Yesterday's Promise

by Cheryl St. John

  “Oh. No, of course not.” She handed him the dispenser and grabbed a clean towel from a drawer. She hurried to remove a chair so he could get near the round pedestal table on the other side of the kitchen.

  Sometime before she’d moved in, a wall had been removed and an island installed between this room and what used to be a dining room. She used that area as an office.

  After he’d finished washing, she did the same.

  He wheeled over to sit at the table.

  She prepared a pot of coffee. “How about some lunch? I appreciate you driving out here. There aren’t any eating places nearby so you’d be really hungry before you got into Spencer.”

  “If you’re planning to eat, I’ll join you.” He leaned forward to remove his coat.

  “Great. I’ll take your jacket.”

  The leather was supple and warm from his body as she placed it on a hook beside the door.

  “How long have you been here?” he asked.

  “Over two years now. I inherited the farm and a little money. Obviously I haven’t spent much money on this house or furnishings. I used most of the cash to build and modify the big metal barn and buy fencing and supplies. I invested the rest to eke out interest for taxes.”

  “I’m impressed,” he told her. “Looks like you run things efficiently.”

  His unexpected praise filled her with pride. “I do my best.” She arranged sandwich makings on the counter. Fortunately, she’d taken twelve-grain bread from the freezer the night before. She piled slices with smoked turkey and Monterey jack cheese, added mayo and lettuce and cut each sandwich in half. She set a plate in front of Avery. “Nothing fancy.”

  He gave her an easy smile. “I’m not a fancy guy.”

  She washed them each an apple and, after setting her meal down, took a seat. The self-consciousness she was experiencing wasn’t over having him see her home, but rather at his unexpected interest and her even more surprising awareness of him. This was her home, a sanctuary of her own, but she was out of her element with this man. The future of thirty-some dogs was at the mercy of his generosity and his checkbook. The whole scene felt awkward because he was unusual in more ways than one. She’d never invited anyone to lunch, let alone a man. A good-looking rich man. A good-looking rich man in a wheelchair was definitely not the norm.

  “Do I make you uncomfortable?” he asked.

  He was wearing a long-sleeved dark gray jersey that emphasized the breadth and muscle tone of his upper body. She met his eyes. Dangerous move. They were friendly eyes. Expressive. Kind. Honest. “Just a little,” she answered.

  “Can we fix that?”

  She shrugged and hoped her cheeks didn’t blaze.

  “Maybe if we introduce ourselves properly it will help. I’ve discovered that if I clear the air so people can stop pretending the emperor is wearing clothes, the atmosphere changes.”

  This guy didn’t pull any punches.

  He leaned forward and extended his hand. “It’s clean.”

  Those disturbing eyes held amusement, and his full lips a charming half-smile.

  She placed her hand in his. “Natalie Jordan.”

  “Avery Sawyer.” He leaned back and took a bite of his sandwich. He chewed and swallowed before saying, “I was a fireman before an accident put me out of that kind of work. The good news is that the spinal injury left me with no pain and use of everything except my legs. I like to take long walks in the rain—or rolls in the rain rather—and I like the Nicks. How about you?”

  She grinned because he sounded as though he was on a game show. “I’m originally from California. My parents still live there. My sister, too. I’m a professional dog trainer. I try to stay out of the rain. If you like basketball, the Nicks are okay.”

  “So, how do dogs find you?” he asked.

  “I’ve been doing rescues from shelters and handling overflow for the humane society since I’ve been here. My name and hopefully my reputation are catching on, so I’m getting more and more calls. It started out with one or two dogs needing care and placement, then occasionally a litter or several adult dogs. Now I’m being called on to accept removals from these inhumane breeders, the ones who need to be shut down—and I’m glad they’re being stopped—but the numbers are overwhelming.”

  He nodded and she got up to pour glasses of ice water and cups of coffee. “Do you take milk or sugar?”

  “No, thanks.” He took a sip and set down the mug. His palms were broad, his fingers long.

  She looked away from his hands. “Jackson said you’re interested in puppies to train for special programs.”

  He nodded.

  “As a sponsor?” she asked.

  He nodded again.

  “Do you know trainers?”

  “I know a couple and I have connections to find more.”

  This was her opportunity to pitch herself. The words were more difficult to force out because she found herself inexplicably attracted to him. She took a sip of water. “I’d be interested in providing dogs for a program like that.”

  He nodded thoughtfully. “The idea’s definitely on my radar.”

  They finished their sandwiches and started on their apples. She set down the fruit abruptly. “So, what do you think? Am I meeting your approval? Do you trust me enough to sponsor these dogs?”

  “I knew you were the real deal as soon as we talked on the phone,” he answered.

  His reply surprised her. “How?”

  “I’ve learned to pay attention to my gut feelings.”

  Natalie had sensed his peaceful demeanor since he’d first introduced himself. She admired him. “Okay,” she answered.

  They sipped their coffee. He certainly wasn’t in any hurry to elaborate, so she took a deep breath and composed herself to wait.

  “You have the potential to save hundreds, maybe thousands of dogs,” he told her finally. “You’re thinking too small.”

