Faith nodded, but bit her tongue to refute the idea. She was not going to take them there, except as a last resort.
She called to schedule a vet appointment, lucky to get in right at noon. Dr. Mallory didn’t mind her taking a bit longer for lunch. The visit was disappointing, however. The vet didn’t recognize the dog, nor had she been microchipped. He gave her a checkup and recommended that she get a round of shots if the owners didn’t claim her soon—just to be on the safe side.
Faith left work early enough to be home at five. Almost on the dot, Jenny and Gillian showed up to see the puppies.
“Come in. They’re in the kitchen. I’ve barricaded them in with my dining chairs, so step over them if you can.” Faith continued to keep the dining chairs sideways and overlapped to make a barrier between the kitchen and the living area.
“Oh, they’re so little!” Jenny exclaimed when she saw them.
“Move slowly and gently,” Gillian admonished. “Let the mama dog sniff your hand and talk to her softly so she’ll know you’re a friend. She may not want you touching her babies.”
Jenny followed the directions and in just moments was sitting by the mama dog holding two of the puppies in her lap. As they squirmed around and tried to settle, she laughed in delight.
Faith and Gillian shared smiles. “They are cute,” Gillian said. “I hope the owner wants to part with at least one, since Jenny has her heart set on it. She’s talked about nothing else since lunch yesterday. Joe agreed that she could have a puppy if it works out.”
“I’m starting to think I may be the one to decide. I can’t imagine where the owners are. Do you want some iced tea while she plays with the puppies? I have a pitcher in the refrigerator.”
“Sounds nice. We won’t stay long. I know you just got home from work,” Gillian said. “I take it you still don’t know who the owners are and the vet didn’t, either?”
Faith poured two glasses of tea and offered Jenny some juice. Taking their glasses, the women went to sit in the living room.
“It was disappointing that he didn’t recognize the dog. But I have to admit I’m sort of glad. It’s nice to have her welcoming me home.” She shrugged. “And so far, Mama Dog isn’t any trouble. The babies are too little to do much, but no doubt they’ll be a handful in another week or two.”
“A fun handful. No calls on the posters, either?” Gillian asked.
“No. I can’t imagine that no one’s missing her.”
“What did Tate say?”
“That he’d keep an eye out and ask around.” She smiled. “But as I said, I’m enjoying the company. And having them around makes me realize how much I want a dog.”
“Don’t forget you’ll have to walk her rain or shine or snow.”
“I know.” Gillian didn’t know that walking the dog would be a great impetus to getting her out, building up her stamina. She didn’t see how having a dog could be anything but good. “So…how’re the aerobics classes going?”
“My classes aren’t disturbing you, are they?” Gillian asked.
“Not at all. I’m not home during the day and your night classes end early enough not to bother me. I can barely hear the music. I probably should join in, but not just yet.”
“Come when you can. I have a long way to go before being full at each session, but the women who do come love it, and we’re all having fun.”
A few minutes later, Gillian said they had to leave. Jenny was reluctant, but went willingly enough when Faith said she could come to see the puppies again.
Dinner didn’t take long to make or eat and, when finished, she took the dog for a walk. Faith had brought the leash, but the dog never wandered far, and if she wasn’t on the leash, she couldn’t pull Faith. The dog ran around, as if glad to be out of the confines of the kitchen. Finally, she headed for the steps and Faith followed. Just as she started up, a patrol car pulled in beside the building. Tate got out.
“Hi,” she called, standing on the bottom step.
He walked over, still in uniform but no hat, just the rakish bandage over part of his forehead.
“How’d it go at the vet’s?” he asked, coming to stand by her. He looked up at the dog. “How’re you doing, Little Mama?”
The dog barked i
n welcome and wagged her tail, but didn’t leave her spot by the door.
“She probably wants to get back to the kids,” Faith said. “Do you want to come in?”
“Maybe for a minute.”
“I take it you’re feeling better, since you’re back on duty,” she said as they climbed the steps.
“I took it easy today, mostly paperwork in the office—not my favorite thing. But there wasn’t much else to do.”
He went to see the puppies and smiled at the arrangement of her chairs. “You should get a kiddie gate to keep them in the kitchen. Be easier on your chairs.”
“I could. I just don’t know how long they’re going to be here. Want some iced tea or something?”
“No, I’m not staying that long. One of my deputies thinks she belongs to a family who was renting a house for the summer. He’s contacting the landlord to see if he can put us in touch with the family. They might have just abandoned her.”
“What? Why would they do that?” she asked, horrified.
“Who knows? Sometimes people want a pet for the fun factor and when they become work, dump them. They probably knew she was pregnant and didn’t want the hassle.”
“How awful! How could they do that to her? She’s such a sweet dog.”
“I don’t have a clue why some people do the things they do. Anyway, if we learn who the owners are, we’ll contact them,” he said. “What if they did abandon her?”
“Can you arrest them?”
Tate laughed. “Unfortunately—no. They should’ve just turned her in to Animal Control. Which you could still do.”
“Not yet.” Faith studied the dogs for a moment. “What if the owners don’t want her? Can I have her?”
“And the puppies? They’ll need shots and a checkup and all before being adoptable. It could end up costing you quite a bit.”
“That’s not a problem. I still can’t believe a family would just dump her to fend for herself—especially when she was pregnant. She’s such a love.”
Rocky Point Promise Page 6