  She blinked. “Am I?”

  “You’re in a good central location. This could be a relay center that encompasses all the Midwestern states.”

  His suggestion caught her off guard.

  “Puppy Love could provide young healthy dogs for training centers,” he went on. “It could match older dogs with families. Look at the facts. Between us we have the contacts. You have the passion. I have the finances. If you had another three or four buildings like the one you have now, plus a staff of workers, a vet and a clinic for neutering and spaying, this place would be on the map.”

  Natalie’s heart raced. He was a spectacular thinker. Definitely out of her league. The scope of what he suggested terrified her. She had enough trouble being responsible for the animals she took in now. How could she shoulder an even bigger load and do it right? There was more at stake than some planning and building. The lives of animals were on the line, and she didn’t think she was the best choice for a responsibility of that magnitude.

  “By not having a website, you’re missing an enormous opportunity to find owners. Once a site could be built, it would need weekly updates. Office staff could handle that.”

  Her heart had already undergone a workout. “That part makes sense.”

  “It all makes sense. Together we could have the vision to make a rescue, training and adoption center happen,” he told her.

  Together was only a fraction of the suggestions she was struggling to comprehend. She blinked. “Office staff? You’re talking way over my head. Thinking way too unrealistically.”

  “Go big to succeed big is my motto,” he added.

  She rested one elbow on the table and planted her chin in her hand to think.

  “Maybe you need some more time,” he told her.

  “Maybe.” But she didn’t. She wasn’t about to risk everything the way he was suggesting.

  “Well, take all the time you want. You have my offer.”

  She blinked. Met his dark eyes. “Your offer?”

  He nodded.
“I’m proposing a joint corporation. I invest, you direct. We share management decisions.”

  Natalie had an uneasy feeling about his idea. “And if I don’t agree?”

  “You certainly don’t have to agree,” he said easily. “You own the land and the business. It’s yours to do with as you see fit.”

  “But if I don’t?” she pressed.

  “If you don’t, we don’t have a deal.”

  Chapter Four

  He might have all the time in the world to go along with most of the money, but she didn’t have more time to think about his offer. She only had until Friday.

  She pushed the plate holding the last quarter of her sandwich to the side and wrapped her palms around her mug. The immensity of this idea was overwhelming. Yes, she had plans to expand. No, she didn’t have the funds, and it would take years to accomplish anything as grand as he proposed.

  He tactfully let a good chunk of time pass.

  She got up and carried back the coffee pot.

  He declined.

  “There’s a restroom in my bedroom,” she said, setting the pot back in place. “You wouldn’t have to close the door.”

  “Thanks,” he said with a nod.

  “I have apple pie.”

  “What scares you the most?” he asked, without replying.

  “I’m not sure.”

  “The work involved? The commitment?”

  She thought for a minute. “No. I don’t think so.”

  “Are you concerned about me or my integrity? What would happen if I failed my end of the deal?”

  She leaned forward, her hands on the tabletop. “I’m a lawyer. I’d have our contracts drawn so tightly they’d be bullet-proof.”

  His eyes widened, then crinkled at the corners, and he laughed out loud. He scared her witless.

  “Is it because I’m a stranger? Strangers make business deals all the time.”

  She gave her head a wry shake. “I know that. Can Pax have a T-R-E-A-T?”

  “Obviously you have smart dogs. Yes, he can have one.”

  She got up and removed the lid from the cookie jar. Nails scrambled on the wood floor and three sets of eyes watched her very move.

  Avery chuckled.

  Her dogs sat in a row at the end of the counter, tails wagging.

  “Do the rescue dogs get T-R-E-A-T-S?” he asked.

  “They do,” she said. “I’d feel too guilty to give them to these guys if they didn’t.” She looked over at him. “You were going to feel guilty if they didn’t, weren’t you?”

  “Or order a truckload.”

  She gave a dog biscuit to each of her dogs, and they carried them away to enjoy. She neared Pax. “Will he take it from me?”

  “Yes.”

  She held the treat down to the alert dog. He only looked at it.

  “Okay,” Avery said.

  Pax gently took the biscuit from her fingers without touching them and lay down beside Avery’s chair.

  “What are you afraid of?” he asked again.

  She picked up their plates and stacked them in the sink. “You’re so intense,” she said. “I don’t know that I have to explain my thought process to you. I’ve barely had time to think.”

  “Fair enough,” he said. “I’ll take a piece of that pie.”

  She served a slice of pie and sat across from him once more. She had no one else to discuss this with. She could only imagine what her dad would say. And the deal probably wouldn’t meet Camille’s standard of potential.

  “Did you bake this?”

  “I did. There are apple and peach trees on the property. I can them in the late summer.”

  He raised his eyebrows in appreciation. “I can’t remember the last time I had homemade peach pie.”

  “I can make that happen,” she said easily, and then wished she hadn’t.

  “I noticed you don’t have dishwasher.”

  “Nope. No plumbing for it. The family who lived here got by without one, and I can too.”

  “Who did own this place?”

  She tapped her fingertips on the tabletop. “Originally, my husband’s grandparents.” At his look of surprise, she added, “He died three years ago.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  She gave a small shrug. “Yes, it was a shame. We weren’t together at the time. He’d taken a job in China.” She pushed at a breadcrumb with her index finger. “I didn’t move with him.”

  “So you started Puppy Love all on your own. What about your family?”

  “Only me,” she said, then added, “I have family. They’re not supportive.”

  He drank part of the glass of water she’d given him. “Do you think you can make a decision by tomorrow? I arranged to stay at Aspen Gold Lodge tonight.”

  Of course, and he had arranged for accommodations with wheelchair accessibility. “Do you need anything? What about Pax?”

  “I have everything he needs for a day or so, and they have pet walkers available.”

  “I’ll have a decision tomorrow,” she assured him.

  “Have you been to the lodge? Perhaps you could meet me for breakfast or lunch.”

  “They have me on file, and I can get a guest pass. My morning will be busy with the dogs and making calls for Friday, but I can get away for lunch.”

  “All right,” he said with a nod. “It’s been a pleasure meeting you. Thank you for your hospitality, and I hope we’ll be working together soon.”

  She got his jacket from a peg and held it as he slipped his arms into the sleeves. “You’ll show me how your chair goes back into the van. And how do you load the scooter?”

  “I ride the lift and once inside, drive it to the front, where I secure it and move to the driver’s seat.”

  “Ingenious,” she said.

  Outdoors, she loaded the wheelchair. He thanked her and rode the lift, Pax standing beside his scooter.

  Natalie went to stand on the back steps while he started his engine and drove away. She went in for her coat and let Abby, Daughtry and Goliath out alongside her as she headed for the kennels to feed and check on the dogs.

  Duncan had arrived and switched out animals so others could exercise in the runs. “Hi, Duncan.”

  “Hey, Miss Jordan.”

  “Duncan, do you have any friends who might be willing to volunteer for a few weeks? I figure sometimes volunteer hours are needed for student council or National Honor Society, right? They were required when I was in school anyway. I’m bringing in maybe thirty dogs on Friday, and I’m not sure what condition they’ll be in.”

  “I’ll check around. There might be some who can use service hours on their scholarship applications.”

  “Great. I’d appreciate you getting back to me as quickly as you can. Thanks.”

  * *

  Natalie had called ahead, so she checked in at the front desk and received a visitor’s badge from the security officer on duty. “Welcome to Aspen Gold Lodge, Miss Jordan. Have a pleasant lunch.”

  She’d been invited to a businessman’s breakfast once and another time had attended a charity function, and the old-world charm of the lobby always made her feel as though she was stepping into another world. Well, she was, of course. Aspen Gold Lodge was famous for its exclusivity and for catering to the rich and famous. She glanced at the enormous gleaming wood staircase and the sparkling chandeliers overhead. These people skimped on nothing.

  She hadn’t worn heels in months, so was conscious of her balance and the sound of her steps as she approached the Sunroom, where a host in black trousers and a blindingly white shirt greeted her. The restaurant lived up to its name, sun shining through walls of windows, enormous sliding glass doors and every surface gleaming white or soft yellow.

  “Mr. Sawyer is waiting for you,” the young man said and led her to a table where Avery’s chair had been so inconspicuously accommodated, she wouldn’t have known he was seated in it. A cheerful bouquet of
daisies, sunflowers, snapdragons and bright green daisy poms in a glass vase sat in the center of the small linen-draped table.

  She tore her gaze from the charming flowers to Avery’s welcome smile, and a warmth as bright as the room flooded her skin. He seemed to take energy from his surroundings and give it back. How did he appear so comfortable and self-assured all the time?

  “Good afternoon,” he greeted her.

  She sat across from him. “Hi.”

  “Were you able to make arrangements for Friday?”

  “I still need another driver to be sure we have enough.”

  “If I don’t take the scooter, I can fit a few kennels in my vehicle. I’d be willing to help out.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure. I’ll have my chair, and that will be sufficient for the day trip.”

  “Well then I have enough drivers. Thank you.”

  The server brought her a glass of water and handed them each a menu. She made a half-hearted attempt to read it. Today he wore a blue and white pinstripe shirt with the sleeves rolled back over his forearms. “Where’s Pax?”

  “There’s a pet spa. He’s having a bath.”

  She hadn’t been able to sleep much and researched Avery online. It had been fascinating to learn he competed internationally in relay road hand-cycling, and his team had competed in the Paralympics. She hadn’t been surprised. He was obviously physically toned and strong. In their dealings about the rescue center, he’d shown his decisiveness and extraordinary thinking. He thought big and was obviously competitive. She’d sensed his impatience, but he wasn’t pushy and respected her hesitation. She’d never met anyone like him.

  She didn’t like that his larger-than-life character intimidated her. She was learning to stand up for herself and do what she wanted to do.

  “Do you know what you’d like for lunch today?” the server asked.

  Avery nodded at her to order first.

  She focused on the menu. “I’ll have Willa’s chicken and avocado salad, please.”

  Avery ordered blackened salmon and a kale, shaved Brussel sprouts and avocado salad. “A cup of decaf coffee as well, please.”